When it comes to blogging, taking good photos is important. And if you’re going to be blogging for the long term, you’re going to want a good camera on your phone. After all, you don’t want a great camera out there that’s not being used, right? That’s why I’m writing this post: to help you find the best camera available.
As a blogger, one of the most popular things you can do is blog about your outfit of the day or a food blog. It’s very common for bloggers to incorporate their favorite fashion pieces and streetwear into their outfit of the day post. A lot of bloggers also blog about food topics and restaurant reviews. This is where having the right phone camera comes in handy!
Your phone’s camera is the most important tool you have as a blogger. There are plenty of steps you can take to get the best shots, but you don’t want to fuss around while a photo op is happening – so which phone has the best camera? We test the four main cameras on iPhones, Samsung, Nokia and HTC phones to find out who wins in 2015.
Best Phone Camera For Blogging
The best camera phones have come a long way, and they get better every year. Improvements in sensors, lens arrays and AI-powered enhancements now offer a huge amount of versatility, not only for photography but for video too. So much so that even professional photographers and videographers can now sometimes use the best camera phones for some of their work.
There’s no one answer to the question of which is the best camera phone overall. Apple and Samsung have been battling it out in recent years with their respective flagship cameras on the iPhone Pro and Galaxy S Ultra, but there are plenty of other players making very good camera phones too. We’ve made our own pick below based on our own reviews, our contributor’s firsthand experiences and a detailed comparison of each device’s specs (see more about how we test and review).
The list below covers the best camera phones including both Apple and Android devices, but if you’re set on Apple, see our guide on the best iPhones for photography. Also check out our guides to the best cameras overall and best point-and-shoot cameras if you want a more specialised piece of kit.
Of course, the best camera phones aren’t cheap (see our guide to the budget camera phones for that, and take a look at our guide to how to buy refurbished tech if you want to get a bargain on a used version of one of the best camera phones). Whichever device you go for, make sure you see our smartphone photography tips to get the most out of it.CLOSE
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The best camera phones available now
Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
01. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The best camera phone overall
RAM: 6GB, 12GB | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Rear camera: 108MP (wide, f/1.8) + 10MP (periscope, 10x optical zoom, f/4.9) + 10MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom, f/2.4) + 12MP (ultra-wide, 120-degree, f/2.2) | Front camera: 40MP (wide, f/2.2)
View at Amazon
View at Amazon
View at Conrad Electronic
Useful S Pen stylus
8K video recording
The best zoom we’ve experienced on any camera phone
Costs over $1,000 in the US
Slippery case
Samsung’s 2022 top-end phone is a super-powerful mobile, both in the camera department and in most aspects of its feature set. It has the same array of cameras as the S21 Ultra, the same massive pixel count and pixel binning for improved low-light performance and 8K video recording, but it has a selection of new modes and upgraded specs to make it a better choice for photographers.
When we tested out the S22 Ultra, one thing that really appealed to us was its versatility. Whether we wanted to take a wide shot of a big view, needed to jump in close for a portrait shop or wanted to travel far (and really far) into the distance for a zoom shot, we could rely on it to provide.
Like its predecessor, the S22 Ultra has a massive 10x optical zoom and an incredible 100x digital zoom, but the quality is clearer for longer. Photos taken at 100X are still barely usable, but we found that the clarity at 30x is now very impressive in the newer phone. Night photography has also been improved, with more attractive warmer tones than on the S21.
Samsung doesn’t offer as many camera modes as some other phone brands, but think it makes up for this in quality. Samsung’s Portrait mode is outstanding, and Single Take can be very useful for lazy snappers, since it lets AI decide on the top shots (no, they may not always be to your liking.
The big addition to S22 Ultra when compared to the S21 is the S Pen stylus. Great for notetaking and sketching, but what does that have to do with photography? Well, you can also use the stylus as a remote shutter, which we found to be pretty handy for taking selfies or long exposures without having to set a timer. All in all, the S Ultra 22 is our top pick as best camera phone, especially if you prefer Android over Apple.
See our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review for more details. You might also want to see our comparison of Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max.
02. iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
The best camera phone for Apple fans
RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Rear camera: 48MP (wide, f/1.8) + 12MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom, f/2.8) + 12MP (ultra-wide, 120-degree, f/2.2) | Front camera: 12MP (wide, f/1.9)
View at Conrad Electronic
Check Amazon
Fantastic processing
Great macro photography mode inherited from the iPhone Pro 13
Resolution upgrade on main camera
The Pro Max is one of the most expensive camera phones
Let’s face it. If you’re a fan of Apple, you’re going to want a an iPhone, no matter how much we tell you the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best camera phone. And if you’re used to iOS and have Apple products, we won’t try to persuade you against it. Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are fresh out and they offer enough of an improvement to replace last year’s 13 in this list.
