Best Smartphones for Recording Videos (Top 10)

There has never been a time when video-making mattered most to phone owners than in these times. Contrary to the popular opinion that only vloggers or Youtubers had this concern in the choice of a phone, many people want to own phones that are good for recording videos for random purposes.

These days, everyone on social media needs a good phone to record videos; especially TikTok and Instagram reels. In this article, RNN highlights the top 10 best smartphones for recording videos. Here we go!

10. iPhone SE 2020

Apple products are great for recording excellent videos and they are top choices for vloggers and anyone who wants to create amazing videos.

The iPhone SE 2020 has only one 12 MP camera at the back and it equally receives the latest iOS updates. For now, the hardware can still keep up with the demands of the software so it remains a great option for those who look to create excellent videos. Not only is this a great option for recording clear videos, it is equally budget-friendly.

9. Xiaomi 12 Pro

Xiaomi 12 Pro has three 50MP cameras built around a Sony IMX707 sensor that make up the main camera. The phone camera gives a great surface area for gathering light and it is popular and highly recommended among phone videographers.

Its lenses feature 1/1.28” 50MP (f/1.9), 1/2.76” 48mm telephoto 50MP (f/1.9), and 1/2.76” 15mm ultra-wide 50MP (f/2.2). The front video on the other hand has these features:

FullHD/60p
Main video: 8K/24p.

8. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Next on our list of best smartphones for recording videos is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. The phone is known for its 100x maximum zooming ability. The S21 Ultra is great for capturing wildlife with this feature.

S21 Ultra has the ability to record videos both in 4K and 8K at 60 frames per second. The front camera equally has a 4K 60 FPS capability. If you’re looking for a great phone for capturing moments, especially if you record videos for a living, add the S21 Ultra to your list of options.

7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

The Redmi Note 10 Pro is another big deal for recording videos. Its affordability comes as a surprise since its 120Hz OLED display and sleek design with glass back are quite top notch.

The phone’s macro camera is one of its selling points; it can literally capture very sharp shots compared to other phones within its price range which would produce blurry shots when objects are captured from afar. Youtuber? Vlogger? Newbie videographer? Here’s a great one for you.

6. Oppo Find X5 Pro

If you’re looking for a great phone for recording slow motion videos, the Oppo Find X5 Pro could be your best bet. Its camera is based on the 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor and the exclusive MariSilicon X chip from the company.

The camera specifications are designed to capture a higher level of details in picture, color depth, and to reduce image noise to the barest minimum. Oppo Find X5 Pro can record up to K/60p video and FullHD video at 240fps. Its front camera is not lagging behind either; with a FillHD/30p available on the selfie camera, great videos can be taken using the front version of this Oppo goodness.

5. Samsung S22 Ultra

The Samsung S-series have been amazing so far and the greater news for those who care about taking great quality videos is that the series come with new camera improvements as they are released.

S22 Ultra is always a great choice for content producers for the following reasons:

• Its optical image stabilization function
• Large battery for frequent camera usage
• Great zoom capacity (3X and 10X lenses)

It also has the following additional specifications:

• Cameras: 108MP 1/1.33” 23mm (f/1.8),10MP 1/3.52” 230mm Periscope (f/4.9), 10MP 1/3.52” 70mm (f/2.4), 12MP 1/2.55” 13mm 120° ultra-wide (f/2.2)
• Front video: 4K/30p (f/2)Rear video: 8K/24p

4. Google Pixel 7 Pro

The Pixel 7 Pro is not a budget-friendly phone but since we’re not narrowing it down to cheap phones, it just has to be on this list. Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on Pixel 7 and it is definitely worth it. The phone has been tagged the best phone camera in Google’s Pixel series so far.

Asides having a larger sensor for better night-time pictures and a fixed focus, it also includes a 10.8MP f/2.2 upgraded ultra-wide selfie camera compared to its other counterparts.

The other camera specifications of the Google Pixel 7 Pro are highlighted below:

Primary: 50MP f/1.85, OIS
Ultra-wide: 12MP f/2.2, 125.8-degree FoV, autofocus
Telephoto: 48MP f/3.5, 5x optical zoom, Super Res Zoom up to 30x, OIS
LDAF
Video: 4K 60FPS video capture support on all cameras, 10-bit HDR video capture support
Front Camera(s): 10.8MP f/2.2 upgraded ultra-wide selfie camera, 92.8-degree FoV.

3. Realme GT 2 Pro

Realme brand is one phone brand that is fast taking over the smartphone market. With excellent capacities, it is becoming a top choice for buyers around the world.

The Realme GT 2 Pro is one of the most competitive phones for photography and videography at the moment. Among its amazing specifics is its ability to produce excellent videos with good lighting. Here are its other specifications:

Main Camera Specifications: Triple 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS
50 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 150˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76″, 0.64µm 3 MP, f/3.3, 20mm (microscope), AF, 40x magnification
Features: Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie Camera Specifications: Single 32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm
Features: HDR, panorama
Video: 1080p@30fps

2. Sony Xperia Pro-I

The Sony Xperia Pro-I has many amazing features that places it as the second best option for recording great videos. One of such features is its cinematic manual focus pulls available when on the Videography Pro Mode. This feature enables you to take total control of exposure and focus. Here are its camera specifications:

Main Camera: Triple Camera, 12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1.0″-type, 2.4µm, PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage)
12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.9″, PDAF, 2x optical zoom, OIS
12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, Dual Pixel PDAF
0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
Features: Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, LED flash, panorama, 12-bit RAW, HDR, eye tracking
Video: 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS

Selfie Camera: Single Camera, 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4″, 1.12µm
Selfie Camera Features: HDR
Selfie Camera Video: 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS

1. iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone literally needs no introduction as it is a popular smartphone, not just for its great camera but also for many other features. For this article however, we’ll focus on the reasons why it is a great camera option for videographers, youtubers, vloggers, and generally, those who love good phone cameras for one reason or the other.

iPhones automatically top the list of best smartphones for recording videos anytime. It has become difficult for any other phone brand to beat Apple to it. The easiest option for those looking for the best phones for video making would be to find the latest iPhone brand. For now, it’s the iPhone 14 Pro Max and here are its specifications:

Cameras: 48 MP, 24mm (f/1.8), 12 MP, 77mm (f/2.8), 12 MP, 13mm, (f/2.2), TOF 3D LiDAR scannerFront video: 4K/60fpsRear video: 4K/60fps
OIS: Yes
Weight: 240g
Dimensions: 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9mm
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB-1TB
Battery: 4,323mAh

Top 10 Best Smartphones For Recording Videos

Here are the top 10 best smartphones for recording videos as highlighted in this article:

1. iPhone 14 Pro Max
2. Sony Xperia Pro-I
3. Realme GT 2 Pro
4. Google Pixel 7 Pro
5. Samsung S22 Ultra
6. Oppo Find X5 Pro
7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
8. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
9. Xiaomi 12 Pro
10. iPhone SE 2020