Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional digicam take a look at: it is not shut

It’s 2023, and also you’re in search of a smartphone that takes unimaginable footage. There are few higher choices out there than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely and Google Pixel 7 Professional. They each ship two of essentially the most succesful digicam methods in the marketplace at the moment, with highly effective imaging {hardware} and complicated software program in addition.

However which of those telephones has the finest digicam efficiency? The Galaxy S23 Extremely has a model new 200-megapixel digicam that guarantees to be a game-changer, however the Pixel 7 Professional is a well-established digicam champ that’s powerful to beat. We put the 2 telephones head-to-head to see what would occur.

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: digicam specs

As with all good digicam comparability, we’ll kick issues off by taking a look at every telephone’s digicam specs. On the coronary heart of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely is a 200MP digicam. You possibly can take full 200MP footage if you want, however the true draw is the way it makes use of pixel binning to ship 12MP pictures which can be filled with element, have nice colours, and might seize quite a lot of mild in darkish environments.

It’s joined by two 10MP telephoto cameras — one set at 3x optical zoom and one other with 10x optical zoom utilizing a periscope zoom system. There’s additionally a 12MP wide-angle digicam with a 120-degree subject of view, plus a 12MP selfie digicam.

Transfer over to the Google Pixel 7 Professional, and also you get a 50MP major digicam that additionally makes use of pixel binning to ship wonderful 12MP pictures. That major digicam is accompanied by a single 48MP telephoto digicam with 5x optical zoom, a 12MP ultra-wide digicam with a 126-degree subject of view, and a ten.8MP selfie digicam.

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: major digicam

The primary digicam is the one you’ll doubtless be utilizing essentially the most, so let’s begin there. As talked about above, each the Galaxy S23 Extremely and Pixel 7 Professional use pixel binning by default to provide 12MP pictures from their cameras. You possibly can power the S23 Extremely to take full 200MP photographs, however for the sake of this comparability, we stored each telephones of their 12MP modes.

Beginning with the photograph of downtown Manhattan, we’ve a stunning view of a vibrant blue sky with a sea of Citi Bikes under it. It’s a scene that each telephones deal with with ease, although the Pixel 7 Professional comes out forward. Look intently on the Citi Bikes, and also you see quite a lot of noise within the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s photograph. The Pixel 7 Professional brightens them extra and preserves much more element within the course of. The identical is true of the white truck in the correct nook. Within the S23 Extremely picture, the door is grainy, and the entrance grille is barely seen. Within the Pixel 7 Professional shot, the whole lot is as clear as you would ask for. Mixed with a extra reasonable sky, the Pixel 7 Professional’s picture has quite a lot of benefits.

Our subsequent photograph is a shot of the Vessel vacationer attraction in NYC with a reasonably overcast sky behind it. Each the Galaxy S23 Extremely and Pixel 7 Professional produce nice outcomes right here, and this time, it’s fairly a bit tougher to discern any clear variations. However they’re there! Look within the far-left nook, and the S23 Extremely provides the sliver of blue sky a way more vivid hue, whereas the Pixel 7 Professional retains a extra lifelike look. The Pixel 7 Professional provides elements of the Vessel a barely darker brown shade, but it surely’s a really delicate distinction. General, there’s little to complain about with both {photograph}.

The S23 Extremely’s tendency to provide punchy and vivid colours usually works in its favor, however there are occasions when it goes a bit overboard. The above shot of the pasta dish is a good instance of this. The Galaxy S23 Extremely’s photograph provides the pasta an intense orange shade, with the saturation turned as much as 11. It’s vibrant and attention-grabbing, but it surely finally ends up being a bit too a lot. The Pixel 7 Professional’s picture, by comparability, is way more reasonable. The meals nonetheless seems appetizing with out showing to have come from a cartoon.

However it’s solely typically that the S23 Extremely goes overboard with its colours. Different occasions, it simply comes out on prime. The photograph of the sandwich was taken in a restaurant with a very intense mild instantly overhead. It was a difficult shot, and each telephones present it. The Galaxy S23 Extremely once more favors massive, daring colours, giving the sandwich and fries a definite yellow shade. It’s not 100% correct, however the sandwich seems relatively tasty — which isn’t a phrase I’d use to explain the sandwich within the Pixel 7 Professional’s photograph. Right here, it seems uninteresting, lifeless, and never like one thing I’d wish to sit down and eat.

We’ll finish the primary digicam showdown with an image of the neon OnePlus signal. The Galaxy S23 Extremely permits the signal to pop splendidly whereas retaining nice element within the bench and wall. The Pixel 7 Professional doesn’t know the way to deal with the shadows from the sunshine, fuzzes up the element within the wall, and creates a a lot much less spectacular picture due to these items.

