I took 200+ photos with two of the best Android camera phones - and it was dang close

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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Vivo X300 Ultra

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The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is 1 of the champion phones you tin bargain close now. However, extracurricular the US, it is facing pugnacious contention from Chinese ultra phones, the latest being Vivo's X300 Ultra.

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It takes connected the Samsung telephone with a camera strategy that's packed with not 1 oregon two, but 3 monolithic sensors. I was funny however it'd comparison to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, truthful I took the two phones connected a photowalk. While I expected Vivo to execute better, Samsung amazed maine successful a fewer areas.

Before I dive into the results from some devices, here's an overview of however their specs compare.

By the numbers

	Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra	Vivo X300 Ultra
Main camera	200MP (OIS, PDAF), 1/1.3" sensor with f/1.4 aperture and 23mm focal length	200MP (OIS, Laser autofocus, PDAF), 1/1.12″ sensor with f/1.9 aperture and 35mm focal length
Telephoto Cameras	1. 50MP (Periscope tele, OIS, PDAF), 1/2.52" sensor with f/2.9 aperture and 5x optical zoom 2. 10MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF), 1/3.94" sensor, with f/2.4 aperture and 3x optical zoom	200MP (Periscope tele, OIS, PDAF), 1/1.4" sensor with f/2.7 aperture telemacro capabilities and 3.7x optical zoom
Ultrawide camera	50 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF), 1/2.5" sensor with f/1.9 aperture	50 MP (OIS, PDAF), 1/1.28" sensor with f/2.0 aperture

Main camera results

Starting with the main camera, Vivo changed its focal magnitude to 35mm this year, truthful you get optical prime alternatively of relying connected 1.5x integer zoom. Comparably, astir different modern phones, similar the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, person a smaller 23mm equivalent focal magnitude connected the main sensor. Fortunately, you tin ever acceptable 35mm arsenic the default connected the Vivo, if you similar it.

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I find myself zooming successful astatine 1.2x and 1.5x for my day-to-day shots, truthful I loved shooting connected the Vivo X300 Ultra. However, determination were times erstwhile I missed having 23mm by default (on the Vivo phone, you tin usage the ultrawide-angle lens and zoom successful to sprout astatine 23mm).

Overall, I don't deliberation 1 is objectively amended due to the fact that it depends connected what you're shooting, but I enjoyed shooting with Vivo more.

Leaves and flowers changeable successful 1x connected the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Leaves and flowers captured connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

I took this photograph arsenic an illustration due to the fact that of the layers successful this framework and the added purple spot with those flowers. On some of these Ultra phones, you get to take a code (warm oregon cool) erstwhile you acceptable up the device.

Once acceptable up, the quality successful look comes down to the sensor and processing. On the supra shots successful 1x, the X300 Ultra gave maine much extent -- acknowledgment to a bigger sensor -- whereas the Galaxy S26 Ultra changeable suffered from oversharpening.

A plot filled with greenish leaves and yet-to-bloom flowers.

A plot with greenish leaves and yet to bloom flowers.

I wanted to show the quality successful 35mm-equivalent optical and integer quality. In the supra frame, I didn't request further compression of the background, truthful I relied connected the main camera.

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The 1x connected the Vivo X300 Ultra gave maine the cleanable frame, whereas to execute the aforesaid connected Samsung, I had to spell to 1.5x integer zoom, which captured less details and produced a noisier photograph (see the reds of the yet-to-bloom flower). The bigger sensor besides allowed Vivo to adhd a earthy bokeh to this shot.

Prakhar Khanna's photograph changeable connected the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Prakhar Khanna's photograph changeable connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

Coming backmost to my earlier constituent astir not picking a focal magnitude objectively implicit the different one: I'd privation to person Galaxy S26 Ultra's 23mm implicit Vivo's 35mm successful this lawsuit due to the fact that of the background. I similar the Samsung framing amended due to the fact that it tin support the arc successful the inheritance astatine the aforesaid presumption arsenic successful the Vivo shot.

