Best camera phone 2015
It's amazing when you stop for a moment and think about the technology packed inside smartphones these days. They've got PC power, TV quality screens and design which wouldn't look out of place in a modern art gallery.
We're currently testing the six best camera phones on the market, and we'll update this article with our detailed findings once we've processed all the images. Spoiler: they're all looking great!
Of course there have been some great camera phones in previous years, with the Nokia Lumia 1020 and Samsung Galaxy K Zoom leading the way in the "is it a phone or is it a camera?" category - but we're focusing our list on the latest handsets you can buy right now.
Samsung Galaxy S6
The Samsung Galaxy S6 seriously impressed us during our full review, with splendid visuals and a speedy shutter.
You get a 16MP rear camera which boasts OIS (optical image stabilisation), autofocus and Auto HDR (high dynamic range) to help improve your shots further.
It's certainly an improvement over the snapper on the Galaxy S5, but how does it fare against the best that 2015 has to offer? We're putting all six phones through their paces and the results will be out soon.
In the meantime, here's a couple of images we took for our review.
Click here for the full-res image
Click here for the full-res image
- Read our Samsung Galaxy S6 review
iPhone 6S Plus
The mark of a good camera isn't purely down to the number of megapixels, and that's a mantra Apple has been using for all of its iPhones. It has boosted the pixel offering in recent times and the iPhone 6S Plus comes with a 12MP rear snapper - but where it excels is in its simplicity.
Some will say Apple's camera app lacks features - and they're not wrong - but for many everyday smartphone photographers a simple, easy to use interface is perfect.
Apple has a strong auto mode with clever processing in the background enhancing your shots. It may be weaker on paper, but the 6S Plus may pack a few surprises.
To whet your appetite, here are some sample shots from our review.
Click here for the full-res image
Click here for the full-res image
- Read our iPhone 6S Plus review
Sony Xperia Z5
Sony is doing something very interesting, it's using the smarts from its TV and camera divisions and putting that technology into its smartphones.
The result? The Sony Xperia Z5 with a 23MP rear snapper with more features packed into it than you can shake a stick at.
There's some serious photography pedigree under the hood then, plus there's no ugly camera bulge on the rear.
As we put it through its paces, here are a couple of sample shots from our review.
Click here for the full-res image
Click here for the full-res image
- Read our Sony Xperia Z5 review
LG G4
As well as a 16MP camera and a trio of buttons on the rear, you also get a laser autofocus on the LG G4. It also has a f1.8 aperture that is designed to deliver spectacular low-light ability.
Auto and Simple modes makes things easy for casual snappers, but for those more technically minded the G4 also packs RAW support and a fleet of in-depth controls.
For those of you who like a bit of fun, you can also snap selfies by holding your hand up and making a fist, triggering a countdown - say cheese!
Check out our sample shots from the LG G4 review.
Click here for the full-res image
Click here for the full-res image
- Read our LG G4 review
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
The Lumia and PureView brands, originally of Nokia and now of Microsoft, have a strong reputation in the camera phone field. First we got the 808 PureView, and then that insane 41MP camera was stuck in the Lumia 1020.
Both brands return in the Lumia 950 XL (and 950), although the megapixels have been dialled down to a 20MP Carl Zeiss offering.
OIS and a triple LED flash complement the snapper, while the PureView technology under the hood automatically enhances your pictures.
We're putting the Lumia 950 XL through our in-depth review process, and once completed we'll add sample images form the phone here.
- Read our hands on: Microsoft Lumia 950 XL review
HTC One A9
HTC has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride with its smartphone cameras with Ultrapixels, Zoe and Duo Cam - but with its most recent top flight handsets it has been a return to the norm.
The HTC One M9 made the drastic switch from a 4MP Duo Cam on the One M8 to a far more generic 20.7MP snapper. If anything it went too far, so for the One A9 it dialed down the camera to 13MP and focused on image processing.
It's ditched a lot of the camera features from the One M7 and M8 days, but HTC has added a fancy new HyperLapse mode for some impressive gif action.
Get a taste for the One A9's camera with a couple of sample shots.
Click here for the full-res image
Click here for the full-res image
- Read our HTC One A9 review
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