Le Chong Jinn Xiung
March 16, 2021
The Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro Max are two of the best smartphones on the market but how do they thrive when it comes to image sculpting?
There is a saying: “The best camera is the one that is with you.”
Of course, our smartphone cameras are always with us to capture every special moment. So, let’s take a look at two prominent smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Before we compare the cameras on the two models, here’s a brief look at their features. The Galaxy S21 Ultra was introduced just in January 2021, and comes with a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display featuring up to 120Hz refresh rate. This means that the movement seen on the phone, both during regular use and watching videos, is smoother and more pleasing to the eye. Keeping an eye on the specs, the Malaysian version of the phone is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 2100 processor with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
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Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro Max was launched in November 2020, which was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The largest model in the iPhone 12 range has a 6.7-inch Super Retina Display, a screen that looks great even though the Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn’t have a high update rate. Under the hood, Apple 12 Pro Max has the latest A14 Bionic chip and you can choose up to 512GB of storage.
With that out of the way, let’s examine the cameras on both the smartphones.
The rear camera range of the Galaxy S21 Ultra has four cameras. The 108-Megapixel main camera comes with two 10-Megapixel telephoto zooms that offer 3x and 10x optical zoom. That’s not to forget the 12-Megapixel ultrawide camera.
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On the other hand, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a triple camera setting that is made up of three 12-Megapixel cameras. This includes the main camera, 2.5x optical zoom camera and ultrawide camera. Specifically for the iPhone 12 Pro Max there is a LiDAR scanner, which measures distances by firing a laser beam. In practice, the feature is supposed to enhance the Augmented Reality capabilities of the iPhone as well as improve the camera’s low-light image capture.
While we’re not checking out their video capabilities, it should be noted that the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers up to 8K video capture while the iPhone 12 Pro Max goes up to 4K resolution. This means that the Samsung phone is capable of capturing video with more precision and clarity than the iPhone. That being said, you are more likely to record videos in 4K resolution more often because those in 8K take up more storage.
See also: The best new features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2
Video quality to one side, I have to say after testing both the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max, both have features that make them great for motion pictures However, Samsung’s offer is more -complicated with its dual telephoto screens compared to the iPhone’s limited edition 2.5. x optical zoom range.
When you test both cameras, it’s amazing how close the 10x optical zoom of the Galaxy S21 Ultra brings you closer to your subject. On more than one occasion, I could read the text on distant objects. The most amazing thing is that the 30x zoom outputs images that look appropriate. The same cannot be said about the 100x Space Zoom. While a good addition, there aren’t many situations when you need to move on such a topic so far away.
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Now, both cameras produce excellent images when sculpting images out in daylight. From my tests, it’s clear to see that they can both pack neatly and deliver different nice tones. However, the photos of the Galaxy S21 Ultra are often brighter and pack more color compared to the iPhone. One could say, one might say that this doesn’t really look like the image, but posting it up on Instagram will save you the trouble of editing it.
In terms of modes, the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers more options, 12 in total indeed, compared to the six modes of iPhone 12 Pro Max. By permission, some of the previous modes are gimmicky like AR Doodle and Director Mode but it also has the best mode, which is the Pro mode for both photos and videos which allows you the different options change from White Balance, ISO and climbing speed.
When it comes to taking pictures of people, it’s good to see that both Samsung and Apple have put up their Portrait mode game. Both phones do a good job of separating subjects from the background and incorporating a fake bokeh effect (obscure background). To be fair, the results aren’t going to hit a real camera but if I had to pick a winner, the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers more accurate picture shots.
While a modern smartphone is almost capable of taking reasonably realistic photos in bright conditions, how do they perform when the sun goes down or when there is less light available?
I am happy to report that both phones perform well under low light conditions with the Galaxy S21 Ultra producing brighter images compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max; the latter had more natural colors.
It depends on choice of choice because Samsung’s approach tends to light a dark scene making it brighter than in real life.
See also: Review: Apple iPhone 12 Pro
Let’s not forget about the face selfie camera on both phones. The Galaxy S21’s ultra-40-Megapixel selfie camera seems like the clear winner compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s mid-range 12-Megapixel selfie camera – at least on paper.
The results are actually closer than you think, practically neck and neck when it comes to delivering the best selfie. Again, it comes down to choice as the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a sharper and more detailed image while the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers more true colors and skin tone.
Overall, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the overall winner in this comparison test. The camera area is more versatile, offering a longer zoom range and more features including Pro modes that should delight those who want more control over their photos. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is not a bad choice either and it offers very good image quality and the pictures are usually more realistic looking.
So here’s the conclusion: If you want more creative control, choose the iPhone but if you want some Instagram-ready photos that require very little rubbing and filtering, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra the best choice.
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