While it got my tegument code right, the Galaxy telephone struggled with colors of the entity and ground. It looks alternatively gloomy. Vivo, connected the different hand, lacks details successful the entity but has amended clarity and affluent details, astatine slightest connected my face.

A plot with greenish bushes and purple and greenish leaves.

A plot with greenish bushes and purple and greenish leaves changeable connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

All of my photos present are tap-and-shoot -- without manually adjusting the vulnerability oregon different settings. The Vivo X300 Ultra gave maine much contrast, character, and details successful its 1x shot, arsenic compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which looks overexposed and lacks the aforesaid magnitude of detail.

Mumbai's section marketplace changeable successful the nighttime utilizing the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Entry of Mumbai's section marketplace astatine nighttime changeable connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

In nighttime mode, I similar Samsung's saturated colors implicit Vivo's look. You tin get much saturation connected the Vivo X300 Ultra by adjusting the filter (I was utilizing Natural, but Textured would springiness you a much melodramatic look) but Samsung has much contrast, which I particularly emotion connected the signboard.

Telephoto and ultrawide

Prakhar Khanna's representation changeable connected the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Prakhar Khanna's representation changeable connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

Portraits changeable connected the tele sensor person a much earthy bokeh connected the X300 Ultra. It besides managed to clasp a close-to-real-life look (and got the close colour code of my eyes), portion the Galaxy S26 Ultra went for a warmer look.

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For the pixel-peepers, Vivo retained much details connected my beard, whereas, again, Samsung oversharpened definite areas. However, Samsung handled the highlights connected my achromatic T-shirt better.

The photos supra were taken astatine sunset. In these representation shots, Samsung handled the sunlight connected my look much comfortably. While it lacks the item successful the shadows, the Galaxy S26 Ultra gave maine a much natural-looking sunset portrait. I noted this successful my Galaxy Z Fold 7 review too; Samsung takes large portraits nether the mounting prima and beats Vivo here.

Telemacro changeable connected the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Vivo easy wins successful telemacro shots. This was a tricky taxable due to the fact that the tiny angiosperm kept moving successful the slightest breeze. I had to conflict getting it successful absorption with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In comparison, the Vivo X300 Ultra focused connected it with a azygous pat and adjacent captured those achromatic threads successful the picture.

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I zoomed successful further to 10x and Vivo gave maine this:

A tiny angiosperm changeable with 10x zoom macro capabilities connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

I don't person a Galaxy S26 Ultra changeable to comparison due to the fact that it couldn't absorption astatine 10x integer zoom.

Trees successful ultrawide space changeable connected the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Trees successful ultrawide space changeable connected the Vivo X300 Ultra.

Both phones person a bully ultrawide camera. The colors stay accordant passim the lenses connected some Samsung and Vivo, but the second offers richer details, yet again. However, I similar the Galaxy S26 Ultra's changeable amended successful this lawsuit due to the fact that Vivo overexposed the sky.

Writer's choice

Both the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Vivo X300 Ultra person their strengths, weaknesses, and unsocial capabilities, but the second volition amended fulfill photographers.

Samsung mightiness beryllium capable for astir radical (it has a friendlier idiosyncratic interface, for example), but I preferred the X300 Ultra. The Vivo gives you much character, allows for casual colour illustration switching, and the large sensors seizure greater detail.

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The amusive portion extends to video signaling arsenic well. Vivo offers a movie mode that mimics the look of a movie with a azygous tap. Moreover, if you're into Fujifilm oregon Ricoh recipes, you tin make an equivalent of those looks and stock them among friends with a QR code. I haven't seen immoderate different telephone shaper making these things truthful simple.

I've utilized each the Ultra phones launched this twelvemonth and would prime the Vivo X300 Ultra for its cameras. In my opinion, it is the champion camera telephone of 2026.

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