Camera Champions Face Off: iPhone 16 Pro vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra

When you’re searching for the most effective cam to bring in your pocket, you require to take into consideration today’s top-tier phones. The imaging abilities of the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra are amongst the most effective cash can get. And with traveling period increase, bring a phone might be one of the most practical cam. But for picture information exactly how do these 2 mobile titans contrast?

To learn, I fired numerous pictures making use of both phones in a range of problems to see which phone takes the best-looking photos. What’s “best” is usually to individual point of view so while I’ll be offering my individual take on each examination as an expert digital photographer and offering my reasons I favor one over the various other, you might well locate that you favor the various other. So look via the variety of instances below and see if you involve a various final thought.

Read much more: Best Camera Phone of 2025

All photos revealed have actually been taken making use of each phone’s default cam setting making use of default setups, unless or else specified. While photos from the Galaxy S25 have actually been posted as taken, the iPhone’s photos have actually needed to be transformed via Adobe Lightroom as our posting system does not sustain Apple’s default HEIF picture layout. This procedure does not impact the picture whatsoever.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

Starting out with a very easy outside scene. Both phones have actually done an excellent task catching an also direct exposure below and both photos are loaded with information. It’s challenging to pick in between them, however the iPhone has the side for me as it’s accomplished a somewhat warmer picture with even more natural-looking tones. The S25 Ultra’s picture looks as well saturated, specifically in heaven skies, which I locate fairly disruptive.

It’s similar tale when we change to the ultrawide lenses on both phones. I favor the warmer tones in the iPhone’s shot, that makes the S25 Ultra’s look fairly chilly comparative. I likewise favor the lighter darkness on the iPhone’s picture, making it a very easy win for the iPhone below. Notably, both phones are doing an excellent task of making up for the ultrawide lenses at the sides (a feature activated by default on both phones); the barrier continues to be straight in each shot and not bending as you ‘d generally see making use of a lens this broad.

There’s practically no distinction in between these 2 outside scenes. The bloom looks crisp on both photos, with superb general direct exposure. The iPhone’s picture is once again a little warmer in tone however it’s minimal.

The Galaxy S25 takes a very easy win with this photo of bluebells. The shades are a lot more lively, specifically in the eco-friendlies on the blades of turf, which look fairly rinsed on the iPhone’s picture. It really resembles the S25’s cam lens is a little polarized to decrease representations and boost saturation, however I do not understand if that holds true. Either means, Samsung takes the win below.

At 5x zoom points worsen for the iPhone Despite the bluebells being fairly away, the phone appeared incapable to accomplish a sharp concentrate on the blossoms. The S25 Ultra, on the other hand, handled to accomplish a sharp picture with richer shades.

I favor the iPhone’s picture below though. It’s brighter and the warmer shades on the blocks on the surrounding structures look a lot more realistic.

The iPhone’s picture is once again brighter below and I favor its shades as well. The Galaxy S25 Ultra does have the side in great information, however. You actually require to focus to see it however the little lines on the structure are a little sharper on the S25.

The S25 Ultra does have a physical benefit over the iPhone with its 10x optical zoom lens, which enables it to focus also better while still keeping a pin-sharp picture.

You can still electronically focus with the iPhone to 10x, and the outcomes aren’t poor. I favor the shades of the S25 Ultra’s shot below, however the distinction thoroughly isn’t that recognizable.

Zooming in near to see the great information, the S25 Ultra’s optical zoom picture most definitely has a little bit much more clearness however the electronic upscaling on the iPhone’s shot has actually done an excellent task below, as the distinction isn’t tremendous.

iPhone 16 Pro vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Night settings contrasted

At initially glimpse, the only actual distinction in between the iPhone’s 5x shot and the S25 Ultra’s 5x shot is the shade equilibrium. And truthfully, I do not have a choice in between the warmer tone of the iPhone or the even more magenta prejudice of the S25.

However, when you focus near to the information, the iPhone has actually created a sharper picture below, with a strange type of electronic obscuring around the light message in the S25 Ultra’s picture. So in some cases the S25 Ultra’s zoom is sharper, various other times it’s the iPhone’s. I’m happy they’re making this simple for me.

Again, the only actual distinction below remains in the shade equilibrium and I do not actually understand which I favor. The direct exposure, sound degrees and quantity of information are almost the same.

