The best smartphones with periscope cameras

Among the many advancements in smartphone cameras, zooming capability has been the most significant development. The adoption of a telephoto and periscope lens makes it possible to photograph far away subjects. Periscope sensors are an advanced version of telephoto cameras. The way they work offers a greater degree of magnification for capturing images while maintaining details and sharpness and reducing noise. 

This makes smartphones with periscope cameras a must-have for those who love photographing landscapes, sports, and wildlife. It allows users to click pictures without having to get closer to the subject. 

The best smartphones with periscope cameras

There are plenty of phones on the market with a periscope camera. While it is still limited to higher-end flagships, there are two phones in the mid-range segment that incorporate the sensor. We list the best smartphones with periscope cameras available in 2025. 

ALSO READ: Best camera smartphones with large main sensors

Nothing Phone 3a Pro

OPPO Find X8 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Realme 13 Pro+ 5G

Pixel 9 Pro 

1. Nothing Phone 3a Pro

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is the latest and cheapest phone you can buy with a periscope camera. The device also has its signature transparent design coupled with LED Glyph lights that instantly stands out from the crowd. The phone’s triple camera system includes a 50MP 1/1.95-inch Sony LYT-600 periscope sensor with a 50mm focal length. It supports OIS for a shake-free shooting. The lens is capable of offering 3x optical zoom, 6x lossless zoom, and 60x ultra zoom. 

Apart from this, the Phone (3a) Pro features a dedicated button called Essential Key for performing various tasks with the on-screen content. The device has a 120Hz display and is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC and a 5,000mAh battery unit with support for 50W fast charging.

2. OPPO Find X8 Pro

Not one, but two periscope cameras. That’s the OPPO Find X8 Pro for you. The entire quad-camera setup comprises 50MP sensors. One of the periscope telephoto units offers a 73mm focal length, whereas the other lens packs a 125mm length. Both come with OIS and offer up to 60x zooming capability. There is also a camera button for capturing instantly, shooting continuously, and swiping to zoom. 

The Find X8 Pro runs on a Dimensity 9400 processor and is backed by a 5,910mAh battery cell with support for 80W wired and 50W wireless charging.

3. iPhone 16 Pro Max

If you’re an Apple fan, the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers excellent zooming capabilities as it has a 12MP periscope telephoto sensor. You can zoom in up to 5x and shoot in 120mm, thus getting sharper close-up images of subjects located far away. The Cupertino-based tech giant uses tetraprism design that bends light rays four times over to achieve the zoom range. The iPhone 16 Pro Max also gets a 48MP main and ultra-wide-angle lenses. The device is capable of recording 4K Dolby Vision videos at 120fps. 

Other core specifications of the iPhone 16 Pro Max include an A18 Pro chipset, an XDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and a titanium unibody. 

4. Realme 14 Pro+ 5G

The Realme 14 Pro+ 5G is another affordable phone in this list that packs a periscope camera. It comprises a 50MP Sony IMX882 sensor with 3x optical zoom and 120x superzoom. There is a 50MP main sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle unit. The phone has three LED flash units with adjustable brightness and colour temperature. 

The Realme 14 Pro+ 5G offers a curved 120Hz OLED display, a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC, and a 6,000mAh battery with 80W charging.

5. Google Pixel 9 Pro

The Pixel 9 Pro’s impressive camera performance is backed by several AI enhancements and software features. It has a 48MP periscope telephoto sensor for pro-level zoom. It offers 10x optical quality that can go up to 30x with Super Res zoom. The 50MP main camera also packs 2x optical zoom, whereas the 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens is ideal for landscape and astrophotography. Notably, the telephoto camera can also be used to shoot zoomed-in videos up to 20x, thanks to the advanced processing. The device supports up to 8K video recording.  

The Pixel 9 Pro draws its power from a Tensor G4 chip and a 4,700mAh battery with support for 45W charging. It is available in a sole 16GB + 256GB RAM and storage configuration.

ALSO READ: Best camera smartphones with large main sensors

The aforementioned smartphones offer unparalleled zooming capabilities without the loss of details. They are redefining smartphone photography across various price segments.