91mobiles Photo Quest: battle of the best smartphone cameras

When it comes to smartphone photography, numbers on paper only tell half the story. The real test lies in how a phone performs in the hands of experts, those who live and breathe visuals. And that’s exactly what we set out to do at 91mobiles Photo Quest, held in Gurugram on October 31st.

This one-of-a-kind camera showdown brought together three of the best camera flagships from different brands in the sub-₹80,000 segment, the OnePlus 15, Samsung Galaxy S25 and iPhone 17 for a blind camera comparison like no other.

Setting the stage: where art met tech

To ensure fairness and transparency, the challenge was designed as a blind test. The smartphones were anonymised as Phone A, Phone B, and Phone C, keeping brand identities completely hidden.

Meanwhile, to ensure any sort of impartiality, the camera comparison conducted by 91mobiles testing labs included multiple real-world scenarios, including testing each phone in portrait mode, burst shot mode, low-light conditions, 10x zoom, 4K video, and 4K tone-mapping video. This holistic approach allowed participants to evaluate every aspect of the camera performance.

We set up four tablets, each showcasing a dedicated 91mobiles voting page, featuring photos and videos captured by the three smartphones. Participants were invited to analyse the samples based purely on quality, colour accuracy, dynamic range, detail retention and video consistency before casting their votes for the ones they found most impressive.

The experts who came in front from behind the lens

The event saw an exciting mix of renowned photographers and influencers, including Aarzoo Khurana, Aman Chotani, Akash, Amit and Prateek. Alongside them, there were several other influencers and creators from our very own 91mobiles TechTribe community, bringing their passion and perspective to the table. The atmosphere was charged with energy as participants compared shots, debated nuances and discussed how smartphone cameras are redefining modern photography.

Roundtable conversations: more than just a comparison

After the voting session, the event moved into an engaging roundtable discussion where photographers, tech enthusiasts and content creators exchanged their thoughts on how smartphones are redefining modern photography. The conversation touched upon everything from the evolution of mobile camera hardware and computational photography to how smartphones are closing the gap with professional gear in both photos and videos. Furthermore, they also discussed the growing importance of front cameras, video capabilities and AI-assisted image processing, all of which are shaping how creators capture and share their story today.

And the winner is…

After the votes were taken into account, the OnePlus 15 emerged as the undisputed leader, securing 65 percent of the total votes and edging past its rivals. The results reaffirmed OnePlus’ commitment to camera innovation and its growing reputation among photography enthusiasts. Read the report embedded above to know the results.