Best smartphone cameras compared: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 6s, Galaxy S7 edge, LG G5, Sony Xperia XZ

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You know what the cheese said when taking a photo of its friends?

Say ‘people’!

On paper, here’s what these five smartphones have to offer:

Looking at specs alone, it is clear that the Sony Xperia XZ has the shortest focal length, meaning that it has the widest viewing angles. Also, it has the megapixel advantage, with 23 million pixels at its disposal. However, it is a well-known fact that megapixels aren’t enough to make a great camera. The Galaxy S7 edge, for instance, has the largest pixel size and widest aperture – both properties allowing it to perform pretty well in low light.

Speaking of specs, it is worth noting that the aperture on the iPhone 7 camera is much wider compared to the one on the iPhone 6s. Adding OIS to the formula means that the new iPhone should perform much better at night compared to its predecessor. Or at least that’s the theory. Now let’s look at some photos.

The photos in the galleries have been scaled down to a resolution of about 2MP to make them load faster. Full-resolution images are available at the end of the article.   

Scene 1: The Mansion

Last week we hosted a blind camera comparison. For those who don’t know how that ended up, the Galaxy S7 edge spun circles around the iPhones and the LG G5, collecting over twice as many votes as its rivals. Clearly, people really like what Samsung’s cameras produce, and the reason must lie in the vivid presentation of the shots. For instance, the image here, shot with the S7 edge, looks bright and lively, hence it draws attention from afar. 

We’re also pleased with the photos out of the iPhone 7 and the LG G5. They’re not as vivid as the image from the S7 edge, but they represent the shades of green more naturally. As for the images out of the iPhone 6s and Xperia XZ, they could use a boost in exposure, especially in the shadowy areas. 

Scene 1 — crops and high-res images

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100% zoom

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iPhone 7

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iPhone 6s

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Galaxy S7 edge

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LG G5

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Xperia XZ

Scene 1 — crops and high-res images

Scene 2: a colorful close-up

The Galaxy S7 edge’s camera may be good, but it is in no way perfect. Here’s an example where it failed to set the correct white balance, thus delivering an unnaturally greenish image. The same flaw appears to be affecting the Xperia XZ as well, albeit to a lesser extent. In contrast, the iPhones and the LG G5 deliver better photos, with colors that get closer to real life. The yellows and greens appear more natural in their images, closely representing what our eyes could see when taking the shot.

Scene 2: score
iPhone 7	8.0
iPhone 6s	8.0
LG G5	7.0
Sony Xperia XZ	6.5
Galaxy S7 edge	5.0

Scene 2 — crops and high-res images

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100% zoom

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iPhone 7

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iPhone 6s

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Galaxy S7 edge

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LG G5

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Xperia XZ

Scene 2 — crops and high-res images

Scene 3: Crossing the bridge

This is one of the scenes where the LG G5’s camera truly shines. First of all, its image is clear and detailed. If you zoom in for a closer look, you’ll see no serious traces of digital noise. There’s no aggressive sharpening either. Secondly, the camera has retained the natural look of the colors in the frame, without leaning towards the cold or warm side of the spectrum. Overall, the image looks splendid!

Looking at other phones’ photos, we can’t deny that the Galaxy S7 edge’s image is captivating. That’s the case for the reasons we stated in Scene 1 – a hint of sharpness and a dash of color boost have helped to produce a vivid photograph. 

On the topic of detail, we see that the Sony Xperia XZ has captured enough of it, but the noise throughout the frame spoils the joy of zooming in and exploring the image from up close. Seeing that much noise is odd. This kind of distortion is usually associated wit packing tiny pixels on a smallish sensor. However, the G5’s pixels are of identical size, yet its photo is anything but noisy. Also, the XZ shot the photo at ISO64, which isn’t a high sensitivity setting at all. (In digital cameras, higher sensitivity leads to more digital noise, and vice versa.)

As for the iPhones, we see that the iPhone 7 has captured a slightly brighter photo, while the iPhone 6s has gone for a bit gloomier look. Both images look okay, but don’t have the same appeal as the ones out of the G5 or S7 edge.

Scene 3: score
LG G5	8.5
Galaxy S7 edge	7.5
iPhone 7	6.5
iPhone 6s	6.5
Sony Xperia XZ	6.5

Scene 3 — crops and high-res images

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100% zoom

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iPhone 7

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iPhone 6s

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Galaxy S7 edge

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LG G5

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Xperia XZ

Scene 3 — crops and high-res images

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