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iPhone X vs. Galaxy S9+: Which Smartphone Has a Better Camera?

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Over the course of this week, we've been taking a look at Samsung's new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+, as these two devices are the iPhone X's biggest competition.

In our latest video, available on the MacRumors YouTube channel, we compared the Samsung Galaxy S9+'s dual-lens camera with variable aperture to the vertical dual-lens camera in the iPhone X.


Samsung decided to focus heavily on image quality in its latest devices, and the S9+ has a 12-megapixel f/1.5 to f/2.4 variable aperture lens as its main camera, which is paired with a 12-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto lens, similar to what's available in the iPhone X.

A variable aperture is unique to Samsung's new devices, and it offers some benefits that are going to improve image quality. With a variable aperture, it's easier to find a balance between light and image quality.

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Click to enlarge​

At the wider f/1.5 aperture, the Galaxy S9+ camera can let in more light in low light situations, but a wider aperture tends to compromise image sharpness at the edges of the photo. In conditions where the lighting is better, the narrower f/2.4 aperture will provide a crisper higher-quality image. The Galaxy S9+ can automatically select the proper aperture for the best image.

The iPhone X has two lenses like the Galaxy S9+, but no adjustable aperture, and that gives the S9+ a bit of an edge. As you'll see in the images below, though, both the iPhone X and the Galaxy S9+ have fantastic cameras that are capable of taking some amazing images.

In these photos, we used an automatic mode to capture the images, and no editing was done. This image of a sunset demonstrates some key differences between the two cameras. The S9+ offers a crisper image with more definition, but the colors in the iPhone X image are warmer and more true to life.

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Click to enlarge​

The Galaxy S9+ has a "Live Focus" mode that's similar to Portrait Mode on the iPhone X, and the photo below compares Live Focus with Portrait Mode. Both of these modes have some issues, but making adjustments to blur is easier on the Galaxy S9+, which gives it the win over the iPhone X. In general, the Galaxy S9 also has more built-in image editing tools with its Pro Mode for taking manual photos.

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Click to enlarge​

In addition to images, we also took a look at video modes. Samsung's Galaxy S9 can record in slow motion at 960 FPS, a unique feature because the iPhone X's slo-mo maxes out at 240 FPS. Both devices can also record in 4K video with optical image stabilization, but the Galaxy S9+'s video was less jittery. The iPhone X did win out when it came to suppressing outdoor wind sound, though.

Both of these cameras, as mentioned before, are great and can capture images that are on par with DSLRs in some situations, but there are definitely some features that make the Galaxy S9+ ever so slightly better than iPhone X when it comes to image and video quality.

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Click to enlarge​

Of course, Apple is going to be introducing the successor to the iPhone X in about six months, and with the camera improvements that come with every new upgrade, it's likely iPhones coming in 2018 will outshine the Galaxy S9+.

Which images do you prefer? iPhone X or Galaxy S9+? Let us know in the comments.

Make sure to check out our other videos, which have compared the Galaxy S9 to the iPhone X and pitted Animoji against Samsung's new AR Emoji.

Article Link: iPhone X vs. Galaxy S9+: Which Smartphone Has a Better Camera?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/03/16/iphone-x-vs-galaxy-s9-camera/
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mozumder

macrumors 65816
Mar 9, 2009
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If we could increase the electron well capacity of phone image sensors, we'd have images that would be indistinguishable from dSLRs so we don't get these blown highlights anymore. Apple/Samsung/Sony etc.. really needs to figure out a process that improves electron well capacity.

Also, improve the bitrate for videos so that videos don't look like a blurry mess. And give us full raw editing.
 
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keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
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Both are great.

I remember the days (between the 3G and 4S), when almost ever day people kept saying a camera in a phone didn’t matter, or the cameras were already “too good” and taking photos was such a low priority for a phone.

Now most of the comments I seem to read on these articles are from self-proclaimed pro photographers who scoff that when you enlarge these excellent phone photos, there’s some rough artifact and they can never compare to their 5K DLSR.

It’s just funny how times change.
 
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44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
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Smart phone cameras are so close in comparison today producing excellent photo’s, the average consumer likely doesn’t see major differences. The biggest contributor is what smart phone manufacturer (Apple or Samsung) the consumer chooses to use, which Thats the only camera that matters really.
 
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jclo

jclo

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Dec 7, 2012
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Relentless Power said:
Smart phone cameras are so close in comparison today producing excellent photo’s, the average consumer likely doesn’t see major differences. The biggest contributor is what smart phone manufacturer (Apple or Samsung) the consumer chooses to use, which Thats the only camera that matters really.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the differences in image quality are small and you're not going to notice them in the average picture, honestly. They're very, very close. I think the Galaxy S9+ is eking out more detail and it's not blowing out the highlights quite as much in some of these photos in particular, but the iPhone X is still amazing. Both really have their strengths and weaknesses. I always look forward to the improvements we get with each new iPhone, so I can't wait to see what we'll get in 2018.
 
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heov

macrumors 6502
Aug 16, 2002
301
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Seems most agree they're all great, and it comes down to preference and trade-offs.

Here's to looking when these 2 phones are similar in almost every respect! Good for Apple? agood for Samsung? We'll see. Or maybe Google will steal the show!
 
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N

now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
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Why don't we ever see any reviews about call quality comparisons? Why is it that phone manufacturers never say a peep about call quality- when it arguably is the most aggravating aspect of these phones? It's always camera this & camera that. Hello- its an i PHONE.
 
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Mefisto

Mefisto

macrumors 65816
Mar 9, 2015
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Finland
Looks like both are fantastic cameras. At this point the tech is getting to a point where I'm personally having difficulties distinguishing between photos taken on a flagship phone, and really don't care which model scores 2, or better yet 1 point out of a 100 more than the other on tests. That just seems trivial.

If you're not a professional, either of these cameras will most probably serve you very well.
 
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Wowereit

macrumors 6502a
Feb 1, 2016
963
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It's on a level where I can't pick a clear winner.

What I've noticed in other comparisons:
S9 has way better low light quality IF there is no light source visible in the picture.
Once you have a light in a dark environment, it seems to totally screw up and blur anything around the light.
 
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