It’s no surprise that a phone’s camera quality is a top priority given that smartphones have become our go-to cameras, capturing everything from daily moments to special occasions. The best camera phones nowadays come with impressive multi-cam systems. Usually, you’ll find a primary lens paired with a secondary ultrawide lens, a setup that’s now common even in budget-friendly phones. This combo allows for effortlessly capturing anything and everything, from wide landscapes to tight indoor shots. However, one lens type remains a luxury often reserved for higher-priced models: the telephoto lens.
Telephoto lenses allow you to zoom in on distant subjects without losing image quality, making them perfect for capturing detailed shots from far away. Plus, they’re fantastic for taking those DSLR-like portrait photos with natural background blur, so subjects really pop.
If you’re looking to elevate your smartphone photography, a telephoto lens is a game-changer. This guide includes the best phones at many price points with telephoto lenses, ensuring you can find the perfect device that suits your needs.
Top Android phones with a telephoto camera
Best overall
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google’s best device
The Pixel 8 Pro is hands down the best device Google currently offers. With a stellar camera setup, great overall performance, and a beautiful display, it’s undeniably one of the best devices currently available. Its camera system is one area where it truly excels, offering a perfect shot almost every time.
- Stellar camera setup
- Great overall performance
- Seven years of software support
- Still gets hot when pushed
- More expensive than last year
While the Pixel 9 series might make us revisit this list soon, we are absolutely certain that until then, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is the best overall device with a telephoto camera. It regularly places at the top of blind camera tests and features three quality lenses for a complete camera system. This three-camera combination is very versatile and, more importantly, a very reliable camera system. Google’s great lens hardware and computational photography skills allow just about everyone to capture breathtaking photos.
The telephoto camera consists of a 48MP f/2.8 lens with 5x optical zoom. The optical zoom can expand up to 30x using what Google refers to as Super Res Zoom. Essentially, Google harnesses the power of AI to determine what the photo should look like, resulting in a much sharper image than normal. It even has optical image stabilization (OIS), which should help eliminate blurry photos from shaky hands. The Pixel also has a 50MP f/1.68 primary camera, with an 82-degree field of view and a 48MP f/1.95 ultrawide camera. The ultrawide has a 125.5-degree field of view for capturing breathtaking landscape images.
Read our review
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Living up to its name
If you want to see the future of Google, the Pixel 8 Pro is the phone to buy
The Pixel 8 Pro has a Tensor G3 processor that’s still quite capable, 12GB of RAM, and plenty of storage for some great performance. While the Pixel 9 series will bring a slightly upgraded Tensor G4, you can rest assured that the Pixel 8 Pro won’t struggle with your daily needs. It also ships with a high-quality 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display. This 120Hz display has a peak of 2400 nits, allowing you to see your subjects on the brightest days. And your pictures will look great thanks to its 2992 x 1344 resolution.
Premium pick
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Excels at almost everything
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is for those who aren’t willing to compromise on their phone. This device excels in just about every area imaginable and doesn’t have many flaws, except for taking images of moving subjects.
- Great overal camera system
- Gorgeous display that ditches the curved edges
- Performance is top notch
- Very expensive
- Cameras struggle with motion
If you want the best telephoto camera system, and you don’t care how much you have to spend to get it, then you owe it to yourself to check out the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The S24 Ultra outdoes every model on this list, bringing four cameras to the table, and two of the cameras are telephoto.
Samsung equipped the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with OIS and 3x optical zoom. It has phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and a 67mm focal length. The S24 Ultra also has a 50MP f/3.4 periscope telephoto lens with OIS and a 5x optical zoom. With PDAF and a 111mm focal length, you should have no trouble capturing far-away photos.
The S24 Ultra also has a 200MP f/1.7 primary camera and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera. The combination of all four cameras gives it unparalleled versatility when capturing your shots. Just keep in mind that Samsung’s Galaxy devices struggle with moving subjects, so it isn’t ideal for all types of photography.
