Blind Camera Comparison Video: iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung launched its latest line of flagship smartphones in January, which includes the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a direct competitor to the iPhone 12 Pro Max launched by Apple in October. In our last YouTube video, we pitted the two smartphones against each other for a blind camera comparison.

In the video above and the photos in this article, we’ve tagged the images with an “A” or “B”, with each letter corresponding to a different smartphone. All images come straight from the camera without any modification.

The idea is to look at the footage and decide which aesthetic you prefer before unveiling which camera is which, so for the full experience it’s worth watching our video, but we’ll also share the results at the very bottom of this article. .

We compared several camera modes such as Portrait mode and Night mode, as well as the different lens options ranging from ultra wide angle to telephoto. When examining photos, check for things like color temperature differences, highlights and if there are any blown areas (too bright), subject sharpness in portrait photos and for video, stabilization and tremors.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Galaxy S21 Ultra both have fantastic camera hardware and are capable of capturing great images in most lighting conditions, so most of the time choosing a winner depends on your personal preferences.

As we’re not making a traditional comparison between these two smartphones, there are a few features of the Galaxy S21 that are worth highlighting. Samsung limited its stylus, the S-Pen, to Note models, but this year the S-Pen is compatible with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and it’s useful for taking notes, drawing, signing documents, and more.

There’s also a reverse wireless charging feature for charging headphones or another smartphone, and a built-in ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which we might see Apple adopt in the future.

As for the camera, there are four lenses: ultra wide (12MP), wide (108MP with laser autofocus), and dual telephoto (both 10MP). The functionality of the camera is similar to that of the iPhone 12 Pro Max for the most part, but Samsung has spatial zoom, which is a 100x digital + optical zoom option. Space Zoom was available last year, but this year it has been improved. The iPhone 12 Pro Max does not have an equivalent function and cannot zoom that far.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra also has a shorter minimum focus distance, allowing it to be used for close-up macro shots, which the iPhone 12 models are unable to do.

Going back to the photo comparison test, if you are wondering which photos are which, there is an answer under the pause.

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All “A” images are from the iPhone 12 Pro Max‌, while all “B” images are from the Galaxy S21 Ultra. If you’ve seen our previous comparison between the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Galaxy Note 20, you might already know the results.

Apple’s algorithms for the sky are designed to increase color, tending towards a cool blue tone during the day that is highly recognizable compared to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Photos from the iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ are more vibrant, while the S21 Ultra has a flatter color profile. Neither is quite true, with the true color somewhere in the middle.

Clarity and crispness are similar for both smartphones and in general all images are crisp and clear. Portrait mode photos are more or less the same, but Apple iPhones have always struggled with certain things like drinking glasses.

There are notable differences in Night mode. The S21 Ultra doesn’t perform well with warm lighting in certain situations, so some of these photos have a tint that tends to be too warm. The video is also similar (everything was captured in 4K at 30 fps), with no major differences in quality or stabilization.

What photos did you like the most from the camera test? Were you surprised with the results? Let us know in the comments.