You don't need to spend flagship prices to get an incredible camera phone. These are the best photography smartphones under £500 in 2026.
The Pixel 8a delivers class-leading camera performance well under £500. Google's AI photo processing produces stunning portraits, excellent night shots and vibrant colours that routinely beat phones costing twice the price.
The Galaxy S24 FE brings Samsung's flagship camera experience to a more affordable price point. Excellent zoom, vivid colours and strong video.
The Pixel 7a remains one of the most impressive camera phones for its price. Google's AI processing punches well above its weight.
| Phone | Camera | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 8a | AI photography ✅ | ~£499 / $630 | Best camera overall |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 FE | Zoom & colour ✅ | ~£449 / $570 | Samsung camera |
| Google Pixel 7a | Value photography ✅ | ~£300 / $380 | Budget camera |
The Google Pixel 8a is widely regarded as the best camera phone under £500 in 2026, thanks to Google's exceptional AI photo processing and computational photography.
The Pixel tends to produce more natural, accurate colours while Samsung produces more vivid, punchy images. Both are excellent — it comes down to personal preference.
Yes. Both the Pixel 8a and Samsung S24 FE shoot 4K video and offer excellent stabilisation for the price.
For most people the Pixel 8a produces results that are very close to flagship phones. The jump from £500 to £1000+ buys you marginal gains in zoom and low light.