Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro Camera Shootout: Which phone gives you better photos?

If you asked us a few months ago to choose a smartphone with the best cameras, the iPhone 11 Pro

would have been a recommendation. It might not have many of the fancy shooting modes of its Android counterparts, but when it comes to sheer image and video quality, it's certainly the most consistent so far. Last year, we pitted it against the best of Samsung — the

Galaxy Note 10+

— and it managed to win the majority of our tests.

This year ,

Samsung

is going all out on its camera tech with the new Galaxy S20 series. We have already seen some of the great things that the cameras of the

Galaxy S20+

are able to in our

full review

< p>the smartphone, but does this phone capture better images and videos than the iPhone 11 Pro? Of course, Apple doesn't release new flagships twice a year like Samsung, so the iPhone 11 Pro is a bit older. It's still Apple's flagship product and hasn't come down in price since its launch.

Today we'll be comparing the Galaxy S20+ to the iPhone 11 Pro in our regular round of tests. The goal is to see which phone manages to deliver the most consistent camera performance with photos as well as videos. Is Samsung's new camera tech better than Apple's best offering? It's time to find out.

Camera specs and features

Before we dive in, here's a quick comparison of some of the main camera specs of the two smartphones. Both have the same number of front and rear cameras, except the Galaxy S20+ has an additional depth sensor on the back. Samsung has revamped its previous generation camera sensors, with some notable changes. The main sensor still has a 12-megapixel resolution, but it lacks the dual-aperture feature that's been a staple of Samsung's flagships for a few generations. The wide-angle sensor also has a lower resolution now, but perhaps the most interesting change is the new 64-megapixel telephoto lens.

iPhone 11 Pro

Galaxy S20+

Main camera

Resolution

12megapixels

12megapixels

Opening

f/1.8

f/1.8

Stabilization

Optical

Optical

wide angle camera

Resolution

12megapixels

12megapixels

Opening

f/2.4

f/2.2

Field of view

120 degrees

120 degrees

Telephoto camera

Resolution

12megapixels

64megapixels

Opening

f/2

f/2

< p>Optical Zoom

2x

3x (hybrid)

Max zoom

10x

30x p>

Stabilization

Optical

None

depth camera

Nope

Yes

selfie camera

Resolution

12megapixels

10megapixels

Opening

f/2.2

f/2.2

Samsung coined the term “Space Zoom” to describe the 3x “hybrid optical zoom” and up to 30x “super resolution zoom” the Galaxy S20+ can achieve. We'll go into more detail on this in the relevant section, but on paper the Galaxy S20+ already has a much higher zoom capability than the iPhone 11 Pro. Other areas where Samsung is ahead are its ability to record 8K video, 960 fps super slow motion video and the many shooting modes on offer.

Apple

took a simpler approach with the iPhone 11 Pro, offering the basic shooting modes we've also seen on previous models, but with the addition of an always-on Night mode. With iOS 13.2, Apple also introduced Deep Fusion to the iPhone 11 series, which uses the neural engine of the custom-designed A13 Bionic processor to enhance photos, just like what

Google

did. with its Pixel phones.

With that settled, it's time to move on to testing and see which phone does the best job.

Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro landscape test

In our first test, we have a landscape shot of a nearby building. Both smartphones capture excellent detail of the building and trees in the foreground. However, we prefer the photo taken with the iPhone 11 Pro, simply because the exposure is more balanced and the colors more natural. The Galaxy S20+ photo is brighter but the texture of the building surface is puffy and the sky is a bit unnaturally blue. It looks striking, no doubt, but it's not the best.

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In our second photo, we got nearly identical images of both phones. The exposure was well balanced and there was a lot of detail in the objects, both near and far. Samsung boosts the colors very slightly and the shadows are also lifted, which gives a more vivid result compared to what the iPhone 11 Pro offers. However, as a result, the blacks are a little crushed, showing less detail than the 11 Pro's output.

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In low light, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ was unable to reproduce very good colors, however switching to Night mode improved things considerably. Colors were noticeably better and we could see more detail in objects in shadow. However, textures on smaller objects such as leaves looked a bit worse. The iPhone 11 Pro automatically activates Night mode when it detects low light and the results are fantastic. Comparing its output with the Night mode photo taken with the Galaxy S20+, the 11 Pro handled more realistic colors on leaves and trees, and even finer textures were better defined.

For landscapes, we'd pick the iPhone 11 Pro as the big winner.

Close-up test Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro

Moving on to much smaller objects and filming in intense sunlight, we see the iPhone 11 Pro balanced exposures very well. Not only that, it even managed to retain the right shade of red on the flowers and produced a nice depth effect for the background. The Galaxy S20+ struggled a bit with exposure and failed to measure white balance very well. As a result, the flowers took on an orange tint from the sunlight, which was not accurate. It offered a slightly stronger depth effect, however, compared to the 11 Pro.

