I examined 4 wonderful digicam telephones to seek out the very best to {photograph} family and friends

We’re in a golden age for good smartphone cameras, and though you may’t actually go fallacious with the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL, Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely, OPPO Discover X8 Professional, or Xiaomi 15 Extremely, there’s nonetheless a lot to decide on between them if you happen to’re seeking to take the completely finest pictures. After trying on the finest digicam telephones for long-range zoom (the Xiaomi 15 Extremely received that, fingers down), it’s time to see which of 2025’s powerhouse digicam telephones is the one to choose for capturing the best-looking photos of buddies and family members.

For starters, the intense photographers on the market will know that you really want someplace between a 35mm and 70mm lens to seize lifelike face shapes for portrait images. Decrease values produce faces that look too slim, whereas longer focal lengths “flatten” options, leading to an excessively plump look. This seems to lend the Pixel 9 Professional XL as a moderately important drawback; it solely contains a 5x (133mm) periscope lens whereas the others have devoted telephoto lenses within the area of 70mm. We’ll must see if software program smarts and brighter lens/sensor combos could make up the hole.

For right now’s shootout, we are going to have a look at the cellphone’s portrait modes, full with bokeh impact, however we’ll forgo any extra filters, lighting changes, and so on. For consistency, I’ll take portrait photographs at 3x from all 4 telephones.

Beginning out with some modest indoor lighting, there’s not an entire lot to say that any of those portraits are massively higher or worse than each other. Not less than not at an off-the-cuff look. Publicity and pores and skin tones are fairly good throughout, there’s a refined bokeh blur even with the comparatively quick distance to the background.

Nevertheless, there are clear variations in white stability (the Xiaomi 15 Extremely is just too heat) and vibrancy (the Galaxy S25 Extremely is moderately washed out). Relating to nice particulars, the Pixel 9 Professional XL seems to be actually clear at full decision, however crop to 100% and it suffers because of its lack of optical zoom. Nonetheless, it has probably the most balanced publicity, whereas OPPO and Xiaomi go for extra distinction — a glance I really favor. Nonetheless, face form is wider than the S25 Extremely, suggesting that it’s pulling some data from its 5x lens or that Samsung isn’t utilizing the telephoto natively right here. Talking of Samsung, the S25 Extremely is actually probably the most drab-looking of the bunch, although that’s not strictly a unfavorable if you happen to’re going for accuracy.

We’d like some trickier out of doors lighting to actually inform these telephones aside, and the subsequent shot supplies simply that. As soon as once more, all 4 telephones produce outcomes that will look nice on social media, however take a more in-depth have a look at the nice particulars and the outcomes, and there’s rather more to see.

Regardless of its comfortable pure particulars, the Xiaomi 15 Extremely once more opts for a a lot larger distinction ratio, leading to overly darkish shadows that obscure our topic. This time, the impact is just too robust for my tastes. The OPPO Discover X8 Professional does significantly better right here, capturing the shadow whereas retaining nice spotlight publicity. It’s additionally the cellphone with probably the most pure particulars, exhibiting no indicators of oversharpening or noise. It’s my decide for this out of doors scene.

Neither the Pixel nor the Galaxy is good on nearer inspection, however neither are they notably dangerous. Google’s flagship has skewed the pores and skin tones far too heat, whereas Samsung’s portrait is once more moderately washed out. The S25 Extremely’s HDR impact is nice at night out the sunshine and shadow, however I believe the impact is just too robust, sucking the vibrancy out of the scene. Superb particulars are additionally somewhat too closely denoised, producing some minor smudging. Not that you simply’d discover at full body. The Pixel is the one cellphone with main bokeh blur edge detection points on this shot. As soon as once more, the dearth of a devoted portrait digicam hurts the extent of element, leading to an oversharpened, synthetic look that undoubtedly units it again from the competitors.

Lastly, what about portraits in a lot decrease mild?

The worst effort right here comes from the Galaxy S25 Extremely, which isn’t solely washed out but in addition filled with noise, making choosing out nice particulars not possible. The opposite three look fairly good at full body, however crop in and also you’ll spot some main variations.

The Google Pixel 9 Professional XL and Xiaomi 15 Extremely are additionally moderately noisy, however that’s anticipated given the dearth of sunshine and so they disguise this moderately nicely. Xiaomi sharpens up particulars simply sufficient to select particular person hairs with out too many artifacts, although its pores and skin tones are once more too heat. The Pixel is softer and lacks extra minor particulars, and there are bokeh edge detection points as soon as once more. Nevertheless, its publicity stays strong, as does the white stability. Once more, although, Google’s pores and skin tone is much too pink.

By comparability, the OPPO Discover X8 Professional barely even offers away that this was shot with little or no mild. There’s no apparent noise, loads of nice hair and pores and skin texture particulars, and a slot stage of distinction and correct pores and skin tones. It’s completely nailed it.

On the finish of our portrait sections, we are able to break up our telephones into two distinct classes. The OPPO Discover X8 Professional and Xiaomi 15 Extremely supply superior particulars and extra moody portrait flavors, whereas the Pixel and Galaxy intention for extra even publicity and decrease distinction, but in addition supply the bottom stage of element.

