Just as smartphones have replaced the need for many of us to have a camera, the current generation has also consigned the camcorder to ancient history.
The increasing power and memory of today’s devices means that they are all you need to capture life’s important, and not so important, moments for posterity. It could be the family vacation, or you might want to film the moment when your long shot on NFL odds comes good.
And, while you might think that the phones with the best cameras are also the best for video, this isn’t always the case. That’s because the processors and video software can make a big difference when it comes to performance.
So if you’re in the market for a new phone that’s perfect for video recording you can’t do better than by choosing one of these magnificent seven.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple have long had a winning formula when it comes to producing phones that are perfect for video recording. There have even been feature films shot using them. The 15 Pro Max is packed with the standard features we’ve come to expect including very effective stabilisation, a “cinematic” setting and Dolby HDR. But where this model has made a huge advance is in the new telephoto zoom. This is now a 5x zoom lens that boasts an equivalent field of view of 120mm. Reviewers have remarked on the phone’s incredible performance whether recording close-up or far away.
OnePlus 12
If picture quality is your main criterion for choosing a smartphone, then look no further. This is one of relatively few smartphones that offer 8K recording. Yes, it’s going to fill up memory fast, but it’ll all be worth it when you watch the playback. All in one handy bundle you have the choice of a 50MP camera, a 48MP one for ultra-wide shooting and a 64MP if the composition you’re aiming for is a portrait format. It also comes with a very useful number of recording modes including Video Nightscape, Video HDR and a Timelapse function as well.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The S23 was good, but the S24 sees some serious advances on its predecessor. For example, the 5x zoom lens has proved to offer greatly increased versatility and there is also now the ability to shoot in ultra-high resolution at up to 200MP. Ergonomics can also be important when you’re holding a phone trying to get the best result so the S24 has a noticeably more comfortable grip than the S23 despite being a little heavier. Its display is also class-leading, along with its color accuracy.
Sony Xperia 1V
As you might expect from a company like Sony, with so much experience in the field of video recording, the Xperia 1V is a quite exceptional performer. Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, it is smoothness personified when it comes to playback. You can even watch it back in high quality thanks to the 6.5 inch 4K HDR OLED display giving a cinematic widescreen effect. The three rear lenses, a 52MP main lens, 12MP telephoto and 12MP wide lens give you all the range you need and it also performs exceptionally well even in low light levels.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
To start with its weakest feature, the Pixel 8 Pro comes with just 128GB of storage as standard which limits the amount of video footage you can store on it. But you can always add more memory – and it’s worth it to take advantage of its many other features. It offers 4K resolution at a great rate of 60fps and the Cinematic video mode is very impressive. It also scores very highly when it comes to sound. The ingenious Audio Eraser tool all but eliminates background noise to focus on the sounds you do want to hear.
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Here’s proof, if it’s needed, that it’s not just the big brands that can deliver. Admittedly, it’s been built around the Sony IMX766 camera that delivers great picture detail and depth of color. Oppo have also very shrewdly seen a gap in the market created by other phones’ inability to work well in night-time recording. So it has introduced an AI-driven feature designed to eliminate graininess in footage. Linked to this, it is also very good at automatically adjusting exposure levels to suit the subject you’re recording perfectly.
Xiaomi 13T Pro
Last, but not least, the emerging Xiaomi brand is well worth a mention too. In one particularly glowing review its sister product the 12 S Ultra was described as “the best camera phone I’ve ever used”. While we wouldn’t go quite that far for the 13T Pro, it is impressive. A great deal of its appeal comes from flexibility of its Auto mode which makes many of the trickier decisions for you.
So now the only decision you have to make is which one of these phones to put on your own shopping list.
