Comparing phone cameras is a fine balancing act, where everything from the price of the device to functionality is considered before taking the first photo. So, under normal circumstances, the Samsung Galaxy A54 would never face the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. After all, they are worlds apart in both of these realms. So why will you see a comparison between the two?
It’s simple. Because they are so different, how much better or worse is one compared to the other? Or are they closer together than Samsung would like you to think? Let’s see if we can save you money or convince you to spend more with one of the most unusual camera comparisons we’ve done yet.
How different are the cameras?
Samsung Galaxy A54 (right) and Galaxy S23 Ultra Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
There are cameras really different on paper. The Samsung Galaxy A54 has an f/1.8 aperture, a 50-megapixel main camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor size, autofocus, and optical image stabilization (OIS). It is joined by a 12MP wide-angle camera with a 123-degree field of view and a 5MP macro camera. The phone costs $450, or £499, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,199 — making it more than twice the price of the Galaxy A54.
Obviously, there are significant differences between the two on a hardware level, with the S23 Ultra using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy processor, which has been tweaked to help camera performance, and the A54 using Samsung’s Exynos 1380 processor.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (right) and Galaxy A54 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
There are four cameras on the back of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, starting with a massive 200MP main camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, f/1.7 aperture, autofocus, and OIS. It is joined by a 12MP wide-angle camera and a pair of 10MP telephoto cameras, which provide 3x and 10x optical zoom.
For the purposes of this test, we won’t explicitly rate each part, and we won’t seriously compare features where the S23 Ultra will clearly have an advantage. Instead, it’s all about seeing where the subtle differences lie and determining whether you should spend the extra money to get the Ultra.
Main camera
This is the key test. The main camera is the one that we will probably use the most and from which we expect the best performance. Obviously, the Galaxy A54 won’t take 200MP photos, but like the S23 Ultra, it usually takes 12MP photos in auto mode. I left both cameras in automatic mode and simply pointed them at the scene and pressed the shutter button. Everywhere you see unedited images, resized for easier online viewing.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
At first glance, the first photos look pretty similar, and if I was going to share them quickly, I wouldn’t have a problem with either of them. It’s only when you start studying them closely that the differences emerge. The Galaxy A54 has a shocking tendency to boost reds, greens and blues — and you can see it all over the picture.
The car’s red interior is not lipstick red like the A54, and the black bodywork is deeper than the blue-black of the A54. In both areas, the S23 Ultra’s DCI-P3 color gamut pays off as it’s far more accurate in real life. There’s more detail when you zoom in on the tires, and accumulated road dust also shows up in the S23 Ultra’s photo.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
These more natural colors are also evident in another S23 Ultra photo of a vase and flowers. The vase itself looks more natural and highlights the texture and shine from the sun. The different colors of the rose petals are subtle and attractive, while the Galaxy A54 goes for an in-your-face style that lacks the detail found in the S23 Ultra’s photo. The S23 Ultra’s photo ambience is also more inviting, with rays of light captured more effectively than the Galaxy A54, giving the photo an airy look that’s very similar to real life.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
Finally, see how differently the Galaxy S23 Ultra handles white balance in the coffee and cake photo, with a sharp white panel compared to the Galaxy A54’s bluer tone. The chocolate has more texture, the depth of field is more pleasant and natural, and the overall color balance is also more realistic.
When you put the photos side by side and examine them critically, the differences between them are obvious and I don’t think anyone can argue that the Galaxy S23 Ultra takes better photos. However, only view on them ask yourself how important the differences really are to you and think about what you plan to do with your photos.
Wide angle camera
What’s interesting about this part is that the wide-angle camera isn’t fantastic either. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s wide-angle camera has a more obvious fisheye effect, and the edge enhancement is visible in photos taken with both phones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra exposes photos better, and its images are usually sharper and more detailed, but not by much.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
The photo of the church is an excellent example of all these characteristics. In the S23 Ultra photo, you can see the flowers in the dark doorway more clearly, but also how much the building “leans” more than in the A54 photo. The walls are sharper and the texture more obvious, plus the colors are not as dull as in the A54 image.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
Our second photo shows the S23 Ultra’s slightly wider field of view, as well as its attractive color treatment and superb exposure. There is less noise in the sky as well. It’s definitely a photo I’d choose to share, but a filter would probably improve the Galaxy A54’s photo, so ask yourself again: is the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s better photo worth the extra money for you?
