A detailed comparison of the cameras of the iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 4

iPhone 6 Plus became the first Apple tablet and immediately came in direct comparison with large smartphones from other manufacturers, in particular Galaxy Note 4 from Samsung, which already has 16 megapixels, which is twice as much as in the iPhone 6 Plus. Will these megapixels help him to make the best photos of him or is it just marketing tricks? This issue worries many, especially those users who buy a new smartphone for the sake of the camera. This was tried to understand my colleague from iMore Elli Kacmuch. About what she found out, read this article.

Features of the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note 4

First, let’s compare the characteristics of the cameras of both devices, they look like this:

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Note: all the images below are clickable. EXIF data will be shown for one snapshot from each test.

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: General view

In the pictures above, HDR was deliberately turned off, plus, photos were taken with the settings “out of the box”. The first thing that catches your eye is that the iPhone 6 Plus makes the picture warmer. A vivid example of this is the second and third image. It all depends on the personal preferences of everyone, but most people are likely to give the iPhone’s top score. Both smartphones have high-quality optics, so you should not have any problems when shooting scenes with enough lighting, or when shooting a starry sky.

Both smart phones have perfectly coped, but if you prefer warmer colors – your favorite iPhone 6 Plus, if it’s cool – Galaxy Note 4.

Winner: draw

EXIF data for a photo with a red door:

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: HDR photography

On the left is the iPhone 6 Plus, on the right Galaxy Note 4:

For this test, both smartphones have HDR enabled, all other settings remain unchanged. At first, it seemed that smartphones are “nostril to the nostril”, but then it became clear that one of them is breaking into the leaders. The first example is a photo with a brick wall – on it Galaxy Note 4 somehow “bleached” the red colors, while the iPhone 6 Plus gave these colors more accurately. But the red trees in the third picture look better with Note 4. Also note the lightening of the picture with HDR on the iPhone 6 Plus, this is clearly visible on the fourth photo with the house. The difference is not too striking, but notable.

Both cameras show good results, but Galaxy Note 4 images look more accurate and balanced.

Winner: Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data for a photo with a brick wall:

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Macro

On the left is the iPhone 6 Plus, on the right Galaxy Note 4:

Macro snapshots and photos from the FLIP were made from the same distance on both cameras, as close to the subject as the focus allowed. iPhone 6 Plus managed to make sharper pictures from a shorter distance than the Galaxy Note 4. This is clearly visible in the last photo with a sheet.

As for the depth of field and the bokeh effect, Galaxy Note 4 shows better results here, thanks to the selective focus mode. Just turn it on and select the point where the focus should be. Thanks to the special functions of the camera software, several photos will be taken with a different focus, which you can even change later. And this function is not just there, but it works great.

In the macro photo, the iPhone 6 Plus is leading, but when it comes to pictures with the GRIP, Galaxy Note 4 has an excellent trick.

Winner: macro – iPhone 6 Plus, GRIP – Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data for a photo with a sheet:

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: photo in low light

On the left is the iPhone 6 Plus, on the right Galaxy Note 4:

Pictures under poor lighting are always very intriguing in such comparisons. In the first photo, Note 4 showed significantly better results – higher brightness and less noise. Photos from the iPhone 6 Plus turned out to be not only darker, but also more noisy, which is quite strange. The second photo of the iPhone 6 Plus was corrected, giving a more balanced scene, while Note 4 showed a slightly darkened picture. Indoors, the iPhone 6 Plus shows itself on a very good side, leveling out bad artificial lighting and without adding unnecessary yellow shades that are common to all mobile cameras. The picture with the phone booth is brighter for Note 4, however the picture looks “faded”.

It’s hard to choose a winner, but I tend to take advantage of the fact that the iPhone 6 Plus shoots better in the room, while the Galaxy Note 4 shows itself well in poor outdoor lighting.

Winner: indoors – iPhone 6 Plus, on-the-head – Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data for the first snapshot:

For unknown reasons, there are no shutter speed and ISO data on all Galaxy Note 4 photos from this test. They are not displayed in Lightroom, iPhoto, or Photoshop.

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: flash photo

On the left is the iPhone 6 Plus, on the right Galaxy Note 4:

A flash photo can not be called bad in any of the two cameras, but the differences in tones will be important for some people. Using the True Tone flash in the iPhone 6 Plus, you can expect warmer shots from it. This is clearly visible in almost every photo. Again, this is a matter of taste, and is unlikely to be the determining factor in choosing.

Winner: draw

EXIF data for the first snapshot:

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: photo with zoom

On the left is the iPhone 6 Plus, on the right Galaxy Note 4:

Hardly there are many fans of digital zoom, because it’s easier to make a photo and then, if necessary, cut it. However, the zoom in Galaxy Note 4 was quite good and even with an increase in 8x the picture was not as granular as one would expect. The photo of the iPhone 6 Plus has the maximum zoom value, while the Galaxy Note 4 still has a stock. In general, it also shows a markedly better photo quality with the increase. Here in this Apple should learn from Samsung, a good zoom to us would not interfere.

Winner: Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data for a photo with a seagull (shutter speed and ISO in Pictures 4 are not displayed again):

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: Selfie

On the left is the iPhone 6 Plus, on the right Galaxy Note 4:

Galaxy Note 4 has a better front camera than the iPhone 6 Plus, both in resolution and in the value of the aperture. And this is clearly seen in the photo – a wide frame coverage and a less grainy picture. The only drawback of Note 4 is that it discolours the image in low light. In general, the front camera Note 4 is ahead of the iPhone 6 Plus.

Winner: Galaxy Note 4

EXIF data of the second photo:

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: panoramic photos

Above the iPhone 6 Plus, below the Galaxy Note 4:

Both smartphones take panoramic photos in the same way, automatically gluing them together with the magic of software. And both cope with their task perfectly. The only difference between the pictures with the iPhone 6 Plus is the more vivid picture and the best balance. This can be seen from the last two photos, where the iPhone 6 Plus was better able to determine the exposure. Panoramas with Galaxy Note are also quite good and even beautiful, but the darker it becomes on the street, the more noticeable the difference in the lack of brightness in the photo.

Winner: iPhone 6 Plus

EXIF data of the last photo (and again Note 4 does not show all the information):

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iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4: total

The cameras of modern smartphones are becoming so high-quality that most of the differences between them are not so significant. However, in the case of the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note 4, there are a few minor differences that may affect your choice. Overall, iPhone 6 Plus takes photos in warmer colors than Galaxy Note 4. This is a personal preference for most people, so keep this in mind when you make your choice. If you are among those who prefer the predominance of warm shades in the photo – choose iPhone 6 Plus, if you are nicer, cooler colors – your choice is Galaxy Note 4.

Not taking this difference into account, the choice is how you intend to use your camera and what functions to use. If you do a lot of selfie and often use zoom – Note 4 will be able to offer you more opportunities. If you like to experiment with your photos and use alternative applications for shooting – the App Store, no doubt, will be able to offer you a wider range of applications, thanks to the camera and gallery extensions in iOS 8.

And yet, the camera is just one of the factors when choosing a smartphone. You also need to consider which OS you like best, and which devices you have more from which ecosystem. Regardless of which smartphone you choose, iPhone 6 Plus or Galaxy Note 4 – both cameras are worthy of being proud of them.

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