Sections Page 1 Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Review Page 2 Software and Performance Review p> Page 3 Review

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Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Review

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Review of software and performance p>

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Camera review

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Battery life notice and verdict

Samsung Galaxy S8+ - Camera

On paper, the Galaxy S8+'s camera - which appears to be the same as the smaller S8's - looks almost identical to last year's Galaxy S7. It's a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture and Dual Pixels (Samsung's wording for larger pixels).

However, there are a few significant changes that lead to better photos overall. The sensor itself has been improved, there's a new multi-frame image processor that takes three shots every time you take one and, of course, you've got a much faster chipset.

As became evident with the p>

Google Pixel

, the quality of camera images now depends as much on the inner workings of the phone as it does on the actual specs.

This is especially evident with the camera speed, which is unmatched. A double press of the lock button brings it to life and the focus is reliable and almost instantaneous all the time. Whether the light is good or bad, the autofocus system locks onto the target - and, importantly, the right target - every time.

It's an ideal camera for a variety of situations, whether you're shooting landscapes or portraits day or night. The new auto-HDR mode is on by default, leveling out exposure and contrast in brighter conditions, and does a really good job of making sure every photo you take looks great.

As is the case with the S7, the Galaxy S8+ is prone to taking much brighter shots than you'd find on, say, an iPhone 7; greens and reds stand out more, and colors in general are quite saturated. I much prefer this, especially when sharing snaps on Instagram.

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The landscapes have a lot of depth

Low light performance is excellent, just look at the detail in the petals

Again, the camera works well in low light

Auto-HDR levels contrast and exposure well

The Galaxy S8 matches the Google Pixel, and beats the rest of the competition, with its depth perception. Landscape photos don't look flat, but multi-layered, with exceptional detail even in the most distant places. Even if you zoom in slightly on a photo already taken, the details are clear.

That large f/1.7 aperture is also one of my favorite elements of the camera, allowing you to capture images that flaunt that silky bokeh effect. This is where the subject is in focus, but the background fades into a blur. Some phones - the iPhone 7 Plus and Huawei P10, for example - use a software trick and help from a second lens to achieve something similar, but it feels so much more natural on the Galaxy S8+.

This wide f/1.7 lens gives a nice bokeh effect.

This large aperture is also useful for low-light shots. With more light entering the sensor, night shots don't lose detail and noise is kept to a minimum. There's a bit too much brightness on occasion, making photos look artificial - but that's my only complaint. Shutter and autofocus are always fast, while optical image stabilization gives the S8+ the edge over the Pixel for shots in pubs and nightclubs.

I think the camera here is better than the one featured in the

iPhone 7

; it's just more reliable and gives a sharper image. It's harder to say whether it's better than the Google Pixel, though. Both are fantastic cameras and while I think the Pixel can take better photos, the Galaxy S8+'s camera is faster and the camera app is superb.

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The 8-megapixel front camera is also surprisingly good. It also has an f/1.7 aperture and autofocus, which is still rare for a phone. I've also come to love Snapchat-like live filters, which are superior to Snapchat in many ways. They are varied, the head tracking and movements are precise and they can be shared in any application.

Video can be recorded up to UHD, but stick to 1080p and you'll benefit from impressive HDR and tracking autofocus.

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