Samsung Galaxy S8 – Camera

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Samsung Galaxy S8 review

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Performance and software review

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Camera review

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Battery life and verdict review

Samsung Galaxy S8 - Camera

The S8 is a huge improvement over the S7 in almost every way, but the camera has received the fewest upgrades - on paper, at least. There's no dual-sensor system here, no wide-angle lens or variable aperture. Instead, there's a single 12-megapixel sensor behind a wide f/1.7 lens that uses the same Dual Pixel technology as the S7.< /p>

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The only obvious addition is a new multi-frame image processor that takes three shots every time you take a shot, reducing blur and leaving you with a cleaner shot. But just looking at the spec sheet only tells half the story.

The Galaxy S8, like the

Google Pixel

, shows that it's as much about the optics and sensor as it is about how the software and image signal processor (ISP) work together. The photos taken by the Galaxy S8 are truly stunning, and that's a huge leap over the already excellent Galaxy S7.

The first thing you'll notice about the camera is how fast it is. A double tap of the power key opens the camera faster than any other phone, and focusing is just as fast. I probably took over 1000 photos with the Galaxy S8, and no more than two or three had to be deleted because they were blurry or the sensor focused in the wrong place. That's amazing for a phone, even Google's Pixel.

It's also a versatile camera, whether you're shooting landscapes or portraits day or night. The fantastic auto-HDR mode - something that's on by default and which I suggest going on - levels out exposure and contrast when there's bright sunlight, leaving you with intensely colored photos. Sometimes you'll find the colors more vibrant than they actually are, especially on the already quite saturated screen, but that's not necessarily something I dislike.

Click on the images below to see the full resolution version

The level of detail is fantastic

The landscapes have a lot of depth and the auto-HDR mode balances the exposure well.

Natural bokeh is much better than a fake effect

Images have a lot of depth

Detail is also among the best around, even though there are phones with much higher megapixel counts. Whether it's dew on a blade of grass, a drop of rain on a leaf, or a single hair on a dog, they're captured perfectly.

The large f/1.7 aperture lens might not be wider than the Galaxy S7, but it lets in enough light to create that nice shallow depth of field look. There are no fake aperture modes to blur the background, but the camera achieves a much more natural bokeh effect on its own.

This large aperture is also useful for low-light shots, with more light entering the sensor, giving you better results. Shutter and autofocus are always fast, while optical image stabilization gives the S8 the edge over the Pixel for shots in pubs and clubs.

Even in low light, the photos are beautiful.

Colors look strong even at night

I can't say enough good things about the Galaxy S8's camera: it's reliable, versatile, and produces shots that require little to no tweaking each time. The app is great too, and it's functionally complete yet easy to use. You can save photos as RAW files, stabilize your videos, or add a moment of movement to Live Photos before the actual photo. There is also a pro mode, but the auto mode is so good you probably won't need it.

On the front, there's a new 8-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture. It has autofocus, which remains a rarity on selfie cameras, and also takes great photos. If you like Snapchat-style augmented filters, then Samsung includes several of them.

Video tops out at UHD, but stick with 1080p and you'll get HDR and impressive tracking autofocus.

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