A smartphone is the obvious tool for street photography: you already have it with you, ready for opportunist shots. Everyone has one, so they don’t draw attention – what’s more, the recent improvements in smartphone camera tech make capture of much sharper and more dynamic street shots possible with them.
With so many great options out there, choosing a smartphone is highly subjective. The iPhone is consistently one of the most popular, with the latest equipped with absolutely superb camera setups – as we found in our review of iPhone’s 16 and 17 series phones.
However, Samsung’s sublime Galaxy phones enjoy a similar-sized market share, and you shouldn’t count out budget-friendly competition from the likes of Oppo, OnePlus, Google and more.
So, based on the findings of our review team, we’ve put together this quick guide to the smartphones for street photography that we reckon offer real value for money. Street photography can be daunting, but starting with your smartphone is a great way to give it a go without being burdensome. Check out this buyer’s guide for the best camera phones for photography.
The best smartphone for street photography – our quick list
Want to get right to it? Here’s a quick list of the phones we’ve picked for street photography, along with links to get the best prices:
- iPhone 17 Pro – Buy now
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra – Buy now
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra – Buy now
- Google Pixel 10 Pro – Buy now
- OPPO Find X9 Pro – Buy now
- Honor Magic 8 Pro – Buy now
Read on to learn more about each of these phones, including our review team’s verdict on each one…
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iPhone 17 Pro
Amateur Photographer verdict
As always, there’s a lot to like about the iPhone 17 Pro. It may not represent a huge jump in specs – again – but it has a very well-rounded spec sheet, with a solid camera, and long battery life.- Improved selfie camera
- Triple high-resolution sensors
- Tough body
- Relatively minor upgrade overall
- Limited colours
- High price
| Specifications | iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|
| Main camera | 48MP wide camera, f/1.78 aperture, 24mm equivalent |
| Ultrawide | 48MP ultrawide camera, f/2.2 aperture, 13mm equivalent |
| Telephoto | 12MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 120mm equivalent |
The iPhone 17 Pro doesn’t represent a huge evolution in terms of the camera but there are a couple of good improvements – such as finally having three high-resolution sensors. It has a triple-lens camera setup, comprising what Apple claims is an 8x telephoto lens (the lens is actually 100mm, or 4x zoom). Even so, the new telephoto camera is still perhaps the biggest upgrade for the new iPhone, with the 48MP sensor being not only a big jump in resolution but also being 56% larger physically.
Returning for the 17 Pro are both the physical Action Button and the Camera Control button, which can be assigned to activate the camera (as well as a number of other functions) and move between various camera lenses as well as use it to take a shot, too. This is useful for spontaneous shots that urban life can present opportunities for.
There’s also “Photographic Styles”: digital filters to give photos a different look and feel. Styles allow fine-tuning of colour, intensity and tone, and any settings you create can be saved. A wide number of presets are included, such as “Vibrant”, “Dramatic” and “Luminous”, which provide plenty of creative scope.
Read our iPhone 17 Pro review.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Amateur Photographer verdict
This is a very well-specced phone which takes great photos, and while it’s expensive, it’s one of the best Android phones you can buy for photography. It’s still not perfect, but it’s pretty great.- 4x lenses
- Excellent screen
- Privacy display has some uses
- Very high price
- Macro mode still not using telephoto
- Only one screen size available
- Minimal upgrade from S25 Ultra
| Specifications | Samsung Galaxy S26 |
|---|---|
| Main camera | 200MP 23mm f/1.4 equivalent main camera, 1/1.3-inch sensor, PDAF, OIS |
| Ultrawide | 50MP f/1.9 ultrawide, 13mm, 1/2.52-inch sensor, PDAF |
| Telephoto | Telephoto camera 1: 10MP 67mm f/2.4 3x camera, 1/3.94-inch sensor, PDAF, OIS / Telephoto camera 2: 50MP 111mm f/2.9 5x camera, 1/2.52-inch sensor, PDAF, OIS |
This phone’s big marketing selling point, just like its predecessor, is its 200MP main sensor. Do you need that? Probably not – but it gives you some flexible options when it comes to cropping and shooting with digital zoom.
Unlike any other smartphones listed here, it has four different lenses. And the comprehensive native camera app offers a host of shooting options. For example, “AI ProVisual engine”, which is said to improve night photography, noise performance, zoom quality, colour reproduction as well and HDR imaging. It has an extensive list of AI photography features, including Portrait effect, Background blur, Remaster photo and Reflection removal.
