Back in February 2023, we evaluated the perfect smartphones for his or her final digicam efficiency, proper after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the star of the present.
Since then, I attended MWC the place extra flagship telephones launched, together with the Xiaomi 13 Pro and the Honor Magic5 Pro. More not too long ago, Oppo introduced the Find X6 Pro with a large 1-inch-type sensor, much like the one discovered within the Xiaomi 13 Pro.
Here is our choice of the 5 Best Camera Smartphones for Q1 2023, and we could replace that record as soon as we totally assessment different telephones in June.
The costs of the 5 smartphones go from $1,199.99 to $699. To choose the perfect units for cell images, we use a number of standards. We test in precedence the digicam prowess, and by order or significance, the show high quality, the system’s pace, the commercial design, and the battery life.
We evaluated the digicam potential utilizing our proprietary Ubergizmo CAMERA HW rating*, and for this comparative assessment, we shot images with every lens of every smartphone’s foremost digicam system. You can study extra by going to the benchmark web page.
Our present choice contains smartphones that we had time to play with and assessment, nevertheless, new cell phones with nice images capabilities are continuously being launched, and we are going to replace this choice within the coming months. We are at the moment evaluating the Xiaomi 13 Pro, the Honor Magic5 Pro, and the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, they could make the record for Q2 (or not).
*Our CAMERA HW rating solely contains the principle rear digicam system and doesn’t think about the entrance selfie digicam. It is generated by algorithms, based mostly on the technical specs of the digicam {hardware}
1/ Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Ubergizmo Camera HW rating: 201
High
- Main digicam system with 4 lenses, together with 200 MP sensor within the major module
- Two prime quality telephoto modules, one is a un 10X optical zoom
- Beautiful design
- Excellent SoC efficiency
- Excellent giant show with the S-Pen
Low
- Expensive
- “Fast” charger (45W) isn’t supplied, prices about $50
- At that worth the charging pace might have been quicker
Announced on February 1st, 2023, out there since February 17th, 2023 -launch worth $1,199.99.
Camera specs highlights:
- Wide angle (principal) 24 mm, 200 MP, f/1.7, OIS,
- Ultrawide angle 13 mm, 12 MP, f/2.2, OIS
- Telephoto 69 mm, 10 MP, f/2.4, OIS, optical zoom 3X,
- Telephoto 230 mm, 10 MP, f/4.9, OIS, optical zoom 10X
- Selfie Front Camera 26 mm, 12 MP, f/2.2
The successor of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a expertise marvel and at the moment the finest Android smartphone available on the market in Q1. Equipped with Qualcomm’s newest System-on-Chip (SoC), the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, it provides wonderful efficiency particularly for gaming (test the efficiency comparability graphic on the finish of the article).
The 6.8” 1440p AMOLED show with an adaptive refresh fee 1-120 Hz delivers a powerful picture high quality and provides 1750 NITs theoretical peak brightness that we measured at 1045 NITs.
Samsung pushed the commercial design envelope and provides a singular person expertise because of the built-in S-pen that enables customers to take notes, to create art work or remote-control photograph shoots and displays.
“SAMSUNG PUSHED THE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ENVELOPE AND OFFERS A UNIQUE USER EXPERIENCE”
The sound high quality delivered by the stereo audio system can be among the best on the cell market alongside the audio high quality of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
What units the S23 Galaxy Ultra aside is the excellent high quality of its again digicam module that mixes 4 cameras, together with a foremost 200 MP sensor and two telephoto lenses that ship 3X and 10X optical zooms. We recognize the trouble as a result of at the moment, most OEMs have a tendency to cut back the facility of their telephoto cameras to chop prices. The trade-off permits them to supply extra reasonably priced flagship telephones whereas sustaining top-notch efficiency for probably the most used vast angle and ultrawide cameras.
The S23 Ultra digicam is nicely balanced and delivers wonderful picture high quality for its vast, ultrawide, and telephoto shooters (optical and digital zoom). Samsung additionally pushed the envelope above and past with its 100 X digital zoom (Super Resolution Zoom).
