the iPhone 16 Pro Max versus the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Two premium phones with high-end cameras and high-end prices, but which one takes the prize in this camera comparison? Let's find out. Let's start off with some quick specs. The iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. There's also a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. The iPhone 16 Pro Max can shoot up to 4K video at 120 frames per second. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra sports a 200-megapixel wide camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 10-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. It also has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. It can shoot up to 8K video. Well, that's all useful info. It's important to note that more megapixels doesn't automatically mean better photos, so

that's why we're going to see how these cameras perform in the real world. The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,200 for 256 GB of internal storage, while the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will cost you $100 more for the same storage amount. The newest and perhaps most divisive new camera feature on the iPhone 16 lineup is the camera control button. This sits on the right side of the phone and lets you trigger the camera, snap photos, and swipe to change settings like exposure, aperture, and zoom. I've actually gotten quite used to pushing it to trigger the camera, but I don't really find myself using it for anything else since it's still just easier to tap the screen the old-fashioned way to take a picture or adjust the camera settings. My colleague Bridget Cary has very strong thoughts on this, so be sure to check out her video for more. Now let's get into the camera comparison. I took some photos at Yab Buena Gardens in San Francisco, starting with these pictures of a waterfall.

you'll see both phones capture this satisfyingly crisp Cascade, but the S24 Ultra offers a slightly brighter image among the trees and shrubs in the background. Especially, you'll notice the greens are a bit more vibrant. The same goes for these two images, which look impressively similar, but the greenery pops a bit more on the S24 Ultra. It's hardly noticeable, but the mural on the building is also slightly more pigmented on the S24 Ultra. It's worth noting that Apple's made it easier to adjust photos to your liking. So, if you want to bump up the saturation or contrast, you can use the new photographic styles feature and tone mapping to do that. So, while I'm comparing photos taken at the default setting on each phone, customization is really becoming a bigger focus, which means you can have more capacity to tune photos however you'd like. One of my favorite ways to test portrait mode is by taking a shot of a plant to see how well the phones pick up on any straight branches or flowers that should be in

Focus both phones did a solid job in that regard. Otherwise, the S24 Ultra again takes the prize for brightening up the overall shot and reducing those harsher shadows seen on the iPhone 16 Pro Max image. In these portrait mode shots of my colleagues Faith, Chill, and Jessica Fiero, the S24 Ultra brightens up their faces and also the telephone booth in the background, making it a punchier red. But I actually like how the iPhone handled this one. The colors are a bit darker but a bit more true to light, and I like the richness of the blacks and blues in Faith's and Jessica's outfits. Both photos have a comparably clean background blur. I had the most fun testing the optical zoom on each phone because I think it's one of the more impressive features on each device. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has 5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x optical zoom, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra has 6x, 1x, 3x, 5x, and 10x optical zoom.

that 10x zoom on the S24 Ultra really is quite impressive and does a great job preserving image quality despite punching in ridiculously far. The 5x zoom on the iPhone 16 Pro Max also shows incredible detail and crispness, which is easiest to see by looking at the slightly more defined windows here versus the 5x image shot on the S24 Ultra. Moving on to the front-facing camera, these selfie shots look pretty similar, though I suppose that's not too surprising given both phones have a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. The biggest difference once again is in color, with the S24 Ultra brightening my face and black shirt a bit more, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max depicting deeper colors throughout, from the green of my couch to my complexion. Even the wall behind me takes on more of a beige hue as opposed to the grayer, more muted shade in the S24 Ultra image. But both photos are sharp and focused. What I've been most impressed with on recent

iPhones is how much better night mode has gotten. It used to be the Galaxy phones were leagues ahead in terms of brightening up low light shots, but these two images look pretty comparable. I will say I still prefer the S24 Ultra photo here since the sky is a bit more of a vivid blue, but the colorful lighting is similarly punchy in both photos. Now let's talk about video. The funnest way for me to test video zoom capabilities was from the nosebleeds of Han Zimmer live, where I was literally in the last row of Oakland Arena. Both phones were able to serve up crisp footage despite the flashing lights and how far I was from the stage, but the S24 Ultra really came in clutch with that 10x zoom. I could clearly see Han Zimmer's face and movements. It was almost like looking through binoculars, but even 5x zoom on both phones offered a clear close-up of everything happening on stage. The iPhone 16 Pro lineup introduces 4K slow motion recording at 120 frames per second while

the S24 Ultra has a UHD slow-motion setting at 120 frames per second. That 4K setting on the iPhone delivers a crispness and higher level of detail, which is cool, even if you rarely use this very specific feature. In more everyday instances, I still prefer the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera, as footage looks sharper and colors are more true to life. But you'll get smooth shots on both devices, especially when filming at 60 frames per second. So, with all of that in mind, which phone takes better photos and videos? That largely comes down to personal preference. I've always admired how vibrant photos taken on the Galaxy series are, and the S24 Ultra is no exception. That higher saturation and brightness brings a richness to the images that makes them pop. But I also appreciate the more true-to-life tones on the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the sharpness of photos and videos. Night mode is almost equally impressive on each phone, but I think the S24 Ultra has the lead there. It serves up more vivid

shots, which you can especially see in pictures of the night sky. Portrait mode is also solid on both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. I didn't run into any glaring issues there. The same goes for selfies; both devices serve up quality images. And when it comes to zoom, the S24 Ultra still takes the cake with that ridiculous 10x optical zoom. But having 5x zoom on both phones is a huge plus. All of this to say, no matter which phone you go with, you shouldn't be disappointed. And with those high prices, I'd sure hope not. Which phone camera are you more impressed with? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to give this video a thumbs up if you found it helpful. Thanks for watching.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera Shootout

CNET is the premier destination for explaining and navigating the changing world around us. Through news, product reviews, price comparisons, and more, we’ll tell you what’s new in the parts of modern life that increasingly matter more — from health, home, and money to tech, culture, and climate — and how to get the most out of them.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera Shootout

Scripts