Tap to see full size image

Our second subject was also photographed around the same time of day, but under tree cover so the light was less harsh. The iPhone 11 Pro again produced a more neutral color tone and a more accurate rendering of the pink undertone of the flowers. If you look closer, it even handles slightly better textures than the Galaxy S20+. Samsung's shot wasn't far behind, with a slightly warmer color tone.

Tap to see full size image

Low light is where the Galaxy S20+ earns a few points. In our first shot of a few more blooms, both phones delivered equally well-exposed and detailed images. However, with a tighter crop, we can see that the Galaxy S20+ produced better detail. Even in our second shot, it looked like the 11 Pro had the better image at first glance, as a lot more elements were in focus, but the Galaxy S20+ snuck past the iPhone with a slightly softer shot and more realistic.< /p>

For close-ups, it's a tie between the two as we found the 11 Pro to be more consistent during the day, while the Galaxy S20+ offered better low-light detail.

Samsung Galaxy S20+ Portrait Test vs iPhone 11 Pro

Both phones let you simulate the effect of having a DSLR's wide-aperture lens. On the iPhone, it's called Portrait mode, while Samsung calls it Live Focus. You can change the background blur level before and after taking a photo. Samsung also lets you customize background effects, while iPhone lets you try out different lighting styles. Both allow you to shoot with their main or telephoto camera, depending on the effect you're looking for.

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When shooting people, it's a close-up call between the iPhone 11 Pro and the Galaxy S20+. Both produce excellent detail and skin tones, but on closer inspection we find that the Galaxy S20+ gave us the better picture of the two. When you zoom in, you'll notice that our subject's facial detail is better and the skin tone looks a little more natural. We also like that everything around our subject wasn't blurred uniformly, but there were subtle differences in the level of blur depending on the distance of objects behind the subject.

Using the telephoto lenses on objects, once again, both phones captured stunning photos with very good edge detection. It's a bit difficult to pick a sure winner here, so we'll call this one a tie.

Tap to see full size image

In low light, the iPhone 11 Pro messed up the shot quite badly by not being able to blur the right objects. Samsung has done a commendable job here, managing to blur even the small gaps between leaves and flowers well.

Overall, we'd give the Galaxy S20+ this round.

Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro selfie test

Selfies have become an integral part of our social lives, so it's important that these phones have good selfie cameras too.

Tap to see full size image

In our first daytime outdoor test, the iPhone 11 Pro had the best picture. Skin tones are perfect and the overall tone is more pleasing. Samsung also manages good detail, but skin tones are a bit pale and colors are a little muted. You can enable depth effects for both phones' front cameras, just like those on the back. Both phones do a good job of cropping the background properly. Once again, we prefer the skin tones of the 11 Pro to the Galaxy S20+.

Tap to see full size image

In low light, the iPhone again managed the most natural skin tones but detail wasn't great and there was visible noise in background objects. The Galaxy S20+ captured a sharper image but details were again strictly average. Samsung has a secret weapon though – night mode for the selfie camera. You will have to stand still a little longer but the wait is worth it, because the details and colors are much better.

Again, the results are split between the two. We prefer the iPhone 11 Pro for daytime selfies, but Night mode makes all the difference when taking nighttime selfies with the Galaxy S20+.

Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro wide-angle test

The wide-angle cameras of iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S20+ have the same field of view, and both can capture a lot more scenes. In our first test, again, it was the 11 Pro that managed slightly better exposure on the building in front of us, compared to the Galaxy S20+.

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In our second test, it's another close call between the two phones, but much like the same scene shot with both phones' main cameras, the Galaxy S20+ lifts the shadows a bit more for a more dramatic look.

Tap to see full size image

At night, the iPhone 11 Pro's wide-angle camera isn't very useful unless you have enough light. Night mode does not work with this phone's wide-angle camera. On the other hand, even in its standard mode, the Galaxy S20+ produced a slightly brighter image than the iPhone, and then things improved considerably with Night mode.

Overall, we'd pick the Galaxy S20+'s wide-angle camera as the winner for its competent daylight performance and superior low-light capability.

Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro zoom test

Now for the fun part - the zoom test. We've already tested the Galaxy S20+'s zoom capabilities in our full test, and the short verdict is that it's quite impressive. Apple boasts of a 2x optical zoom camera, while Samsung claims to offer 3x "hybrid optical zoom". In the camera app, the 11 Pro switches to telephoto when the slider reaches 2x, and the same goes for the Galaxy S20+. This means that any zoom level beyond 2x is digitally enhanced, albeit with some AI smarts. The Galaxy S20+ has an edge, cropping the output of its relatively high-resolution sensor to maintain relatively good quality even at higher zoom levels.