Scanning by the handfuls and dozens of photographs I’ve taken with each telephones, I usually see Galaxy S23 Extremely photographs I choose, after which ones I like higher from the Pixel 7 Professional. Google’s HDR processing continues to be a champ for bringing out nice element in darker areas, whereas Samsung’s vivid colours can do an excellent job of boosting photographs after they really want it. Each telephones commerce punches fairly evenly with their distinctive benefits, and it’s why I’m calling this one a draw.

Winner: Draw

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: large digicam

The Galaxy S23 Extremely and Pixel 7 Professional each share a 12MP decision for his or her respective wide-angle cameras, however the Pixel 7 Professional’s sensor provides you a barely wider view (126 levels as a substitute of the 120 levels you get on the S23 Extremely).

Beginning with the photograph of the boat subsequent to the dock, the Galaxy S23 Extremely comes out with a robust lead proper off the bat. The water has extra depth to it, the blue sky pops extra, and all of it contrasts properly with the brown dock resulting in the purple boat. The Pixel 7 Professional’s photograph is a bit uninteresting by comparability. It additionally overexposes the white paint on the boat and doesn’t maintain as a lot element within the dock. The S23 Extremely simply takes this one.

Our subsequent cease is a mural atop the Excessive Line park in NYC. As soon as once more, the Galaxy S23 Extremely delivers a bluer, punchier sky that actually jumps out at you. The entire colours of the mural are additionally brighter, whereas they seem drabber within the Pixel 7 Professional photograph. Zooming in an excessive amount of on both shot reveals that finer element is missing, however that’s usually the case with any wide-angle digicam.

Lastly, we’ve the photograph of the big wheel by the dock. This one does job displaying the broader subject of view from the Pixel 7 Professional’s digicam. It’s not a major distinction, however it’s there. In any other case, the identical strengths of the Galaxy S23 Extremely stay current. Samsung’s photograph has a bluer sky, a hotter hue for the wheel, and simply has extra life than the Pixel 7 Professional’s shot seems to have.

Even with its wider digicam, the Pixel 7 Professional loses this spherical to the Galaxy S23 Extremely.

Winner: Galaxy S23 Extremely

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: telephoto digicam

There are quite a lot of spectacular issues in regards to the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s digicam system, however the star of the present is its telephoto efficiency. The 2 telephoto cameras offer you choices for 3x and 10x optical zoom, with the choice to go all the way in which as much as 100x zoom. The Pixel 7 Professional has a single 5x optical zoom vary and helps a complete zoom as much as 30x.

We’ll start with a easy 3x zoom shot. The S23 Extremely provides us a a lot brighter sky (nearly to a fault), whereas the Pixel 7 Professional is extra grounded in actuality. Each pictures are actually stable, however zoom in intently, and the S23 Extremely already exhibits its zooming benefit. The Galaxy S23 Extremely retains extra element within the base of the Little Island construction, and even within the buildings within the distance. It’s not an instantly obvious benefit, however it’s there.

Subsequent is a 10x zoom photograph of The Edge in NYC. The Pixel 7 Professional doesn’t do a dangerous job, however the Galaxy S23 Extremely is clearly forward. The brown metallic construction is a blurry mess within the Pixel 7 Professional’s photograph, but it surely’s sharp and detailed within the S23 Extremely’s shot. The identical is true of the constructing within the bottom-right nook and The Edge itself. The Pixel 7 Professional’s photograph is usable — simply not pretty much as good.

Take a 30x shot with each telephones, and there’s no competitors about which one wins. The Galaxy S23 Extremely delivers a photograph that’s surprisingly detailed, clearly displaying the superb traces all through the constructing, the balcony, and even the individuals standing on it. The Pixel 7 Professional does its finest, however its photograph is noisy, missing element, and simply not notably good to take a look at.

Going again to a 10x zoom photograph, a seagull determined to pose for a pleasant portrait. The Pixel 7 Professional does a surprisingly good job right here, contemplating that its optical zoom maxes out at 5x, however the Galaxy S23 Extremely nonetheless has it beat. Zoom in on the chicken, and also you’ll see significantly extra element in its feathers and ft.

Lastly, the 10x photograph of the boat drives house the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s zooming dominance. In its photograph, you may clearly make out superb particulars on the boat, the rust towards its underside, and the buildings behind it within the distance. This stuff are nonetheless technically seen within the Pixel 7 Professional picture, however they give the impression of being worse in each method — softer, blurrier, and with inferior colours.

This could go with out saying, however the Galaxy S23 Extremely wins the telephoto digicam class.

Winner: Galaxy S23 Extremely

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: portrait mode

A great portrait mode is a should for any fashionable smartphone, so how do the Galaxy S23 Extremely and Pixel 7 Professional fare on this division? We’ll start our evaluation with the portrait mode photograph of the drink within the Delta Sky Membership. The drink is noticeably brighter within the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s photograph in comparison with the Pixel 7 Professional’s picture. Zoom in intently, and there’s a bit extra element in Samsung’s photograph as properly.

