The OnePlus 5 brings with it a new dual camera that offers theoretical optical zoom as well as the largest dual camera setup on the market but with Android smartphone cameras so capable, is it better than the competition? We wanted to put it to the test and instead of just crowning a winner ourselves, we wanted YOUR opinion.

A week of voting later, the results are in, so which smartphone camera is the best? How does the OnePlus 5 camera compare to the Galaxy S8, LG G6, Pixel XL, HTC U11 (which has the highest DxO rating at the moment) and the Xperia XZ Premium? After 67,000 votes, which smartphone camera did you vote for as the winner? Let’s find out!

Our testing

We had the OnePlus 5 for a day for this camera shootout so while this test isn’t as in-depth as we’d have liked, it does give us an understanding of how OnePlus’ latest flagship lines up against the competition. Every shot was conducted in full Auto mode with all settings set to their out-of-the-box state, including automatic HDR and exposure.

All of these smartphones are technically capable of capturing images in manual mode, which offers the flexibility of DSLR-like controls for photographers to tweak their shot, whether natively or using a third-party app. While this feature does offer a lot of flexibility, most users won’t actually use it so instead, we’re testing the full automatic experience that each of these OEMs has worked so hard to provide.

The shootout

For each gallery, we randomised the order of the phones between each gallery and for the color and detail galleries, we included the six 100% crops of the focal point. Each gallery came with a poll asking you to vote for your favorite picture and below, we’ve broken the winners down per gallery as well as identified which picture came from each phone.

Color

For a test of color, this scene provides a range of colors, as well as varying amounts of detail in the leaves, the dome and pillars of the Rotunda and the lagoon. The focal point was the detail around the dome; while all phones managed to capture some detail, some definitely outperformed the rest, with better color reproduction and less noise.

Winner: Xperia XZ Premium

All smartphones can take a decent picture of a sunny static subject but sometimes, you need the one that’s guaranteed to get as much detail as possible in a snap. Whether it’s at the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas or when swimming with dolphins, which phone can you rely on in a pinch?

Winner: LG G6

One of the most iconic parts of San Francisco and for good reason – whether it’s against a clear sky or when the fog is rolling in, the Golden Gate Bridge stands majestic at all times. On a bright day like this, the red color of the Bridge provides welcome contrast against the greens of the hills behind and the bright blue sky. Which phone captures the intricate strands suspending the bridge as well as the color the best?

Winner: Xperia XZ Premium

The breakers and cliffs next to the sea can be one of the best places to think and as the water breaks over these boulders, it is also one of nature’s simplest ways to show natural beauty. From the detail in the water sloshing over the rocks to the moss and of course, the color of the water, which phone performed the best?

Winner: LG G6