Galaxy S24 Ultra Cameras vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Here’s How They Compare

Two top class telephones have other approaches to pictures. The glossy titanium-clad and -colored $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with 4 rear cameras, together with two devoted to zooming and one with a 200-megapixel sensor. Apple’s titanium-clad and -colored $1,200 iPhone 15 Pro Max packs 3 rear cameras, one for zooming and a prime one with a 48-megapixel sensor. 

Let me state the most obvious: Each seize one of the crucial perfect footage you’ll be able to take from any telephone these days, particularly in difficult environments like high-contrast scenes (assume a sundown) or puts the place the lights is dim (assume a cafe).

Learn extra: Best Phone to Buy for 2024

Earlier than I took a unmarried snap, I anticipated the S24’s array of zoom cameras to care for distanced topics higher. And but I additionally knew that Apple is not any slouch and may bury Samsung’s perfect efforts with the iPhone’s masterful photograph processing and video symbol high quality. How do they stack up towards each and every different?

I took them round San Francisco to determine.

When I shot loads of footage and movies with each telephones and when put next them facet by way of facet, a extra advanced truth published itself, with the iPhone and Extremely excelling in some eventualities and suffering in others.

State-of-the-art digital camera {hardware}, apps

The iPhone 15 Professional Max has a trio of lenses: vast, ultrawide and telephoto. The principle digital camera has a 48-megapixel sensor, whilst the opposite two have a solution of 12 megapixels. There is a little bit of a gulf with regards to zooming between the primary 1x digital camera and the 5x telephoto. And that’s the reason the place the variations between the 2 telephones begin to expose themselves.

The Galaxy S24 Extremely has a identical trio of lenses however provides a 2d telephoto, with a 3x zoom stage. Call to mind it as though Apple took the 15 Professional Max and added the iPhone 15 Professional’s devoted 3x telephoto to the again, thus developing an in reality nonexistent iPhone 15 Extremely with each 3x and 5x cameras.

Digicam {hardware} specifications when put next

Digicam	Zoom stage	Answer	Aperture	Lens full-frame identical
15 Professional Max ultrawide	0.5x	12 megapixels	f/2.2	13 millimeters
15 Professional Max vast	1x	48 megapixels	f/1.78	24 millimeters
15 Professional Max telephoto	5x	12 megapixels	f/2.8	120 millimeters
S24 Extremely ultrawide	0.6x	12 megapixels	f/2.2	13 millimeters
S24 Extremely vast	1x	200 megapixels	f/1.7	23 millimeters
S24 Extremely telephoto No. 1	3x	10 megapixels	f/2.4	69 millimeters
S24 Extremely telephoto No. 2	5x	50 megapixels	f/3.4	115 millimeters

That is numerous rattling cameras. Take into account the times when telephones had only one?

The S24 Extremely’s major digital camera has a 200-megapixel sensor, and the brand new 5x telephoto digital camera has a 50-megapixel one. Each Apple and Samsung use their major digital camera’s excessive solution sensor (and in Samsung’s case the only at the Extremely’s 5x telephoto digital camera) to combine multiple pixels to create 12-megapixel footage which might be brighter and feature extra element and no more symbol noise. The telephones too can use sensor crop to successfully flip the primary 1x shooter right into a 2x digital camera that takes 12-megapixel footage (with out pixel binning). It is curious that the Extremely’s 3x 10-megapixel digital camera takes 12-megapixel pictures. The place does it get the ones two additional megapixels from?

In regard to the taking pictures enjoy, I really like the S24 Extremely’s new display, which is a ways much less reflective than the iPhone’s. I do not need bother seeing what is at the 15 Professional Max, even in direct daylight, however the Extremely’s show feels extra immersive as a result of there is much less glare when taking footage.

The digital camera apps on each are filled with acquainted choices like devoted photograph, video and portrait modes, in addition to the facility to shoot Uncooked recordsdata and alter solution on one of the crucial cameras.

