4 best smartphones for low-light photography

Whether you’re a creator who creates content for a living, or a social media enthusiast who loves to post stories and reels to Instagram, the most valuable tool is your smartphone.

Not only will smartphones help you shoot the content, but you can also edit and process it on the fly, upload it using a high-speed 5G mobile data connection, and keep track of the likes and reposts no matter where you are. Of course, you’ll need to make sure your smartphone camera is up to the task.

Some of the most stunning shots and captures take place at night, be it outdoors under the stars, at a party, or just about in any setting that puts you together with your friends and family. For that, you’ll need a good camera on your smartphone, particularly one which can handle low-light photography well.

Best smartphones for Instagram-worthy low-light photos

We’ve put together a list of the best smartphones for low-light photography, to help you up your social media game.

1. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

3. Vivo X100 Pro

4. Vivo V40 Pro

1. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Considered the best smartphone in the world, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is among the best for taking pictures thanks to years of tweaking and improvements. The current top-end Apple iPhone comes with a triple-camera setup, featuring a primary 48-megapixel sensor and two secondary 12-megapixel sensors at the back.

All of this is tuned to be able to capture great photos in various environments, including low-light conditions. You’ll get excellent, Insta-worthy shots with this camera system, currently the best on offer from Apple.

2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Among the best that you can buy in the Android space right now, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a quad-camera system at the back, featuring a 200-megapixel primary camera.

ALSO READ: A guide to using the Camera Assistant app on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

A powerful telephoto system lets you capture close-ups and detailed shots from far, and AI-based features help to enhance photos and make them more stunning while retaining detail and realism. It’s a top-notch smartphone camera that’s designed for all kinds of conditions, especially low-light shots.

3. Vivo X100 Pro

Vivo is well known for its camera capabilities – especially on its high-end smartphones – and the Vivo X100 Pro combines all of this experience and power into one comprehensive package.

With a Zeiss camera system and the ability to capture detailed low-light portrait shots, this is among the best camera phones for portrait photography, thanks to the triple-camera setup at the back.

4. Vivo V40 Pro

If you’re looking for a competent camera-phone but don’t want to spend flagship-level money, the Vivo V40 Pro is an excellent alternative to the high-end devices. It gets a Zeiss camera system at the back, featuring a triple-camera setup and the unique ‘aura light’ flash system.

This helps provide soft illumination for portrait shots, making it a good choice for low-light portrait and close-up photography.

With the above phones, low light won’t be a factor when clicking great shots.