Galaxy vs. iPhone cameras
Which shoots best? You may be surprised.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – I’m in an aisle at a Whole Foods Market, testing the difference between shooting a video on the new Samsung Galaxy S10+, and a back-to-back shot on an iPhone.
I’m walking at a slow pace, and the video on the Galaxy practically looks like I have a Steadicam or gimbal attached to it. It’s that good. The iPhone is not only shaky, but it’s not as wide and crisp as what I picked up on the Galaxy.
Then it hits me: For all the “Shot on an iPhone” advertising and contests from Apple, sorry, the iPhone isn’t the best smartphone camera anymore. In my tests of the Galaxy S10+, I found more versatility, steadier video and overall more pleasing results than with recent iPhone models.
The iPhone camera is great, but the Galaxy is better. Here’s why:
There are three main lenses on the Galaxy to two on premium iPhones. I’m a photographer. I want to get closer to the action, and I want the ability to go wide without having to plug an accessory lens on the phone. I like the versatility of having three main choices at my disposal, versus one on the Google Pixel and two on the iPhone.
On the main Galaxy camera, Samsung offers a 13mm superwide, 26mm wide angle and 52mm for portraits, similar to what Apple has on the Plus versions for its “telephoto” lens. (There also are two lenses for Selfie mode, one normal, the other wider, to fit more people into the shot.)
The third ultra-wide lens is like having a GoPro on your phone. It’s a little wacky, a little distorted, but it does the job, especially in video, where the wider shots help in movement when the camera soars. Plus, if you visit a place such as the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park, you will appreciate the extra reach. (However, a GoPro still has its place, and you’re not going to attach a Galaxy to a bike helmet or surfboard.)
Where the Galaxy doesn’t compare too well with the iPhone is in gimmicks and tricks. Apple has easy-to-understand photo tools. Beyond Pano, Slow Motion and Time Lapse, there’s “Portrait Mode,” to add blur to the background and Live mode, which gives you a snippet of video with your photo.
From there, you get the best iOS software trick, making water flow in a “Long Exposure.” This is unique to iOS.
Samsung wants to wow you with camera trickery, and there are simply too many of them to focus on. Beyond the staples, such as Pano and Slo Mo, Samsung has “Super Slo Mo,” a professional setting for manual controls (which I like) and Live Focus, which is Samsung’s answer to Portrait Mode, as well as 50 “Scene Optimizers” that work in the background to enhance photos.
On Live Focus, you get four different lighting setups, some of which work, sometimes, others, maybe. For instance, I took a photo of a red glass, and Samsung turned the background into black and white. Great. But the rim of the glass missed, and there are some blank spots that can’t be altered after the fact.
Overall, both cameras are great in daylight. Other critics have written that the Galaxy performs poorly in low light compared with the best of the breed, which is the Google Pixel 3. I agree that the Pixel is better in that department. But when compared with the iPhone, the Galaxy wins.
As it should. The iPhone has a lens opening of 1.8 for the main lens, to 1.5 for the Galaxy, which means the S10+ lets in more light than the iPhone lenses.
The Galaxy S10 series starts at $799. We tested the S10+, which starts at $899 and has a larger 6.4-inch screen than the S10’s 6.1. (The iPhone Max XS starts at $1,099.)