Each telephones do a very nice job with the bokeh impact, although there are a few areas the place the S23 Extremely comes out forward (see the highest left of the glass, plus the highest of the spear). I additionally choose the extra intense blur impact the S23 Extremely delivers.

Subsequent is the portrait mode photograph of the succulent. This can be a nice instance of the Pixel 7 Professional’s wonderful HDR processing; it manages to carry out finer particulars within the succulent’s leaves that aren’t as simply seen within the S23 Extremely image. That mentioned, Samsung once more does a greater job with the precise portrait impact. The cutout for the succulent is way cleaner, and the blur impact does a greater job of hiding the constructing within the background.

Lastly, there’s the portrait mode photograph of the binoculars overlooking Chelsea. This can be a tough topic, and neither telephone handles it completely. However identical to with the final two photographs, it’s the Galaxy S23 Extremely that finally ends up taking the higher shot. The Pixel 7 Professional’s blur impact across the prime of the binoculars is noticeably uneven, whereas it seems wonderful within the S23 Extremely picture. Samsung continues to ship extra pleasing colours, too and retains churning out a stronger blur impact for the background.

That is a simple one to name — the Galaxy S23 Extremely takes this spherical.

Winner: Galaxy S23 Extremely

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: night time mode

Simply as necessary as portrait mode — if no more so — is night time mode. How do the Galaxy S23 Extremely and Pixel 7 Professional carry out when the lights go down? We start with a photograph of a scorching toddy in a dimly lit resort bar. The Galaxy S23 Extremely retains the scene a bit darkish, because it appeared in actual life, with a pleasant pure blur and a satisfying shade for the drink. The Pixel 7 Professional makes an attempt to brighten the scene extra, and whereas it makes the background extra clearly seen, it additionally makes the drink look relatively disagreeable.

Within the subsequent photograph of downtown New York at about 8 p.m., there’s rather a lot to soak up. We’ll begin with the sky. There’s quite a lot of mild bleed within the Pixel 7 Professional photograph that the Galaxy S23 Extremely manages to cover higher. It provides the sky a darker, more true look, and permits you to spot a number of stars that aren’t seen within the Pixel 7 Professional {photograph}.

The buildings within the far-right nook are darkish and noisy within the Galaxy S23 Extremely picture, however are clear and pretty detailed within the Pixel 7 Professional’s shot. The brick constructing above the Detroit Pizza signal is stripped away of its element within the Pixel 7 Professional image, whereas the Galaxy S23 Extremely retains it significantly better.

The photographs of the Nook Bistro signal look very comparable at first look, however there are some things price mentioning. Zoom in, and the signal is sharper within the Galaxy S23 Extremely photograph. There’s additionally far much less noise within the constructing behind it, and the brick constructing the signal is connected to has much more element in comparison with the way it seems within the Pixel’s picture.

Google’s Pixel 7 Professional is a robust night time mode performer, and a digicam I’d fortunately use at nighttime. However when it comes all the way down to it, the Galaxy S23 Extremely will get the win.

Winner: Galaxy S23 Extremely

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. Pixel 7 Professional: selfie digicam

Lastly, let’s take a fast have a look at the selfie digicam. Taken in entrance of a window throughout an overcast afternoon in Michigan, each telephones ship superb selfies. The element isn’t nice on both of them, however they get the job completed.

The Galaxy S23 Extremely does a barely higher job retaining the element in my shirt, however I a lot choose how the Pixel 7 Professional handles my pores and skin. I’m pale, however the Galaxy S23 Extremely makes me look utterly lifeless. I additionally assume the Pixel 7 Professional delivers barely higher edge detection than the Samsung telephone.

It’s an in depth one, however the Pixel 7 Professional wins the selfie spherical.

Winner: Pixel 7 Professional

The Galaxy S23 Extremely is the brand new digicam champ

After six rounds, the Galaxy S23 Extremely received 4, the Pixel 7 Professional received one, and the telephones tied in a single. In different phrases, Samsung comes out forward with a transparent victory over Google.

It’s necessary to keep in mind that the Pixel 7 Professional stays an wonderful digicam smartphone. However in contrast head-to-head with the Galaxy S23 Extremely, Samsung delivers a extra succesful images suite. The primary digicam in the end comes all the way down to your private choice for shade copy, however with wins for the ultrawide digicam, telephoto digicam, portrait mode, and night time mode efficiency, Samsung comes out swinging.

The Pixel 7 Professional continues to be an excellent alternative if you would like an excellent point-and-shoot digicam expertise, however when it comes all the way down to it, the Galaxy S23 Extremely is the brand new digicam champ. There’s a motive it’s the finest Android telephone you should buy at the moment.

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