The S25+ and the S25 have the same camera setup, there’s a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP telephoto with a decent optical zoom. Now, on paper, that's a solid foundation. It's definitely more versatile than the base iPhone 16. Samsung's image processing is getting smarter as well, with improved AI scene optimisation that aims to make your snaps pop without looking overly processed. The outcome is generally vibrant colours, sharp details, and reliable performance across various lighting conditions.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a bit more noise in the shadows compared to the S25+ but the telephoto performance of the iPhone 16 Pro is better than the S25+. This is only noticeable after you go pixel peeping so in reality both smartphones shoot incredible photos so it’s a matter of preferance rather than choice. Flash photography is a bit better on the iPhone since Samsung is a bit too harsh with the light on the subjects. Besides that there’s very little distinction between the Korean and the Cupertino giants. Video has improved on the Samsung as well. The overall sharpness in the scene has reduced which now makes the Samsung a wee-bit more softer and natural which we like. The colours are still muted compared to iPhone.
However, whether it can truly outshine Vivo's portrait wizardry or match the iPhone's unwavering consistency remains to be seen. It'll be a proper camera shootout, and we'll be there with our metaphorical measuring tape, ready to crown the photographic king.