This story is a part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s assortment of reports, suggestions and recommendation round Apple’s hottest product.
We can pinpoint key variations in design and efficiency between Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, however they share one thing in frequent: Both firms promote these top-of-the-line telephones as having superb, high-quality cameras.One of the most important methods the iPhone 14 Pro differs from final 12 months’s 13 Pro, for instance, is in its new digicam system. Apple’s new premium iPhone has a high-resolution 48-megapixel primary sensor and different enhancements just like the Photonic Engine, which is a brand new method that applies Apple’s Deep Fusion processing to pictures earlier for higher element. When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S22 Ultra in February, it equally highlighted the 108-megapixel primary digicam as a significant space of focus — notably the S22 Ultra’s improved low-light images. In follow, each telephones take spectacular images which can be wealthy with colour and element. As for which one is healthier, the reply is considerably subjective and should come down as to if you favor the way in which Apple or Samsung processes images. But in my expertise, Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro typically does a greater job of manufacturing well-balanced photographs, whereas Samsung has a a lot nearer zoom that may’t be matched. To take a look at the cameras on each telephones, I took the identical photographs side-by-side below numerous lighting situations, starting from vivid outside daylight to dim indoor environments with little or no or no mild.
iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra Camera Specs
iPhone 14 Pro
Galaxy S22 Ultra
Number of cameras (rear)
3
4
Main digicam decision
48-megapixel
108-megapixel
Ultrawide digicam decision
12-megapixel
12-megapixel
Ultrawide field-of-view
120 levels
120 levels
Zoom digicam decision
12-megapixel
10-megapixel (2 lenses)
Zoom
3x optical zoom in, 15x digital zoom
3x or 10x optical zoom, 100x digital zoom
Aperture
f1.78 (primary), f2.2 (ultrawide), f1.78 (zoom)
f1.8 (primary), f2.2 (ultrawide), f4.9 (zoom), f2.4 (zoom)
Night mode
Yes
Yes
Special options
Photographic kinds, macro images, portrait mode with portrait lighting, Apple ProRaw
Directors view, single take, portrait mode, professional uncooked (separate app)
Video recording
4K at as much as 60 fps, motion mode, cinematic mode
8K at 24 fps, 4K at as much as 60 fps, tremendous regular stabilization
Other particulars
Photonic engine applies deep fusion earlier within the course of for higher element, second-gen sensor shift for picture stabilization, new quad pixel sensor that mixes each 4 pixels into 1 huge 2.44um pixel. Option to make use of 2x zoom that makes use of the center 12 megapixels for full decision with no digital zoom (good for portrait mode.) Full 48MP images in Pro Raw
Adaptive pixel combines pixel binning (which blends information from a number of pixels into one large pixel) with decision from the principle sensor. Laser autofocus sensor for enhancing focus in shut vary and low mild environments, optical picture stabilization
iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: Bright outside sunlightIf you are capturing images in outside daylight, you may relaxation assured that each the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra are able to capturing glorious images. In the photograph samples under, you will discover the images of the ice cream truck and sidewalk murals are each colourful and well-lit. The greatest distinction could be seen within the images of geese on the seaside. Samsung’s photograph is brighter and makes the colours of the river and sand pop extra. But Apple’s has extra element and distinction within the pebbles and glass shards on the shore.iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: ZoomThe iPhone 14 Pro can zoom as much as 3 times optically and 15 instances digitally, whereas the Galaxy S22 Ultra has an optical zoom of 3x or 10x and can even zoom digitally as much as 100 instances. I used the utmost zoom degree on every telephone to get a way of how a lot their vary differs, as you may see within the images of the freeway signal under. There’s no query that Samsung can obtain a considerably nearer zoom than Apple, though it is not very sharp and it’s extremely exhausting to focus when zooming in at 100x. Using the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 100x zoom does not appear very sensible until you actually need to see one thing that is very distant and do not essentially care about picture high quality.iPhone 14 Pro 15x digital zoom/Galaxy S22 Ultra 100x digital zoomHere’s how they carry out at a way more sensible 10x zoom. Both are very clear, however the textual content on the signal is brighter and bolder within the iPhone 14 Pro’s picture. iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: PortraitsWhen it involves Portrait Mode images that barely blur the background to make the topic stand out extra, the iPhone 14 Pro carried out higher in dim outside lighting. In the images taken at an out of doors wine bar under, the iPhone 14 Pro’s picture is extra correct by way of eye and pores and skin colour, and there is typically extra element within the face. Samsung