Read our review
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is still the best, unless you take photos
Samsung’s latest phablet feels like a do-over
Outside the camera system, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a pure powerhouse. It comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 5000mAh battery that goes for days. It also has one of the best displays on the market with a 6.8-inch, 120Hz, Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x display.
Best value
OnePlus 12
Punches far above its weight
The OnePlus 12 is a device that pushes the envelope for what you should expect out of a sub-$1000 device. It is a complete package with almost no real negatives. It even comes with specs that punch far above its weight class, making it a tremendous overall value.
- Great overall camera system
- Top-notch performance
- Amazing battery life
- Software inconsistencies
- Not available through carriers
The OnePlus 12 and Galaxy S24 battled it out for the best value device, but the OnePlus 12 prevailed, and for good reason. It’s an excellent phone that offers a tremendous amount of power at a great price. OnePlus has also tuned its Hasselblad camera system, allowing you to get some seriously good shots.
It ships with a 64MP f/2.6 periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom. The telephoto lens has a 70mm focal length and PDAF. The OnePlus 12 also has a 50MP f/1.6 main camera and a 48MP f/2.2, 114-degree ultrawide. The OnePlus 12 delivers crisp photos with true-to-life colors. It also does quite well when taking low-light shots.
The OnePlus 12 is a joy to use daily thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and generous 12GB of RAM. In addition to its power, its 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display is just a sight to behold. With a 318 x 1440 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 4500 nits of peak brightness, the panel on this phone is simply beautiful. OnePlus also did an amazing job in the battery department. With a 5400mAh battery, the OnePlus 12 can make it through a couple of days between charges.
Read our review
OnePlus 12 review: All flagship, no AI
This phone leaves nothing on the table, making for a truly complete package
Its design, complete with a large circular camera system, isn’t for everyone. It also lags behind the competition with only four OS updates and five years of security updates. If you don’t mind the styling or its update policy, then you would be hard-pressed to find a better device on this list.
Best small
Samsung Galaxy S24
Small stature, big performance
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is the perfect device for all those small phone lovers out there. With plenty of performance, a great display, and a competent camera system, this svelte device does it all. And it does all that while being one of the smaller devices on the market.
- Good overall camera system
- Nearly perfect display
- Great battery life
- Camera struggles with motion
- Slow charging speeds
If there is one common thread among phones with telephoto lenses, it’s that they are all flagship devices that carry high price tags. The Samsung Galaxy S24 is one of the lower-priced options on this list. It’s also the smallest, which is a huge bonus for those who don’t like large devices.
The Galaxy S24 has the same standard telephoto lens as its much more expensive sibling. The phone loses the periscope telephoto camera but keeps the 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with its 67mm focal length, PDAF, and OIS. It also has a 50MP f/1.8 primary lens with OIS and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view. Keep in mind that this device suffers when taking images of moving objects, so consider your subjects carefully.
At just 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm and weighing 167g, the Galaxy S24 is pure bliss for those tight pockets. Samsung managed to cram a beautiful, 6.2-inch, 120Hz, Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2x display into this tiny frame. It also ships with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as the S24 Ultra, but the RAM does drop to 8GB.
For the price, the Galaxy S24 is a beast of a device that excels at just about everything. It even comes with a 4000mAh battery that can easily get you through an entire day.
Best flip phone
Motorola Razr+ (2024)
Telephoto camera in the smallest package
$900 $1000 Save $100
The Razr+ (2024) offers everything you’d want from a flip phone. Its cover display is the biggest on any flip phone, it performs well, and is the first flip phone in the US to pack a telephoto lens. While it may not win any photography awards, it’s one of the most pocketable and stylish ways to carry a telephoto lens.
- Looks great, performs well
- Good-quality telephoto lens
- Best cover display on a flip phone
- Motorola’s software support isn’t the best
- Image processing lags behind competitors
Motorola’s Razr+ 2024 flips the script (literally) by daringly replacing the usual ultrawide lens. Instead, this stylish flip phone features a 50MP main camera and a 2x telephoto lens with the same resolution. This setup is perfect for portrait photography, as many users prefer taking pictures of friends and family over expansive landscapes.
