Smartphone cameras have become so advanced over the past several years that tech experts at times compare them to DSLR setups. Both Samsung and Apple, being the most popular smartphone makers in the world, are leading the pack.
Samsung will begin shipping its new Galaxy S8 smartphone on April 21, which includes a 12-megapixel camera like last year’s model and a sharper 8-megapixel front shooter. Samsung says it has also improved the phone’s image processing technology, which it claims will enable the S8 to capture better low-light photos and reduce blur compared to its predecessor, the S7.
That should give Apple’s iPhone, which is currently the most popular camera being used on Flickr, some tough competition. The iPhone 7 also includes a 12-megapixel sensor but a 7-megapixel front camera. The larger Plus model has a second lens that allows the phone to offer unmatched quality when zooming and an effect that blurs the background known as Portrait Mode.
Check out the photos below to see exactly how the Galaxy S8’s camera stacks up against Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus.
- Mickey Guyton Is TIME's 2022 Breakthrough Artist of the Year
- The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2022
- Column: What Elon Musk Gets Wrong About Free Speech
- The Forgotten Story of One of the First U.S. Soldiers Killed Overseas After Pearl Harbor
- Why You're More Likely to Get Sick in the Winter, According to New Research
- Column: What the Protests Tell Us About China's Future
- 18 Last-Minute Gifts for Everyone on Your List
- Despite World Cup Heartbreak, the Future Looks Bright for Men's Soccer in the U.S.
Image Quality Comparison
In low light pictures, both phones offer very similar image quality. And while the iPhone appeared to produce a wider range of colors, the Galaxy S8 offered a slightly better dynamic range, meaning it can capture lower darks and brighter highs. It’s also worth noting that the Samsung image files were two to three times the size of the iPhone photos, however this is not necessarily an indicator of image quality.
