iPhone 18 Pro Beats Galaxy S26 Ultra on Realism as Samsung Wins 5x Zoom
Updated
Updated · TechRadar · Oct 2
iPhone 18 Pro Beats Galaxy S26 Ultra on Realism as Samsung Wins 5x Zoom
3 articles · Updated · TechRadar · Oct 2
Summary
A Hawaii camera test found Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro delivered the more consistent wide shots, with more natural color, stronger shadow detail and slightly brighter low-light images than Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra leaned into punchier, more stylized processing, which often made scenes look more vivid and helped it edge ahead on zoom thanks to 5x optical reach versus the iPhone’s 4x.
At extreme range, neither phone produced usable results at maximum digital zoom, though the Galaxy stayed competitive to around 50x and also offered an extra 3x optical option.
Apple pulled ahead on selfies with its 18MP front camera over Samsung’s 12MP sensor, while its variable aperture added pro-level control that was not used in the default-setting comparison.
The verdict favored the iPhone 18 Pro overall for realism, consistency and selfies, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra remained the stronger pick for stylized shots and zoom versatility in the 2026 camera-phone race.