There’s no larger rivalry within the smartphone house than Apple versus Samsung. These two every have their newest vary of flagship smartphones on sale now, vying for the efficiency, model, and pictures crowns. At present we’re taking the ultra-premium iPhone 12 Professional Max and Galaxy S21 Extremely cameras out for a spin to see which takes the higher footage.Click on right here to view the full-res information, should you fancy conducting your individual evaluation. Let’s dive proper on in.Extra Galaxy S21 Extremely digital camera exams:Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely vs iPhone 12 Professional Max: Digicam specs Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraApple iPhone 12 Professional MaxMain Camera108MP (12MP binned)f/1.8 aperture24mm focal length1/1.33″ sensorPDAF, OIS12MPf/1.6 aperture26mm focal lengthdual pixel PDAF, IBISWide-angle12MPf/2.2 aperture13mm focal length1/2.55″ sensordual pixel PDAF12MPf/2.4 aperture13mm focal length1/3.6″ sensorTelephoto zoom10MPf/2.4 aperture70mm focal length1/3.24″ sensordual pixel PDAF, OIS3x zoom12MPf/2.2 aperture65mm focal length1/3.4″ sensorPDAF, OIS2.5x zoomPeriscope zoom10MPf/4.9 aperture240mm focal length1/3.24″ sensordual pixel PDAF, OIS10x zoomFocusingLaser AF system3D ToF LidarDaylights, colours, and exposureAs we’ve come to anticipate from Apple and Samsung flagships, nearly all of footage you’re taking are going to look nice. This technology is not any exception, though there are nonetheless a couple of key variations between the pictures you’ll take from each telephones.Our verdicts: Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely evaluate | Apple iPhone 12 Professional/Professional Max reviewSamsung continues to be the punchier of the 2 color-wise, at the least in most photographs. Samsung has dialed again its coloration saturation a bit from the S20 sequence, however you’ll nonetheless wish to disable the Scene Optimizer to keep away from a bent in the direction of overly vivid reds and greens. See the primary instance under for example the place Samsung nonetheless takes its colours too far. Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely Apple iPhone 12 Professional MaxDisabling this further mode evens out the Galaxy S21 Extremely’s footage and its coloration profile strikes a lot nearer to the realism that Apple strives for. In addition to punchy colours, each telephones provide stable white steadiness in most taking pictures situations. Though as you’ll see under (try the TV distant and plate), Apple tends to hit a extra idealized white level when taking pictures indoors, whereas Samsung can find yourself a fraction too heat or cool. Even so, it’s a minor distinction.Indoors, you’ll get nice outcomes from each telephones. There are delicate variations in coloration replica, white steadiness, and publicity. However nothing that’s value diving any deeper into.Images phrases defined: ISO, aperture, shutter pace, and moreOutdoors is a bit totally different. Right here we discover that the iPhone 12 Professional Max struggles to acquire constant publicity. It’s usually barely overexposed in vibrant environments and underexposed in darker conditions. This isn’t a serious situation, extra a private choice. To my eyes, overly vibrant or darkish photographs take the sheen off the iPhone’s in any other case stable method to life like pictures. Additionally, notice within the footage under that the Galaxy S21 Extremely has a barely wider field-of-view from the primary digital camera, so that you may not want to modify to the wide-angle sensor as usually.The important thing takeaways are that you just’ll get barely extra vivid and saturated pictures from the Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely but additionally extra consistency on the subject of publicity. Whereas the iPhone 12 Professional Max tends to err on the facet of realism, at the least on the subject of colours. That stated, we’re actually speaking about fairly small variations when taking pictures with the primary digital camera in respectable lighting.You’ll must pay very shut consideration to pick any main distinction between these two telephones, however that’s precisely what we’re right here to do. So let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the cameras in some extra demanding eventualities.DetailAt 12 megapixels apiece, there’s little or no discernable distinction intimately between the 2 cameras when full-frame footage. Cropping in at 100% reveals a stunning lack of element from the 108MP sensor in a few of the darker Galaxy S21 Extremely examples, which can be resulting from pixel binning or HDR processing. Nonetheless, in most photographs, these two telephones are very shut for element. As an alternative, it’s their totally different approaches to sharpening and denoise that make a distinction to the best way these footage look whenever you crop in.Credit score: Robert Triggs / Android AuthorityPictures from the Galaxy S21 Extremely come out with an additional dose of sharpening. This helps extract a couple of further particulars but additionally sees the pictures come out with a harsher look to edges and textures. I believe a part of this look can also be because of the digital camera’s