1. SAMSUNG S21 ULTRA
Key camera specifications:
Primary: 108 MP 1/1.33″ sensor, 0.8μm, 24 mm-equivalent f/1.8-aperture lens, OIS, PDAF
Ultra-wide: 12 MP 1/2.55″ sensor, 1.4μm, 13 mm-equivalent f/2.2-aperture lens, Dual-Pixel AF
Tele 1: 10 MP 1/3.24″ sensor, 1.22μm 72 mm-equivalent f/2.4-aperture lens, Dual-Pixel AF, OIS
Tele 2: 10 MP 1/3.24″ sensor, 1.22μm 240 mm-equivalent f/4.9-aperture lens, Dual-Pixel AF, OIS
LED flash
Video: 4320p/24 fps, 2160p/60/30 fps (2160p/60 fps tested), HDR10+
In the camera department, the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a major improvement over its predecessor S20 Ultra—replacing the latter’s 103 mm-equivalent periscope telelens with a dual-tele setup. A 70 mm lens takes medium-range tele shots, while a 240 mm juggernaut allows for extremely long tele-zooming. The primary wide and ultra-wide cameras look more similar to last year’s model but come with more subtle improvements. Target exposure is usually accurate, and the dynamic range is wide, showing good detail in the frame's highlight and shadow areas. HDR processing can be a little unstable, though, with noticeable variation between consecutive shots of the same scene.
The color looks nice, and skin tones are pleasant when shooting at reasonable light, but saturation decreases in low light. The autofocus system also slows down in low-light and high-contrast scenes, but otherwise, the device mostly delivers accurately focused images.
The texture/noise trade-off is where the S21 Ultra 5G leaves the most room for improvement, especially since noise is a lot worse than on some direct competitors. There is a noticeable loss of fine detail when shooting indoors and in low light. At the same time, noise is visible in pretty much all images, even those recorded in bright light. Image noise can get quite intrusive and is not just limited to the grainy look of luminance noise — sometimes chromatic noise is visible, too.
A decent ultra-wide performance helps the Zoom score of 76. The ultra-wide camera offers an expansive field of view, but like with the primary wide camera, noise hurts image quality. The title does not quite live up to the expectations raised by the impressive-looking dual-tele setup. The level of detail is fairly low across the tele zoom range, with unnaturally rendered texture and fusion artifacts. Samsung is also not on the same level as its most direct rivals for video, matching the scores of slightly older and less expensive devices, such as the Huawei P40 and the Google Pixel 4a.
On the plus side, exposure is stable, and the dynamic range is fairly wide as long as you don’t record in low light. The autofocus usually keeps things sharp, and thanks to a 60 fps frame rate, the motion looks mostly nice and smooth.
However, the level of recorded detail is noticeably lower than on competing devices, with “moving texture” artifacts frequently visible. Noise is also higher in most shooting conditions. Color tends to be fairly desaturated, and white balance casts often reduce the overall video quality. Video stabilization could be more effective, too. You still get some camera shake when recording while standing still, and a fairly strong jello effect becomes visible when the camera is moving.
The S21 Ultra 5G also produces more image noise than its predecessor, the S20 Ultra 5G. This is quite visible in this sample. Noise on the S21 Ultra 5G often appears as structured noise and includes colored chroma noise, which is more intrusive than grainy luminance noise.
When shooting in low-light conditions at night, white balance and color rendering tend to be accurate even in challenging lighting conditions. The same is true for target exposure, but the level of captured detail is shallow if the camera does not trigger the flash.
Exposure is good in this scene, but a loss of detail and structured noise is very evident. Both comparison devices deliver a better result.
2. MI 11 ULTRA
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 50 MP 1/1.12″ Quad-Bayer sensor, 1.4μm, 24 mm-equivalent lenses with f/1.95
aperture, Dual Pixel Pro AF, and OIS
- Ultra-wide: 48 MP 1/2-inch sensor, 0.8μm, 128° lens with f/2.2 aperture
- Tele: 48 MP 1/2-inch sensor, 0.8μm, 120 mm-equivalent lenses with f/4.1 aperture, OIS
- LED flash
- Video: 8K 4320p at 24 fps, 4K 2160p at 30/60 fps (2160p/60 fps tested)
- Multispectral color temperature sensor
- ToF sensor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset
The texture/noise tradeoff is outstanding, with good detail and low noise levels in pretty much all shooting conditions. Only on moving subjects did we observe some loss of detail. Exposure is good, and an extensive dynamic range ensures that the camera captures good detail in both the darkest and brightest parts of the frame — unless you shoot in pretty dim conditions when some clipping can occur.
A fast and accurate autofocus system helps keep moving subjects in focus, and the preview image is pretty close to the final output, which helps framing and composition. Our testers also liked the smooth zoom action in preview. Images generally show nice color, but occasional pink or orange casts in daylight and under indoor lighting pull the color score down slightly. Artifacts such as ghosting, aliasing, haloing, and color quantization are sometimes visible but won’t be much of an issue for most users.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra also does very well in the Zoom category. At 100, it scores only one point lower than the current top score, thanks to an excellent ultra-wide camera with a vast field of view and excellent dynamic range. The dedicated telelens captures exquisite detail across the zoom range, but fusion artifacts that can be visible at some zoom settings leave some room for improvement.