Notably, the Razr+ stands alone as the only flip phone in the US market boasting a telephoto lens. While the 2x zoom might feel slightly limited, the 50MP sensor ensures impressive detail and color accuracy in well-lit conditions. The lens also holds its own at 4x zoom.
Thanks to a speedy f/2.0 aperture, this telephoto lens performed admirably in tricky lighting conditions during our review. The main camera surpasses the telephoto in overall capability, delivering exceptional results in good lighting and holding its own in dimmer environments.
While the Razr+’s cameras may not be the absolute best for the price, they mark a significant improvement for flip phones. As long as you’re fine missing out on an ultrawide lens, you’ll enjoy a capable main camera that doubles as a top-notch selfie option, along with a surprisingly competent portrait lens.
Read our review
Motorola’s new Razr+ is everything I want from a flip phone
Proper software updates would be nice, though
Beyond the cameras, the Moto Razr+ 2024 shines as possibly the best flip phone on the market right now. It boasts a stylish design, an IPX8 rating for water resistance, decent battery life, and solid performance. The full-size cover display is best-in-class, fully embracing the potential of the flip phone form factor. The only significant drawback is Motorola’s less-than-ideal software support history for its phones.
A foldable Pixel
Google Pixel Fold
A Pixel tablet in your pocket
The Pixel Fold is Google’s first attempt at making a foldable device. While it didn’t perfect the category on its first go around, it did enough to make Samsung uncomfortable. With solid performance and a great camera system, the Pixel Fold is a quality device.
- Awesome camera system
- Great cover display
- Very expensive
- Durability concerns
If you prefer Google’s Pixel lineup but have been craving a foldable device, then the Pixel Fold offers a ton of features. With a sky-high price, the Pixel Fold falls in line with the other foldable devices on this list. It also has a better overall camera compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The Pixel Fold ships with a 10.8MP f/3.1 telephoto lens with OIS and 5x optical zoom. It also has a 48MP f/1.7 primary camera and a 10.8MP f/2.2, 121-degree ultrawide camera. Thanks to Google’s computational photography skills, you can expect the Pixel Fold to be a fair bit more reliable than the Z Fold 5. It also handles moving subjects significantly better than Samsung’s offering.
But the Pixel Fold falls behind a bit in overall power. With a Tensor G2 processor and 12GB of RAM, it’ll handle your daily needs, but it’s a far cry from the latest Snapdragon processors. It also tends to run hot when pushed. If your purchase can wait, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is just around the corner, which should improve on this aspect by quite a lot.
Read our review
Google Pixel Fold review: An $1,800 rough draft
Google’s first foldable fails to live up to its full potential
What is great is its OLED panels, which provide a pleasurable viewing experience. The Pixel Fold has a 5.8-inch 2092 x 1080 cover display and a 7.6-inch 2208 x 1840 internal display. The internal display has a 120Hz refresh rate and 1450 nits of peak brightness. Plus, it’s been mostly selling at discounted prices of under $1,500 recently.
Best foldable
OnePlus Open
A great first attempt
The OnePlus Open may single-handedly be responsible for pushing Samsung to stop resting on its laurels. With top-tier performance and battery life, the Open came to play. The camera hardware that OnePlus managed to squeeze onto this device is where this foldable truly excels.
- Amazing performance and battery life
- Best camera setup on a foldable
- Great big screen customization
- Lacks wireless charging
- OxygenOS doesn’t feel polished
The OnePlus Open is for those who are dead set on getting a foldable device, and aren’t willing to sacrifice anything. OnePlus was even able to push the category forward by proving that you could put three high-quality lenses on a foldable device.
OnePlus blows the foldable competition away when comparing telephoto cameras. They were somehow able to cram a 64MP f/2.6 telephoto camera with OIS and a 3x optical zoom into this device. It also has a 48MP f/1.7 main camera and a 48MP f/2.2, 114-degree ultrawide camera. Like most recent OnePlus devices, the cameras have been tuned by Hasselblad, resulting in true-to-life colors and rich images.
