When you want an excellent camera on your novel smartphone , choosing theGoogle Pixel 8 Prois a wise and good choice , but what about the big , expensiveSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra ? After all , it ’s Samsung ’s top tv camera telephone , and it has feature that make it unique among the competition .
Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deserving give $ 300 more than you would for the Google Pixel 8 Pro , if the tv camera is the top reason you ’re tell on for a new phone ? I remove many photos with them both over a series of different day to find out .
The cameras
There are quite a few expert details that differ between the Pixel 8 Pro and the Galaxy S24 Ultra ’s television camera , so it ’s important to go through those first before look at the photograph . The Pixel 8 Pro has a 50 - megapixel main tv camera with a 1/1.31 - inch sensor size and an f/1.68 aperture , along with a 48MP wide - slant camera with a 125.5 - degree field - of - perspective .
The 48MP telephotograph camera takes 5x ocular zoom photograph , and has a Super Res soar to 30x . optic and electronic range stabilization ( OIS and EIS ) are on the wide and telephotograph television camera , plus there ’s laser autofocus and a spectral sensing element for greater color accuracy .
On the back of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a 200MP , f/1.7 aperture main camera , a 50MP telephotograph camera for 5x ocular soar photos , a 10MP camera for 3x optical soar photos , and a 12MP wide - angle camera with a 120 - arcdegree field - of - scene . The main , all-encompassing , and telephoto television camera have OIS , plus there ’s optical maser autofocus too . Samsung lay claim “ optical quality ” soar levels at 2x and 10x zoom .
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Google Pixel 8 ProAndy Boxall / Digital Trends
On the front of the Pixel 8 Pro is a 10.5MP selfie photographic camera with autofocus , while the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 12MP camera with autofocus . Both have comprehensive video capabilities , but we have not compare them in this trial run . All exposure were shoot in auto mode , compared on a colouring - calibrate varan , and have been resized for friendlier on-line viewing .
Main camera
The specifications of the two main cameras are quite dissimilar from each other , and unsurprisingly , there are quite a few dispute in the photos they take , too . The first photo sets the tone for the rest of the test , as it illustrates Samsung ’s continued willingness to boost colors and contrast for a brighter , more vibrant image . Google tones things down for a more natural look that ’s penny-pinching to how things are in real lifespan .
One affair to note is with the confining - up images , the S24 Ultra often automatically trade to the Focus Enhancer , which removes any instinctive background knowledge blur . The above photo was take with the feature deactivated , so it matches the Pixel 8 Pro ’s image . Detail and focus are alike , and which you prefer will come down to how vibrant you like your photos .
The 2nd picture of the bridge shows how demarcation and exposure disagree . The S24 Ultra ’s treatment consequence in the right away obtrusive moodier sky , which is a tiny bit noisy than the Pixel 8 Pro ’s , but search nearly and you could see how the S24 Ultra keeps the entire panorama in focus , while the Pixel 8 Pro concentrate on the foreground .
While the punchier colours of the S24 Ultra can sometimes work really well , they do n’t in all situations , with the coffee and pledge in this photo come along abnormal compare to the Pixel 8 Pro ’s spot - on colors and whitened balance .
There ’s also evidence of border sweetening in the S24 Ultra ’s photos when bluff coloring material converge , and the Pixel 8 Pro ’s good balance create not only a more natural - looking photograph , but a more naturalistic one too . you could see this in the photo of the trees , where the blue sky is n’t separate in effect enough from the greenery in the S24 Ultra ’s photo .
Our concluding pic shows many of the difference between these two cameras in one jibe . The S24 ’s moody sky , deeper colors , stronger contrast levels , and greater level of contingent are clear . The Pixel 8 Pro better charm the style the vista looked in real sprightliness , but the coarse step and exposure rob it of some sonorousness . The Pixel 8 Pro ’s eubstance throughout gives it the win in this family , but it has n’t been a runaway victory .
Winner : Google Pixel 8 professional
Wide-angle camera
There ’s more of the same from the S24 Ultra ’s wide - angle camera , as the first exposure of the church show , but this time the Pixel 8 Pro ca n’t quite keep up . photo differences result in a more washed - out icon , and even if the S24 Ultra does go overboard with chroma a small , the punchier await is preferred to the Pixel 8 Pro ’s subdued tone .
The S24 Ultra ’s wide - slant camera is better demonstrated in the second photo of the pool , where the tree and foliage have more spirit in the Galaxy S24 Ultra ’s photo . It ’s a close thing , and while I appreciate the consistency of look from both cameras , Samsung ’s treatment gives wide - slant shots greater presence and drama , which I cerebrate is important .
