Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Note 5 – are we missing out?

Camera

Like the rest of the Galaxy S6 family, the Note 5 has a 16-megapixel rear camera. For the Galaxy S7, however, Samsung’s reduced the resolution to 12 megapixels. This doesn’t necessarily mean inferior images, though, as Samsung’s also increased the size of each pixel to 1.4um from the Note 5’s 1.12um pixels.

This means that each pixel gets more light, which should help reduce noise. The S7’s lens is also brighter with an f/1.7 aperture as opposed to the Note 5’s f/1.9 lens, so image quality should actually improve. The Galaxy S7 also uses the world’s first dual pixel sensor, which has 100% phase detection pixels, for super-fast focusing. 

As we found with the S6, though, the actual visible difference in picture quality is relatively small. The pictures shown below were taken at different times, as we no longer have our Note 5 review sample to hand, but if you compare them side by side, both pictures provide plenty of detail and contrast and colours look accurate. The S7 has the advantage of letting you shoot at its maximum resolution in 4:3 as opposed to 16:9, allowing you to fit more in the frame overall, but otherwise both cameras are exceptionally good.

^ The S7 (above) takes beautiful shots outdoors, although the Note 5 (below) isn’t too bad either

The same goes for indoor shots, as all of our test shots look more or less identical at first glance. Noise is kept to a minimum and there’s still plenty of detail on show even in low light. However, when you delve into the properties of each photography, the S7 is capable of taking low light shots at much faster shutter speeds than the Note 5, which gives it a much greater advantage when you’re taking pictures of moving subjects, such as a group of friends in a pub. This will make it more reliable in low light, and less likely to blur your subjects.

^ Indoors, the S7 (above) and Note 5 (below)’s photos look largely identical, but the S7 has a much faster shutter speed

Conclusion: The S7’s camera might not have a large resolution like the Note 5, but its superior low light capabilities put it in much greater stead than its big cousin. Both cameras are excellent, though, and you certainly wouldn’t be disappointed by the Note 5’s camera when it comes to taking regular outdoor shots.

Verdict

The Galaxy S7 is a definite step-up over the Note 5 in terms of technology, and its new camera makes what was already one of the best smartphone cameras on the market even better. However, if you want a big-screen phone then the Note’s 5.7in screen is considerably bigger, and it also comes with the added bonus of Samsung’s S Pen as well.

That said, we’re not sure the Note 5 is worth buying just for the bigger screen, even if it does eventually come out in the UK. When the S7 offers so much more, it’s the obvious choice for those after a top-flight Samsung phone.