7 Best - We show them to you one by one

What are you usually looking for in a smartphone when deciding what your next choice should be? It varies depending on the way you tend to use a gadget of course. Some pay particular attention to screen size and resolution, some care a lot for battery life and design/materials, others choose a new gadget according to its camera functions and settings.

To be honest, a good camera in a smartphone really is in the top priority list.

Here’s our research with 7 top smartphone cameras:

iPhone 6 Plus

Main cam – 8mp, front cam – 1.2mp, video - 1080p@60fps, Optical stab – yes, dedicated button- no.

iPhone 6 Plus camera has two significant improvements: improved focus and optical image stabilization, that provides a nice improvement in sharpness in low light. Although it does not manage well with large, sharp movement during video recording. The stabilization tries to overcompensate and results in video that is over processed. The front facing camera has also improved, the result – better selfies in low light.

 Lumia 1020

Main cam – 41mp (7712 x 5360), front cam – 1.2mp, video - 1080p@60fps, Optical stab – yes, dedicated button- yes.

Being claimed as a phone for photographers, Lumia 1020 astonished everyone having a 41 million pixel sensor. We’d say it’s not completely right though, as the camera uses pixel binning - the grouping of pixels together. No matter that fact once you get to shoot with the camera you do get a professional experience with all the features that are available: starting from scene modes to ISO and exposure compensation. The colors you get are great, the image is intensely sharp and low-light pictures truly surprise.

LG G4

Main cam – 16mp, front cam – 8mp, video - 2160p@30fps, Optical stab – yes, dedicated button- no.

Exposure and white balance are good, and we marveled at the level of detail in the 16Mp image when zooming to 100 per cent. It has a very impressive optical image stabilization system. Autofocus performance of the LG G4 seems to be quite good, it uses contrast-detection for autofocus acquisition. To make it easier to focus in low-light conditions, LG engineers integrated a “laser focusing” module.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Active

Main cam – 16mp, front cam – 5mp, video - 2160p@30fps, Optical stab – yes, dedicated button- no.

The wide-angle lens means more of the scene is capturedcompared to LG G4 for example, and there's more sharp detail throughout the photo. White balance is also spot on. Samsung made it easier to take photos and video underwater by making the volume buttons act as triggers for the shutter so you can shoot with physical keys. This is the best smartphone to capture your active lifestyle.

Sony Xperia Z3

Main cam – 20.7mp, front cam – 2.2mp, video - 2160p@30fps, Optical stab – no, dedicated button- yes.

It's possible to change ISO and metering, white balance and exposure compensation, which is a pretty decent offering for a smartphone. The Z3 is one of the most impressive in terms of the colors output directly from it, while shots are lovely and detailed. It's also good at autofocusing, locking on to the subject quickly and easily most of the time. The dedicated button does make your shooting experience fast.

HTC One M9

Main cam – 20.7mp, front cam – 4mp, video - 2160p@30fps, Optical stab – no, dedicated button- no.

It’s got the same 20.7MP sensor Sony Xperia Z3 has, the developers obviously made an effort to stuff in a lot of pixels. The auto white balance is a little off, as a result you get more cool-looking pictures, especially if you compare them to iPhone. Aside from this it produces nice sharp images with lots of detail. The camera operates perfectly in most conditions (low light, bright scenes, changeable conditions).

Huawei Nexus 6P

Main cam – 12.3mp, front cam – 8mp, video - 2160p@30fps, Optical stab – no, dedicated button- no.

This one is definitely one of the best Android cameras out there right now, it offers sharp, vibrant shots. Thanks to the large pixel size, the Nexus 6P did particularly well capturing details in low light, beating the Galaxy Note 5 and the LG G4. In our tests.

No matter which model appeals to you, do this before actually purchasing:

• Look at online reviews of the phone’s camera.
• View sample photos and videos.
• Take your time to test the camera for yourself. Grab the phone you like and have fun with the camera settings and options. Try it in different modes, don’t forget about the front camera as well.

We are in the process of researching top features that make a great smartphone. Check soon to see what we find out for you.