One of the biggest reasons to buy a high-end phone is for the cameras. Whether through computational processing or versatility through the use of as many lenses as possible, phones are taking good enough photos these days that most people needn't even consider a dedicated camera. The Pixel 3 is the best choice for most people, with effortless point-and-shoot style photography, but there are plenty of other, more specialized options for people that want to go more in-depth.
Computational photography
Google Pixel 3
Google's Pixel 3 doesn't have best-in-class camera hardware, but it still manages to take amazing photos in almost every situation thanks to its HDR+ processing and the Pixel Visual Core. Despite only having one lens, it still manages to pull off fantastic zoomed and portrait shots, and it can practically see in the dark with its incredible Night Sight feature. It's great for selfies too, thanks to the secondary wide-angle camera and automatic lens correction.
Three times the fun
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Huawei has outfitted its most recent flagship with three incredible cameras that give it ultimate versatility. The primary 40MP camera takes breathtaking shots on its own, but with the additional lenses you can quickly switch to an ultra-wide angle or see up to 5x closer to your subject with hybrid zooming. The Mate 20 Pro also takes exceptional low-light photos rivaling those of the Pixel 3.
Remote control
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung's phones have always excelled in the photography department, and the Note 9 is no exception. Whether in broad daylight or the dead of night, it takes fantastic photos, with a wide range of useful manual controls for the experienced photographer. The newly improved S Pen also doubles as a remote shutter for the camera, making it easy to take group selfies without having to extend your arm.
A Mate 20 Pro for the U.S.
LG V40 ThinQ
Like Huawei, LG has packed three rear cameras into its latest flagship, the V40 ThinQ, even using the same arrangement of standard, wide angle, and zoom lenses. The image quality isn't quite as good as on the Mate 20 Pro, but the diverse shooting options are still here. It also features dual front cameras (the second of which is a wide-angle), and unlike the Mate 20 Pro, the V40 ThinQ is available through major carriers in the U.S.
Old dog, new tricks
Google Pixel 2
The Pixel 2 may be over a year old now, but it still has one of the best cameras in mobile. That's thanks in part to Google porting over features from the newer Pixel 3, including Night Sight and background blur adjustment for photos taken in portrait mode. The Pixel 2 uses the same Pixel Visual Core as its successor, and takes almost identical shots in most circumstances — it's still an exceptional camera, and considerably cheaper than the Pixel 3.
The Pixel 3 is the best overall Android camera available, based on its amazing ability to capture beautiful photos in every situation without any tweaking, guessing with settings or edits after capture. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is more powerful and versatile, and can take better photos, but it's a bit more complicated and may turn off novices. The Galaxy Note 9 and V40 ThinQ have their own benefits, though, and even last year's Pixel 2 is still an excellent choice.
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