Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Early photo comparison with iPhone 17 Pro and Vivo X300 Pro
After releasing a camera comparison between the Galaxy S26 Ultra (purchased in advance) and its predecessor, Indian YouTuber Sahil Karoul shared additional comparison photos on X to show how well Samsung’s upcoming flagship stacks up against the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Vivo X300 Pro. Unedited images were also briefly available via Samsung Cloud. As with the initial comparison, Samsung promptly took down those images, preventing us from accessing higher-quality versions of some of the photos. Even so, we managed to download the 24 MP shots before Samsung enforced those restrictions.
First, the Galaxy S26 Ultra went head-to-head with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Images captured with their respective main cameras and telephoto lenses (5x on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and 4x on the iPhone 17 Pro Max) once again demonstrate that Samsung is opting for a restrained yet more realistic colour science – a point emphasised by leaker and Samsung critic Ice Universe in a reaction post. In the telephoto shot of the hotel logo, Apple delivered significantly higher contrast, whilst Samsung’s rendition appears closer to how the subject looks in reality, though it may require some editing to stand out on social media.
Neutral Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. vivid Vivo X300 Pro
Samsung S26 Ultra’s natural color rendering is further illustrated when compared with the Vivo X300 Pro’s Zeiss camera system, which, in fairness, probably wasn’t running in the more neutral Zeiss mode. In its default Vivid mode, the X300 Pro produced high-contrast and saturated images that the Galaxy S26 Ultra can’t replicate. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference: Vivo’s images are arguably better suited to social media, whereas Samsung’s photos are more in line with reality.
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The tricky colour red: Three models in close-up test
Accurately rendering the vase with red artificial berries (visible in the first few photos) poses a slight challenge for all devices. It is worth noting that Vivo’s bright and overexposed image is likely far from accurate and also appears blurry in certain areas. We personally prefer the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s rendition the most.
What does 24 MP mode offer?
Finally, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s new 24 MP mode was tested against the predecessor’s 12 MP camera. The 24 MP version below can be viewed in full resolution, though unfortunately we were unable to download the 12 MP shot from Samsung Cloud in time.
Even so, further analysis by X users revealed that the 24 MP image holds a clear advantage when magnified. AI processing also helps the photo appear sharper and less noisy. That said, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s shot looks more natural and less processed. It’s worth noting that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s software may not represent the finalised version shipped with the device on 11 March.
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