14 DAY TRIAL // The iPhone 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S8+ are currently the world’s most advanced smartphones, featuring cameras whose performance can hardly be matched by devices launched by other manufacturers.
But as far as the two phones are concerned, each of them embraced a different approach. While Apple decided to go for a dual-camera configuration, Samsung picked a single-lens camera, and by the looks of things, the end result is not a difference as big as one would expect it to be.
This is why we’ve decided to put the Apple iPhone 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S8+ against each other in an in-depth camera review based on several tests conducted with the same automatic settings, HDR on when needed, and slight brightness adjustments if the conditions absolutely required them.
| iPhone 7 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S8+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution Aspect ratio | 12MP 4032 x 3024 4:3 |
12MP 3024 x 4032 4:3 |
| Sensor size | 1.3" | 1/2.5" |
| Aperture | F/1.8 | F/1.7 |
| Focus and stabilization | Phase detection autofocus 2x optical zoom |
Phase detection autofocus, OIS |
TEST #1 – BUILDINGS
1. It’s 10 AM, the sun is up, the sky is half-blue half-full of fluffy white clouds, but the Galaxy S8+ manages to take a pretty good shot thanks to the automatic settings which focused on the building, without altering the reflection of the sky. On the other hand, the iPhone 7 Plus took a more dramatic photo of the building, with slightly lowered color saturation and reduced brightness.
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ provides the more balanced performance this time that’s closer to the landscape you can see with the naked eye, as compared to Apple’s device that takes a more artificial shot.
We rated the Samsung Galaxy S8+ 8 out of 10 for its performance in this test, while the iPhone 7 Plus barely gets a 7.
2. Samsung’s model against excels in this test as well, mostly thanks to correct white balance settings that contribute to crisp details and optimal sharpness. Due to the 1/3” sensor, the iPhone 7 Plus fails to correctly capture the sunlight, while Samsung’s 1/2.5” sensor helps better control light and colors.
Since the iPhone 7 Plus alters contrast and saturation, especially the amount of yellow, both the trees and the fence in the picture look less natural. Not the same thing can be said about the S8+ which again gains extra points for taking a more natural shot by preserving the correct details and colors.
This time, thanks to its nearly perfect performance, Samsung's score is 9, while the iPhone 7 Plus is pretty close with 8 points.
3. The same problem is experienced here as well, as the Galaxy S8+ again shots the more balanced photo, while the iPhone 7 Plus alters colors and reduces brightness to a degree that leads to much more noise as compared to its rival when cropping to 100 percent level. The S8+ scores better thanks to more natural colors, while the iPhone 7 Plus performs better in terms of detail quality.
Once again, the Galaxy S8+ performs better, so it's rewarded with 9 points, while the iPhone 7 Plus is not far behind with 8 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 8.6 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.4 |
TEST #2 – FLOWERS
1. As far as the mix of contrast and saturation is concerned, the flower test shows how the Galaxy S8+ manages to offer substantially better detail quality, while the iPhone 7 Plus fails to separate the subject from the background by not offering the correct sharpness level. On the other hand, the iPhone goes for extra brightness and saturation for the green color, while the S8+ provides correct colors and increased contrast. Overall, the amount of noise is substantially higher in the iPhone shot, while Samsung provides an eye-catching blurred background.
Once again, the Samsung manages to outscore the iPhone 7 Plus, so the two devices get 9 and 7 points, respectively.
2. In the case of the flower bouquet, the iPhone 7 Plus with HDR mode on is outperformed by the Samsung Galaxy S8+, which offers vivid colors and well-balanced contrast. Detail quality is surprisingly better in the case of the Samsung, and this is the place where the iPhone loses precious points for the test.
Same performance once again, with Samsung getting a total score of 9, followed by the iPhone which is close behind with 8 points.
3. The sky was clear in the case of both cameras, but the S8+ returns a well-balanced amount of blur in the photo. The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, generates unexpected noise, though the overall picture quality is pretty good. In the end, both shots are quite good, but the S8+ pic is slightly better thanks to color saturation and detail quality.
Both devices performed a little bit below expectations, so the Samsung gets 8 points, while Apple receives just 7 points.
4. Galaxy S8+ impresses with the contre-jour shot, with the orange flowers having more vivid colors, while the iPhone 7 Plus alters colors due to the amount of light reaching the sensor. As far as the 100 percent crop quality goes, the S8+ offers surprising performance once again, providing the perfect amount of blur, correct colors, and high detail quality.