We love the supply of the 200 MP capturing mode immediately from the automated mode, within the side ratio choice menu. Other smartphones providing high-resolution capturing modes (50 MP, 108 MP or 200 MP) make customers drill down a number of menus and sub-menus to entry the characteristic.
Without shock, this again digicam module will get among the best present Ubergizmo Camera HW scores of our Top 5 choice, at 201. Its predecessor, the S22 Ultra gained a barely larger rating of 202 as a result of we suspect that the principle sensor of the S23 Ultra, regardless of being a bit bigger than the one within the S22 Ultra, can’t ship its full potential because of the tremendous skinny chassis. Please be aware that for now, our CAMERA HW rating solely keep in mind probably the most highly effective telephoto, so the S23 Ultra is even higher than the rating signifies. We will replace our algorithm afterward to replicate this sort of configuration.
2/ iPhone 14 Pro Max
Ubergizmo CAMERA HW rating: 200
High
- High-quality digicam sensors and lenses
- Excellent SoC efficiency
- Beautiful show
Low
- Expensive
- Slow charging (30W)
- Charger not included
Announced September 14, 2022, out there since September 24, 2022– launch worth $1,099.
Camera options highlights**
- Wide angle (principal) 24 mm, 48 MP, f/1.78, OIS,
- Ultrawide 13 mm, 12 MP, f/2.2,
- Telephoto 77 mm, 12 MP, f/2.8, 3X optical zoom,
- Selfie 23 mm, 12 MP, f/1.9
Among all of the smartphones we chosen right here, the iPhone 14 Pro Max possess the weakest technical specs, aside from its digicam system.
The Apple system show delivers the bottom pixel density, its battery has the smallest battery capability (4352 mAh vs 5000 mAh for the others) alongside the slowest charging pace.
On the graphics efficiency aspect, the iPhone 14 Po Max isn’t pretty much as good within the frequent benchmarks (which replicate many of the present video games) as its Android friends with the same measurement and geared up with the perfect Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. With newer benchmarks, it does an excellent job. However, it delivers the perfect CPU efficiency of all of the units we chosen. (See graphics efficiency charts on the finish of this text).
That stated, the 6.7” OLED show is great et the sound high quality the the stereo audio system ship is among the finest, simply behind the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
“THE IPHONE 14 PRO MAX OFFERS THE BEST PRIMARY WIDE-ANGLE CAMERA”
The iPhone 14 Pro Max provides the perfect major wide-angle digicam of our prime 2023 digicam smartphones choice, and its telephoto with 3X optical zoom delivers the very best quality for portrait pictures. However, the S23 Ultra’s 10 X optical zoom is far more performant for lengthy distances.
We selected to assessment the iPhone 14 Pro Max for this choice, even supposing the iPhone 14 Pro options the identical digicam at a lower cost level ($999). One of the principle variations is its smaller display measurement, at 6.1”. On one hand, we want giant shows, and then again, it was logical to think about an iOS smartphone with the same measurement to the remainder of our record.
3/ Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Score Ubergizmo Camera HW: 202
High
- Same qualities because the S23 Ultra aside from the earlier technology SoC (2022)
- Camera of equal high quality because the S23 Ultra aside from the 200 MP capturing mode discovered within the S23 Ultra
- OIS solely out there for the wide-angle shooter within the S22 Ultra
Low
- Weaker efficiency of the Soc in comparison with the S23 Ultra
- Charging pace barely slower than the S23 Ultra (45W vs. 50W peak)
- Charger not included
Camera options highlights**
- Wide angle (principal) 24 mm, 108 MP, f/1.8, OIS
- Ultrawide 13 mm, 12.2 MP, f/2.2
- Telephoto 69 mm, 10 MP, f/2.4, 3X optical zoom
- Telephoto 230 mm, 10 MP, f/4.9, 10X optical zoom
- Selfie 26 mm, 40 MP, f/2.2
Announced on February ninth, 2022, out there since February 25th, 2022 – launch worth $1,199.
We had elected the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra finest smartphone of the yr 2022 and it’s coming again in our greatest digicam smartphones of Q1 2023, for the superb high quality of its goals and the pictures they seize.
