The Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max are the two best smartphone cameras available. Both devices cost more than $1,100. Both produce impressive results across most shooting conditions. We tested both across low-light photography, zoom range and quality, and video versatility over three weeks. In this evaluation, the Samsung is the stronger camera system.
In standardised low-light testing, the Galaxy S26 Ultra scored 94 against the iPhone 17 Pro Max's 86. Samsung's larger primary sensor gathers more light per pixel, producing cleaner captures in difficult conditions — tighter noise control in shadow regions and more natural highlight rendering in scenes with wide dynamic range. In our practical low-light tests across street photography, indoor restaurant settings, and night portraiture, the Samsung required less post-processing correction in the majority of shots. For photographers working in environments where light is the variable they cannot control, that difference is consistently visible.
Zoom range is where the hardware gap between the two cameras is most pronounced. The Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 10x optical zoom; the iPhone 17 Pro Max provides 5x. At 30 metres, the Samsung resolves detail that the iPhone's 5x system cannot match regardless of the quality of its computational processing. Physical optics impose a limit that software cannot overcome, and at longer focal lengths — the range that matters for concerts, sports, and travel photography — the Samsung's hardware advantage is not recoverable by any amount of processing on the iPhone's side.
Video performance reflects a similar pattern. The Galaxy S26 Ultra offers log recording, manual ISO and shutter speed controls, and adjustable colour profiles — tools that give videographers and content creators meaningful control over their output. The iPhone 17 Pro Max produces excellent results in its automatic modes and will satisfy the majority of users. For those with professional workflows who need manual control over exposure and colour, however, the Samsung provides a substantially more complete toolkit.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is a genuinely excellent camera phone. Its automatic processing is reliable, its colour science is consistent, and its user interface is designed to produce good results with minimal intervention. For buyers who shoot in automatic modes and want a camera that handles the decisions for them, it remains a strong choice.
In every benchmark category we tested — low-light performance, zoom reach, and video versatility — the Galaxy S26 Ultra returned stronger results. At comparable price points, the Samsung's camera hardware is the more capable system.
Buyers who prioritise camera performance should choose the Galaxy S26 Ultra.