The battle for the Best Smartphone Camera is on . For a while , the iPhone 6s boasted the best in the game , up untilSamsung ’s Galaxy S7 came alongand quietly challenged Apple ’s title to the iron throne . However , the double - lens television camera on the new iPhone 7 Plus isthe most telling matter to follow out of Apple in year , and make wonders the Galaxy can only dream of – most notably , some middling wily bokeh and depth effects .
But if you ca n’t even pronounce " bokeh " and just need to know which damn camera is the best for mundane use , we ’re here to help . We choose the iPhone 7 Plus , Galaxy S7 , and iPhone 6s out into the battleground to see how they stack up against one another . Unsurprising looter warning signal : the 6s lost .
Best front-facing camera (selfies!!!)
Winner : the Galaxy S7Apple knows how much we know to catch our own visage , which is why they ’ve upped the front - facing camera on both the 7 and 7 Plus from five to seven megapixels . We managed to get decent , bright selfies with the 7 Plus – it has a larger detector and produces a larger image with more detail – but the lens system on the Galaxy ’s front camera ( at just five megapixels ) still look penetrating and captured the best looking for , color - accurate shot , with much less glare on the faces . Also , the front - facing camera on the Galaxy has a low maximum aperture of f/1.7 , compared to the f/2.2 on the 7 Plus , which means it will take smart selfies in low light spot .
Farthest zoom with the least distortion
succeeder : the 7 PlusThe inclusion of the telephoto lens to the 7 Plus ’s double crystalline lens apparatus think its capable of an optic zoom , which lets you zoom elbow room in on faraway object without losing much calibre . The 6s and Galaxy S7 both only have a exclusive lens and only pop the question the ability to zoom digitally , which notoriously sucks out a good deal of quality and forget you with a more pixelated image .
Best zoom on a detailed object
succeeder : the 7 PlusThis is yet another instance in which the 7 Plus ’s telephoto genus Lens ’s abilities outshine the competition . You ’ll point out its snapshot has the most crisp detail and richest color .
Best high dynamic range in artificial lighting
succeeder : the Galaxy S7With High Dynamic Range ( HDR ) enable on all three phone , we tested to see how well each was able to patch together the most uttermost Andrew Dickson White and darks in one image , and in unreal spark . The 7 Plus and the 6s both tend to blow out the highlights , or the brightest parts of a give image , while the S7 maintains a nicely compose equaliser .
The least lens distortion
succeeder : the Galaxy S7The lense on all three cameras can slightly distort the shapes of things based on perspective , but the S7 did this the least compare to both iPhones ( i.e. , it captured the shapes of objective most accurately ) . If you front intimately , you ’ll discover the cable of the windows of the buildings line up more clearly in the S7 ’s shot .
Best portrait in low light
Winner : the Galaxy S7The 7 Plus is better than the 6s in crushed Light Within , since it ’s taking in more light with an improved f/1.8 aperture , but the S7 is the standout winner here since it has an edge with aslightlybetter f/1.7 aperture that lets more light through .
Best close-up in low light
Winner : the Galaxy S7The S7 ’s aperture vantage proves itself once again in a finish - up at a colored legal community . The 6s and 7 Plus shots are n’t awful , but the S7 ’s is crisper , and show better detail , color , and contrast .
Shooting outside at night
success : the Galaxy S7Both the S7 and 7 Plus are importantly better than the 6s , but the S7 dominate once again in low luminance thanks to its optical paradigm stabilization and slightly wider aperture , which provide more light to dispatch its sensor and capture more detail .
Adding an automatic depth of field effect
Winner : the 7 PlusThis one is n’t really a rivalry , since the 7 Plus is the only tv camera of the three that provides this feature of speech . " Portrait mode , " as it ’s known , uses both of the 7 Plus ’s lenses to mechanically create an image in which the foreground / subject is crisply in focal point and the scope is dramatically smutch . As you’re able to see , it look middling damn near .
The feature is presently only available to 7 Plus users who ’ve downloaded the beta reading of iOS 10.1 , but it should roll out to everyone in the near hereafter , along with some additional features that admit for even more control over depth of discipline .
Overall : add up out on top in six of the nine tests , the Galaxy S7 is the clear MVP if you want a powerhouse daily taw that takes solid selfies and top - pass nighttime shots . However , the 7 Plus ’s double lens of the eye do give it a striking advantage over the S7 when it comes to more specialised functions ( for instance , visual zooming and depth effects ) , which make it the secure option for enthusiasts attend for next - grade DSLR - caliber exponent in their pocket .
Cole Saladino/Thrillist
For those of youstuck with the iPhone 6s tv camera for another year , do n’t feel defective . You ’re still a winner in our eyes .
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Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Click for larger image|Cole Saladino/Thrillist