By Sarah Hazelwood of Phones 4u, the upgrade experts and home of #projectupgrade

Smartphone technology has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years and mobiles like the Samsung Galaxy S4 are quickly becoming the go-to gadget to capture all those special holiday moments.

The market is currently packed with mobile phones of all shapes and sizes, running on various operating systems. Here we zoom in on Android smartphones and camera apps to help you bag the best photos wherever you’re jetting off to.

Top Android Camera apps

Of course all this great technology can come at a price. But don’t worry, because if you can’t afford to splash out on the latest and greatest Android smartphone there’re plenty of apps out there to enhance your mobile camera and transform your pictures.

Camera Zoom FX

This is one of the most popular camera control and image enhancement apps for Android phones. Thanks to a professional looking and intuitive user interface there’s a wide range of camera features at your fingertips.

Across the interface you’ll find a digital zoom slider, LED flash, white balance, autofocus and a choice of filters which can all be activated using simple tap commands. Further options are offered in the shape of a self-timer, burst mode and time-lapse mode. With Camera Zoom FX the options are endless. Buy it

Snapseed

Perfect for everyday use, Snapseed transforms images in front of your eyes. Thanks to its built in Google+ capabilities it’s even easier to share snaps with friends to show them what a great time you’re having.

Amongst a heap of benefits you can easily adjust your images with a single tap using Auto Correct, enhance specific areas or objects within your frames using Selective Adjust, and add filters and boarders for the perfect finishing touch. Buy it

Aviary Photo Editor

The stylish, logical design of the Aviary app makes editing and sharing pictures a quick and easy process.

A raft of intuitive editing options sit on board as well as some powerful tools to make for a smooth editing process, whether you’re adjusting pictures from your gallery or taken directly through the app.

Menus and settings are clear and straightforward so it never takes too long to find what you’re looking for, which leaves more time to capture and share other impressive shots from your travels. Free download

Verdict

The Android operating system runs on heaps of mobile phones these days, but with big names like Samsung, HTC and Sony on board, you won’t go far wrong opting for a device running Google’s OS when seeking out the best mobile camera technology.

Top three Android camera phones

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

Combining durability and functionality, the S4 Active boasts all the best bits of Samsung in a water and dustproof shell.

The 8 megapixel camera produces some fantastic results while you’re on the go, but the headlining feature is the Aqua mode camera function. Users can take pictures and film videos under water up to one meter deep for 30 minutes with some fantastic results.

It’s perfect for the more adventurous holiday maker, allowing you to capture once-in-a-lifetime shots in or out of the water. Unlike its biggest rival, the water resistant Sony Xperia Z, it also works in saltwater, but the firm does suggest you clean it off with fresh water afterwards to avoid any damage.

HTC One mini

Featuring the firm’s UltraPixel camera, the One mini packs the high-end sensor first showcased on the HTC One into an affordable package.

As with the flagship, it produces bright, clear images and its performance in low-light is exceptional, which is great for when you’re sampling the nightlife or shadier settings.

It also features HTC’s Zoe functionality, which is an amazing camera mode that grabs a three second burst of HD video and 20 photos every time you press the shutter button. Each frame can be edited and in juts a few taps it’s possible to stitch a sequence of images together, perfect for reliving those special holiday moments when you touch down on home turf.

Sony Xperia Z

Results from the Xperia Z’s 13 megapixel sensor have been compared to images taken with a compact camera thanks to its clear natural colour reproduction and depth of detail.

Enhancing pictures even further is a ton of modes and editing options, one of which is Superior Auto. It selects the best camera mode for your surroundings and automatically switches to it, so you won’t have to fiddle about with the settings and risk missing out on that money shot.

There’s also Burst mode, which takes an unlimited number of images at 10 frames per second, so you can capture all the action from your holiday in its entirety and never miss a moment.

Do you take travel pics with your phone? Tell us your tips in the comments…

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Thanks to   for the image off FLickr!