We rank it in third place regardless of its highest Ubergizmo Camera HW rating (202), as a result of it doesn’t have a 200 MP capturing mode not like its successor the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and its SoC efficiency is weaker than the one delivered by the S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. (See efficiency charts on the finish of this text)
“FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED HIGH-END PHOTOGRAPHY PERFORMANCE WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK”
Despite decrease optical stabilization of a few of its lenses, the Galaxy S22 Ultra delivers comparable digicam options because the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The most important distinction is the 200 MP capturing mode solely out there within the S23 Ultra.
Except for the previous-gen Qualcomm SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, many of the different technical specs of the S22 Ultra are much like those discovered within the S23 Ultra, together with the 6.8-inch AMOLED 3080×1440 show, the S-Pen and the 5000 mAh battery (charging time is barely completely different).
The S22 Ultra’s system efficiency is inferior to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, because of its older processor. This is probably the most important distinction that justifies a lower cost. (See efficiency charts on the finish of this text).
For individuals who want high-end images efficiency with out breaking the financial institution, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a wonderful selection.
4/ Google Pixel 7 Pro
Score Ubergizmo Camera HW: 191
High
- Excellent digicam for the value
- Optical Zoom 5X
- 12GB RAM
- Good SoC efficiency
- Great show
Low
- Phone may be very slippery
- Battery autonomy may very well be higher
- Charger not included
Announced October 6, 2022, out there since October 28, 2022 – launch worth $899.
Camera options highlights**
- Wide-angle (principal) 24 mm, 50 MP, f/1.85, OIS
- Ultrawide 13 mm, 12 MP, f/2.2,
- Telephoto 117 mm, 48 MP, f/3.5, OIS, 5X optical zoom
- Selfie 21 mm, 10.8 MP, f/2.2
The Google Pixel 7 Pro (we examined the AT&T model) options a superb high quality 6.7-inch OLED show with a 3120×1440 decision and a 512 PPI density (pixel per inch), which makes it the perfect outlined display of our choice. Its pixel density is barely larger than the S23 Ultra and the S22 Ultra (500 PPP), and lots higher than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (460 PPP).
Its LTPO expertise permits a variable refresh fee of 10 Hz to 120 Hz, a characteristic that enables the telephone to robotically optimize battery utilization in response to the present job. The theorical peak brightness is 1400 NITs, and we measured it at 1040 NITs, which is essentially adequate for studying the display in direct daylight.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is provided with Google’s proprietary SoC, the Tensor G2, and with 12 GB RAM LPDDR 5. This giant reminiscence capability permits the telephone ship a fluid person expertise even when tons of purposes are open concurrently.
On the efficiency aspect, it ranks approach decrease that the primary two and the fifth smartphones of our choice, and can be just below the Samsung Galaxy S22, which contains a previous-gen chip.
However, it is very important be aware that its efficiency par greenback for the CPU is alot larger than the S23 Ultra, and its ratio of digicam efficiency for the value wonderful. (See charts on the finish of this text)
On the again, the iconic horizontal bar is Google signature design for its Pixel smartphones lineup. For the Pixel 7 Pro, the bar is fabricated from aluminum and, on prime of giving it a premium look, its kind issue permits for housing a bigger digicam module.
The bar is an astute design software which permits Google’s {hardware} crew to have the required area for high-performance digicam modules on the rear of the telephone. This means bigger sensors, optics and longer zoom ranges. If you bear in mind, we identified in our Pixel 5 digicam assessment that Pixel telephones required a dramatic digicam {hardware} change, as a result of software program updates alone weren’t sufficient.
With our CAMERA HW benchmark, we have now usually demonstrated that the efficiency of digicam {hardware} chosen by the OEMs for his or her telephones has a direct consequence on the picture high quality. We proved it by wanting over 10 years of {hardware} information evolution of Huawei and Samsung digicam methods.
The Pixel 7 Pro digicam system is corresponding to the one present in his predecessor, the Pixel 6 Pro and the wide-angle principal digicam is identical.
However, there are some variations.
Google has geared up the brand new Pixel 7 Pro with a a barely higher 117 mm telephoto than the 104mm of the Pixel 6 Pro. The 48 MP telephoto with a 5X optical zoom of the 7 Pro is a vital specification as a result of it’s one probably the most highly effective zooms of our choice, after those discovered within the two Samsung telephones (10x).