The iPhone can seize ProRes video files and spatial videos (which may also be considered at the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 VR headsets). Samsung’s digital camera app has devoted professional modes for footage and movies, and is extra customizable. I will transfer the digital camera modes round to my liking and upload ones I want. I will additionally use the Extremely’s S Pen as a faraway shutter button to take a photograph.

One in all my favourite choices is including a floating shutter button that may be situated anyplace on display to take a photograph. It is nice for the ones instances you’ll be able to’t achieve absolutely the backside of the display to faucet the common shutter button, or when the use of quantity buttons is not an possibility.

Picture smackdown: Galaxy S24 Extremely vs. iPhone 15 Professional Max

Each telephones take superb footage. Beneath are a couple of of my favorites.

However let’s get to the good things: head-to-head photograph comparisons. And let’s get started with the photographs underneath of a difficult excessive distinction scene of a sundown in San Francisco’s Project District. The footage are from the primary cameras, and I am inspired with each. The most important distinction is the best way each and every telephone handles the glare from the solar, which is extra pronounced within the iPhone’s photograph. The S24 Extremely’s snap is a tad brighter, particularly while you pinch in just a little. The S24 Extremely boosts the shadow main points — realize the bushes at the backside proper. Within the iPhone’s image, the bushes more or less get misplaced within the shadows, however within the Extremely’s symbol, you’ll be able to in reality make out extra of the person branches.

Beneath is any other set of major digital camera pictures, this time of a plant in a window. To start with look they give the impression of being identical, however realize how the S24 Extremely rolls off the highlights at the leaves — so easy. The textual content at the books below the plant is readable in each pictures, although it is crisper within the iPhone’s snap.

I took the footage underneath, of my CNET colleagues Jessica Fierro (left) and Amy Kim taking part in foosball, with the ultrawide cameras. In comparison to the primary digital camera, there is a particular step down in symbol high quality from each telephones, however when put next to one another they are identical.

Each telephones carried out numerous noise aid. The ceiling within the iPhone’s photograph is riddled with symbol noise, and within the Extremely’s photograph, the noise is long gone however the similar ceiling appears to be like overly comfortable and nearly blurry. Understand how the telephones treated the picture noise on Jessica and Amy. Within the iPhone’s photograph, Jessica’s pores and skin and hair appears to be like extra herbal, albeit comfortable from movement blur. While within the Extremely’s symbol, she nearly seems like a portray from the entire noise aid and over sprucing.

The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s 3x zoom

I completely love this photograph from the Extremely of my CNET friend Celso Bulgatti, all for the devoted 3x zoom digital camera. There is a excellent stability relating to element, and the highlights glance so excellent. It is refined, however the cutout impact appears to be like blank, with the transition between in-focus and out-of-focus taking a look herbal. His pores and skin tone is a little more saturated than in actual lifestyles, nevertheless it appears to be like excellent.

Talking of 3x, keep in mind the Extremely has a devoted 3x digital camera while the iPhone is the use of a 3x virtual zoom to get the similar symbol. And you’ll be able to see the adaptation underneath. The iPhone’s photograph is not unhealthy, nevertheless it has artifacts from the virtual zoom, particularly across the flag. Total the iPhone’s photograph appears to be like softer — realize the main points within the ornamentation at the development within the background but in addition within the bricks within the development at the proper.

This is any other pair of 3x footage — of a Celebrity Wars figurine on my table. The Extremely’s photograph appears to be like higher in each manner.

iPhone vs. Extremely: 5x zoom fight

Listed below are some footage of downtown San Francisco that I took from a rooftop with the 5x digital camera on each telephones. Instantly, the iPhone nailed the focal point, which the Extremely struggled to do. I have no idea if it was once the solar reflecting off Salesforce Tower, however the Extremely searched for concentration on this setup anytime I used the 5x digital camera, particularly as I began to zoom in digitally.

Beneath are 5x optical zoom pictures, each in concentration. I just like the Extremely’s extra. It feels just like the iPhone is protective highlights by way of ramping down the publicity, and as a end result the shadows are darker. The Extremely has excellent element all over — realize the bushes within the foreground and the home windows on Salesforce Tower.

