Google's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have commanded the phone camera throne since launch, producing astonishingly good photos that are unsurpassed by rivals of a similar era such every bit the iPhone 10 and Samsung Galaxy Note viii.

Features similar Google's single-camera simulated background blur have been blowing people away with its results, merely in 2022 a new challenger has appeared in the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Both pack upgraded camera systems in an attempt to retake the crown. The Plus model in particular – and the focus of this commodity – moves to a Notation 8-like dual camera solution with several significant additions, forth with improvements to epitome processing.

On the hardware side, we take a 12-megapixel principal sensor with 1.4µm pixels and dual-pixel phase detection autofocus (PDAF), the same set of specs equally the main Galaxy S8 camera. Merely the new addition here is the lens, which features a hardware-adjustable aperture with two settings: an ultra-wide f/1.5 (up from f/ane.7 on the S8), and a more traditional f/2.4. The idea is the wider f/1.v discontinuity can exist used for brighter low light captures, while f/2.four can be used for daytime shots without needing to worry about a restrictive, shallow depth of field.

The secondary camera is too 12-megapixel, but here we have 1µm pixels and standard autofocus, along with an f/two.4 52mm lens, providing a 2x zoom relative to the main photographic camera. This is essentially the aforementioned setup every bit the Galaxy Note 8's secondary camera. In that location's OIS for both cameras, also.

And on the front, there'due south an viii-megapixel shooter with an f/1.7 25mm lens with autofocus and i.22µm pixels. Basically the same every bit the Galaxy S8 in this department.

In this article we're putting the Galaxy S9+ in a caput to head battle with the Pixel 2 Forty, across every aspect of camera operation. After all, a flagship handset should exist aiming to degrade the best camera on the market and provide buyers with the ultimate smartphone photographic camera experience. Can Samsung's Galaxy S9+ practice it?

As far as the Pixel 2 XL's camera hardware goes, we have but a single camera on the rear: a 12-megapixel sensor with 1.4µm pixels and dual-pixel PDAF paired with an f/ane.eight 27mm lens and OIS. Similar to the Galaxy S9+ from a hardware perspective, minus the dual-discontinuity lens and additional sensor. On the front is an 8-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.four 25mm lens and 1.4µm pixels.

General Photos

We'll start this comparison looking at some photos taken in good outdoor and indoor lighting. Throughout this entire comparison, photos were taken in the motorcar mode unless otherwise specified, with automatic metering in near cases. Spot focusing was occasionally used, and in those cases, the aforementioned spot area was used on both devices.

First up nosotros have a generic wide angle photo in the beautiful Australian sun. Here the Galaxy S9+ has chosen a more than accurate white residue, with a yellower tone versus the slightly 'cold' tone to the Pixel 2's prototype. Notwithstanding, the Pixel image is exposed correctly, which allows more detail to be captured in the bright concrete path. The Galaxy S9+ prototype is more vibrant, but lacks depth and the dynamic range of the image is less impressive.

Looking closer, it's clear the Pixel 2 has significantly meliorate paradigm particular. The short brown grass is sharper and more than highly detailed in the Pixel image, while the Galaxy S9+ suffers from the dreaded 'oil painting effect' due to noise reduction. At that place's besides much more detail in the leaves on the trees, and the grass in the foreground.

Exposure is once again an effect with this photo taken outdoors in brilliant sunlight. The Core i7 box is washed out in the Galaxy S9+ image equally a result of pushing the exposure also high, and as a upshot in that location is less depth to the colors. Similarly, the Pixel two image has much better depth and detail to the concrete area.

This is another photograph with wrong exposure from the Galaxy S9+, a common issue non just with these few samples, but with many photos I took in general with the handset. While this photograph is a good examination of dynamic range, with the sunny and shadowed areas, information technology'south the Pixel 2 Forty that produces a amend shot with plenty of detail in the adumbral area without blowing out highlights in the sunny surface area. As a consequence, the Pixel ii image has far more depth and detail to the rocks, forth with a more natural tone.

Continuing the trend of exploring automatic HDR, here is an indoor shot that is – and yous might have guessed it – overexposed on the Milky way S9+. The Pixel two prototype delivers more than detail on the fence outside and fewer areas of blown out highlights, such equally on the floor near the fridge. It is a slightly darker epitome, but it's not overwhelmed with crushed shadows.

In contrast, the above prototype is meliorate exposed and ameliorate metered on the Galaxy S9+; a rare event. The Galaxy S9+ photo is clearly better here, with a more natural yellowed tone (considering the sunny day), more natural brick tone, no diddled out highlights in the clouds and on the roofing in the background, and better dynamic range in general. The Pixel photo isn't metered correctly and while it does have superior detail, particularly in the rocky area, the photograph looks dull and contrast appears artificially inflated.

