Best Android Camera 2021

If you want the very best camera experience you can get on an Android phone, the Pixel 5 is what you need to buy. The 12MP primary and 16MP ultra-wide sensors might not sound all that impressive, but when combined with Google's unmatched image processing, you end up with a phone that takes incredible pictures every time you press the shutter button. Day or night, inside or outside, the Pixel 5 churns out consistently amazing results.

While Google may have the upper-hand in the camera game, for now, Samsung is quickly catching up to it. Samsung's image processing is still more saturated and less lifelike than Google's, but if all you care about is getting a great-looking photo for Twitter or Instagram, the S21 has you covered. It's also more functional than the Pixel 5, offering a 64MP telephoto sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide lens with a wider field-of-view.

The OnePlus 8 Pro really upped its game in the camera department, with a great main sensor that rivals the best out there. Its wide-angle and telephoto shooters aren't quite as good, but at the same time, it's also less expensive than phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra while still offering a similar experience across the board. This is the best camera system OnePlus has ever made, and it's well worth your attention.

The Pixel 4a makes cuts across the hardware and specs to meet a much lower-than-flagship price, but one area Google didn't skimp on is the camera. This is the same camera you get with the more expensive Pixel 5, and the front-facing camera produces the same sort of results as well. If you want access to one of the best cameras around while staying on a budget, you can't do better than the 4a.

Telephoto camera sensors aren't anything new for smartphones, but more often than not, they leave a lot to be desired. With the Galaxy S21 Ultra, that's no longer the case. Thanks to its 108MP primary camera and two telephoto cameras — one offering 3x zoom and the other supporting 10x — the result is a phone that captures some of the most impressive zoom photos we've ever seen.

All of the phones on this list are capable of taking very good video, but if you want to make sure your home movies look as good as can be, the Xperia 1 II comes out ahead as the go-to pick. Offering three cameras and a time-of-flight sensor, the Xperia 1 II has incredibly fast focus speeds, records in 4K HDR, and offers full manual video controls you won't find anywhere else. It takes some time to master, but once you get a feel for it, the potential is unreal.