On the other hand, the iPhone 7 Plus is well behind its rival, lacking the primary attributes of a high-quality shot, such as color and detail quality. This is a shot that says a lot about the iPhone 7 Plus camera, which often under- or overexposes the photo, which in turn leads to altered contrast, details, and colors. This is quite a big problem for the iPhone 7 Plus, and Apple doesn’t seem to be too keen on addressing it just yet.
8 points go to the Samsung Galaxy S8+ or this test, while the iPhone disappointed and got only 6.5 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 8.5 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.4 |
TEST #3 – ANIMALS
1. Another test where the Samsung Galaxy S8+ outperforms its rival, managing to preserve natural colors, while the iPhone 7 Plus alters them and somehow makes the horse black, even though it was close to brown.
The sensor difference from 1/2.5” on the Samsung Galaxy S8+ and 1/3” on the iPhone gives the first the power to offer more natural colors and high detail quality, while the iPhone 7 Plus lacks the contrast that you’d expect to get from a flagship device. The only thing the two have in common is the sky, which looks just as good in both cases.
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ gets a perfect 10 this time, while the iPhone goes home with an 8, which father Apple won't be very pleased about.
2. Warm colors are nowhere to be seen in the case of the iPhone 7 Plus where the doggy-good-doggy has altered colors for both the hair and the eyes. On the other hand, the eye reflection was captured by both cameras, though only the Galaxy S8+ preserved the natural colors. Overall, the Samsung model performed slightly better, while the iPhone 7 Plus loses points because it somehow lost focus on the subject during the test.
Samsung gets 9 points for the way it performed this time, and again iPhone is far behind with 7 points.
3. iPhone 7 Plus again alters warm colors and increases the contrast, leading to less natural colors on the subject. On the other hand, it’s the Samsung Galaxy S8+ the one that provides better colors and a more clear background. It’s pretty clear that the iPhone 7 Plus has a hard time adjust color saturation, with the 100 percent crop showing that its rival outperforms it in nearly all categories.
Apple isn't going to like this, but the iPhone gets 7 points, while rival Samsung performed a lot better and received 9 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 9.4 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.4 |
TEST #4 – BLACK AND WHITE
1. Black and white shots have the cool factor because not only that they give a mystical effect to pretty much everything, but it also highlights the primary attributes of the subject in a much more evident way. When used in daylight with auto settings and the black and white filter called “classic,” the Samsung Galaxy S8+ achieves a perfect balance between black and white, with the eyes easily standing out.
The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, with auto settings and the black and white filter called “Noir,” fails to separate white and black details, with eyes finally becoming gray, while the face lacks contrast and proper brightness.
Samsung receives 8 points for its performance in this test, while Apple got pretty close with 7 points.
2. This indoor portrait with low light shows that iPhone fails to get the correct contrast, with the face becoming darker, while the amount of noise affects the final detail quality. Thanks to its sensor and 1.7 aperture size, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ lets more light to get in, which leads to better contrast and substantially better details than in the case of the iPhone shot.
iPhone 7 Plus had terrible performance in this test, and it almost doesn't deserve 5 points, while the Galaxy S8 did much better and is rewarded with 8 points.
3. The same differences can be spotted in this test as well, where the Samsung model performs better and offers a proper contrast with crisper edges for the leaf. In the case of the iPhone, the reduced contrast affects the overall look of the leaf, while detail quality is substantially lower. The S8+ offers better detail quality when cropping at 100 percent level, and the amount of noise is also greatly reduced. The iPhone 7 Plus performs otherwise, and the results are disappointing, to say the least.
Much better performance for Apple this time, so it increases its score to 7 points, while the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is the better option with 9 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 8.4 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.3 |
TEST #5 – CARS
1. The S8+ offers more vivid colors and clear shot as compared to the iPhone 7 Plus in the first picture, but both cameras seem to achieve similar performance when it comes to the sky. A noticeable difference is the darker car in the case of the iPhone, while the S8+ appears to handle white balance correctly and provides well-balanced contrast and brightness.
Another test, same thing: the Samsung is close to perfection with 9 points, while the iPhone lags behind with just 7.5 points.
2. With the sun behind the clouds and the same white balance struggle, the iPhone 7 Plus somehow applies a red tint to the photo, with yellow becoming close to orange due to incorrectly handled saturation. Furthermore, the wheels of the car, which are obviously black, get a blue tint in the case of the iPhone.
The S8, on the other hand, offer more natural colors, though it also loses quality in the case of the wheels, altering blacks in a not so substantial way. When cropping, color differences between the two shots are more visible, with the Samsung offering more vivid colors, while the iPhone photo is just bland with altered yellow shades.
