I took 500 photos with the two best Android camera phones - and the winner was obvious

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Oppo Find X8 Ultra performs amended than its Samsung rival successful astir each scenario.
• The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes adjacent successful ultrawide camera comparison.
• Oppo's flagship has unsocial features similar XPAN mode, Hasselblad colour science, and Master mode.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra houses 1 of the astir versatile camera systems connected a mainstream phone, acknowledgment to its 2 telephoto cameras and an ultrawide sensor coupled with a 200MP superior camera.

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared the champion Android phones, and it was precise close

But the Oppo Find X8 Ultra is equally, if not more, versatile. It has bigger sensors connected the 4 50MP cameras connected its back. Plus, the Oppo flagship is paired with a renewed Hasselblad partnership -- for other features similar XPAN mode, amended Portraits, and Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, re-engineered for mobile. 

I was confused astir which telephone to instrumentality connected my travel to Sweden, truthful I took some and compared the results, which are... interesting.

Comparing the camera specs

Oppo and Samsung flagships are immoderate of the best phones of 2025. Both athletics 4 rear cameras, but the Find X8 Ultra houses bigger sensors connected 3 of those. It is led by a 1-inch-type 50MP main sensor, which snaps amended prime photos than Samsung's 200MP superior camera. 

But it's the remainder of the sensors that assistance it instrumentality the lead. The 10MP 3x optical zoom Samsung telephoto camera stands nary accidental against Oppo's 50MP 3x optical zoom supported periscope camera, portion it competes intimately successful ultrawide shots and 50MP secondary 5x (6x connected Oppo) periscope zoom photos.

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13: I compared the champion Android phones, and it was precise close

There's nary uncertainty that the Find X8 Ultra has a amended camera bundle than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, acknowledgment to its bigger sensors and Hasselblad colour science. But it tin besides beryllium inconsistent astatine times, giving the borderline to Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra. Here's however the 2 comparison successful my abrogation photos.

It's each astir the colour science

3x Portraits

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The Oppo Find X8 Ultra exposes the subjects amended successful astir scenarios. It tends to brighten the taxable successful harsh lighting conditions, making them look (almost) artificial, but I'd inactive similar it implicit Samsung's under-exposed shots. For example, successful the supra shots, my look looks amended exposed successful the near representation than successful Samsung's 3x portrait. Samsung has a warmer undertone, portion Oppo's changeable looks much lively.

2x shots

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Oppo tin overdo the processing astatine times. Neither of the supra shots is perfect, but I would prime the Galaxy S25 Ultra photograph due to the fact that it doesn't look artificial. 

Also: Own a OnePlus phone? I changed 10 settings to importantly amended the idiosyncratic experience

While underexposed, it retains my tegument code and looks much real, whereas Oppo blows retired the highlights to an extent. It is 1 of those inconsistent processing scenarios that hap erstwhile successful a while, but it tin ruin the vibe of the photograph if you haven't snapped a backup shot.

1x lowlight

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The inconsistent processing is constricted lone to harsh lighting conditions. Otherwise, Oppo's Find X8 Ultra beats the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra successful each scenario. It consistently shoots better-looking shots successful debased light. Notice the bulbs connected this lamp; Samsung couldn't get the details, and the wide changeable has much noise, portion Oppo's representation is sharper. 

6x Oppo optical zoom vs. 5x Samsung optical zoom

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This communicative continues connected their respective periscope zoom cameras. Oppo's 6x zoom captures much details, earthy bokeh, and nary noise, adjacent successful debased light. Samsung's changeable looks dull contempt snapping a important magnitude of details, portion Oppo's colors popular compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Lowlight ultrawide shots

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Samsung competes amended successful ultrawide images. Both phones process saturated colors with plentifulness of details for a low-light shot. Outdoors, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Oppo Find X8 Ultra seizure arsenic good-looking shots, but Oppo's lively-looking colour subject appeals much to me.

Oppo takes the barroom successful Portraits

6x Portraits changeable connected Oppo Find X8 Ultra

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I would prime the Oppo Find X8 Ultra implicit the Galaxy S25 Ultra for representation shots immoderate day. Even astatine 6x, the representation shots look fantastic, acknowledgment to Hasselblad colour science. In agleam lighting conditions, it processes a natural-looking bokeh and adapts to the code of its surroundings. 

For example, the supra 2 photos were taken adjacent the sea, truthful they person a cooler tone, but a representation taken during sunset volition person a warmer tone. 

Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET

To compare, Samsung's changeable looks little lively and tends to person assertive blur astir the edges of the subject, which makes a representation changeable look unnatural. While it retains the colour of my garment better, Oppo's photograph delivers the vibe of the spot with its warmer code successful nonstop sunlight.

Also: Samsung is giving these Galaxy phones a large One UI upgrade - here's which models qualify

XPAN mode connected the Oppo Find X8 Ultra

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There are aggregate things -- similar 6x tele macro and XPAN mode -- that you'll lone find connected the Oppo Find X8 Ultra. For the unaware, XPAN mode is disposable connected OnePlus and Oppo flagship phones. It is inspired by Hasselblad's XPan feature, which allows you to seizure panoramic shots successful a unsocial 65:24 facet ratio. 

I emotion it due to the fact that however other would I beryllium capable to drawback creator ceilings successful castles oregon panoramic-like views successful scenic places? Definitely not with a regular panorama mode. 

Bottom line

Samsung gets a batch of things right, similar not adding a Camera Control-like button, which hinders the scenery shooting acquisition connected my Oppo phone. However, the South Korean elephantine needs to enactment connected tuning the colour subject if it wants to situation the likes of Oppo Find X8 Ultra. For now, I would happily prime the Oppo flagship implicit a Galaxy S25 Ultra for its Hasselblad colors, amended portraits, Master mode, and XPAN mode. 

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