It’s always a fun challenge to see how two of the best smartphone cameras stack up. I spent a week shooting photos and videos with the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S24 Ultra to compare everything from sharpness to color contrast to zoom capabilities. And even though Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S25 Ultra last week during its Unpacked keynote, last year’s model is still an alluring choice for a premium device.
If you’re a creative type, like a photographer or filmmaker — or if you simply want to take the most eye-catching Instagram photos — choosing the best phone camera can feel daunting, but these takeaways should make decision-making easier. Both devices certainly pulled their weight, but there were moments when each stole the spotlight.
Let’s start off with some specs. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 48-megapixel main camera with a wide-angle lens, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. It also has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. The iPhone 16 Pro Max can shoot up to 4K video at 120fps.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, meanwhile, sports a 200-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 10-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. It also has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera and can shoot up to 8K video resolution.
Read more: A Billion Pixels a Second: A Rare Look Inside Apple’s Secret iPhone 16 Camera Labs
Watch this: iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Camera Comparison
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An afternoon stroll at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. Notice the reflection on the water.
The best opportunity to test the 5x optical zoom was from the nosebleeds of Oakland Arena during a Hans Zimmer concert. It did not disappoint.
iPhone 16 Pro Max takes crisp photos, even with elements in motion.
iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers consistent results with vivid colors.
High contrast is typical in bright settings with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max provides more realistic lighting in this photo.
.5 zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro Max results in higher sharpness.
2x zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, still with crystal clarity.
.6x zoom on the Galaxy S24 Ultra distorts perspective a bit but is brighter.
3x zoom on the Galaxy S24 Ultra with decently clear results.
The 10x zoom on the Galaxy S24 Ultra provides impressive range.
Flipping to the front-facing cameras, the biggest difference is in color, as the S24 Ultra brightens up my face and black shirt a bit more, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max depicts deeper colors throughout, from the green of my couch to my complexion. Even the wall behind me takes on more of a beige hue, as opposed to the grayer, more muted shade in the S24 Ultra image. Both photos are pleasingly sharp and focused.
Targeted brightness improves my complexion with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
One of the areas in which I feel the iPhone has significantly improved over the years is with nighttime shots, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max did a great job of brightening up low-light images and making them pop. I still prefer this nighttime shot taken on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, since the sky is a more vivid blue, but the colorful lighting is similarly punchy in both photos.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra produces richer colors at night.
I brought both phones to Hans Zimmer Live to test out not only the quality of video footage but also zoom capabilities as I sat way in the nosebleeds. Both delivered crisp footage, despite all the flashing lights and my distance from the stage, but the S24 Ultra really came in clutch with that 10x optical zoom; I could clearly see Zimmer’s face even from so far away. Other folks had their binoculars, I had the S24 Ultra.
The iPhone 16 Pro lineup introduces 4K slow-motion recording at 120fps, while the S24 Ultra has a UHD slow-motion setting at 120fps. That 4K setting on the iPhone brings a crispness and higher level of detail that makes these videos pop — even if you don’t really find yourself recording in slow motion all that often.
In other, more everyday instances, I still prefer video on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, as footage looks sharper and colors are more true-to-life. You’ll get smooth shots, especially when set to 60fps, on both devices.
Both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra have their strengths.
Final thoughts
Given the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are some of the best camera phones you can get your hands on today, which images are “better” often comes down to personal preference.
I’ve always admired the vibrancy of photos captured on Galaxy phones; the higher saturation and brightness can offer richer-looking images, especially out in nature and with photos of people. I also admire the sharpness of photos and videos on the iPhone, and how images tend to appear more true to real-life colors.
Night mode used to be something that clearly set the Galaxy apart from the iPhone, but Apple has upped its game in recent years, and images shot at night on both devices are almost indistinguishable in terms of quality. Portrait mode also matches up more on both devices, as the iPhone used to be leagues ahead of its competitors in that regard. Both devices offer impressive zoom capabilities, though the S24 Ultra still takes the cake with that 10x optical zoom. Selfies are equally flattering — despite minor color differences — on both devices.
All this to say, no matter which phone you choose to spend your hard-earned money on, you hopefully won’t be let down.
Check Out the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s Cameras, Display and Colors
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