It should be mentioned that the new camera did produce the occasional focus failure both in the lab and in real-life test conditions, which is why its autofocus score is not on the same level as the very best devices in this category.
Large image sensors like the Samsung ISOCELL model used in the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra usually have one drawback — a shallow depth of field that means people or objects in the background tend to be out of focus and rendered soft. Xiaomi has found an exquisite solution to this issue on the Mi 11 Ultra: an AI function identifies subjects in the background that are slightly blurred and sharpens them.
This technique works very well, as you can see in this comparison. Of the three images below, despite using the largest sensor, the Xiaomi image renders the person at the back the sharpest. The Huawei device, which also features a huge image sensor (1/1.28-inch), renders the background subject noticeably softer.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra achieves texture and noise scores among the very best, resulting in an excellent texture/noise tradeoff. It renders fine detail nicely and controls noise well in pretty much all conditions. Only in meager light can we see a drop-off in texture. Noise levels remain low even in the most challenging conditions — a real plus.
In this outdoor scene, the Xiaomi produces very slightly better detail than both comparison devices. This said the differences are so small that they won’t matter to many users.
The Xiaomi camera does an excellent job of capturing night scenes. Target exposure is good in HDR scenes such as the one below, delivering decent exposure on the subject while maintaining good detail in the brighter background. In this comparison, Huawei delivers a slightly better target exposure on the face, while Samsung underexposes quite strongly.
3. ONEPLUS 9 PRO
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 48 MP 1/1.43″ Quad-Bayer sensor, 1.12μm, 23 mm-equivalent f/1.8-aperture lenses, PDAF and OIS
- Ultra-wide: 50 MP 1/1.56″ sensor, 1μm, 14 mm-equivalent f/2.2-aperture lens
- Tele: 8 MP sensor, 1μm, 77 mm-equivalent f/2.4-aperture lens, OIS
- 2 MP monochrome sensor (not tested)
- Video: 4320p at 30 fps, 2160p at 120/60/30 fps, 1080p at 60/30 fps
The OnePlus 9 Pro’s Photo is a good indicator that it gets most of the basics right. Dynamic range is awe-inspiring, with bright highlights often well preserved when shooting in high-contrast conditions. People's target exposures can be a little low in strongly backlit shots, and our testers observed occasional exposure instabilities. Still, for the most part, you can rely on the 9 Pro to deliver nice exposure.
White balance is fairly neutral in most shots, too, and colors are generally well saturated. Skin tone rendering could be improved slightly, though, as a greenish tint often makes portraits look a little unnatural. Detail is awe-inspiring in outdoor shots, and even as the light levels drop, the device can retain detail in fine structures.
Issues with noise and autofocus were our main concerns in the Photo analysis. The good detail rendering comes at the expense of a fairly high chromatic and luminance noise level, which is visible in most images. Autofocus failures sometimes occur, too. While we found focusing on being fairly fast and accurate under bright, well-balanced lighting conditions, the OnePlus 9 Pro tends to struggle a little in high-contrast scenes as well as in low light.
Under scrutiny, multiple artifacts such as color quantization, aliasing, moiré, hue shift, and ringing are also visible. On the plus side, though, the 9 Pro boasts a reliable preview image and a generally accurate representation of the final exposure.
The lack of a dedicated telelens means medium-, and long-range zoom shots lack detail, but the device is good at close range, with the level of detail fairly high. Tele shots display accurate exposure, but noise is visible in most images.
The ultra-wide module doesn’t offer the widest field of view we’ve tested, but its 14mm-equivalent lens is a useful addition. Geometric distortions are well controlled, and the ultra-wide camera generally delivers accurate exposures in all lighting conditions. On the downside, the slight white balance color casts we observed on the main camera persist in wide shots, but an unpleasant purple color fringing in some images is more concern.
Moving image enthusiasts will be impressed by its performance both indoors and outdoors. Exposures are accurate, noise is well controlled, and autofocus is fast to react. Some autofocus failures and loss of detail can be seen in low light and strong frameshifts and visible artifacts in most recordings. Still, overall there’s a lot to like about the OnePlus 9 Pro’s video performance.
Below you can find a detailed analysis and image samples for all Photo, Zoom, and Video sub-attributes, as well as comparisons with two of the OnePlus 9 Pro’s competitors, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon) and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra.
4. IPHONE 12 PRO MAX
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 12 MP sensor (1.7µ photosites), 26 mm-equivalent f/1.6-aperture lenses, sensor-shift OIS, PDAF
- Ultra-wide: 12 MP 1/3.6″ sensor, 13 mm-equivalent (14 mm measured) f/2.4-aperture lens
- Tele: 12 MP 1/3.4″ sensor, 65 mm-equivalent f/2.2-aperture lens, PDAF, OIS
- LiDAR depth sensing
- LED flash
- 4K Dolby Vision HDR video at 24/30/60 fps (2160p/30 fps tested)
Apple’s iPhones generally offer excellent imaging performance, but last year’s models have been pushed down in our rankings by the latest and greatest from other phone makers. With the iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple again storms the heights of our database but doesn’t quite reach the top.