Moving indoors, hither we have a shot of some Lindt balls. Interestingly, in almost indoor situations with decent enough lighting, the Galaxy S9 opts to use its f/2.4 aperture rather than f/one.v. In this photo, the Pixel 2 XL with its f/1.8 does exhibit slightly better bokeh than the Galaxy S9+ in its f/two.iv way.

In terms of colour functioning, both images are vibrant, but neither really nails the color balance: the Galaxy S9 photo is likewise yellow, and the Pixel two XL photo is too cold. Again, the Pixel photo has noticeably amend detail but both of these photos are very good and hard to split.

In this photograph I manually used the Galaxy S9'due south f/1.v aperture to compare it to the Pixel 2 Forty's f/1.eight lens. Again, the Galaxy S9 photo is overexposed, but the Pixel ii XL is a scrap dim for the real world conditions, and the Galaxy S9 has produced a more vibrant result. Background blur is similar in both images, with a slight border to the Milky way S9.

This image is a keen instance of the perils of oversaturation and incorrect exposure. The Galaxy S9+ photograph is brighter and more vibrant, but there are ii key things to note: the reflection on the glass tabular array is diddled out, whereas there is noticeably more particular in this expanse in the Pixel 2 XL photo. Also, the Pixel two XL photo brings out the subtleties to the pinks and purples of the leaves, with greater color depth. The increased saturation of the Galaxy S9+ photograph ways you lose this detail and nuance every bit a consequence.

Again, I think a lot of people would be happy with either image, but the Pixel 2 Twoscore does a better chore in this situation.

I of the fundamental advantages to getting the Galaxy S9+ is its secondary 2x zoom camera. Some 2x zoom cameras are barely better than a simple digital zoom of the primary camera, however this is not the case with the Galaxy S9+. Comparison a 2x zoom photograph taken on the Galaxy to a 2x digitally cropped prototype from the Pixel shows noticeably more fine particular on the Milky way S9 image. Here, the Pixel camera solution suffers from not having this boosted camera.

This image was taken in hard lighting, with a strong light source to the correct causing reflections on the glossy book spines. The Pixel ii Xl image is superior hither, with improve exposure and white balance, delivering a more neutral blackness and more than detail in the bright reflected areas. The Galaxy prototype has a pinkish tone and overexposure causes high-stop detail to be lost in the bright reflections.

This photo is a clear win for the Pixel 2 XL. In that location is significantly more detail in the cat'due south fur in this photo taken in moderate light, along with more than nuances to the fur's colour, which is not a compatible white as accurately portrayed in the Pixel image. The Galaxy S9+ photograph is slightly whiter and brighter, but depth and detail is lost as a outcome.

This epitome was captured using the Galaxy S9+'s f/1.v lens, so at this point the lighting is dim plenty for the wider aperture to be activated, though all the same vivid enough for good results. Both photos here are well saturated and well exposed, probably thank you to the studio lighting used, though the tone to the Pixel 2 Twoscore paradigm is a fleck more natural.

Again, minor amounts of overexposure and slightly junior dynamic range to the Milky way S9+ image have caused a loss of detail in the blackness Lego model in the background. The Pixel 2 XL prototype has more depth across the board.

This last set of images is a test for how the 2 telephone cameras bargain with fast captures, and moving objects. In this test, I dropped the cricket ball from my hands and simultaneously pressed the capture button. The platonic shot would have been the ball mere milimeters from my fingertips later on releasing my grip.

What actually happened here is the Pixel 2 Forty captures a photo from slightly before I press the shutter, as the mode the Pixel photographic camera works is it is essentially always recording and delivers a photo instantly on the shutter press. Consistently, in this case, the photo is captured from a moment slightly before I request the photograph to be taken. For most people wanting an instant capture, this volition be fine.

The Galaxy S9+ has a longer shutter delay, which is why you can see the ball has dropped from my hands by a decent manner before the capture is taken. This lag of a few hundred milliseconds may annoy those looking for an instant capture, but information technology's however quite quick.

In terms of motility blur, the Milky way S9+ universally uses longer shutter speeds in decent lighting as it uses its f/two.iv lens, while the Pixel 2 40 lets in more than light through its f/ane.eight lens and can capture at a faster shutter speed. As a result, there'south around twice the motion blur in the Galaxy S9+ images, though incidentally the Milky way S9+'southward pixel readout is extremely fast and then images taken with this phone exhibit less rolling shutter than with the Pixel 2 XL.