pixel binning algorithm, which converts colours from the 108MP sensor right into a 12MP picture.Apple, alternatively, takes a a lot softer method to sharpening. This produces a extra pure look that pays dividends on well-defined textures and edges, equivalent to brickwork. Nevertheless, this method loses some particulars on complicated textures, equivalent to grass.Each provide loads of element in daylight, so the look boils all the way down to choice. It’s a meaningless distinction for many pictures, however I favor Apple’s softer method to processing. It makes crops much more palatable whenever you wish to edit your footage.Associated: The perfect digital camera telephones you’ll be able to getExtreme HDR capabilitiesThanks to computational pictures, HDR has more and more develop into a solved situation for smartphones. Though some telephones are nonetheless higher than others. Each our handsets take nice excessive dynamic vary (HDR) footage in widespread conditions, as you’ll be able to see from the primary instance under. Highlights and shadows are nicely balanced for essentially the most half. To this point so typical. Nevertheless, as soon as we transfer into extra excessive HDR environments, Samsung’s flagship takes a transparent lead.The second set of photographs above are troublesome for any digital camera, however the iPhone 12 gala’s quite poorly. The cellphone can’t discern any coloration or element from our foreground topic, leaving us with little greater than a silhouette. The Galaxy S21 Extremely turns to an excessive ISO stage to assist select colours and particulars on this scene, which additionally ends in a excessive stage of grain on the edges of the picture. Nonetheless, a bit noise is a worthwhile trade-off on this occasion.We see the identical pattern manifest in different difficult HDR eventualities, the place Samsung captures much more element in shadows. Each telephones do an excellent job balancing the highlights within the picture under, however there’s far more to see right here. Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely Apple iPhone 12 Professional MaxPass over Samsung’s oversaturation and Apple’s slight underexposure for a second. To actually spot the variations in HDR capabilities, pay shut consideration to the colours and stage of element you’ll be able to discern within the distant bushes. There’s just about black on the iPhone 12 Professional Max, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely produces a outcome that’s a lot nearer to the human eye.Credit score: Robert Triggs / Android AuthorityThis is a chief instance of Samsung’s glorious HDR processing. Not solely are highlights balanced and never overblown, however particulars and colours are nicely preserved in darker areas of the picture. Apple’s HDR implementation seems nice when eyeballing the sky, however is unquestionably weaker on the subject of total publicity and shadow element. Chalk this up as an enormous win for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely.Capturing in low lightIn some sense, Night time modes used for low mild pictures are an extension of recent HDR strategies. Combining a number of exposures collectively enormously improves brightness and colours when taking pictures in much less very best lighting eventualities. The primary instance under exhibits how Night time mode enhances the photographs from these two handsets.The big 1/1.33-inch 108MP sensor contained in the Galaxy S21 Extremely produces a fairly well-exposed picture even with out the help of Night time mode. This is a crucial win for the S21 Extremely, as it may possibly snap low mild photographs shortly with a decrease threat of blurring from lengthy exposures. The iPhone 12 Professional Max’s smaller sensor clearly struggles for mild seize, by comparability. Producing a darker picture with much less coloration and extra noise. You just about all the time have to make use of Night time mode with the iPhone, which takes longer to seize.Associated: 6 ideas for bettering smartphone low mild photographyTurning Night time mode on ranges the taking part in subject. Samsung’s cellphone sees a rise in brightness, element, and coloration, as does the iPhone 12 Professional Max to a good larger extent. Nevertheless, shut inspection reveals blurrier particulars and a bit extra of a smudgy look with the iPhone’s Night time mode enabled. Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely Apple iPhone 12 Max ProThe identical lengthy publicity strategies work for astrophotography too and once more it’s the Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely that comes out on high. We are able to select a larger variety of stars in Samsung’s picture, there are minimal indicators of noise, and a darkish evening’s sky. Apple’s try is clearly a lot noisier, with fewer stars seen, and an over brightening within the heart of the picture. It’s OK given the troublesome state of affairs, however undoubtedly behind what Samsung can provide.We see related deficiencies with the iPhone’s Night time mode different very darkish eventualities. Whereas the cellphone does an excellent job at extracting coloration and brightness within the leftmost photographs, it’s unfocused and missing in any significant element. Samsung’s picture is darker however in a lot better focus is the extra life like of the 2.Lastly, let’s flip our consideration to a extra typical, barely extra brightly lit low mild shot.Credit score: Robert Triggs / Android AuthorityAgain, Samsung’s superior HDR implementation involves the fore, taming the scene’s highlights for a greater total publicity steadiness. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S21 Extremely’s particulars don’t maintain up fairly so nicely on shut inspection. Heavy denoise smudges a few of the photographs finer particulars and there’s a heavy sharpening cross. Most odd of all are the element artifacts on the brickwork that swirl and mush particulars collectively into odd shapes. That is almost certainly a machine studying or pixel binning processing artifact.Whereas the iPhone 12 Professional Max’s picture is a bit noisier, it’s nonetheless very detailed and doesn’t endure from these ugly artifacts. These echo our earlier evaluation of element, the place the Galaxy S21 Extremely is much less constant than the iPhone 12 Professional Max’s barely noisier method. General, Samsung comes out finest in low mild for colours, publicity, focus, however I do like Apple’s softer method to denoise processing.Zooming in on detailsOn paper, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely’s 10x periscope zoom digital camera offers the cellphone a notable benefit at lengthy ranges and this bears out in actuality. There’s merely no competitors at 10x, the S21 Extremely is by far essentially the most detailed. Though the iPhone 12 Professional Max’s software program zoom holds up surprisingly nicely, offering you’re taking pictures in vibrant mild.Zoom high quality is far nearer at 2x and 3x, the place the 2 telephones provide 2.5x and 3x telephoto lenses. Picture high quality follows the broad themes from earlier, with Samsung’s zoom digital camera leaning extra closely on coloration saturation whereas the Apple’s digital camera finally ends up with a brighter publicity. Apple additionally appears to provide yellow wanting grass each once in a while, for some purpose. Very shut inspection once more reveals that the Galaxy S21 Extremely is a bit heavier on its sharpening cross, which helps extract a bit further element, whereas the iPhone 12 Professional Max is softer and a bit extra natural-looking at 100%.The extra fascinating battleground is at 5x — a medium-range zoom stage the place each telephones depend on software program upscaling. Each telephones look fairly presentable at full-frame however undoubtedly aren’t as sharp at 5x as they’re at 3x or 10x in Samsung’s case. Shut inspection of 100% crops leads us to the identical conclusions as earlier than. Apple’s processing is extra hands-off, leading to softer, noisier wanting photographs that don’t have a lot element. Samsung’s processing is far harsher, sharping up particulars however leaving footage with harsher edges and features.In abstract, each telephones provide equally succesful albeit totally different wanting footage when zooming in to round 5x. At longer zoom ranges, Samsung’s 10x periscope zoom earns a decisive victory for the Galaxy S21 Extremely, making it the extra versatile of the 2 smartphones for zooming in.Vast-angle lensesIn distinction to zoom cameras, we’re not so within the stage of element from wide-angle lenses. That being stated, high-end wide-angle lenses ought to provide a large subject of view with minimal indicators of distortion.Learn extra: The entire information to ultra-wide digital camera phonesThe Apple iPhone 12 Professional Max and Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely provide primarily an identical fields-of-view. Each are very extensive, providing a 0.5x and 0.6x step again from the primary digital camera respectively, with 13mm focal lengths apiece. Do not forget that Samsung’s primary digital camera is barely wider, so this evens out with a barely shorted step again to the wide-angle digital camera.The widespread themes we’ve already mentioned carry over to the overall notion of wide-angle pictures from the 2 telephones: extra saturation from Samsung and over and underexposure points from Apple. Importantly, these telephones provide constant high quality when switching between lenses, with no instantly apparent change to high quality. Vast – Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely Vast – Apple iPhone 12 Professional MaxA nearer take a look at the perimeters of those wide-angle lenses exhibits us a few of the minor variations. Samsung’s wide-angle lens has minimal perspective distortion on the edges however does endure from some chromatic aberration (purple halo) when taking pictures into vibrant mild. The iPhone 12 Professional Max doesn’t endure from this downside however is marginally blurrier on the edges leading to an absence of element and coloration on the very edges of the body. The outcomes are a lot nearer within the heart of the body, and once more the variations boil all the way down to their totally different approaches to processing.Credit score: Robert Triggs / Android AuthorityUltimately these are minor points that you just’ll discover in just about all wide-angle smartphone lenses. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely and Apple iPhone 12 Professional Max honest higher than most on this regard. In terms of particulars and high quality close to the middle of the body, each telephones carry out a bit worse than their primary sensors however are greater than adequate for the overwhelming majority of wide-angle photographs you’ll wish to take. I’m calling this one a draw.Bokeh and portraitsFinally, we come to portraits and bokeh blur. Each telephones present further {hardware} help from devoted focus discovering cameras that may assist out width distance and edge detection. Let’s see if that principle holds up in the true world.In terms of taking pictures inanimate objects, each telephones provide fairly a pleasant wanting bokeh impact. Apple is extra aggressive with the energy of its bokeh however has the extra natural-looking impact that introduces a sensible delicate bloom to vibrant background lights. Samsung’s blur isn’t fairly as robust with the default setting and maybe isn’t fairly as smooth and pure wanting as Apple’s bokeh.The Galaxy S21 Extremely undoubtedly wins on the subject of edge detection within the above photographs. See the leaves and edges of our determine, that are very nicely outlined in Samsung’s footage. Equally, Samsung appears to have a extra pure background and foreground roll-off, whereas Apple’s blur applies in a short time. The iPhone additionally modifications digital camera lenses when taking pictures in portrait mode, which might result in an odd perspective when taking pictures shut as much as objects.With portraits, essentially the most instantly apparent distinction is that the iPhone 12 Professional Max shoots with a hotter, softer white steadiness, producing an unnatural pores and skin tone indoors. It’s quite unusual that the iPhone 12 Professional Max ditches coloration accuracy as soon as it switches to portrait mode, however presumably Apple believes this look is extra visually interesting. Samsung is extra impartial on the subject of coloration processing and appears extra correct consequently, notably when taking pictures on a chilly winter’s morning.Credit score: Robert Triggs / Android AuthorityThe positions reverse on the subject of element. The iPhone 12 Professional Max captures effective particulars and textures, equivalent to hair and materials, a lot better than the S21 Extremely. There are minimal indicators of post-processing and noise suppression, leading to a superb search for portraits. By comparability, the Galaxy S21 Extremely seems a bit blurry too smooth, probably on account of some post-processing touch-ups. However it’s important to crop in to note these discrepancies.There are definitive professionals and cons to each handsets on the subject of bokeh and portraits. Whereas Samsung has the sting of colours, HDR, and bokeh accuracy, Apple wins out on the subject of portrait particulars and bokeh high quality.Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely vs Apple iPhone 12 Professional Max digital camera take a look at: The verdictCredit: Robert Triggs / Android AuthorityFor most footage, neither the Galaxy S21 Extremely nor iPhone 12 Professional Max will disappoint. The 2 telephones present the colours, element, white steadiness, and suppleness that we anticipate from premium tier smartphones. That stated, there’s a clear winner in my e-book on the subject of consistency throughout varied eventualities: the Galaxy S21 Extremely.Samsung’s 2021 flagship smartphone caters to the whole lot a demanding smartphone photographer might need. Distinctive element when taking pictures at lengthy vary, a wide-angle digital camera that’s principally distortion-free, excellent HDR and Night time mode capabilities, and a primary digital camera that retains up in just about each setting. The Galaxy S21 Extremely does all of it. Importantly, the cellphone has mounted the focusing situation that detracted from final yr’s flagship. The handset nonetheless has a couple of points, notably with coloration saturation, oversharpening, and element seize artifacts in some tricker photographs. But it surely’s undoubtedly Samsung’s finest digital camera cellphone in years and can probably be 2021’s digital camera cellphone to beat. Loading ballot The iPhone 12 Professional Max continues to be an ideal digital camera, after all. It palms in additional life like colours and white steadiness in most eventualities than the Galaxy S21 Extremely and should be the preferable choose for purists. The cellphone’s wide-angle digital camera additionally doesn’t endure from chromatic aberration and its lighter method to post-processing yields better-looking particulars in a couple of eventualities we shot in. Nevertheless, the cellphone falls notably wanting the Galaxy S21 Extremely in very low mild taking pictures, out of doors publicity, long-range zoom, and HDR processing capabilities.You probably have over $1,000 to spend on a flagship smartphone and are searching for one of the best digital camera bundle within the enterprise, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Extremely needs to be your choose. However what do you concentrate on the pictures taken with these two telephones? Tell us within the feedback under.