More balanced performance this time, so 8 points for Samsung and 7 points for Apple.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 8.5 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.3 |
TEST #6 – COLORS
1. With auto settings on and focus on the subject, the iPhone 7 Plus offers natural colors, but loses when it comes to the overall quality of the shot, with the biggest different observed in the case of the yellow grass. Furthermore, the Samsung model offers more vivid colors, while the subject benefits from sharper edges and better contrast.
The two models go head-to-head in this test, and so do the scores: 9 for Samsung and 8.5 for Apple.
2. In the second photo, the iPhone 7 Plus is the one that gets the sky right, while the Samsung Galaxy S8+ overexposes some of the clouds. On the other hand, colors seem to be correct on the Samsung, while the iPhone altered grass saturation.
When it comes to cropping to 100 percent level, the S8 offers better detail and color quality, but there’s also a certain amount of noise that’s more noticeable in the case of the iPhone. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, offers pretty good performance that’s close to Samsung’s, though colors are slightly altered.
Once again, nearly identical performance, with a slight advantage for Samsung, which got 9 points, while the iPhone received 8.5 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 9 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 8.5 |
TEST #7 – FOOD
1. The multi-frame photo mode, which comes down to taking 3 consecutive shots and then combining them in HDR for extra sharpness, makes the difference in these pics, where the S8 get colors and details much better than the iPhone 7 Plus. Apple’s devices alter colors and details, while the background blur features more noise than on the Samsung. With HDR mode on, the iPhone 7 Plus comes behind the S8, which only features optical stabilization. The steak looks much more real and delicious in the Samsung photo, while the iPhone somehow makes it look less tasty.
Samsung outperforms Apple in this test, and the scores highlight this: 9 points for Samsung, 8 points for its rival.
2. In the case of the cookie shot, the iPhone 7 Plus over-increases green and yellow shades, while the Samsung model keeps colors close to the natural look. As far as details are concerned, the Samsung phone wins again, also thanks to properly-adjusted white balance.
The iPhone, on the other hand, keeps detail quality better at 100 percent crop level, but Samsung wins when it comes to color quality, making objects like the plate and the table look more natural than on the iPhone.
The difference between the two is bigger this time, and this equals to 9 points for the S8 and 7.5 points for the iPhone 7 Plus.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 9 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.8 |
TEST #8 – NATURE
1. The lack of details and the wrong colors cause the iPhone 7 Plus to miss a beautiful landscape, while the Samsung Galaxy S8 gets well-balanced colors with a more natural shot close to what you can see with the naked eye. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, gets extra points for the look of the sky, but on the other hand, it reduces the amount of yellow, which in the end leads to an artificial photo.
The first nature test shows the Samsung is again the better option, and the 9 points versus the 7.5 points received by the iPhone show this.
2. The Samsung smartphone once again gets the correct white balance, preserving details and colors. Apple’s model, on the other hand, gets these things wrong, so the end result features a blue tint. The yellow highlights are also less saturated, despite the fact that the iPhone uses the same settings as the Galaxy S8. The tree also looks better on the Samsung, while the blur reveals another weak point of the iPhone, mainly because it lacks the same eye-catchy color level.
Same results in the second attempt, with 9 points for Samsung and 7.5 points for Apple.
3. The lemon tree has much better details and colors in the Samsung shot, with the unexpected performance once again pushing the iPhone to the second spot. The blue tint shows up again on the iPhone, while in the case of the crop test, the S8 is the absolute king of the castle with excellent color and detail quality. The altered colors are one more time what drags the iPhone down versus the Samsung device.
And the gap between the two is increasing, with Samsung sticking with 9 points, while the iPhone 7 Plus drops to 7 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 9 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.4 |
TEST #9 – NIGHT
1. The S8+ shoots a photo that’s much more natural in low light, which is pretty much what causes the most problems to today’s flagships. The iPhone, on the other hand, reduces color saturation and eliminated the red light from the building behind the gas station. Noise shows up in both photos, but the S8+ scores one extra point thanks to increased contrast.
The first night shot brings pretty close marks, with Samsung scoring a bit better and getting 8 points versus 7.5 points for the iPhone.
2. The building looks better in the Samsung photo, having more details than in the case of iPhone, as the Apple model even struggled to focus. The S8 again got the better amount of light thanks to its sensor, as compared to the iPhone, which fails to do this correctly. When it comes to cropping, the iPhone 7 Plus keeps decent details, though the Samsung also offers good details, with an increased amount of noise resulting from the increased brightness.
The difference is a bit bigger this time, with 8 points for the Galaxy S8+ and 7 points for the iPhone 7 Plus.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 8.5 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.3 |
TEST #10 – PORTRAIT AND SELFIES
1. With the subject on the bench away from direct sunlight, the iPhone 7 Plus offers better performance thanks to the automatic settings, which leads to correct shirt colors and excellent face brightness.
