Up until the official announcement of the Galaxy Note 8, the iPhone 7 Plus was widely considered to be one of the best – if not the best – smartphone cameras on the market. Now the Galaxy Note 8 has officially been revealed to the world and we know exactly what the device has going for it in the camera department. Suddenly, the iPhone 7 Plus’ perch atop the smartphone camera world isn’t so solid. The Galaxy Note 8 also offers a dual camera setup with some very exciting features. In this article, we’re going to compare the two and have an iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 dual camera showdown.
Before I jump into this comparison it should be noted that we are comparing specs on paper. Obviously I don’t yet have a Galaxy Note 8 to test. Of course, specs on paper are nice but real world performance is what truly matters. For now, we will assume the Galaxy Note 8 is great at everything it says it can do and hopefully they deliver on their promises once people start getting the devices in their hands.
Resolution
A great camera should be able to take high resolution pictures and video, right? No worries with either of these devices. Both feature a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens. As far as resolution goes, we have a tie in the iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 dual camera comparison.
Optical Image Stabilization
Optical image stabilization (OIS) is an important feature to have in your smartphone camera. It helps you take sharper photos and reduces shakiness when taking video. These days we have many amazing cameras packed into a small smartphone bodies but they rely on the steady hand of the user to turn out a good video. The Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 7 Plus both offer OIS to help you turn out better quality photos and videos. However, there is a difference between the two. The iPhony 7 Plus only has OIS in its wide-angle lens while both Galaxy Note 8 lenses offer the feature.
For many situations you likely wouldn’t notice the difference between the two cameras. If you’re taking a video while moving then the Galaxy Note 8 would likely produce a much more stable, high quality product.
Video Specs
Again, both smartphones perform very well when shooting video. You can shoot 4K and HD with both the iPhone 7 Plus and the Galaxy Note 8. As well, both devices are able to shoot slow motion video. The iPhone 7 Plus gets a small advantage in this area. While the Galaxy Note 8 can shoot slow motion video at 240fps at 720p and 60fps at 1080p; the iPhone 7 Plus is able to shoot slow motion video at 240fps at 720p and 120fps at 1080p. The 1080p slow motion recording gives the iPhone 7 Plus the advantage here. If you have ever seen a slow motion video shot on an iPhone 7 Plus then you know the kind of quality it can put out.
Not a huge difference for video shooting. Again, both devices perform incredibly well with one small difference. Many users wouldn’t notice this difference but it is definitely there and, depending on how you use your camera, could be a deciding factor in the iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 dual camera showdown.
Zoom
When it comes to taking zoomed-in shots, these two cameras are the best on the market. Both offer 2X optical zoom and 10X digital zoom. The optical zoom is what sets the iPhone 7 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 above the rest. Most smartphones, save for a select few, don’t have optical zoom. They rely on digital zoom. When comparing optical zoom and digital zoom; the difference is clear. Optical zoom will give a much sharper, more detailed shot of an object in the distance.
If you want a smartphone camera that takes amazing shots when zoomed in then both of these devices will perform admirably. They come with the same specs for zoom so you know that, either way, you’re getting a great device.
Software Features
This is the real difference in the iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 dual camera comparison. Both devices have their own unique features that set them apart from the pack. For the past year, the iPhone 7 Plus has been the king of portrait shots with its awesome Portrait Mode. Many competitors have tried to match the iPhone 7 Plus and offer their own version of Portrait Mode but they have all fallen short. That is, until now. Because the Galaxy Note 8 has a dual camera setup, it can capture the same quality image as the iPhone 7 and apply a portrait background blur to give a greater depth of field effect and put more focus on the subject. The reason these dual camera setups can take such good portrait shots is because the two cameras take images at slightly different angles and can better determine which part of the photo should be in the foreground and which part of the photo is in the background. Other devices don’t have that benefit so, sometimes, you will get a “halo” style effect around the subject where there is no blurring. The result is not even close the quality of the iPhone 7 Plus Portrait Mode.
The Galaxy Note 8 has baked in some software features to try and give it a leg up on the competition. Again, the dual camera setup allows the Galaxy Note 8 to do things that single camera smartphones simply cannot. For example, you can view pictures from different perspectives. This is possible because the dual camera essentially takes two images from slightly different angles. Using software, Samsung allows users to change the perspective at which they see the object in the photo.
Verdict
So, who wins the iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 dual camera comparison? I can’t pick a winner. Both devices have incredible specs on paper. There are small differences between them but, largely, they are very similar. If you have a unique need like the ability to shoot a lot of slow motion, HD videos then you may find that one camera suits you better than the other. The average smartphone user, however, likely won’t notice a lot of difference in performance between the two devices. They are atop the smartphone camera world right now and if you love taking photos you can’t go wrong with either one.
If you have the opportunity, take both cameras for a bit of a test and see how they perform in the real world. Which one do you feel comfortable with? That will be the ultimate decider. One thing is for sure: smartphone cameras have taken a big step forward in the last year or so and it’s exciting to see where the technology is going.
iPhone 7 Plus vs Galaxy Note 8 Dual Camera: Video Test
Video Courtesy: TechBuzz