Things altered when I changed to the ultrawide lenses, however. The S25 Ultra’s shot is most definitely brighter, catching even more information in the rocks in the foreground and in the structures distant. The iPhone’s picture is much darker general.

Just to perplex points even more, the iPhone’s nighttime picture with its ultrawide lens is significantly brighter than the S25 Ultra’s in this instance that I fired in theArctic I really needed to ascertain the picture metadata to ensure I had not combined these up, however I have not. The iPhone’s picture has actually caught much more light info below and created even more information on the ice door to the right.

The iPhone’s nighttime picture is once again a little brighter below however it’s likewise maintained the brilliant highlights on the club indication controlled. On the S25 Ultra’s picture, those highlights are practically shed to pure white however the wonderful eco-friendly and yellow tones have actually been maintained in the iPhone’s picture. The shades generally are significantly warmer on the iPhone’s shot, nevertheless, which might not be to your preference. Here, I believe they function well.

But in this instance, the iPhone has actually created a strangely warm-looking picture that I actually do not such as. Those cozy shades were absent at the time of capture and it does not help the scene, specifically not with such solid orange tones overhead. The S25 Ultra’s picture is a lot more well balanced general and it’s a somewhat sharper picture as well. It’s an extremely simple win for Samsung below.

Things do not enhance for the iPhone when making use of the ultra-wide lens. Its picture is once again pestered by extremely cozy tones, while the S25 Ultra’s shot is both much more color-accurate and brighter.

iPhone 16 Pro vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which takes much better selfies?

While the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s selfie is a little brighter, I do not like what it’s finished with the shades. My face has actually been made an unusual color of orange and my denim coat is a much deeper blue than it actually is. The complexion on the iPhone’s shot are a lot more exact, and its shot is sharper too.

Both phones have a wider-angle setting for the selfie cam, although the iPhone’s appears to be a whole lot bigger. That’s most definitely worth bearing in mind if you often such as to pack great deals of good friends right into your team pictures. You might most likely press at the very least a couple of additional good friends in if you utilized the iPhone, or need to choose that you like the very least and leave them out of structure if you utilized the S25Ultra Otherwise, the picture distinctions coincide as previously.

iPhone 16 Pro Vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which cam is much better?

I’ve created a lot of these contrast items on different generations of phones in my 14 years at and I do not bear in mind having actually done one that’s felt this close. The trouble is that neither phone excels regularly in one location; the iPhone 16 Pro’s ultra-wide shots aren’t as brilliant as the S25 Ultra’s, other than on those events when they really are, confusingly. I’ve taken a lot more photos not consisted of below that both assistance a few of my verdicts and suggest versus them. Go number.

But there are some takeaways I can supply self-confidence. Generally talking, the iPhone’s shades are much more all-natural than the S25 Ultra’s, which can in some cases look extremely saturated. This has actually held true with practically every Samsung phone considering that the firm began placing video cameras in them and it’s still the instance today. Those searching for an extra all-natural base picture to use your very own filters and impacts over will certainly be much better matched with the iPhone 16 Pro.

But that’s much less the instance in the evening, when the iPhone much more regularly supplies warmer tones that look much less all-natural than the S25Ultra’s So, if evening digital photography is very important to you, the S25 Ultra might be the much better alternative. Overall, its evening setting photos from all lenses were brighter and sharper.

Sure, the S25 Ultra has the prolonged zoom variety however you ‘d actually require to understand you’ll take advantage of a 10x zoom to validate selecting one over the various other. Personally, I locate the 5x zoom degree an excellent pleasant area and below the phones are practically on the same level. And on those uncommon events you might wish to press points even more, the iPhone’s electronic zoom can still supply sharp outcomes.

There are various other points for digital photographers to take into consideration as well: Apple’s Pro Raw is fantastic and while the firm’s Photographic Styles can be helpful for including an innovative aim to your photos, Samsung’s brand-new device for simulating the shade quality from instance pictures you feed it functions remarkably well– I really believe I could obtain even more usage out of that general. I have not also entered into video clip top quality either, which is an entire various other post, specifically when you take into consideration both phones shoot Log video clip, although just the iPhone makes use of Pro Res.

Deciding in between the phones based entirely on the video cameras is nigh on difficult. Which one you ought to obtain will certainly rather boil down to the larger inquiry of iphone versus Android; which system you’re currently making use of and which one will certainly function best with various other items of technology in your life. But for easy image top quality, you might too throw a coin.