What's the best phone for video recording? We've drawn on our long experience of reviewing phones to bring you the best models for the job. So whether you want to shoot professionally, make clips for TikTok, YouTube and Twitch, or just capture that dream family holiday for posterity, you'll find some great choices in our roundup.
You might think that the best camera phone for stills would automatically be the best phone for video too, but that's not always the case. Great video doesn't just mean having a great lens: it also means having a lot of computational power and smart software to produce a good-looking finished product.
For many years, Apple has led the way in delivering cutting edge, high-quality video recording capabilities. But more recently Samsung, Sony, Google and others have been putting more emphasis on video, closing the gap significantly. Read on, as we reveal the best phone for video, both for recording and streaming live.
Jon Devo
As an experienced journalist, Jon has been reviewing gadgets and tech since 2013. He has road-tested a number of smartphones for Digital Camera World as well as reviewing a variety of cameras for streaming video. He also covers camera and broadcast product content for WIRED UK, Metro Newspaper, TechRadar, Amateur Photographer Magazine and Trusted Reviews.
Each generation has built on the success of the last and the iPhone 15 series is the best yet. Our reviewer found that video from this phone looks exceptional, whether capturing nearby or faraway subjects.
If you don't want an iPhone, here's our top pick. We found video from the S24 Ultra to be punchy, crisp, and stable. Headline specs including 8K recording at up to 30fps, 10x zoom, and 480fps Full HD slow-motion capture.
The latest Pixel phone captures great quality videos at 4K resolution and 60fps. There's also a brilliant Audio Eraser tool, which does a brilliant job of reducing background noise on busy streets, and a new Cinematic video mode.
Sony designed this smartphone’s video UI around its pro camera bodies, so it will feel familiar to Sony shooters. Video benefits from optical image stabilization, subject tracking, eye autofocus, and a physical aperture.
Oppo has created an advanced noise reduction algorithm to eliminate grainy footage. It works by using artificial intelligence to scan each frame for and reduce image noise in low-light videos, pixel by pixel.
This phone comes with a large Sony sensor, excellent screen, versatile camera software, and long-lasting battery life. You can capture 8K (30fps) and 4K (60fps) from the rear camera, and as 1080p from the front.
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Since the launch of the iPhone 5S, we've been found Apple’s flagship phones to be a great choice for filmmakers. Each generation has built on the success of the last and the iPhone 15 series is the best yet.
Although the headline stats of 4K and 60fps are the same as its predecessor, Apple has introduced a number of video upgrades with this phone, including digital zoom up to 3x with Cinematic mode and exporting ProRes footage via USB-C. Overall, our reviewer found that video from this phone looks exceptional, whether capturing nearby or faraway subjects.
A more general benefit of choosing an iPhone is that third party manufacturers prioritize making accessories specifically for them. Plus, because iOS is a single platform, apps like Instagram and TikTok are optimized primarily for it, which generally leads to fewer issues with compression ruining the quality of the content you upload. For more information, read our iPhone 15 Pro Max review.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an incremental upgrade over its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, featuring enhancements in design, performance, and imaging capabilities.
When it comes to video recording, the S24 Ultra excels with 8K video capabilities and excellent stabilization, making it a strong contender for content creators. However, the increased detail comes with larger file sizes, which may not be practical for everyday use.
The camera system, while largely similar to the S23 Ultra, includes notable improvements in image processing. The main camera captures natural and less vibrant images compared to its predecessor, which some might prefer. The new 5x zoom lens offers better versatility, though it makes the 3x zoom lens feel somewhat redundant. Additionally, the camera can shoot in high-resolution modes up to 200MP, though these are not always necessary for casual photography.
Performance-wise, the S24 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which ensures smooth multitasking and gaming experiences. The battery life is solid, with efficient power management that extends usage, though heavy users might still need a mid-day top-up.
The device boasts a refined design with a more comfortable grip, despite being marginally heavier. Its display remains a standout, offering excellent brightness, color accuracy, and a dynamic refresh rate, making it ideal for various lighting conditions. Overall, the S24 Ultra can be praised for its minor yet impactful refinements, making it a worthwhile entry over last year's model.
Dimensions: 6.4 x 3 x 0.3 inches (87 x 76 x 162 mm)
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Reasons to buy
+
Audio eraser feature
+
4K/60fps
+
Great image stabilization
Reasons to avoid
-
128GB starting storage is low
The Pixel 8 Pro is one of the best Android phones for video we've seen to date. It captures great quality videos at 4K resolution and 60fps. There's also a brilliant Audio Eraser tool which does a brilliant job of reducing background noise on busy streets. You can either isolate the sound of your voice completely, or add back in a little noise for atmosphere: it's up to you.
Our reviewer also loved the Cinematic video mode, first introduced in the Google Pixel 7 Pro, which blurs out the background; kind of like a portrait mode, but for videos not stills. In both phones you also get great electronic image stabilization, using computational photography to sharpen shots.
Note, though, that the Pixel 8 Pro starts with just 128GB storage, and there's no SD card, which doesn't make it great for storing tons of video footage. Read our full Google Pixel 8 Pro review for more details.
It may be a couple of years old now, but we remain big fans of the Sony Xperia Pro-I. It has a boxy form factor, with a 6.5-inch 21:9 4K HDR OLED display. It also has a dedicated button for opening the camera app and another right beside it for opening one of its three video recording modes.
And there's more. The Xperia Pro-I has a 3.5mm headphone jack and expandable memory via microSDXC support up to 1TB. When it’s time to record video, the Sony Xperia Pro-I offers full manual controls, optical image stabilization, subject tracking and eye autofocus and a physical aperture that switches the lens from f2 to f4. Videography Pro mode allows you to control every aspect of exposure and focusing, even allowing you to make cinematic manual focus pulls.
