Which one is better for photos and videos… iPhone 16 Pro or S24 Ultra?

I’ve been an Android user for years, but as a hairstylist, I found that Android cameras never captured lighting or hair color well. Another hairstylist told me iPhones are better for this, so I switched to an iPhone 13 Pro. It’s been great for taking hair photos and videos, but I’m not a big fan of iOS. Now I’m thinking of upgrading and wondering if I should give Samsung another shot. The camera is the most important factor for me.

Which one has the better camera for my needs: the iPhone 16 Pro or the S24 Ultra?

You should ask this question in the Apple-focused part of this forum. You’ll probably get a completely different answer.

Charlie said:
You should ask this question in the Apple-focused part of this forum. You’ll probably get a completely different answer.

Haha, I actually did. Just waiting for them to approve it.

@Mal
Approve it? What’s with all these rules?

For videos, I’d say the iPhone. For photos, probably the S24. It also depends on what kind of look you prefer—iPhone has more natural colors, Samsung is more vivid.

Alston said:
For videos, I’d say the iPhone. For photos, probably the S24. It also depends on what kind of look you prefer—iPhone has more natural colors, Samsung is more vivid.

Can I be that person who says Pixel might be the best option for neutral photos?

@Quin
Pixel’s camera is solid, but I don’t like how the zoom feels—it’s not smooth at all.

Alston said:
For videos, I’d say the iPhone. For photos, probably the S24. It also depends on what kind of look you prefer—iPhone has more natural colors, Samsung is more vivid.

I’m definitely leaning toward something that looks more natural.

@Mal
On iPhone, you can adjust light filters before taking the picture. You can even tweak the filter’s intensity.

Blake said:
@Mal
On iPhone, you can adjust light filters before taking the picture. You can even tweak the filter’s intensity.

I never use filters on hair photos—they end up looking way too fake.

@Mal
Got it. iPhones kind of apply a filter by default to make photos look natural. Samsung photos are more raw, but you can adjust them yourself. Maybe try both cameras in a store?

Alston said:
For videos, I’d say the iPhone. For photos, probably the S24. It also depends on what kind of look you prefer—iPhone has more natural colors, Samsung is more vivid.

I use a OnePlus phone, and its display is way better than Samsung’s vivid mode. Even compared to the S24 Ultra, my 2020 OnePlus holds up.

I’d recommend watching YouTube videos comparing these cameras. There’s a channel called Versus that does in-depth comparisons.

Casey said:
I’d recommend watching YouTube videos comparing these cameras. There’s a channel called Versus that does in-depth comparisons.

I’ve seen a few, and the iPhone seems better in some cases. But I wanted to hear personal opinions. If it weren’t for the camera, I’d go straight for the S24 Ultra.

@Mal
The Ultra looked surprisingly good for video in one of those comparisons. In general, iPhone is slightly better for video, but Samsung’s pro mode makes it great for photos.

Casey said:
@Mal
The Ultra looked surprisingly good for video in one of those comparisons. In general, iPhone is slightly better for video, but Samsung’s pro mode makes it great for photos.

Funny thing is, not all Ultra models have the best camera compared to others.

@Ellis
That’s so true.

Make sure you’re comparing flagship models. An iPhone 16 Pro is obviously going to outperform a budget Android. Between these two, though, it really comes down to personal preference.

If you’re into video, especially for professional platforms, the iPhone might be better. For photos—especially zoom or low-light shots—the S24 Ultra shines.

My fiancé doesn’t care about phone tech, but she always prefers the photos from my Samsung S23 Ultra over her iPhone 15 Pro. Just something to think about.

@Riley
I use my phone mostly for creating content. Will iPhone always be better for videos?

Mal said:
@Riley
I use my phone mostly for creating content. Will iPhone always be better for videos?

For social media, video compression makes the differences less noticeable. If you’re creating high-quality 4K content, iPhone might still have the edge. For Instagram or TikTok, either will work fine.