Yes, the optical zoom is worth it
The Galaxy A54 does not have an optical zoom feature, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has 3x and 10x optical zoom. To illustrate just how much of a difference this makes to photos, here are two sets of comparison images.
- 1. Galaxy A54 2x
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra 3x
The first couple of photos were taken with 2x zoom on the Galaxy A54 and 3x zoom on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung adds 2x zoom to the camera app, which encourages people to use it, and as you can see, the results aren’t all that special. The clock face is pixelated and the brick texture is lost in the digital enhancement. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 3x optical zoom is full of detail and much sharper.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
The second photo was taken with 10x digital zoom on the Galaxy A54 and is so inferior to the photo from the S23 Ultra that it hardly seems worthy of any comment. The S23 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom is excellent and lets you take photos that are simply impossible to replicate on most other phones, as this comparison with the Galaxy A54’s 10x digital zoom proves.
Night mode
There is an interesting difference between the two cameras when recording in night mode. The Galaxy A54 brightens up low-light scenes considerably and actually takes good photos when there’s still some ambient light. When it’s really dark, photos are very noisy, which the Galaxy S23 Ultra fixes with heavy smoothing.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
The amount of “light” captured by each camera in this photo is very similar, and while there is a lot more detail in the Galaxy S23 Ultra photo, the sky is significantly smoothed out, giving it a soft look. It’s clear that the S23 Ultra’s night footage is technically superior, but it’s also clear that the software is hard at work behind the scenes.
Portrait mode
The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s multiple cameras really improve portrait mode, giving you the chance to zoom in and increase the level of background blur, arguably adding some natural bokeh to the mostly software-created effect. The Galaxy A54 has no such function, and its photos are less impressive.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
The fluffy ball is a great example of where the S23 Ultra allowed me to step back when taking a photo, which helps center the subject in a way that was impossible to achieve with the Galaxy A54 while still maintaining the portrait effect.
Selfie camera
The Galaxy A54 has a 32MP selfie camera and the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 12MP selfie camera with a host of improvements, including phase detection autofocus (PDAF). Forget about megapixels here because the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s selfie camera takes much better photos. It’s not even close.
- 1. Galaxy A54
- 2. Galaxy S23 Ultra
More realistic skin tones, brighter colors, a stronger portrait mode effect and a lot more detail make selfies on the S23 Ultra look much better than on the Galaxy A54. If you’re serious about selfies, the more expensive Galaxy S23 Ultra will satisfy far more than a cheaper phone.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is better, but…
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (right) and Galaxy A54 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
There’s no point in judging these categories because it’s clear that the Galaxy S23 Ultra takes better and more technically impressive photos — and it’s also more versatile and feature-rich than the Galaxy A54. However, the point of this test is to see only how much there is a difference between the two and whether you feel it is worth the extra money or not. The Galaxy A54’s main and wide-angle cameras take good photos, if a little undersaturated, and I suspect many people will look at the samples and find them more than acceptable.
What you also see is the effect of the processor and software on the photos. On the S23 Ultra, night mode and portrait mode performance is noticeably better than on the Galaxy A54, which is undoubtedly due to more than just the cameras. Samsung has clearly tailored the S23 Ultra’s software for more discerning photographers, who can look critically at images, and has targeted the Galaxy A54 at those who want the most attractive image to share.
While there is a difference between the two, which will come as no surprise, it may not always be the huge gap you might expect. What you prefer will probably come down to what you do with your photos and how much you’re willing to spend on your next phone. This should help clarify whether or not you should spend the money on the S23 Ultra’s camera.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn