Samsung has recently launched its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S3. One of the most talked about features of its spec list is its camera. As one of the most important features for many when choosing a new smartphone, it competes with several other manufacturers’ flagship smartphones. In this article I will compare the camera with that of the wildly popular Apple iPhone 4S.
First of all I will look at the features that both cameras share in common. Both have a pixel resolution of 8 megapixels which is the standard for most new smartphones. There are some with higher pixel counts such as the Sony Xperia S and Nokia N8 (12 megapixels), but both the Galaxy S3 and iPhone 4S provide excellent image quality thanks to the technology possessed by their cameras. Both cameras also have all the usual image enhancing features included as standard such as autofocus, image stabilisation, touch focus and face detection. When it comes to video capture, both have various resolution settings, and share a maximum video resolution of 1080p which is of course full high definition.
Now onto the differences…
The Samsung Galaxy S3, being a much newer phone of course has some more up to date technology within its camera. Because of its quad-core processor, you will notice the speed at which the camera operates is almost unrivalled, not just by the iPhone 4S, but by most other Androids as well. The 1.4GHz quad-core chip ensures super quick response times from the camera interface, meaning that a photo is captured within 990 milliseconds of the capture button being touched. Furthermore, 3.3 photos can be snapped per second, which can be handy for capturing the optimum moment when trying to snap an action shot. There is also a burst shot feature which can capture up to 20 consecutive photos within one capture, and this will then suggest the best one for you to keep. The ability to simultaneously capture still images and videos is also included, a feature first seen on the HTC One X. As mentioned, the processing power is largely responsible for these new features. The iPhone 4S has a 1GHz dual-core processor which is of course much lower than that of the Galaxy S3. The iPhone 4S can hold its own as a camera phone. When it comes to standard functions such as taking photos and videos, it performs very well. Also there are plenty of photography apps available from the AppStore which significantly enhances its abilities as a camera phone.
On paper, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is the superior camera phone, thanks largely to its processing power and the inclusion of some of the aforementioned features. However, whether these features will be regularly used is down to the individual. If you are looking for a capable camera phone, which is easy to use and captured quality photos and videos, the iPhone 4S is still a great choice.