For the ultrawide, Google went with a 13 mm lens, a bigger angle than the 16 mm ultrawide lens of the Pixel 6 Pro. That selection leads to a decrease definition for the picture captured, which is a typical commerce off, as a result of the bigger the angle, the decrease the picture high quality when the sensor stay the identical kind and measurement.
The ultrawide digicam is the least highly effective of our choice, since Google prioritized the telephoto and the wide-angle cameras within the system. The wide-angle digicam is ranked in fourth place in our choice by way of high quality, and higher than the one of many OnePlus 11.
Overall, all of the 5 smartphones chosen for this text ship an excellent photograph high quality, the perfect on the present cell market, and that is additionally the case for the Pixel 7 Pro. For that system, the excellence lies in its capability to ship such an excellent digicam efficiency at fairly an reasonably priced worth for this section.
5/ OnePlus 11
Score Ubergizmo Camera HW : 178
High
- Excellent smartphone for the value
- Good digicam system with an excellent ultrawide digicam
- Excellent SoC efficiency
- Gorgeous show
- 80W SUPERVOOC charger supplied (worth about $40)
- Ultra-fast charging – 80% in 19 minutes
Low
- Only IP64, splash resistant
- The different smartphones on this choice are IP68
- Telephoto with solely 2X optical zoom
Camera options highlights**
- Wide-angle (principal) 24 mm, 50 MP, f/1.78, OIS
- Ultrawide 16 mm, 48 MP, f/2.2,
- Telephoto 46mm, 32 MP, f/2
- Selfie 25 mm, 16 MP, f/2.45
Announced February 7, 2023, out there since February 16, 2023 – launch worth $699.
The OnePlus 11 bought seen for its high-end technical specs at an uber-affordable worth. In our record, it’s the one which delivers the perfect ratio efficiency for the value (efficiency per greenback, test our chart down beneath).
We extremely recognize the 80W adapter supplied ultrafast charging (80W for the U.S., 100W for the worldwide model), as a result of all of the rivals on this record are so sluggish to cost as compared!
We have examined with our 80W U.S. mannequin, and we bought 63% charged in quarter-hour, 80% charged in 19 minutes, and a full cost in 26 minutes (from 0). It is very possible that the charging pace could be even quicker with the worldwide 100W unit. Knowing that intense photoshoot periods have a tendency to empty the battery quick, novice photographers would definitely love this fast-charging adapter.
The OnePlus 11 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are the one units from this record to characteristic the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2***, thus their wonderful graphic efficiency and their excellent CPU efficiency are comparable. One is $500 inexpensive than the opposite (at launch, costs are continuously altering).
One the show aspect, the OnePlus 11 boasts a high-quality 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 3216×1440 decision that includes the LTPO 3.0 expertise that delivers 1-120 Hz variable refresh fee. To advantages kind the Aways On display, it’s essential activate it within the settings.
OnePlus has renewed its partnership with Hasselblad for the colour tuning and calibration of the sensors, OnePlus claims that they “have been working closely with Hasselblad to refine the identification of natural colors and the reproduction of these colors in mobile photography”.
The vast foremost digicam is the one that’s the weakest amongst its rivals on this record however delivers good picture high quality with colours a little bit extra saturated than what the Pixel 7 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max do.
On the opposite hand, the ultrawide shooter is the perfect of our choice, and we will even see it even on the night time pictures. The OnePlus 11’s night time images ship a higher rendering of the textures and particulars than the opposite ultra-wide goals.
The telephoto lens is a little bit disappointing because it solely provides a 2X optical zoom that’s primarily ised to supply a greater bokeh impact for the portrait mode.
It is essential to notice that part of picture processing is equal to filters we will apply in Instagram
Additional information
Here’s extra information that you would be able to evaluate should you’re interested in efficiency and value-proposition. Geekbench and GFXBench reveals the respective pace for CPU and Graphics (GFX) and are strightforward to learn. We’ve additionally included the pace / worth charts that reveals the worth for the value, because it’s additionally a really legitimate standards to take a look at. Finally, the battery cost pace might be discovered on the backside of the web page.
(*5*)
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