Sony says it designed this smartphone’s video UI around the same menus and functions it deploys in its pro camera bodies, so it will feel familiar to Sony shooters in particular. However, that also means that the wealth of settings, cinema picture profiles and controls may feel daunting to the uninitiated.
Sony has some interesting accessories for this device that allow you to add a vlogging monitor via USB-C and a Bluetooth remote grip with physical controls. This combo allows you to plug in a microphone and use the main rear camera for vlogging. And if you have a Sony mirrorless camera, you can also use the Xperia Pro-I as an external 4K HDR monitor. For more details, see our Sony Xperia Pro I review.
Cameras: Main camera 50MP (f/1.7), telephoto 13MP (f/2.4), ultra-wide 50MP (f/2.2)
Front video: FullHD/30p
Rear video: 8K/30p
OIS: Yes
Weight: 195g
Dimensions: 163.7 x 73.9 x 8.5mm
RAM: 8/12GB
Storage: 256/512GB
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Reasons to buy
+
Premium design
+
Consistently impressive main camera
Reasons to avoid
-
Limited zoom
We like to look outside the best-known brands at Digital Camera World, and one smartphone that's really surprised this year has been the Oppo Find X5 Pro. Its camera is built around the 50MP Sony IMX766 camera and its proprietary MariSilicon X chip, which is designed to deliver greater levels of picture detail, color depth and low noise.
The main camera is capable of recording up to 4K/60p video and FullHD video at an impressive 240fps, for those of you who are interested in capturing slow motion content. Its front-facing, or selfie camera is limited to only FullHD/30p.
Oppo has identified night time video recording as one area where most smartphones typically let people down. With that in focus, Oppo has created an advanced noise reduction algorithm to eliminate grainy footage. It works by using artificial intelligence to scan each frame for and reduce image noise in low-light videos, pixel by pixel. The advantage of taking this approach is that the phone cleverly manages to deliver cleaner 4K footage in low light, without heavily destroying details and compromising color accuracy.
Autofocusing and auto-exposure is another area where its neural processing unit performs well. The Find X5 Pro detects subjects, including faces quickly and adjusts the exposure to deliver a pleasing look, depending on what it thinks you’re filming. The only major set back here is the device’s humble telephoto capability, which taps out at limiting 2x optical zoom.
Cameras: Main camera 50MP (f/1.9), ultra-wide 12MP (f/2.2), telephoto 50MP (f/1.9)
Front video: 1080p *30fps)
Rear video: 8K (30fps) or 4K (60fps)
OIS: Yes
Weight: 195g
Dimensions: 163.7 x 73.9 x 8.5mm
RAM: 8/12GB
Storage: 256/512GB
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Reasons to buy
+
Large main sensor
+
Bright, vibrant screen
+
Excellent performance
Reasons to avoid
-
Ultra-wide lacks AF
Xiaomi is a brand that's still flying under the radar to a degree, but we found many of its phones to be surprisingly capable when it comes to photography and video. Indeed, one of our reviewers recently described the Xiaomi 12s Ultra as "the best camera phone I've ever used"; the only drawback being that it's currently available only in China.
In the meantime, the Xiaomi 13T Pro is also well worth checking out, especially if you spend a lot of time in auto mode and want a camera phone that does a lot of the grunt work for you via computational photography.
The primary camera has a 50MP resolution thanks to its large 1/1.28" Sony IMX 707 sensor with a 24mm focal length and an f/1.9 aspherical lens, complete with OIS. also comes with an excellent screen, versatile camera software and long-lasting battery life, and you can capture 8K (30fps) and 4K (60fps) from the rear camera, as well as 1080p at 30fps on the front. For more details, see our Xiaomi 13T Pro review.
How to choose the best phone for video recording
Smartphones are increasingly becoming miniature film studios, but the ones which are best for video recording aren't always obvious. When making your choice, firstly consider both resolution and sensor size. Look for 50MP resolution or above, but bear in mind that higher megapixels aren't everything. So also look for a phone that has a large sensor to capture more light, especially if you're interested low-light performance. You also want versatility when it comes to shooting video, so ideally look for a phone with at least three rear cameras: wide, ultrawide, and a telephoto zoom for close-ups. Also pay attention to stabilisation (as no one wants shaky footage) and audio features.
(Image credit: Basil Kronfli)
How much storage do I need for video recording?
The amount of storage you'll need for video recording will depend largely on the resolution and frame rate you're shooting at. For example, 4K 60fps can eat up space quickly, so you'll probably need a phone with at least 128GB on board storage, as well as the potential to expand this via a microSD card.
Does the lens matter when buying a phone for video?
Yes! More and more phones are arriving with high resolutions of 50MP+, but that's not all you need to capture professional looking video. Look for phones with wide-angle lenses for capturing more in the frame and telephoto lenses for zooming. (Optical zoom generally offers better quality than digital zoom.)
Which phone is better for video: Android or iPhone?
In truth, the best Android phones and the best iPhones both offer excellent video recording and streaming capabilities. So the choice between Android and Apple really comes down to personal preference and specific device features.
How we test the best phone for video recording
As a photography website, we pay special attention to the photo and video quality of smartphones. Camera phones are all-around digital assistants too, of course, so we will also check general handling, usability, and practicality – such as battery life. For Android camera phones we rate resolution, noise and color rendition in the context of what rival Android phones can do, and where there are any special features, such as ‘night modes’ or ‘portrait modes’, we check that these perform as the makers describe.
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Jon is a gadget reviewer, content creator and influencer. He spends his time reviewing products, covering technology news, giving talks on content strategy and creating content in partnership with a wide variety of forward-thinking brands. He also contributes to commercial radio, as well as in national print newspapers and magazines.