In the case of capturing photos of quick-moving little ones and pets, Samsung’s flagships have been plagued with shutter lag for a number of generations. In different phrases, while you press the shutter, a slight delay signifies that you both miss the motion or find yourself with a blurry shot that’s no good. Sadly, the Galaxy S25 Extremely nonetheless suffers from shutter lag.

Annecodally, choosing out the precise eventualities when that is and isn’t a Samsung-specific challenge is difficult; all telephones will exhibit related outcomes to shutter lag when capturing with longer shutter occasions in decrease mild, as an illustration. As well as, the smaller telephoto sensors used for portraits are much more vulnerable to longer shutter occasions than the bigger important sensors on these cameras. However as you may see in our low-light shot above, the Galaxy S25 Extremely isn’t blurry.

I examined Samsung’s telephoto lens fairly totally to see if shutter lag remains to be a problem, and my findings principally coincide with our preliminary choices of Galaxy S25 Extremely shutter lag; it’s higher than lately however nonetheless worse than different telephones. Whereas the opposite three telephones took moderately crisp pictures of reasonable movement, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is extra liable to delay and blurring. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say it’s noticeable sufficient to smash the expertise for many household portraits, and several other of the photographs I took turned out simply pretty much as good as on different telephones.

What about selfies?

Whereas portrait modes profit from the extra highly effective rear cameras in these flagship smartphones, a variety of the time, we’re nonetheless attempting to squeeze everybody in for a selfie with the front-facing digicam.  I don’t put an excessive amount of inventory in ultrawide subject of views due to the distortion of the extent of face and perspective. However if you happen to actually wish to match the utmost variety of folks into the body, the Pixel 9 Professional XL and Discover X8 Professional have the widest subject of view (and narrowest face shapes).

In the case of taking selfies in brilliant out of doors lighting, all 4 telephones are fairly good, as you’d count on with these worth tags. The Xiaomi 15 Extremely is probably the weakest right here when it comes to publicity; it’s brightened the topic somewhat an excessive amount of, leading to low distinction and saturation. The pretend bokeh circles are additionally a bit a lot. The Pixel 9 Professional XL is best, however I’d additionally say the pores and skin textures are somewhat harsh, the white stability too inexperienced, and the sting detection has smudged some hairs.

This leaves the Galaxy S25 Extremely and Discover X8 Professional as my decide of the 2 finest choices right here, although once more, the variations aren’t large. Turning the lights down makes it more durable for these small selfie cameras and we are able to see some extra significant variations right here.

This time it’s the Pixel 9 Professional XL with the very best white stability and publicity, adopted by the Galaxy S25 Extremely. Once more, Xiaomi’s selfie is extra washed out, and the Discover X8 Professional once more does a nice job with the general stability, apart from the whites of the partitions on this event.

Taking a more in-depth have a look at the extent of element in low mild, all 4 telephones clearly wrestle in comparison with broad daylight. The Pixel and Galaxy flagships present probably the most indicators of noise, adopted by Xiaomi’s flagship. The Discover X8 Professional is probably somewhat heavy on the denoise, however the finish result’s the cleanest-looking particulars with out all that a lot mild to assist out.

Trying throughout these pictures, I’d say the Galaxy S25 Extremely performs probably the most persistently, with Google and OPPO taking joint third. The Xiaomi 15 Extremely slips to the underside of the pack when utilizing the entrance digicam.

General, all 4 telephones have their deserves, however as I’ve to choose a winner, I favor the OPPO Discover X8 Professional. Largely due to its extra natural-looking particulars throughout all lighting circumstances, it feels proper at residence with the standard of my beloved mirrorress. There’s a minor punch to the distinction and vibrancy with out it ruining the pores and skin stability or publicity of portraits, and the bokeh blur has a comfortable, pure look to it as nicely.

That being stated, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely and Pixel 9 Professional XL will not be dangerous picks. If you will get previous the sometimes skewed pores and skin tones, the Pixel 9 Professional XL seems to be good in just about each scenario, whether or not you’re utilizing the again or selfie cameras, regardless of its lack of a 3x digicam that will be extra ultimate for portraits. Due to this, nevertheless, the cellphone doesn’t fairly maintain up nicely sufficient to win when taking a more in-depth inspection on the nice particulars, and it had by far the best variety of bokeh edge detection and pores and skin tone points out of the 4.

In the meantime, the Galaxy S25 Extremely takes a conservative method to its colour palette, which means you’ll seldom be met with a nasty image, even when it’s typically a boring one. It’s by far the weakest in low mild, nevertheless, making it much less versatile. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re a selfie lover particularly, this is perhaps a greater decide.

This leaves the Xiaomi 15 Extremely as my least favourite total, which actually isn’t how I pictured this shootout going. Whereas the broader digicam package deal is undeniably good, Xiaomi’s option to lean closely into high-contrast portraits may add to temper, however it’s much less adaptable to a variety of lighting environments. Likewise, the selfie digicam carried out poorly concerning white stability, though the cellphone supplies an excellent stage of element in just about all lighting circumstances. It’s actually not dangerous, however the OPPO is clearly higher.

Do you could have a favourite from our portrait shootout? Let me know within the feedback under.