Like their predecessors, the Pro and Pro Max have significantly better cameras than the standard iPhone, sporting that additional third lens (a telephoto with 3X optical zoom), macro abilities on the ultrawide and higher resolution on the main camera.
The two phones have the same cameras. They sport new 48MP main sensors that are 65 per cent larger than their predecessors. That means they let in more light, improving performance in dark conditions. The 12MP ultrawide also gets improved low-light performance thanks to a new sensor and more focus pixels. We found that with an f/2.2 aperture, it’s also now sharper.
Like the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, macro mode on the ultrawide lets you take detailed close-ups of anything from food to bugs or plants. The telephoto zoom is also impressive, reaching 6x optical zoom or 15x digital zoom, but that seems short compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s max 100x digital zoom.
There’s good news for pro photographers too. The iPhone 14 Pro can capture big 48MP RAW images, allowing a lot of flexibility for clean cropping and post-processing (and storage goes up to 1TB to provide space for them). There’s also a ton of AI tools to make it easier to get great shots without having to adjust settings, and night Mode is particulary good for low-light conditions.
Overall, we found that images look less over-sharpened than with previous iPhones and colours look accurate and consistent across all threemain cameras. Are only gripe would be the inflexibility when it comes to automatically switching between the cameras.
If you’re torn between which to go for out of the Pro and the Pro Max, it’s worth bearing in mind that as well as a larger screen, the Pro Max also offers better battery life – almost 15 hours compared to just over 10. Read more in our in-depth Apple iPhone 14 Pro review and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max review for more details. And make sure you check out our essential iPhone Pro camera tips.
03. Google Pixel 6 Pro
The best camera phone for chances of a great deal
RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | Rear camera: 50MP (wide, f/1.9) + 12MP (ultrawide, 114-degree, f/2.2) + 48MP (telephoto, 4x optical zoom, f/3.5) | Front camera: 11.1MP (wide, f/2.2)
View at Amazon
View at Conrad Electronic
View at Google Store EMEA
Useful camera software tools
Top camera hardware
Good deals available
Battery life isn’t impressive
The ultrawide lens is fixed focus
Google has just announced the launch of the Pixel 7 Pro, and that means that right now we’re seeing some great deals on its predecessor, the 2021 Pixel 6 Pro. We’ve not yet tested out the Pixel 7 Pro to see how its camera compares and whether it’s worth an upgrade, but considering the price of the best camera phones, if you’re looking for a bargain, we’d suggest checking the prices of the Pixel 6 Pro right now for the best price on a fantastic Android camera phone.
The fact that it’s a year old doesn’t mean it’s starting to date by any means. The Pixel 6 Pro was awarded best camera phone of the year in the Creative Bloq Awards 2022. It has a big 50MP sensor on its main camera, which takes in a lot of light, as well as a powerful telephoto and ultra-wide camera.
Best of all, is Google’s software, which is what made Pixel phones great camera devices in the first place. We found the AI scene optimization to be fantastic at tweaking pictures. Night Sight is fairly good for low-light photography, and the Magic Eraser is good at editing out unwanted objects and even people if the shot’s clean enough, although Photoshop doesn’t need to worry too much yet. It can get hot, and battery life is poor when compared to the S22 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, although no worse than the iPhone 14 Pro.
04. Sony Xperia 1 IV
The best camera phone for people who like ‘real cameras’
Storage: 256GB, 512GB | RAM: 12GB | Rear camera: 12MP (wide, f/1.7) + 12MP (telephoto, 3.5x-5.2x optical zoom, f/2.3) + 12MP (ultra-wide, 124-degree, f/2.2) + 0.3MP (3D Time-of-Flight)) | Front camera: 12MP (wide, f/2.0)
View at TVC-mall WW
View at TVC-mall WW
View at Amazon
Useful shutter button
Loads of creative apps
Angular design
High price
Sony’s been putting out some great cameras, so you would hope for good things from its camera phones, and the fourth-generation Xperia 1 doesn’t disappoint. It justifies its place on this list thanks to a few key features designed more for professional photographers than average consumers.
The zoom camera on the Xperia 1 IV has a moving lens, which facilitates continuous optical zoom between 3.5x and 5.2x, giving the phone a competitive edge for people who like zoom photography. The phone also sports a physical shutter button, which can be partially depressed to find focus or fully pressed to take a picture, giving a camera-esque experience that can be useful in certain situations, such as when you want to focus and wait for the perfect moment for the shot.