appears to have struggled with the lightning for this shot, though the colour of the topic’s beard does look extra correct.Portrait ModeIn the identical photograph with out Portrait Mode turned on, I most well-liked Samsung’s photograph. The Galaxy S22 Ultra typically captured extra element.Portrait (common, no Portrait Mode)iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: Night modeBoth telephones are able to taking comparatively vivid images in low-light circumstances, as proven within the images under of my cat that was taken in evening mode with a lot of the lights in my condominium turned off. But Samsung’s photograph is far more detailed, though the iPhone’s image is a bit brighter. The iPhone 14 Pro’s photograph is softer and lacks the element and readability within the cat’s fur that you simply get within the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s picture.iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: MacroWhen it involves close-up macro pictures, the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra every produced colourful, sharp images. I barely most well-liked the iPhone 14 Pro’s as a result of I assumed it had a little bit extra depth to it. But it is also a bit washed out in comparison with Samsung’s photograph, so it is a powerful name. iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: UltrawideThe iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra every have a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam with a 120-degree field-of-view. Both cameras captured crisp element and colour when photographing a sidewalk mural, as proven under.But the iPhone 14 Pro did a greater job of capturing this tree-lined scene at an area park. The iPhone 14 Pro’s photograph feels extra balanced, and there is a good quantity of distinction between the bridge, sky and bushes. Samsung’s photograph, however, appears a bit washed out in the suitable nook the place the bridge is situated. However, that is the one photograph the place this kind of lens flare was very noticeable.iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: Raw imagesYou can shoot Raw photographs on each telephones, however the technique of doing so is a bit completely different on every machine. On the iPhone, you may select to shoot with Apple’s ProRaw setting, which mixes the customization of a uncooked file with some parts of Apple’s computational images. The end result is a photograph that also has much more picture information than the usual picture you’d usually seize on an iPhone, however with a few of Apple’s photo-processing smarts.Samsung, in the meantime, presents an app known as Expert Raw that you could obtain individually to take uncooked images in your Galaxy telephone. It saves the picture in each uncooked and JPEG codecs and in addition consists of controls for adjusting parts just like the ISO, shutter velocity and white stability. You can even soar straight to Adobe Lightroom proper from the Expert Raw app, which is useful for enhancing on the go.I shot the identical scene under utilizing Apple’s ProRaw setting on the iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung’s Expert Raw app on the S22 Ultra. Then, I edited every one in Adobe Lightroom and exported them to the JPEG file format so that they are simply viewable on this story. Even although they have been compressed, you may nonetheless get a superb sense of how every telephone typically captures parts like colour, element, texture and lighting.In the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s photograph, I turned down the highlights, boosted the shadows and made another minor changes. For the iPhone 14 Pro’s picture, I bumped up the publicity, distinction and shadows. iPhone 14 Pro vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: The backside lineBoth the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra are able to taking sharp, colourful images. But they reach completely different areas, and which one is greatest for you’ll rely in your priorities and capturing fashion. Each telephone excelled at taking images in ideally suited lighting open air. I most well-liked the iPhone 14 Pro’s digicam when capturing ultrawide panorama pictures and Portrait Mode images. The Samsung, however, is able to a a lot nearer zoom than the iPhone, and I additionally thought the Galaxy S22 Ultra captured higher images in difficult lighting circumstances, each indoors and outdoors.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce sweeping modifications just like the Dynamic Island, a brand new 48-megapixel digicam system and Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor. All of those upgrades come collectively to make for an expertise that feels contemporary and quick in comparison with older generations.
Read our Apple iPhone 14 Pro evaluate.
Samsung
Samsung’s newest flagship superphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a powerful lineup of specs, together with a quadruple rear digicam, an enormous, vibrant show and the S Pen stylus you may bear in mind from the Galaxy Note sequence. It comes with a excessive worth, however these of you searching for top-of-the-line Android telephones round ought to have this in your quick listing.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra evaluate.
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