The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the clearest indicator yet that Xiaomi wants to be the best in mobile photography, even if some parts of the world don't know it. Anecdotal as it may be, people react with surprise at the images they see captured by the phone when I show them.
The Xiaomi 14 may very well be the kind of phone most should experience, in part because it brings the Leica camera hardware and software to the fore. Previously, Xiaomi only included all Leica features in its Pro or Ultra models, but has now done it for this, the smallest of the bunch. This time, the 14 Pro is a Chinese market exclusive, leaving the 14 and 14 Ultra as the two global options.
It's a shame the Vivo X100 Pro won't find itself in the hands of many mobile photographers in North America because it raises eyebrows for all the right reasons.
Xiaomi launched the 13T Pro and 13T as a way to bring its Leica mobile photography partnership to mid-range and affordable phones. The results are strong evidence that brands can produce cost-effective cameras for those on tighter budgets.
The OnePlus Open is not only a new entry into a slowly growing category of smartphones, it’s also taking a shot at other brands in the process, of which the camera plays a central role.
The Google Pixel smartphones enjoy a well-earned reputation as photographic tools. With the release of the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, Google took the photo game one step further by substantially increasing the amount of light the Pixel cameras can collect. As a photographer, this excites me.
Only months after launching the V27 Pro and V27, Vivo comes back with the V29 as yet another option, giving its V-Series a fair bit of attention. Releasing successive models within the same calendar year is unusual for any brand, but Vivo seems to think pumping them out in shorter cycles is serving a market that wants them.
Apple's iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max bring a lot to the table across the board, from a gaming-ready chip, to USB-C, and -- of course -- photography. It is that last point where we are putting the emphasis, and this review is specifically for those of you who care about the iPhone as a camera.
Foldable phones are probably going to be a viable part of future mobile devices, but for now, they’re not moving the needle forward in image quality. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is no different, except it makes a better case that the rear camera lenses are much better off when there’s a larger cover screen all around them.
If there was even a sliver of doubt that Xiaomi wanted the mobile photography crown, the 13 Ultra is the phone to dispel that notion and cement that pursuit. Xiaomi equipped it with the tools to take on the best, no matter who the other brands are.
Vivo saves its best camera features for its flagship X-Series, but some of that trickles down to devices like the V27 Pro. It’s just a question of how much happens to fall into place.
The Google Pixel 7a is a rarity. It's a mid-range phone that performs above that spec in many areas, making it hard to pass especially when the price starts at $499.
The Vivo X90 Pro isn’t the brand’s top device, given there’s a Pro+ version out there, but this phone isn’t one to take lightly. Vivo isn’t shy about the credibility and relevance it wants in the market, even if its phones aren’t all that visible in North America yet.
Can a mid-range smartphone that focuses more on gaming also deliver something worth capturing with its cameras? The Poco X5 Pro acts like it’s up for the job, only to then force a lot of compromises.
Samsung stuck with a familiar look in the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it’s what is underneath that counts and it pushes the phone’s camera forward as a tougher competitor.
The Vivo V25 Pro is not the flagship phone that its name suggests, but more a mid-ranger capable of capturing excellent photos when the conditions are just right.
Vivo is back again with yet another flagship phone trying to push mobile photography to new levels, although it may be too soon to know for sure if the X80 Pro will ever do that.
You may know Xiaomi, but do you know Poco? Xiaomi’s sub-brand isn’t a household name on this side of the world, and the F4 GT isn’t necessarily a camera-first phone, either.
You’ve probably never heard of iQoo before, but as a subsidiary of Vivo, camera performance is what should really stand out beyond the flashy co-branding going on with this device.
The OnePlus 10 Pro has finally launched outside China, and the camera array is the centerpiece to illustrate how much it wants to be among the best you can get your hands on.
Xiaomi may not be a household name in North America, but the brand is a rising force around the world and now sits in third place behind Apple and Samsung. One reason it hit those heights is the way it continues to innovate on the camera side of things, which is what the 12 Pro is supposed to illustrate.
Vivo believes it has a smartphone worthy of being the best in the industry, and the results from its camera system lend some credence to that claim.
For Apple, the iPhone 13 and 13 mini are supposed to be the easiest foray into the best the company has to offer, and that means the results have to speak for themselves.
Apple is confident that the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max can capture images with the best the industry has to offer, and built a newer camera to prove it. The result is a device that marks huge improvements over the devices most will be upgrading from.
If you’ve never heard of Realme, you wouldn’t be an outlier -- at least in North America. The brand, which first came to market in 2018, falls under the Oppo banner, which also joined forces with OnePlus earlier in 2021.
Since TCL only likes to play in the affordable and mid-range tiers, its phones aren’t designed to take on the best flagships. The $500 20 Pro 5G represents the best of TCL, with an emphasis on camera performance.