It’s also outfitted with some serious tech in the display. The cover display is a 6.31-inch, 2484 x 1116, OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2800 nits of peak brightness. The internal display is an AMOLED, 2440 x 2268, 7.82-inch display. And the screen is fluid thanks to its LTPO3, 120Hz panel, and is easy to see with 2800 nits of peak brightness.
Read our review
The OnePlus Open is what every foldable should be
OnePlus supplies the competition Samsung needs
With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, it doesn’t have the same power as the recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor but should be more than sufficient for everyday tasks or playing the latest games. It ships with 16GB of RAM, which will help keep things running smoothly and allow you to keep a ton of apps open without needing to refresh them.
The wild card
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra
Great performance, decent cameras
The Zenfone 11 Ultra is a big smartphone with lots of performance and a massive battery. It also comes with a versatile camera setup that includes a 3x telephoto. Too bad the camera system is good, but can’t keep up with the competition.
- Top-tier performance
- Big battery, fast charging
- 32MP telephoto
- Limited software support
- Camera processing needs more work
The Zenfone 11 Ultra boasts a 50MP primary camera, a 13MP ultrawide camera, and a 32MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The primary sensor has a 6-axis gimbal stabilizer to minimize shakiness, while the telephoto lens uses a more traditional optical image stabilization (OIS).
In our review, the telephoto lens performed admirably well, producing impressive results with good color accuracy and detail, even when zoomed in at 10x and 30x. While the contrast and dynamic range could be slightly improved, all three lenses generally excel in well-lit conditions, capturing vibrant photos with natural colors and a balanced look.
Portrait shots are decent, though not outstanding. While the object separation could be better, the bokeh effect looks good when the object detection functions correctly. It’s important to note that ASUS’ software processing for images isn’t quite on par with industry leaders like Samsung and Google. The Zenfone 11 Ultra’s cameras perform well in isolation, comparing its shots side by side with those from a Pixel or a Samsung phone usually leaves the ASUS device trailing behind.
Beyond its camera capabilities, the Zenfone 11 Ultra offers a compelling package for its $900 price tag. It boasts the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a generous 6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED display, and a substantial 5,500 mAh battery that supports 65W fast wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
Read our review
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra review: They grow up too fast
A solid all-rounder that only comes in a large
However, ASUS only commits to two years of OS upgrades, and its ecosystem isn’t as comprehensive as those offered by Samsung, Google, or OnePlus. Despite this, the Zenfone 11 Ultra stands out as one of the most affordable options for those seeking a big phone with a 3x telephoto lens.
The best telephoto camera for you
When it comes to phones with telephoto lenses, the options might be limited, but the good news is that most of these phones also offer great overall packages beyond the zoom lens, making them solid choices for your next daily driver. Our list includes a variety of form factors, from foldable phones and compact models to all-out flagship devices, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
For most users looking for a great camera experience, the Pixel 8 Pro is a standout choice. It offers an amazing camera system with impressive telephoto capabilities, a fantastic display, and solid performance. You’ll always get first dibs on the latest Android updates, and the cherry on top is Google’s commitment to seven years of software support. This long-term support ensures that your $1,000 investment will remain relevant and functional for years.
The S24 Ultra is ideal for power users who want the best of everything – performance, camera quality, and display technology. It features the latest processor, a gorgeous display, and a versatile quad-camera setup that includes not one but two impressive telephoto lenses. Samsung matches Google’s promise with seven years of software updates, making this device a future-proof investment.
For those who need to save some money but still want a high-performing device, the OnePlus 12 is a fantastic option. It’s significantly less expensive than the S24 Ultra but still manages to rival it in many areas. The OnePlus 12 has an excellent display, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, and a well-tuned camera setup.
Best overall
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Such a good camera
The Pixel 8 Pro is the best device overall thanks to its blend of performance, battery life, display, and camera system. It does it all and does much of it very well. Google’s camera system in particular is always impressive and that continues here. You can’t do much better than this.