Exposure is generally accurate (as you’d hope), especially on portraits, and even down to deficient light levels. LHowever, a less impressive dynamic range holds the exposure score back as highlights and shadows tend to clip when the camera faces scenes with a very high brightness range. Color is generally pleasant, especially indoors, where a slightly warm rendering is often flattering. However, in high dynamic range scenes, color is less reliable.
Autofocus is particularly fast and accurate, with the iPhone 12 Pro Max setting a new high for this sub-score. Despite the larger sensor, the main camera also maintains enough depth of field (and manages it properly) to keep everyone in focus in our group test shots.
The phone balances texture and noise better than the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and texture preservation is excellent, with the camera hanging onto detail even as light levels drop. Noise is also lower than we measured in its predecessor. But despite the improvements, the very best of the competition still manages to balance noise and detail more deftly.
Apple was an early mover in simulating background blur with a dedicated portrait mode. Its latest effort delivers nice results, with pretty good subject separation, a natural-looking blur gradient, and uniform noise across the frame. However, that fancy LiDAR sensor apparently isn’t the be-all and end-all of depth mapping, as we still see artifacts around difficult subjects like hair.
Image artifacts are reasonably well controlled, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max actually takes a small step backward from its predecessor, losing three points for this sub-score. Hue shift, color quantization, ringing, and ghosting are often visible if you’re looking for them.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max ties for second place in our video testing with the Huawei P40 Pro, leaving Huawei’s Mate 40 Pro at the top of the list. Apple adds Dolby Vision HDR support, which delivers high dynamic range and pleasant tone mapping when played back on a compatible display. Dynamic range is wide in general, though highlights can still clip in extreme situations.
Texture and noise are well balanced under most conditions, with low noise and plenty of detail present when shooting outdoors or in moderate indoor lighting. Light levels have to get quite low before noise becomes intrusive and detail drops. Color is generally pleasant, despite some slight white balance casts that are sometimes visible (more so in meager light).
As with stills, video autofocus is accurate and fast, with quick and smooth shifts when subject distance changes. Stabilization is also effective, including when walking or panning.
Even though the exposure is generally accurate, our testers noticed slight exposure instabilities under all conditions. Flare and color quantization also show up sometimes, but overall video performance is excellent.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max earns a perfect texture score, confirming that it holds onto detail very well, even as light levels drop. It does better in this regard than the 11 Pro Max through most of the tested range, and in the chart below, we see that it significantly beats the Samsung reference device at deficient light levels, though it can’t keep up with the Huawei when the lights go down.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is a capable night shooter and an improvement over the 11 Pro Max, but it lags the very best of the competition. Exposures are good down to low light levels, and the dynamic range is fairly wide. Colors are usually pleasant. The iPhone manages a nice bright exposure and balances noise and detail better than the Samsung in the example below. Both the Samsung and the Huawei make slightly darker exposures, but the P40 Pro’s excellent night performance sets it apart from the other two.
5. VIVO X60 PRO
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 48 MP 1/2.0-inch sensor with 0.8µm pixels, 26 mm-equivalent f/1.5-aperture lens, PDAF, OIS
- Ultra-wide: 13 MP sensor, 120° field of view, 16 mm-equivalent f/2.2-aperture lens
- Tele 1: 13 MP 1/2.8-inch sensor with 0.8µm pixels, 50 mm-equivalent f/2.5 lens (2x optical), PDAF
- Tele 2: 8 MP 1/4-inch sensor, periscope-style 125 mm-equivalent f/3.4-aperture lens (5x optical), PDAF, OIS
- 2160p/30 fps, 1080p/60 fps video with gyro-EIS
The Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Exynos) camera captures excellent pictures in both outdoor and indoor conditions, with generally good HDR rendering and nice colors. Its Photo score puts it in the top ten for the Premium segment, but some weaknesses in low-light conditions prevented it from scoring higher.
In the Zoom department, the dual tele-modules (with an ultra-wide) help the Vivo X60 Pro 5G. This is a good score for the Premium segment, but our testing showed a fairly low detail in ultra-wide and close-range zoom shots. Detail is better at longer focal lengths. Overall, the Vivo X60 Pro 5G is a favorable option for tele shots than other Premium options that don’t feature a tele lens, such as the Xiaomi Mi 11.
The device is some ways behind similarly priced smartphones, dropping to 11th place in our Premium segment ranking. Generally, pleasant color rendering with nice skin tones and high levels of detail when shooting movies in good lighting conditions are the Vivo X60 Pro 5G’s main strengths. However, video exposure, autofocus instabilities, ineffective stabilization,, and fairly high noise hold the device back.
Below you can find a detailed analysis and image samples for all Photo, Zoom, and Video sub-attributes, as well as comparisons with the Vivo’s alternative X60 Pro+ 5G and the Ultra-Premium Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ and the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra.
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