Best Camera

image of antique camera

 

The best camera is the one you have with you when you need it. Large cameras produce the best quality photographs—but who lugs heavy cameras around all day? A camera that can fit in your pocket but still takes great pics is often the best choice.

At one time, one of the main determinants of image quality was the chemical composition of the film and the developing techniques. Even so, the size of the film negative was also crucial as the larger the area of film, the more light that was captured and hence the better the quality of the image. With the emergence of digital photography, chemicals have been replaced by electronic activity but the size of the sensor has remained very important in securing a quality image. Digital sensors that are approximately the size of old 35mm film are referred to as "full frame" although most digital cameras use smaller sensors.

image of sensor sizes

Large sensors require larger and heavier cameras to hold the sensors as well as larger and heavier lenses to capture all the light they can process. Smaller sensors are used in most digital cameras and in phone cameras in order to fit within smaller and lighter containers. The images from many cameras and phones are quite adequate for personal use and usually look good on a phone or computer screen; however they may not look so good if printed on paper. Fewer people seem to print photographs in current times so that this is less of an issue. Professional photographers and high-level enthusiasts continue to use larger cameras to get the very high quality they are seeking, especially if they hope to have the images published in magazines or printed and framed for sale.

Now new developments are making higher quality images available without the weight and size of larger cameras.

The Rise of Computational Photography and AI

A digital camera is actually a small computer. It does not play computer games or write documents etcetera but it does quite complex processing. The light that hits the sensor triggers movement of electrons though the camera's circuits and the consumer has, almost immediately, a digital image. But there are limits - the camera can only capture and store the information received at the sensor at the instant the photograph is taken.

A recent development has been the incorporation of multiple sensors and lenses in a single device. Each sensor independently captures information but the information from multiple sensors can be combined to produce an image of higher quality than can be obtained from a single sensor. This is part of a larger area of research called computational photography in which computer technology is utilised to maximise the quality of photographic images. The technology does not so much distort an image but simply extracts and utilises all available detail from multiple sources and merges that into a single higher-quality image. The newest advancements have integrated artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance this process, with features like automatic subject and scene recognition, smart HDR, and advanced noise reduction, particularly in low-light conditions. AI-powered editing tools can now handle complex tasks like removing unwanted objects, replacing backgrounds, or fine-tuning colors with remarkable precision, all on-device.

Periscope and Telephoto Lenses

One of the attributes desired by camera users has been longer zoom lenses so that they can "zoom in" and get better quality close-up images from a distance. Traditionally this has required longer, larger fixed lenses or shorter lens structures that extend when required. With phone cameras, the requirement that the phone be slim enough to fit in a person's pocket has limited manufacturers' ability to add zoom lenses. A technical breakthrough has produced the "periscope lens" which captures light, bends it by, say 90 degrees, in a small prism so much of the lens can fit lengthwise within the phone rather than poke out. This technology allowed one phone to achieve a remarkable 10 times optical zoom. This technology, combined with ever-improving software and advanced telephoto sensors, continues to enable phone cameras to achieve incredible zoom capabilities and image quality without sacrificing the slim profile of the device.

Is There Still A Place for Large Cameras?

Is there still a place for large cameras? Yes, but that place seems to shrink with each new generation of small cameras, especially cameras in phones. The professional camera market has largely transitioned from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, which are lighter, faster, and more advanced. Nevertheless, while professionals and serious enthusiasts still use larger cameras, smaller cameras have become a part of the equipment they carry.

Instances where larger cameras are still superior are sports and nature photography where the subjects are moving. While computational photography has achieved significant quality in landscapes and portrait photography, fast-moving subjects are not captured with the same quality of a larger camera, which can capture enough light for a great image in a very small fraction of a second. In contrast, the current generation of smaller cameras needs to capture light over a slightly longer period of time and the movement that occurs in that time can lead to undesirable blurring of the image. The latest professional cameras have addressed this with incredibly fast, AI-powered autofocus systems that can track subjects and a high-speed burst mode to capture every moment. While smartphone cameras have made strides in this area, the larger sensor and advanced optics of a professional camera still give it a significant advantage for fast-action subjects.

Is There Still A Place for Small Cameras?

Much of what small consumer cameras have been providing can now be obtained in a phone. Phone cameras are smaller and more convenient while delivering better photographic quality. And, of course, you can also check emails, browse the internet, play games and make phone calls. It is no wonder that the manufacturers of small cameras are worrying about declining sales of their products. First digital replaced film. Now miniature digital is replacing larger digital.

 

image of Huawei Pura 80 smartphone and camera
Huawei Pura 80 smartphone camera.

DXOMARK

DXOMARK is a website that tests cameras and publishes reviews and ratings. DXOMARK is based in France and has a reputation for providing unbiased evaluation of technology. Smartphones, larger cameras and lenses are rated separately. Visit this website and explore the valuable information it provides.

As of late 2025, the top-rated smartphone cameras on DXOMARK include the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, Oppo Find X8 Ultra, and the Apple iPhone 17 Pro. The gap between top-tier smartphone cameras and entry-level to mid-range professional cameras continues to narrow, with smartphones often outperforming traditional cameras in specific scenarios, particularly where computational photography gives them an edge.

The Best Small Camera

As was stated in the introduction to this article, the best camera is the one you have with you when you need it. Big cameras produce better quality photographs - but who lugs heavy cameras around all day? A camera that can fit in your pocket but still takes great pics is often the best choice.

But, if you use any device which is connnected to the internet, know that you are being watched.

 

Sources

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This article was originally written in 2022 by a human. In September 2025, it was revised by Google Gemini. The changes made by Gemini were proof-read and approved by the original author, with only one change required. This change was minor and related to the image of a recent phone.