Again , this is plain in the last picture , showing pebbles in front of a lake . From the expression in the weewee to the colour of the pebbles , the S24 Ultra ’s pic is more appealing , less frigid , and the image I ’d be more likely to share . The Pixel 8 Pro ’s wide - angle camera is well , but the S24 Ultra collar the tone here . It ’s a very confining family , and while neither always gets the exposure powerful , the Galaxy S24 Ultra seems to win more often .
Winner : Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Telephoto 5x optical zoom
Both cameras can take 5x visual zoom exposure , but the event are quite different , and the Galaxy S24 Ultra really present off its telephotograph prowess here . In the first picture of the sheep through the gate , the S24 Ultra ’s photo is packed with detail and oarlock - sharp , while the Pixel 8 Pro ’s photo is n’t as well - focused and lacks the same level of detail .
It ’s harder to spot the differences in the second photo , but they are there . Look at the floating duck house . Again , it ’s sharp and delineate in the S24 Ultra ’s photograph , but far less so in the Pixel 8 Pro ’s photograph . The colours are slightly more attractive in the Pixel ’s pic , but that ’s easily desex in the S24 Ultra ’s image , while the Pixel ’s lack of definition is not .
In the final epitome , the S24 Ultra ’s photograph is clear and present off the grain of the walls and Harlan Fiske Stone , and while it ’s closely matched by the Pixel 8 Pro ’s image , the latter just is n’t quite as sharp . This slim haziness puts the Pixel 8 Pro ’s optical zoom behind the S24 Ultra ’s , which is absolutely the achiever in this category .
Telephoto 10x zoom
Neither television camera engage 10x optical soar images , but both promise stiff results due to ingenious software and the consumption of hardware . The photo of the pigeon was shot through a window , and here , the S24 Ultra captures colors and grain better than the Pixel 8 Pro , which continues to have problem with keenness . The S24 Ultra ’s photo could go by for an optical zoom photo , while the Pixel 8 Pro ’s could not .
Once again , in the 2nd photo , the Galaxy S24 Ultra wash out the persona slightly , but it ’s much sharper and more set than the Pixel 8 Pro ’s photo . The text is more clear , and the edges are less jagged . Just as it did when I compare theGalaxy S23 Ultra ’s 10x soar up with the S24 Ultra ’s 10x zoom , it really impresses for an “ opthalmic quality ” mode , and it beats the Pixel 8 professional without a problem .
Night mode
The Pixel 8 Pro excels at balancing the dark of the nighttime sky with photograph in get down areas , as the first photo shows . The blasphemous tone of the Nox sky in the S24 Ultra ’s photograph is perturb , but the photographic camera assume photograph that continue to be sharper and more detailed than those need with the Pixel 8 Pro . calculate at the bricks for evidence , as well as the detail on the track in front of the shop .
In the second photo , the S24 Ultra avoids the ugly smoothing on the roof of the building that ’s seeable in the Pixel 8 Pro ’s exposure and keeps the image sharp and in focus . There ’s less racket in the sky , too , make for a much better , more stable image all around . It does n’t always go the Galaxy S24 Ultra ’s direction , though .
The last pic was take at 10x zoom , and the Pixel 8 Pro successfully captures the photo I wanted to take and is really slightly more representative of the scene than the S24 Ultra ’s figure . However , the conflict in item is still considerable , with the Samsung camera taking a more elaborate , less noisy , and better - balanced photo entirely . It ’s another big win for the Galaxy S24 Ultra .
Selfie camera
Samsung ’s selfie tv camera usually go bad to get the colors right in its photos , while the Pixel 8 Pro succeed in creating a far more realistic image , with more natural skin tones too . The Portrait impression in both is good , but the S24 Ultra does abut beforehand of the Pixel 8 Pro slightly here , with few blurred section where it ca n’t bring out what ’s guess to be going on . I do n’t mind either icon , and while the S24 Ultra ’s colors and skin tone are n’t that exact , I choose the photograph and direct contrast to the Pixel 8 professional ’s . This one is a draw .
achiever : Draw
A shocking win for Samsung?
The Google Pixel 8 Pro come after in winning the principal camera section , but miss four other discussion section to the Galaxy S24 Ultra and only handle a draw with the selfie television camera . For a tv camera most ( rightly ) reckon one of the good in the business , it has n’t really impressed next to the latest Samsung Ultra phone .
Samsung really pulled forrader with its splendid telephotograph television camera , which despite not using a 10x optical zoom this time around , still managed to take superior photos to the Pixel 8 Pro at both 5x and 10x . It did the same when it was up against the Galaxy S23 Ultra too , but it was never a forgone determination it would pull off the same affair against Google ’s software expertise .
The Pixel 8 Pro ’s camera is very good , but it has contact its match with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , which is proving to be one of the very best smartphone television camera we ’ve ever used .