Tap to see full size image

< p>We start with the 2x optical zoom. At this level, both sensors can provide excellent detail, and colors and exposure are handled very well. The iPhone 11 Pro adds a slightly warm tint to photos, but other than that, both look equally good. The Galaxy S20+ offers many incremental zoom steps such as 3x, 4x, 10x, etc., while with the iPhone you will have to manually pinch to zoom in further.

Now let's move on to 10x magnification, which is the highest possible zoom on the iPhone 11 Pro. With plenty of natural light, the iPhone managed to produce decent detail, although texture quality was average and some building edges had noticeable distortion. Looking at the photo taken by the Galaxy S20+, we see a huge difference in quality. Object details and textures are much clearer, there is no edge distortion, and colors are more vivid.

You can also zoom up to 20x and 30x, but at those levels smaller objects aren't exactly recognizable and the overall quality degrades a bit, to the point where you won't really want to share those photos with anyone. is. It's nice that you can do that, but it might not be very helpful.

Tap to see full size image

We did another day test, this time much closer material. The focus wasn't very sharp in the iPhone 11 Pro photo, while the Galaxy S20+ applied a bit of sharpening to bring out the flowers. At 10x zoom, the iPhone 11 Pro captured a flat image with poor texture detail. The Galaxy S20+, on the other hand, captured an incredible shot, with plenty of detail, rich colors, and zero grain. You can really see Samsung's AI algorithms at work here, as the photo was actually better than the photo taken, even at 3x zoom.

Tap to see full size image

If you're shooting in very low light, both of these phones will digitally zoom using the main cameras, rather than the optical zoom cameras, to preserve quality. With 2x zoom, the iPhone 11 Pro still does the best job with color, detail, and noise. Night mode also works here, as this is the main camera used. Samsung's Night mode is effective compared to standard mode shooting, but colors and detail aren't as good as what the 11 Pro manages.

Tap to see full size image

At 10x zoom, the iPhone 11 Pro surprised us with decent detail, although image quality was below average. The Galaxy S20+, on the other hand, resolved detail quite poorly and its output was heavily denoised, flattening the textures of most objects. With Night mode active, it was a whole different story. Details and textures have been greatly improved, making the photo truly usable.

When it comes to zoom, the Galaxy S20+ is the clear leader here.

Video Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs iPhone 11 Pro test

iPhones have long been the benchmark for smartphone videography, but last year we found the Galaxy Note 10+ to be pretty close to its standard. With the Galaxy S20+, this gap has narrowed even further. When recording 4K video in good light, images from both phones were very similar, displaying very good detail and color. The iPhone 11 Pro records slightly louder audio, but focusing was just as fast and accurate with both phones, even when we panned. Stabilization at this resolution has also been handled perfectly, and the Galaxy S20+ and iPhone 11 Pro allow you to switch between wide-angle and telephoto sensors while recording.

The Galaxy S20+ has a party trick: shooting 8K video. It's impressive, but we're not entirely convinced it's entirely useful, at least at this time. The frame rate is limited to 24fps at this resolution and the frame is heavily cropped.

Both phones can record slow motion video up to 240fps. The Galaxy S20+ can also shoot at 960fps but for a very limited time. Quality is decent at 240 fps, but not so much at 960 fps.

The selfie cameras also record crisp 4K footage, making these phones perfect for vlogging. The audio quality is very good, even if you don't use an external microphone, and the video is well stabilized, which is a plus.

In low light, the Galaxy S20+ surprised us, as it managed sharper images. and better colors. We noticed very slight distortion when moving, but not too much. Images taken with the iPhone 11 Pro were good but a bit grainy and colors weren't as vivid. Both phones' wide-angle cameras take much darker and grainier images, but even here the Galaxy S20+ was a bit better.

Samsung did well this time around, and overall, considering the option of 8K and all the other video modes, we think the Galaxy S20+ is the better option for video.

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ matches the iPhone 11 Pro quite well

Verdict

It is not surprising that the

iPhone 11 Pro

has aged well and can still stand out from the Android flagships of early 2020, but we're glad to see it finally has some stiff competition. the

Galaxy S20+

goes hand in hand with it and in many cases performs better. The fact that Samsung's phone is much more affordable is the icing on the cake. Of course, it's not quite perfect. Photos had white balance and exposure issues, especially when shooting in harsh light, and skin tones in selfies were generally paler.

However, when it comes to zoom, the Galaxy S20+ absolutely destroys the iPhone 11 Pro. Even in areas such as video, where Samsung has long faltered, it is now on par with the iPhone.

We can't wait to see just how much better the Samsung Galaxy S20 is.

Ultra

is that the Galaxy S20+ in terms of cameras, so if that's a comparison you'd like to see, let us know in the comments.

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