The 5 Camera Phones That Dominated 2025 (and Why They Stand Out)

This year’s flagship phones redefined what a smartphone lens can do.

byAgnes Isoje

December 12, 2025

Credit: Best Camera Phones 2025 Collage

Smartphone cameras got a serious upgrade in 2025. Brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Vivo, and Oppo released new phones with better sensors, clearer zoom, and sharper video quality.

Whether you love taking photos, creating content, or just want a phone that captures great moments easily, these five devices stood out as the best camera phones of the year.

5 Best Camera Phones of 2025

1. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Launch: September 19, 2025

Camera Specs:

Triple 48MP cameras: main, ultrawide and periscope telephoto
Up to 8x optical-quality zoom
Dolby Vision HDR, ProRes and Apple Log 2 for professional video
LiDAR scanner for accurate depth and low-light shots

The iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers sharp, bright photos in almost any condition. Apple boosted all three rear lenses to 48MP, giving you better detail, improved low-light photos and smoother video. It also supports advanced video formats used by filmmakers.

2. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Launch: February 7, 2025

Camera Specs:

200MP main camera
50MP periscope lens with 5x optical zoom
50MP ultrawide + 10MP telephoto
8K video and HDR10+

Samsung continued its tradition of strong camera hardware. The 200MP main sensor captures extremely detailed photos, while the periscope lens delivers clear zoom shots without losing quality. Its 8K video also makes it a strong option for content creators.

3. Vivo X300 Pro

Launch: October 13, 2025

Camera Specs:

50MP main sensor with stabilisation
200MP periscope telephoto (3.7x optical zoom + macro support)
50MP ultrawide
50MP selfie camera
Zeiss-enhanced lenses and 8K video

Vivo focused on both zoom and portrait performance this year. The X300 Pro’s 200MP zoom lens is one of the most advanced on a smartphone, and the Zeiss partnership gives its photos more natural colours and sharpness.

4. Google Pixel 10 Pro

Launch: 2025 (general roll-out)

Camera Specs:

50MP main lens
48MP periscope telephoto (5x optical zoom)
48MP ultrawide
42MP selfie camera with 4K video

Google’s strength has always been software, and the Pixel 10 Pro continues that tradition. Its AI-powered processing produces bright, clean photos, especially in low light. The new periscope lens also offers better zoom than previous Pixels.

5. Oppo Find X9 Pro

Launch: October 28, 2025 (Global)

Camera Specs:

50MP main sensor
200MP periscope telephoto (3x optical zoom)
50MP ultrawide
50MP 4K selfie camera
Hasselblad colour tuning

The Find X9 Pro delivers excellent colour accuracy and clear zoom shots, thanks to its Hasselblad calibration and high-resolution sensors. It also supports strong video features like 4K at high frame rates, making it great for creators.

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