I stored zooming in additional in this scene. Beneath are 15x virtual zoom footage. And once more the Extremely struggled to get concentration. I took 4 footage and all are out of concentration, with the fourth one underneath the least out of concentration.

The iPhone’s most virtual zoom is 25x. Beneath are footage from each telephones at that magnification. You could break out sharing those on social media, however neither photograph appears to be like excellent. I give the threshold to the Extremely’s photograph, which appears to be like cleaner.

However the Extremely can zoom much more, with the picture high quality deteriorating much more. Beneath is a 50x virtual zoom photograph. As you’ll be able to see, the noise aid is making the picture glance extra like a portray than a photograph from a $1,300 telephone!

And here is one ultimate photograph of this scene, taken at 100x virtual zoom. It is so processed and comfortable that it does not seem like a photograph. And once more the Extremely struggled to get concentration.

Beneath is a couple of 5x footage of Maisie the cat. Each glance excellent. The iPhone captured extra of the feel in her fur and is general brighter.

The Extremely’s generative AI issue

I will’t imagine I have made it this a ways with out bringing up AI. For years, telephones have used AI, algorithms and system finding out to fortify footage and create distinctive modes, like for portraits or evening footage. None of that is new to both telephone. However the S24 Extremely has some new generative AI gear known as Galaxy AI, very similar to the generation that powers ChatGPT and Dall-E and starting from novelty to helpful.

Maximum of this occurs within the Extremely’s Gallery app and may also be carried out most effective after you are taking a photograph or report a video. For example, I will use the Generative Edit software to take away an individual or object from a photograph and fill within the empty house. I will additionally transfer an individual or object round or alternate their dimension. This software and others nonetheless really feel extra experimental than unswerving. Once in a while once I got rid of an object or an individual there have been obtrusive indicators that one thing was once manipulated, whether or not it was once a abnormal texture or an abnormal halo of what was once there prior to. Different instances, the AI generated one thing random to fill within the house.

As an example, I attempted to have it take away an individual from the photograph underneath just for the Extremely to exchange him with a round cafe desk. Did it take away the individual? Sure. Is it abnormal for there to be a restaurant desk at the roof of a development the place there isn’t any cafe or different tables? Sure.

One house the place the Generative Edit software turns out to be useful is for straightening footage. After I straighten a photograph at the iPhone (and maximum different telephones) the image is cropped in to get the required consequence. At the S24 Extremely, Generative Edit can fill within the portions of a photograph past the body, that were not even there, getting rid of the want to crop in.

Clearly, the iPhone does not have any of those generative AI options in-built to its Digicam or Footage apps. At this level, I don’t believe that is a omit, however as generative AI options fortify and transform extra helpful, their absence can be a massive downside. Although portrait mode does not use generative AI, assume how significantly better it’s these days as opposed to the clumsy background blurs of years previous when the function first got here out.

iPhone vs. Samsung: Ultimate ideas 

As you will have observed, each telephones take superb footage. In my time with the Extremely, I have been blown away by way of the standard of the footage, particularly the ones from the 3x lens. And I completely love that low-reflection display, it is a small however vital growth.

Although I did not cross into comparisons of the entire more than a few modes or movies, each telephones are calmly matched in the ones spaces as smartly. The iPhone has a slight edge in its skill to report ProRes video recordsdata, although there are third-party Android apps that may do the similar. 

The most important barrier for me, and the general public, goes to be the fee. Paying $1,200 or $1,300 or extra for greater garage is a huge funding that is going well past simply how excellent the cameras are. I would most probably push other folks towards a smaller iPhone 15 Professional, or Google’s Pixel 8 Professional. Each nonetheless price a grand, however are loads lower than the Extremely or 15 Professional Max.

Wish to see how the Extremely does towards probably the most different best phone cameras? Take a look at our digital camera comparability between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Pixel 8 Pro.

Editors’ observe: CNET is the use of an AI engine to lend a hand create some tales. For extra, see this post.