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Over the past two years, I’ve used quite a few flagship phones that emphasize imaging, and my biggest takeaway is that higher megapixels are no longer necessarily better for photography. While the specs may look similar, the differences in the final product become very apparent when it comes to low-light conditions, portraits, and telephoto shots.

The camera modules on the back of flagship phones these days are getting increasingly extravagant, which does sacrifice some grip comfort, but the large sensors, periscope telephoto lenses, and algorithm optimizations don’t come at the expense of space. For everyday travel, street photography, or simply recording life, a smartphone is basically enough, and most people no longer need to carry an extra point-and-shoot camera.

However, there isn’t one perfect camera phone for everyone. Some offer more natural colors, some are more pleasing to the eye in portraits, and others have exceptionally strong telephoto capabilities. Based on actual shooting experience and different usage needs, I’ve selected seven camera phones worth paying attention to in August 2026.

1. vivo X300 Ultra: This time it’s not just about making the camera bigger.

Of these seven phones, the vivo X300 Ultra is probably the closest to a professional photography tool. Instead of using the common wide-angle main camera, it places the main camera at a 35mm focal length, making it easier to control the composition when shooting people or street photography, and the image won’t appear too spacious.

Its 35mm main camera and 85mm periscope telephoto lens both boast 200MP resolution, along with a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens. This combination isn’t just for impressive specs; it’s about assigning different lenses to different scenarios: the main camera handles everyday recording, the 85mm is ideal for portraits and stage performances, and the ultra-wide-angle is reserved for architecture and landscapes.

What’s even more interesting is the exterior. The X300 Ultra can be paired with a professional image grip and 200mm and 400mm Zeiss teleconverters. With these attached, shooting concerts, sporting events, or distant animals definitely provides a more confident experience than relying solely on digital zoom. However, the entire accessory set is quite bulky, making it suitable for those willing to carry their equipment carefully; it’s not a necessity for everyone.

In terms of color, it also features a 5-megapixel, 12-channel Blueprint primary color camera, primarily used to recognize complex ambient light and reduce deviations in lighting, skin tones, and object colors. Rather than simply making photos more vibrant, I prefer this approach of preserving the atmosphere of the scene as much as possible.

Therefore, the real appeal of the X300 Ultra lies not just in its two 200-megapixel lenses, but in its comprehensive shooting capabilities, extending from 14mm to 400mm. For those who use their phone as their primary camera, its versatility is truly remarkable.

2. OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Telephoto lenses on mobile phones are finally more than just for show.

What interests me most about the OPPO Find X9 Ultra isn’t the 200-megapixel main camera, but rather that it actually packs in a 10x optical telephoto lens.

In the past, many mobile phones liked to exaggerate their zoom capabilities to “tens or hundreds of times,” but in reality, the photos were often barely visible on the screen. The Find X9 Ultra’s equivalent 230mm telephoto lens is different. When shooting concert stages, distant buildings, or travel scenery, you don’t need to rely on digital cropping right away, so the image details are naturally better preserved.

The other 200-megapixel telephoto lens is positioned around 70mm, making it more suitable for portrait photography. You don’t need to stand too far away, the background is kept cleaner, and it can easily handle close-up shots. This means it doesn’t just excel at extremely long focal lengths; it also provides a more convenient lens for everyday portrait and street photography.

The Hasselblad collaboration has been retained, adding Master Mode, film effects, and 8K photo output in addition to color styles. Those who enjoy adjusting composition, exposure, and color will find plenty to play with; those who just want to pick it up and shoot will find the automatic mode easy to use.

OPPO has also prepared an imaging kit with a teleconverter, camera grip, and filter adapter. While the complete kit certainly won’t be lightweight, it does offer a more camera-like operating experience when going to concerts, shooting outdoors, or traveling.

The Find X9 Ultra gives me a clear impression: it’s not about piling on a frightening number of lenses, but about truly making the most of different focal lengths. The 10x optical telephoto, in particular, is very appealing to those who frequently shoot distant scenes.

3. Apple iPhone 17 Pro: The telephoto lens isn’t particularly impressive, and its video capabilities remain irreplaceable.

Including the iPhone 17 Pro in this camera phone ranking isn’t because it has the most impressive lens specifications. When it comes to super telephoto, the aforementioned domestic flagship phones are clearly further ahead; and in terms of external accessories, Apple doesn’t offer as many options. However, when shooting continuously for a period of time, the iPhone’s stabilization is still hard to ignore.

This time, all three rear cameras have been upgraded to 48MP. The most noticeable change is that the image quality doesn’t suddenly drop too drastically when switching between the main camera, ultra-wide-angle, and telephoto lenses. The 100mm 4x telephoto lens is quite convenient for portrait photography; you don’t need to stand too far away, and the background will naturally zoom in. As for the 200mm 8x zoom, to be precise, it’s an optical quality zoom achieved through high-resolution cropping. It’s usable, but don’t consider it a true 8x optical zoom lens.

In terms of photography, the iPhone 17 Pro may not always deliver the most outstanding photos. It doesn’t overly brighten night scenes or intentionally saturate colors, but its success rate for casual shots is relatively high. Especially in terms of skin tone, color accuracy across different lenses, and stability during snapshots, it becomes very convenient over time.

Video remains its most irreplaceable feature. While the average user may not utilize all the specifications like 4K 120fps Dolby Vision, ProRes RAW, and Apple Log 2, the entire process—from framing and focusing to audio recording and post-production editing—is relatively smooth. Those who frequently shoot short videos, vlogs, or videos of their children and pets will appreciate this more than just looking at the specifications.