Night shooting performance is good, and you can also blend the Night and Portrait modes which might make for good low-light street photography. That said, the best results are generally from the main lens in good light, just as with most other smartphones.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Review
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Amateur Photographer verdict
If the quality of the on-board camera is your primary concern when buying a smartphone, this is the best one you can get – if you can buy it where you are, that is.- 1-inch main sensor
- Optical zoom lens
- Leica partnership
- High price
- Not available in every market
- Only incremental upgrade from last model
| Specifications | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Main camera | 50MP 1-inch type sensor, 23mm f/1.7 equiv. lens, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Ultrawide | 50MP 1/2.76-inch sensor, 14mm f/2.2 equiv. lens, PDAF |
| Telephoto | 50MP 21mm f/2.2 equiv. AF |
One of the most appealing things about the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is its 1-inch type main sensor, which is the largest you’ll find on any current smartphone and puts it in the same league as premium compact camera models, such as the Sony RX100 series, making this phone a very strong choice for street photography.
Along with special modes, such as night, portrait and macro, the 17 Ultra’s native photo app offers Photo mode, through which you can select “Leica Vibrant” or “Leica Authentic” for the colour rendition of your standard photos – Vibrant is the default option, with Authentic being a little more muted.
It’s worth noting that it’s a difficult phone to get hold of in the US, where Xiaomi isn’t officially sold.
Read our full Xiaomi 17 Ultra review.
Google Pixel 10 Pro
Amateur Photographer verdict
The 10 Pro offers some of the best cameras and shooting features on a camera phone, but so does the 9 Pro, and it’s considerably cheaper.- Excellent camera setup with effectively 5 rear cameras
- Lovely colours produced in images
- Really useful shooting features
- Only 128GB on base model
- Video Boost for 8K video is so bad I never want to use it
- Seriously chunky with camera bump
| Specifications | Google Pixel 10 Pro |
|---|---|
| Main camera | 50MP f/1.68 wide, 1/1.3inch, OIS, 24mm equiv. |
| Ultrawide | 48MP f/1.7 ultra-wide with AF, 1/2.55inch, 12mm equiv. |
| Telephoto | 48MP f/2.8, 5x telephoto, 1/2.55inch, OIS, 110mm equiv. (up to 100x Pro Res Zoom) |
In good lighting in particular, the Pixel 10 Pro is capable of taking some extremely pleasing looking images whether you use the ultra-wide, the wide, or the telephoto. The zoom lens comes in handy if you want to keep your distance and the 2x and 10x options also give impressive results. We’ve also been particularly impressed by the level of detail, accurate exposure and colours captured.
Additionally, a major strength in this phone is its quality performance in low light, possibly making it the best choice for night street scenes in our group here.
Google’s Pixel phones have always been about making high-end / advanced photography features accessible whether you’ve got photography skills or not, and in this regard, the 10 Pro continues with this tradition. However, while the Pixel 10 Pro is a very capable phone, it is also one that feels like poor value for money compared to the 9 Pro which is considerably cheaper.
Oppo Find X9 Pro
Amateur Photographer verdict
The upgraded camera system offers plenty of photo opportunities. Combined with a incredible battery, slick software and stunning design, this is a great phone.- Great camera performance
- Fantastic battery
- Good value for money
- Unavailable in the US
- Additional teleconverter lens accessory difficult to buy
- Aggressive AI processing
| Specifications | OPPO Find X9 Pro |
|---|---|
| Main camera | 50MP main camera, f/1.5, 23mm equiv, AF and OIS supported |
| Ultrawide | 50MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.0, 15mm equiv, AF supported |
| Telephoto | 200MP telephoto, f/2.1, 70mm equiv, AF and OIS |
The OPPO Find X9 Pro’s upgraded and high-quality camera system offers plenty of photo opportunities. Results across all cameras are high quality, consistent and produce really nice natural colours. Though AI and processing particularly in zoom modes are unpredictable, the Find X9 Pro is a great all-rounder for photography.
Having renewed their partnership with Hasselblad in 2025, the collaboration has ensured the production of some great cameras and this continues in the Find X9 series with the debut of a new-generation Hasselblad Master Camera System. As a result, colour and quality are generally very consistent across all of the lenses, and also between the standard photo and Hasselblad high resolution modes.
While reviewing the phone, we tried it in various low-light situations like Christmas markets and a light show and were impressed with how dark the phone captured, whilst keeping the detail, light and colour of the subjects without the light bleeding into the darker surroundings. Portrait mode is nice, with intricate details captured accurately.
Cheaper than its main competition, the OPPO Find X9 Pro offers great value overall and specifically for photography. Unfortunately, the X9 series is unavailable in the US.
Read our OPPO Find X9 Pro full review.