The Samsung phone goes for darker colors, with a yellow tint that’s more noticeable on the shirt. Both the pants and the shoes are correctly captured by the two cameras, though the Samsung offers increased contrast. Detail quality is good in both cases, but the Samsung seems to offer more vivid colors, while the iPhone cuts the yellow highlights to a level that gives an artificial look. Furthermore, there are more overexposed areas in the iPhone shot.
Apple's phone is the one getting all the praises this time, so it outscores the Samsung rival with 8.5 points versus 8 points,
2. With the front-facing 7-megapixel camera, the iPhone 7 Plus got the selfie right, with correct skin color. The S8’s 8-megapixel camera lacks the correct white balance, which leads to a red tint on the shirt, but on the other hand gets an extra point for the background which looks more natural and features more vivid colors.
The iPhone performs better one more time, so it gets 7.5 points, while the Samsung is not far with 7 points.
3. In low-light indoor settings, the S8 offers the better shot with better details and natural colors. The only exception is the red tint that shows up mostly because of the lack of light. In the same conditions, the iPhone 7 fails to compensate for the lack of light, which leads to less crisp details and incorrect colors.
Apple's party is over, with Samsung back in pole-position, so scores are now 8 vs. 6.5 points in favor of the Galaxy S8+.
4. Also in low-light bout outdoors, colors are more saturated in the Samsung shot, which also offers better detail quality for the background. The iPhone gets the more natural shot thanks to better brightness on the face of the subject, while also preserving the correct skin tone. The Samsung phone seems to be suffering from a red tint as well, though the amount of noise is noticeable in both shots.
When it comes to cropping, the S8+ offers better detail and color quality, while the iPhone loses points exactly in these areas.
Poor performance for both models in this case, so 5 points for them is the best we could go.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 7 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 6.8 |
TEST #11 – STATUES
1. Once again, with auto settings on, the iPhone 7 Plus suffers from excessive yellow, as compared to the Samsung flagship which retains the more natural colors. The secret weapon is the correct white balance that’s possible thanks to the 1/2.5” sensor, as compared to the 1/3” unit used on the iPhone 7 Plus.
The trees in the background also have better quality and contrast in the Samsung shot, while the iPhone photo suffers from poor details, with a less visible skyline.
Samsung leads the first test in this section with 9 points, ahead of the iPhone with 8 points.
2. With the focus on the statue, the S8 again offers crisper edges, providing better details and more vivid colors. The iPhone 7 Plus alters color quality, and the result looks questionable, to say the least. With the photos shot at 6 PM, the S8 appears to take the better picture, though the iPhone offers a more natural sky. In terms of 100 percent cropping, the S8 wins as far as colors and details go, while the iPhone appears to be far behind this time due to unexpected poor performance.
Perfect 10 for Samsung this time, while Apple has lost contact and dropped to 8 points.
TEST SCORE
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 9.5 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 8 |
THE BOTTOM LINE
The conclusion is as simple as it could be: the 2017-launched Samsung Galaxy S8+ has a better camera than the iPhone 7 Plus, which was introduced in the fall of 2016. The Galaxy S8, with a single 12-megapixel camera, outperformed the iPhone 7 Plus, despite the fact that it uses a dual-camera configuration, with a dedicated telephoto lens.
The sensor difference is what makes the Samsung flagship the better option: it features 1/2.5”, F/1.7, and OIS, versus 1/3”, F/1.8, and optical zoom.
The black and white shots have a more artistic touch thanks to the Classic mode on the Samsung model, which provides better results than in the case of the Noir sibling on the iPhone.
We’ve never used the Pro mode on the S8+ throughout the test, which is pretty much the most advanced manual shooting mode on a smartphone these days, simply because the iPhone lacks such capabilities at this point.
With the manual mode, the S8+ can shoot nearly perfect photos, with the user allowed to configure every little setting, including personalized modes for processing colors, contrast and every little detail. With the Pro mode, the S8+ camera is totally the best and has no rival, with all the other smartphones clearly behind the South Korean firm.
It goes without saying that you should try out this mode and shoot photos with your own settings because this way you get unique photos without the need for post-processing edits.
It’s also worth mentioning that the iPhone 7 Plus takes better shots in optimal light, but they lack detail quality, mostly because of the sensor used by Apple.
As far as the Samsung S8+ goes, we recommend going for the models equipped with a Samsung sensor and not the one featuring the Sony sensor because the latter provides dramatically lower performance as compared to the first. Models featuring a Samsung sensor typically come with the Exynos processor and not the Snapdragon.
| Samsung Galaxy S8+ | 8.6 |
|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus | 7.4 |
