What happens when you put two of the very best cameras on two of the very best smartphones up against each other? We’re talking about the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro, a pair of devices that go head-to-head in almost all categories, with a strong and dedicated fanbase behind each one.
All the photos below were taken in automatic mode, and have not been edited. Each photo has been assessed on a color-calibrated monitor, and then resized before publication for friendlier online viewing. We have not gone into video performance here, but there are several comparisons between the two phones in our separate story on the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s video camera.
The iPhone’s stronger contrast adds a natural look to the photo of the pond and trees too. The water has a deeper reflection, while the grass and clouds have a denser, less bright look. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s treatment means it reveals more detail, though, with fuller trees and more texture on the trunks and the bench.
However, the S23 Ultra’s photo is the one almost everyone would share, and was also far closer to the scene I saw with my own eyes. In better lighting, the usual iPhone and Galaxy differences show up, with the S23 Ultra adding plenty of saturation to the grass and blue sky in the next photo, while the iPhone carefully maintains a more natural look. Again, many will appreciate the S23 Ultra’s treatment of the scene.
The third photo shows that sometimes these differences don’t make any difference, as both telephoto cameras can take lovely photos, which have a tone that’s unique to the phone. The reflection in the water looks great, the trees and sky are filled with color and texture, and both images have real emotion.
In the second photo, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s eagerness to make the most of the available light pays off, as it takes a wonderful photo of a scene that was absolutely not visible to the naked eye. I could barely see the pond at all when I took the photo. The houses in the background are sharp and detailed, which is impressive given the amount of light in the photo.