The 18-megapixel front camera has also been replaced with a square sensor, allowing you to take landscape shots even when holding the phone vertically, and the framing will automatically adjust when taking selfies with multiple people. Whether the camera control buttons are easy to use is subjective; I occasionally accidentally press them, but they are definitely more convenient for quick snapshots than unlocking the phone and then finding the camera.

The iPhone 17 Pro isn’t the one that shoots the furthest or has the most creative features among these seven models. It’s more like a shooting tool that doesn’t require much study: just take it out and shoot, the photos are unlikely to be bad, and the videos are stable enough. For those who don’t want to spend their days figuring out focal lengths and modes, this is actually its most practical advantage.

4. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Night Scene Videos are More Worth Watching Than Digital Zoom.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra made it onto this list not because of any single exceptional camera lens, but because it has no obvious weaknesses in either photography or videography. With a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and 3x and 5x telephoto lenses, the focal lengths are generally sufficient for everyday shooting of people, landscapes, or even watching concerts.

The most noticeable change in this generation is the amount of light intake. The main camera aperture has been expanded to f/1.4, and the ultra-wide-angle lens has reached f/1.9, meaning that in low-light environments, it’s no longer necessary to rely entirely on algorithms to artificially brighten the image. Theoretically, noise and blurring will be easier to control when shooting street scenes, indoor portraits, or stage scenes with complex lighting at night.

I think the video aspect is more worth discussing. The new image stabilization and level correction are more practical for scenarios like shooting while walking or tracking motion. APV professional video encoding has also been added, but it’s not for saving storage space; in fact, it generates larger files. Its purpose is to retain more color and image information, making post-production color grading and editing easier. Ordinary users don’t need to keep it on all the time.

Samsung’s AI editing remains convenient; removing passersby and adjusting image elements can be done directly on the phone. The front-facing camera has also improved skin tone rendering in mixed lighting conditions, making it less prone to noticeable color casts in complex indoor lighting.

The S26 Ultra’s camera doesn’t focus solely on “shooting farther,” but rather enhances low-light performance, video recording, and post-processing. While it may not be the most distinctive imaging flagship among these models, it’s certainly one of the most worry-free for both taking photos and recording videos.

5. Xiaomi 17 Ultra: This telephoto lens makes shooting feel more like twisting the lens.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra doesn’t rely on the number of lenses to make a statement this time; it only has three cameras on the back. The most interesting one is the 200-megapixel telephoto lens.

When switching zoom on a regular phone, it often jumps abruptly from one fixed magnification to another. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra, however, can continuously adjust the focal length between 75mm and 100mm, allowing you to gradually push the focal length forward without relying on digital cropping. When shooting portraits, use 75mm; if you want to compress the background more, zoom in to 100mm for greater composition freedom.

Its main camera still features a 1-inch sensor, 50 megapixels, and an f/1.67 aperture, alongside a 14mm ultra-wide-angle lens. While the specifications don’t appear overly packed, the main camera, ultra-wide-angle lens, and continuous zoom telephoto lens each have their own designated spots, which is more practical than cramming two less noticeable secondary cameras into four lenses.

Xiaomi also provided a professional imaging kit. The two-stage shutter allows for half-press focusing, the zoom lever continuously adjusts the focal length, the customizable dial controls exposure, ISO, and shutter speed, and a 67mm filter can be attached. With the kit installed, the phone becomes thicker and heavier—that’s unavoidable—but the horizontal grip and shooting operation definitely feel more like a camera.

I think the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is more suitable for people who like to take their time framing their shots. It’s not about simply taking out your phone, pressing a button, and calling it a day; it encourages you to walk a few steps, change the focal length, and think about how to best capture the scene. For those who truly enjoy mobile photography, this process is likely more appealing than simply making photos brighter and sharper.

6. vivo X300 Pro: Not chasing the Ultra series, this one is more suitable for everyday use.

Many people’s first reaction upon seeing the X300 Ultra might be that its imaging configuration is indeed powerful, but the entire set of accessories and gear-oriented setup aren’t something everyone would want to take out. The X300 Pro is much simpler; it doesn’t have that heavy “professional camera feel,” but it retains the key features that truly impact the photography experience.

I think its most attractive feature is the 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. 85mm is a focal length that’s perfect for portrait photography; you don’t need to be particularly far away to get a naturally tight background. When traveling or attending performances, if you want to photograph distant buildings or stages, this lens offers more flexibility than a regular telephoto lens.

The 50MP Sony LYT-828 main camera handles most everyday scenes, and gimbal-level image stabilization reduces blur caused by hand shake when shooting at night and indoors. Combined with an ultra-wide-angle lens, the three lenses don’t prioritize quantity, but they cover most commonly used focal lengths.

Video recording is another strong point of the X300 Pro. It can shoot 4K 60fps portrait video, and the main camera and telephoto lens also support 4K 120fps Dolby Vision and 10-bit Log. Regular users can simply shoot directly, while those who prefer post-processing color adjustments will have greater flexibility in their editing.

If you occasionally need to shoot further, you can attach a Zeiss 2.35x teleconverter to extend the focal length to an equivalent of 200mm. The accessories will definitely add some weight, but you don’t have to carry it all the time. Just attach it when you need to shoot concerts, competitions, or distant landscapes.

Compared to the X300 Ultra, the X300 Pro lacks some of the extreme features and novelty, but it feels more like a flagship imaging camera that you can keep in your pocket for a long time. For casual snapshots, it’s not a hassle to pick it up; and when you encounter a scene that requires serious shooting, it has enough telephoto and video capabilities to handle it.

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