Honor Magic 8 Pro
Amateur Photographer verdict
The Honor Magic8 Pro offers a great triple camera setup with the 3.7x telephoto offering both good low-light night photography, and lovely close-up photos with an 85mm equivalent.- Updated telephoto night camera (3.7x)
- Great close-ups with telephoto camera
- IP69K protection rating
- 6270/7100/7200mAh battery (region dependant)
- Up to 7 major updates
- UK only gets the smaller battery
- Not available in the US
| Specifications | Honor Magic 8 Pro |
|---|---|
| Main camera | 50MP main camera, f/1.68, OIS (1/1.31inch) |
| Ultrawide | 48MP ultra-wide, f/1.7, with macro AF (1/2.55inch) |
| Telephoto | 48MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x zoom, OIS (1/2.55inch) |
The smartphone market is more competitive than ever, with Honor now well and truly established as one of the main brands in the flagship smartphone market. The Magic8 Pro feels like 2 steps forwards (processor and telephoto camera) and places emphasis on telephoto shots taken at night, and in our tests we found it gave images with less noise than similar competitors, like the S24 Ultra.
Built-in colour filter options are good to see, giving you not only colour options, but film styles as well. You can also use the telephoto camera for close-up shots, and the results can be very pleasing, looking much more like real photography than macro using the ultra-wide.
Read our Honor Magic 8 Pro review.
Specifications compared
| Specifications | iPhone 17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Xiaomi 17 Ultra | Google Pixel 10 Pro | Oppo Find X9 Pro | Honor Magic 8 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48MP wide camera, f/1.78 aperture, 24mm equivalent | 200MP 23mm f/1.4 equivalent main camera, 1/1.3-inch sensor, PDAF, OIS | 50MP 1-inch type sensor, 23mm f/1.7 equiv. lens, dual pixel PDAF, OIS | 50MP f/1.68 wide, 1/1.3inch, OIS, 24mm equiv. | 50MP main camera, f/1.5, 23mm equiv, AF and OIS supported | 50MP main camera, f/1.68, OIS (1/1.31inch) |
| Ultrawide | 48MP ultrawide camera, f/2.2 aperture, 13mm equivalent | 50MP f/1.9 ultrawide, 13mm, 1/2.52-inch sensor, PDAF | 50MP 1/2.76-inch sensor, 14mm f/2.2 equiv. lens, PDAF | 48MP f/1.7 ultra-wide with AF, 1/2.55inch, 12mm equiv. | 50MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.0, 15mm equiv, AF supported | 48MP ultra-wide, f/1.7, with macro AF (1/2.55inch) |
| Telephoto | 12MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 120mm equivalent | Telephoto camera 1: 10MP 67mm f/2.4 3x camera, 1/3.94-inch sensor, PDAF, OIS / Telephoto camera 2: 50MP 111mm f/2.9 5x camera, 1/2.52-inch sensor, PDAF, OIS | 50MP 21mm f/2.2 equiv. AF | 48MP f/2.8, 5x telephoto, 1/2.55inch, OIS, 110mm equiv. (up to 100x Pro Res Zoom) | 200MP telephoto, f/2.1, 70mm equiv, AF and OIS | 48MP telephoto, f/2.8, 5x zoom, OIS (1/2.55inch) |
How we test phones for street photography
We test phones for street photography from the perspective of real-world photography performance. That means we take them out on the street – using them in a wide range of everyday situations – to see how well they help you blend in, move easily, and shoot intuitively. A great phone for street photography should be versatile enough to handle city landscapes and portraits with confidence.
We explore every shooting mode a phone offers, assessing not only image performance but also how easy it is to use while out on the streets. We test cameras in diverse lighting, including low-light environments where many models can struggle.
We also assess specialist modes such as portrait and AI-assisted shooting, while paying attention to practical aspects like battery life, screen quality, and overall build. We then take all these factors into account, along with such things as portability, when giving our final conclusion and score. You’ll find the full breakdown of how each camera has performed in our full reviews.
Text by Amy Davies, with contributions from Jon Stapley.
Recent updates
- April 2026: iPhone 16 Pro updated to Apple iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra updated to Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Google Pixel 8 Pro updated to Google Pixel 10 Pro. Added Xiaomi 17 Ultra, Oppo Find X9 Pro and Honor Magic 8 Pro. Removed OnePlus 12, Sony Xperia 1 V, OPPO Reno8 Pro 5G and Google Pixel 9 Pro. Tables updated and comparison tables added.
If you’re set on using a proper camera, check out our guide to the best cameras for street photography. Find out how to use your smartphone for street photography.
Be sure to stay up to date with the latest rules and guidance on how to be street smart as a photographer.
Related reading:
- iPhone vs Android: Which is better for photography?
- Black and white street photography guide
- 10 commandments of street photography
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