Meanwhile, for the first time on a Sony phone, you can record 4K and 120fps footage on any of the three rear cameras and one on the front, which is useful for videographers and bloggers. We also quite like Sony’s creativity apps like Photography Pro and Cinema Pro (there’s also Audio Pro for music). The photography app isn’t the easiest to use since it’s modelled on cameras rather than smartphones, but if you’re familiar with using a DSLR, you’ll have no problem with it.
Beyond the cameras, the Sony Xperia 1 IV is a typical premium Android phone, though a reasonable battery (we got a full day out of it), 4K display and a clean Android experience may endear it to some. But its cameras are its real selling point.
We started our travel blog back in 2016, and over the years we have invested a LOT into different photography equipment.
Including numerous video cameras, GoPros, DSLRs, and camera gimbals.
Well, through trial and error, speaking to plenty of fellow bloggers, and based largely on years of personal use, I believe we have narrowed down what is ultimately the best camera for bloggers.
Our top pick? The Canon G7x Mark II.
It sits slap bang in the middle price-range, but offers quality and features that many cameras twice the price fail to match.
OUR TOP PICK
Canon G7X Mark II
The best all-round blogging camera, regardless of which niche you are going into. It also doubles as an excellent entry-level vlogging camera. The perfect combo for most bloggers looking to produce top quality blogging & vlogging content.
$629 at Amazon$629.99 at B&H Photo$629.99 at Best Buy
Below, I’ll take you through our top choice some more and also offer up 14 more top quality suggestions for you to consider.
All based off experience, deep research, and testimonials from fellow bloggers (you’ll see these below).
Note: Some posts may contain affiliate links. Read more here
Contents:
- Quick summary of our top picks
- Why is a good camera important for blogging?
- So, what is the overall best blogging camera?
- How To Choose The Best Camera For Blogging?
- Mirrorless VS Point and Shoot VS DSLR: What’s the difference?
- Other things to look for in your blogging/vlogging camera
- 14 Other Great Cameras For Blogging
- Best Camera Accessories for bloggers
- Common FAQ
- Which camera is right for your blog?
Quick Summary Of Our Top Picks
Product
Rating
Type
Weight
Camera
Video
Price
Sony a7III
Mirorless
650g
24.2MP
2160P
$1,998
OUR TOP PICK
Canon G7X Mark II
Point & Shoot
319g
20.9MP
1080P
$549
Sony ZV-1
Point & Shoot
294g
20.1MP
4K
$698
Canon 6D Mark II
DSLR
765g
26.2MP
4K
$1,399
GoPro Hero 9
Action Camera
158g
20MP
5K
$396
Why Is A Good Camera Important For Blogging?
Cameras aren’t always cheap. But they are a worthwhile investment regardless of your chosen blogging industry. Notably because they offer:
1. Better quality pictures and videos for your website
With more than 600 million blogs now online, competition for readers is stiff! Plus, this number will only increase.
The good news is that most people are attracted to visuals. So, having high-quality photographs and videos will help set you apart from the competitors.
2. Better chances of collaborating with brands
Let’s be real, one of the biggest monetization sources for bloggers is brand collaboration.
Companies and tourism boards are more likely to work with blogs that consistently produce great content, and photos are one indicator of that.
That’s because they can trust that you will represent and portray their product and values accurately. This includes taking excellent photos of it!
3. Save you a lot of time and effort in post-editing
If your photos are already good quality to begin with, you don’t have to spend much time editing in Photoshop or Lightroom.
Trust me, when you’re trying to churn out a lot of posts, this will save some time and make the job easier.
So, What Is The Overall Best Blogging Camera?
Luckily for you, Cazzy and I love trialling new travel gear.
We’ve experimented vlogging and blogging with a number of cameras, and have finally settled on our top choice.
It’s the camera we think offers BY FAR the biggest bang for it’s buck.
Without further ado, here it is …
Introducing … The Canon Powershot G7X Mark II
Type of camera: Point and shoot
Weight: 319 g
Sensor: 21MP BSI-CMOS
LCD screen: Articulating LCD
ISO range: 125 to 12,800
Max burst rate: 8FPS
Video resolution: 1080P
BEST DEALS ON CANON G7X MARK II
$629 at Amazon$629.99 at B&H Photo$629.99 at Best Buy
We’ve been using the Canon G7X Mark II for the last 3 years. I can say that it doesn’t just take awesome travel photos, but is perfect for vlogging and producing video content in ANY NICHE.
Overall, it’s a great option for anyone just starting out who wants to take blogging seriously from the get-go.
My parents actually bought me this back in 2018 as a Christmas gift for my backpacking adventures (spoilt right? I know!).
They did so based on many of the top vloggers and bloggers at the time using this camera.
Well, 3 years on, it is STILL the go-to choice for many of the industries top professionals. Which is pretty impressive, where new tech is usually outdated within a year or two.