I Took 500 Photos With The Two Best Android Camera Phones - And The Winner Was Obvious

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Oppo Find X8 Ultra performs amended than its Samsung rival successful almost each scenario.
• The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes adjacent successful ultrawide camera comparison.
• Oppo's flagship has unsocial features for illustration XPAN mode, Hasselblad colour science, and Master mode.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra houses 1 of nan astir versatile camera systems connected a mainstream phone, acknowledgment to its 2 telephoto cameras and an ultrawide sensor coupled pinch a 200MP superior camera.

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared nan champion Android phones, and it was very close

But nan Oppo Find X8 Ultra is equally, if not more, versatile. It has bigger sensors connected nan 4 50MP cameras connected its back. Plus, nan Oppo flagship is paired pinch a renewed Hasselblad partnership -- for other features for illustration XPAN mode, amended Portraits, and Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, re-engineered for mobile. 

I was confused astir which telephone to return connected my travel to Sweden, truthful I took some and compared nan results, which are... interesting.

Comparing nan camera specs

Oppo and Samsung flagships are immoderate of nan best phones of 2025. Both athletics 4 rear cameras, but nan Find X8 Ultra houses bigger sensors connected 3 of those. It is led by a 1-inch-type 50MP main sensor, which snaps amended value photos than Samsung's 200MP superior camera. 

But it's nan remainder of nan sensors that thief it return nan lead. The 10MP 3x optical zoom Samsung telephoto camera stands nary chance against Oppo's 50MP 3x optical zoom supported periscope camera, while it competes intimately successful ultrawide shots and 50MP secondary 5x (6x connected Oppo) periscope zoom photos.

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared nan champion Android phones, and it was very close

There's nary uncertainty that nan Find X8 Ultra has a amended camera package than nan Galaxy S25 Ultra, acknowledgment to its bigger sensors and Hasselblad colour science. But it tin besides beryllium inconsistent astatine times, giving nan separator to Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here's really nan 2 comparison successful my picnic photos.

It's each astir nan colour science

3x Portraits

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The Oppo Find X8 Ultra exposes nan subjects amended successful astir scenarios. It tends to brighten nan taxable successful harsh lighting conditions, making them look (almost) artificial, but I'd still for illustration it complete Samsung's under-exposed shots. For example, successful nan supra shots, my look looks amended exposed successful nan near image than successful Samsung's 3x portrait. Samsung has a warmer undertone, while Oppo's changeable looks much lively.

2x shots

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Oppo tin overdo nan processing astatine times. Neither of nan supra shots is perfect, but I would prime nan Galaxy S25 Ultra photograph because it doesn't look artificial. 

Also: Own a OnePlus phone? I changed 10 settings to importantly amended nan personification experience

While underexposed, it retains my tegument reside and looks much real, whereas Oppo blows retired nan highlights to an extent. It is 1 of those inconsistent processing scenarios that hap erstwhile successful a while, but it tin ruin nan vibe of nan photograph if you haven't snapped a backup shot.

1x lowlight

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The inconsistent processing is constricted only to harsh lighting conditions. Otherwise, Oppo's Find X8 Ultra thumps nan Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra successful each scenario. It consistently shoots better-looking shots successful debased light. Notice nan bulbs connected this lamp; Samsung couldn't get nan details, and nan wide changeable has much noise, while Oppo's image is sharper. 

6x Oppo optical zoom vs. 5x Samsung optical zoom

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This communicative continues connected their respective periscope zoom cameras. Oppo's 6x zoom captures much details, earthy bokeh, and nary noise, moreover successful debased light. Samsung's changeable looks dull contempt snapping a important magnitude of details, while Oppo's colors popular compared to nan Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Lowlight ultrawide shots

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Samsung competes amended successful ultrawide images. Both phones process saturated colors pinch plentifulness of specifications for a low-light shot. Outdoors, nan Galaxy S25 Ultra and Oppo Find X8 Ultra seizure arsenic good-looking shots, but Oppo's lively-looking colour subject appeals much to me.

Oppo takes nan barroom successful Portraits

6x Portraits changeable connected Oppo Find X8 Ultra

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I would prime nan Oppo Find X8 Ultra complete nan Galaxy S25 Ultra for image shots immoderate day. Even astatine 6x, nan image shots look fantastic, acknowledgment to Hasselblad colour science. In agleam lighting conditions, it processes a natural-looking bokeh and adapts to nan reside of its surroundings. 

For example, nan supra 2 photos were taken adjacent nan sea, truthful they person a cooler tone, but a image taken during sunset will person a warmer tone. 

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

To compare, Samsung's changeable looks little lively and tends to person fierce blur astir nan edges of nan subject, which makes a image changeable look unnatural. While it retains nan colour of my garment better, Oppo's photograph delivers nan vibe of nan spot pinch its warmer reside successful nonstop sunlight.

Also: Samsung is giving these Galaxy phones a large One UI upgrade - here's which models qualify

XPAN mode connected nan Oppo Find X8 Ultra

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There are aggregate things -- for illustration 6x tele macro and XPAN mode -- that you'll only find connected nan Oppo Find X8 Ultra. For nan unaware, XPAN mode is disposable connected OnePlus and Oppo flagship phones. It is inspired by Hasselblad's XPan feature, which allows you to seizure panoramic shots successful a unsocial 65:24 facet ratio. 

I emotion it because really other would I beryllium capable to threat creator ceilings successful castles aliases panoramic-like views successful scenic places? Definitely not pinch a regular view mode. 

Bottom line

Samsung gets a batch of things right, for illustration not adding a Camera Control-like button, which hinders nan scenery shooting acquisition connected my Oppo phone. However, nan South Korean elephantine needs to activity connected tuning nan colour subject if it wants to situation nan likes of Oppo Find X8 Ultra. For now, I would happily prime nan Oppo flagship complete a Galaxy S25 Ultra for its Hasselblad colors, amended portraits, Master mode, and XPAN mode. 

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