Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 12 Pro Max Camera Showdown

The crisp white snow and cool winter air accented the coming clash between two smartphone titans. High atop Seymour Mountain in Vancouver, BC, Canada, a historic battle between the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max was witnessed. Did we do drop tests? Did we test battery endurance? Nay! We tested the most important thing there is on any modern smartphone: The Camera(s).

The Samsung S21 Ultra 5G is the first flagship smartphone of 2021 and is the flag bearer for all Android-powered smartphones. The Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is the king of Cupertino and is the deadliest iOS powered device. We have pushed them in challenging snow-covered scenery and cold to see which one provides the best images in our Canadian Winter. All is revealed in the video below.

It’s clear, or not so clear that the cameras on both phones are extremely impressive and represent the best of what each company has to offer. But there are certainly differences in how they create the images that they do. Certainly, the iPhone’s images favour a brighter presentation, while the Samsung has a lot more detail but presents a darker image. Some that want more detail to play with may enjoy the latitude that the Samsung S21 Ultra 5G provides. Although, potentially, the iPhone 12 Pro Max and its available ProRAW image capture may recover the highlights.

Were you surprised at some of the results? How many did you get right compared to Mike? Even he was stumped at which phone took which photo at times. Fortunately, whether you’re into video or photo, both will capture a high-quality image.

What are your thoughts on the images coming out of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and the iPhone 12 Pro Max? Which one would you pick and why? Join the conversation in the comments below!