Whether you’re making a rough-and-ready TikTok on the go or filming a more polished piece in your home studio, you’ll need a phone camera that can keep up with you. Not all phone cameras are made equal, of course, so it’s important to understand which specs make the difference when it comes to content creation.
So, what does that actually mean? Well, you’ll obviously want a high-quality camera, a decent amount of storage, a healthy battery lifespan and enough RAM to handle any editing apps you’ll need – though TikTok and editing apps like CapCut are relatively low-lift, it’s wise to future-proof your device.
Plus, it’s unlikely you’ll be using your new phone for more than just TikTok, so there are considerations around operating systems to be made, as well as the inclusion of tech like MagSafe for wireless charging and compatibility with filming equipment like tripods.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the perfect all-rounder
Camera Specs
Main camera resolution: 48MP
Main sensor size: 0.78″
Main lens: 24mm, f/1.8
Superzoom camera resolution: 48MP
Superzoom sensor size: 0.39″
Superzoom lens: 100mm, f/2.8 (4X+ telephoto)
Ultra wide resolution: 48MP
Ultra wide sensor size: 0.39″Ultra wide lens; 13mm, f/2.2
Selfie resolution: 18MP (square)Selfie lens; 20mm, f/1.9
If you know a thing or two about phones, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the iPhone 17 Pro Max taking the lead when it comes to shooting great-quality video content, and with some fantastic features and camera smarts to boot, it’s a confident lead for Apple.
Of course, it’s not exactly cheap, but for the price you get a beautifully designed phone with a solid lifespan to see you through your first few years of filming. It’s a videographer’s dream, and I’m always excited when I get the chance to use it; you can shoot video in 4K (up to 120fps), footage is reliably smooth and well-stabilized with little-to-no dropped frames and it features what our reviewer called “the best camera array Apple has ever produced.”
You really do feel those strengths while using the phone, too; the iPhone 17 Pro makes filming fun, and that’s only aided by clever features like center stage, which allows you to swap between vertical and horizontal orientation, as well as Apple’s handy AI-powered Audio Mix feature to help reduce background noise.
You might even get some use out of Dual Camera, which takes a BeReal-style approach and lets you shoot both your front and rear cameras in one feed. Plus, its app ecosystem is fantastic, full of well-optimized software that makes it easy to edit video on the go.
If you really prize battery life and want a bigger canvas to work on, it’s worth considering upgrading to the Pro Max, but the regular 17 Pro will serve well for most creators’ needs.
I’d recommend the iPhone 17 Pro to most budding influencers, but it’s especially highly commended for those who want a reliable, easy-to-use and slick workflow. Then, if you’re planning on branching out into horizontal video, this iPhone offers ProRes RAW and Log 2 support as well as a litany of fantastic video editing apps, making it a great companion for all kinds of video content creators.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is great for action photography
Camera Specs
Main camera: 200MP; f/1.4; 0.6µm sensor
Ultrawide camera: 50MP; f/1.9; 0.7µm sensor
Telephoto camera 1: 10MP; f/2.4; 0.7µm; 5x optical zoom
Telephoto camera 2: 50MP; f/2.9; 0.7µm; 10x optical quality zoom
Selfie camera: 12MP; f/2.2; 1.17µm
Another name you shouldn’t be surprised to see grace this list is Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra; it’s still very new to the market, but I’ve loved testing the phone in recent weeks and I’m impressed with its content creation capabilities.
For starters, the cameras are great; 8K video at 30fps and APV codec support offer room to grow for professionals planning to use the S26 Ultra as their main shooter, though it’s worth highlighting Samsung’s selfie cam is on the weaker side compared to Apple.
It uses the same front-facing camera we’ve seen in quite a few recent Galaxy phones, though this latest version has been bolstered by a wider 85-degree field of view (up from 80°) and enhanced AI ISP processing. Having tried it myself, it does a noble job of showing some detail and life in selfie mode, but no amount of software can fundamentally improve the image quality here.
However, if you often shoot outside or on-the-go, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might just be your new best friend. It’s great in low-light settings, with beautifully clear shots even in darker spaces thanks to its f/1.4 aperture main camera. I also noticed (and highlighted in the latest episode of the TechRadar podcast) far less noise and better color reproduction than in the previous-generation Galaxy Ultra.
Plus, there’s that horizontal lock feature, Super Steady mode; if you spend a lot of time filming sports or stunts, this could be a game-changer. You can turn the phone on its axis a full 360-degrees and a combination of clever software will keep your original framing; we’ve really pushed this to the test and unless you’re really trying to set it up to fail, it works fantastically.
Samsung also comes with its own powerful AI editing suite including Audio Erase for background noise reduction. I’ve consistently been incredibly impressed with the results from Samsung on this front, having tested the features side-by-side with Apple’s equivalents.
Travel influencers will love the Oppo Find X9 Pro
Camera Specs
Main camera: 50MP main
Ultrawide camera: 50MP ultrawide
Telephoto camera: 200MP telephoto (3x)
Selfie camera: 50MP
Still, it’s the best choice for travel influencers or those who find themselves routinely on the road and need a phone with the specs to match that lifestyle.
If you’ve strictly used phones from the likes of Apple and Samsung before, you might find switching to a brand like Oppo to be a bit of a culture shock; these phones run on the brand’s custom Android skin, ColorOS, which receives mixed reviews from users and tech experts alike.
Even as a 10+ year iPhone user, it’s definitely worth considering. That’s because overall, it’s a great phone for photographers, making it my top pick for professionals who will really make use of its creative features. There’s the detachable zoom lens, for example, which was made in partnership with camera manufacturer Hasselblad and drastically broadens the phone’s horizons for capturing great shots.
The specs themselves are great, too; the Find X9 Pro can shoot at a maximum of 4K at 120fps, or 1080p at 240fps, backed again by Hasselblad tuning for natural color reproduction. You’ll find lots of creative features in general here; enough that it can be a bit overwhelming to the uninformed. The Oppo Find X9 Pro can also record in Dolby Vision HDR or LOG, making things easier if you choose to edit on a different device.
There’s another area Oppo excels: battery life. With its sizable 7,500 mAh battery and fast charging, the Find X9 Pro makes for a fantastic companion when you’re on-the-go.
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