Smartphone Camera Shootout: Samsung Galaxy S6 vs LG G4
I have spent a decent amount of time with both the G4 and the Galaxy S6 Edge this past weekend capturing photos to see how each one fairs. I am not only looking for great photos, but I wanted to see how each device did with detail, so you will find cropped examples as well.
Before we begin, I should note that all photos were taken in Auto mode, so I did not tweak any controls whatsoever. This is how most people will capture photos. All photos came in at 5312 x 2988 or 16 MP
Let’s start with this baseball on my garage floor. I took both of these photos from about waist high. Below are the originals, followed by cropped versions of both photos (1350 x 759)
Original (5312 x 2988) Click on images for full resolution version
Galaxy S6 Edge LG G4
Cropped (1350 x 759) Click on images for full resolution version
As you can see, the LG images are brighter, but the Galaxy S6 Edge’s
images are more color accurate. I also think the Galaxy S6 Edge captured
more detail on the garage floor in the cropped image. On the other
hand, the writing on the ball is clearer on the cropped picture from the
G4.Next up is an image of a creek at dusk, and again, followed by cropped mages
Original (5312 x 2988) Click on images for full resolution version
Galaxy S6 Edge LG G4
Cropped (1350 x 759) Click on images for full resolution version
Again, the G4’s image is a little brighter, but if you take a look at
the cropped images, the Galaxy S6 Edge has more detail on the rocks.Now we have a picture of a “No Outlet” sign after sunset when it’s just about dark.
Original (5312 x 2988) Click on images for full resolution version
Galaxy S6 Edge LG G4
Cropped (1350 x 759) Click on images for full resolution version
Once again, the G4’s image is brighter. The sign, which is the focal
point, isn’t all that much better though. Cropping an image like this
seems futile at best, but it does give us some information. The G4 has a
lot more noise, and the lights on the light posts are a little cleaner
on the Galaxy S6 Edge.Here are some more photos in which I didn’t do any crop tests. The ones with the clouds, especially the sunset, are hard to compare since they moved slightly from image to image. Note: The G4 used HDR to capture the first picture with the clouds. The last two images are closeups, not crops.
Original (5312 x 2988) Click on images for full resolution version
Galaxy S6 Edge LG G4Conclusion
You can clearly see the f/1.8 aperture of the G4 captures more light than the f/1.9 aperture, but the Galaxy S6 seems to capture more detail. I’m not sure you can pick a clear winner because all photos are remarkable, but if you’re a photography enthusiast, the G4 might be the better pick since it offers the ability to capture Raw (DNG) images and there are more controls in Manual mode vs Samsung’s Pro mode, For example, you can adjust the shutter speed on the G4, but you can’t on the Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge. Even the ISO setting is limited to 800 on the Galaxy S6 and Edge, whereas the G4 allows you to dial it up to 2700. So if you know what you’re doing, you can definitely capture better photos on the G4, but t the average person will more than likely be ecstatic with the performance of either phone.
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