Robert Triggs / Android Authority
When we talk about Android’s best camera flagships, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra finds its way toward the top of the list. Samsung continues to pack in a well-rounded camera setup that is known for its versatility, and the phone’s popularity around the world gives it a deserved win. But if you aren’t afraid to break away from the crowd and try something different, there are arguably other better camera flagships around. I had the chance to use the Xiaomi 14 Ultra at a photo walk in Singapore, and to me, it’s a better camera smartphone than the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Xiaomi 14 Ultra: Camera specs and comparison
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | Xiaomi 14 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary camera | 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2SX, f/1.7, 1/1.3-inch sensor, 0.6µm pixel, OIS, AF | 50MP Sony LYT-900, f/1.63-f/4 stepless variable aperture, 1-inch sensor, 1.6µm pixel, OIS, AF |
| Ultrawide camera | 12MP Sony IMX564, f/2.2, 120° FoV, 1.4µm pixel, AF | 50MP Sony IMX858, f/1.8, 122° FoV, 0.7µm pixel, AF, 5cm macro photos |
| Zoom camera 1 | 10MP Sony IMX754, f/2.4, 1.12µm pixel, 3x optical zoom, OIS, AF | 50MP Sony IMX858, f/1.8, 0.7µm pixel, 3.2x optical zoom, OIS, AF, 10cm macro photos |
| Zoom camera 2 | 50MP Sony IMX854, f/3.4, 0.7µm pixel, 5x optical zoom, OIS, AF | 50MP Sony IMX858, f/2.5, 0.7µm pixel, 5x optical zoom through periscope, OIS, AF, 30cm macro photos |
| Front camera | 12MP, f/2.2 | 32MP, f/2.0 |
Both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra have impressive camera setups. However, the spec sheet is tilted heavily in Xiaomi’s favor. Samsung has prioritized a high megapixel count for the primary camera and a good sensor for the second telephoto but is slacking off a bit for the first telephoto and ultrawide lenses. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra goes for 50MP sensors across the board, with the primary camera being a 1-inch-type Sony LYT-900 sensor and the other three being Sony IMX858 sensors with wide apertures throughout. Even for the front camera, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is ahead by a good margin.
But how do these specifications translate in real life?
I’ve used both Samsung and Xiaomi’s Ultra flagships for the past few generations, and in my experience, the latter have always been a step ahead. Samsung prides itself on versatility, but the performance of the individual cameras did not hold up when compared to Xiaomi in the past. So when Xiaomi is also able to match up in versatility, Samsung’s lead dries up.
With the Galaxy S24 Ultra vs the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, my experience has been more of the same.
In the images below, I’ve used both cameras in a simple point-and-shoot manner, without stopping by to focus on a subject purposefully. On the Galaxy S24 Ultra, I used the default 12.5MP mode, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is also set to the default photo mode with the Leica Vibrant color profile. Both phones have HDR set to auto.
Galaxy S24 Ultra
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
In the first set of images,
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra gets the scene’s brightness right and diffuses the light better. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, on the other hand, renders the scene’s brightness rather weirdly, dimming it beyond reality. Despite the dim light, the wall graffiti appears brighter in the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s image, while the Xiaomi 14 Ultra does not shy away from keeping things darker for a more harmonious look.
In the next sample,
The harsh noon sunlight in Singapore had stripped a lot of color from reality, which is better highlighted in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s samples. You can also find this harsh sunlight consistent across the first image, from the skin tones to the red caution sign, the yellow marking on the road, and the white building across.
In the second set of images,
Because of this, the perceived colors in darker areas are more accurately represented by the Xiaomi 14 Ultra than by the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung gave the doors an almost beige-like color, while they were closer to a caramel brown in real life.
In this flower shot,
The result is a nice shot that is accurate in colors. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has more of the foliage in focus, as the smaller 200MP sensor does not create any natural bokeh.
These are interesting shots for auto mode,
In the softer evening light, the green tint on my Galaxy S24 Ultra becomes apparent, especially when compared to the results from the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
While the Galaxy S24 series touted its Galaxy AI features,
Look at the 30x samples above, and note that both phones optically max out at 5x zoom. Xiaomi’s AI Ultra Zoom on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra trumps what you can get from the Galaxy S24 Ultra at that zoom range.
As I mentioned, though, AI Ultra Zoom falters with people,
So it is…