Now that I’ve spent time with the Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max, it’s time to finally determine which is indeed the best camera phone around. Apple’s flagship has remained at the top ever since its release last fall, but Samsung is looking to reclaim the crown.
Apple’s 48MP triple camera setup has proven to be as reliable as ever for a number of different shooting situations, but it also received a big upgrade in the form of its 18MP Center Stage selfie camera. In our iPhone 17 Pro Max review, my colleague Mark Spoonauer showed how it continues to be a master in low light.
Meanwhile, Samsung has stepped up its game too with its quadruple camera system — which consists of a beefy 200MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, and 50MP 5x telephoto. Around the front, there’s a 12MP selfie shooter. While the specs indicate nothing’s changed, two important upgrades we point out in our Galaxy S26 Ultra review are its wider apertures for the main and 5x telephoto cameras.
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Are these upgrades enough for the Galaxy S26 Ultra to supplant the iPhone 17 Pro Max? I went out and captured over 200 photos to see how they compare across different scenarios, grading each one after inspecting the images on my monitor. Here’s what I found.
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Daytime
I’ve been enjoying the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray for nearly a week now, and it gets the proper treatment from each phone. This one’s a tough call, but I’m giving it to the Galaxy S26 Ultra because it’s much sharper with the details and handles the strong light source hitting the grass in the foreground better — plus, it has nicer contrast.
Even though the iPhone 17 Pro Max produces a brighter picture, it results in a more low-contrast look. When I zoom into different parts of the shot, I also notice it’s not as sharp.
Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Ultrawide
You’ll need to zoom into the shots above overlooking a busy spot on 34th Street in New York City, as these ultrawide cameras appear to deliver similar results at first glance.
However, the iPhone 17 Pro Max draws my attention more for how it effectively adds contrast to the shot while maintaining sharper definition. For example, the bricks on the building to the left are much more clearly defined. The S26 Ultra’s pick looks a bit washed out where the sun hits.
Winner: iPhone 17 Pro Max
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Colors
Under artificial indoor lighting, it’s fascinating to see how these main cameras behave — particularly regarding their color reproduction. They’re on opposite ends of the spectrum: the iPhone 17 Pro Max appears oversaturated, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a bit flatter. I’m inclined to say that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s colors are more true-to-life.
Beyond the colors, I like how both phones capture exquisite detail from the same vantage point. I was even able to read the UPC codes and numbers on all the soda packaging.
Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Dynamic range
The shots above really test the dynamic range performance of both camera phones, as the strong light source from the sun overhead creates harsh shadows across the buildings.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is better at compensating for the exposure across the entire scene, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro Max maintains a stronger contrast that makes the overall image look darker.
Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Macro
I really love how these macro close-ups of the lily turned out, especially with all the rich detail and definition they capture. Shooting in macro mode is challenging due to the narrow focal point required to keep the subject sharp.
Although they both manage to take crisp-looking images that detail the pollen and petals nicely, the Galaxy S26 Ultra gets my vote for showing more definition when I zoom in. Not only that, but it also manages to keep more of the flower in focus too. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, by comparison, has a much shallower depth of field that blurs out the edges of the lily.
Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Selfie
The iPhone 17 Pro Max easily gets my vote with the selfie it captured of my colleague Paul Antill and me down by Bryant Park on a cloudy day. First and foremost, its new 18MP Center Stage camera offers a much wider field of view, making it far more practical for group selfies. More importantly, it manages to match the level of detail and definition found in the competition — giving me extra flexibility to crop the shot later without significant detail loss.
While the Galaxy S26 Ultra produces good results by capturing all the details around my face, it tends to wash out the image, which makes the highlights appear overexposed.
Winner: iPhone 17 Pro Max
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Panorama
Yet again, these two phones deliver near-identical results with the panoramic shots above. The first thing I look for is how well they balance the exposure throughout the scene, which thankfully isn’t a problem for either.
When I look toward the left walkway with the paved bricks, the stronger contrast of the Galaxy S26 Ultra makes them more identifiable. Details appear exquisite throughout the scene, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra looks sharper when I zoom in. The iPhone 17 Pro Max isn’t bad either, but it has a smidge less definition upon closer inspection.
Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Zoom
When I pointed both cameras at the Empire State Building’s spires and set them to 40x zoom, the results appeared similar — but the Galaxy S26 Ultra benefits from its slightly longer 5x optical zoom.
Not only is the overall image sharper with the S26 Ultra, but I can more clearly make out smaller details, like the spotlights running across the base of the spire. Don’t get me wrong, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 4x optical zoom camera works nicely, but it’s applying more digital cropping at this magnification, which results in a tad more softness.
Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Indoors
With all the artificial lighting coming from the ceiling in the shots above, I prefer how the iPhone renders the scene with its stronger contrast and richer colors. You could argue that it’s a little more aggressive with the saturation, but the added contrast enhances the image nicely.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra looks pleasant as well, but the highlights suffer, making the overall shot appear slightly washed out an hazy.
Winner: iPhone 17 Pro Max
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Low light
Despite its wider aperture, the Galaxy S26 Ultra still can’t beat the iPhone 17 Pro Max in low-light conditions. The Galaxy struggles to tame the strong light source from the street lamp, while simultaneously underexposing the left side of the scene.
In comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max handles these challenges much more effectively — and the results speak for themselves. From its brighter overall image to its superior shadow exposure, the iPhone 17 Pro Max remains the king of low light.
I’ve also included some additional side-by-side low light samples below, which all illustrate the better low light performance with the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Winner: iPhone 17 Pro Max
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Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: Verdict
After tallying the results, we have a new winner: the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This has been a long time coming, as Apple has held the top spot for nearly two years, fending off Samsung’s flagships in the process.
I feel the Galaxy S26 Ultra is truly the best camera phone around — not only for the exceptional photos it captures, but also for its utility and various shooting modes. As someone who shoots photography professionally, I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is to have true manual controls at my disposal.
For the average shooter who wants excellent shots each and every time — especially in low light — the iPhone 17 Pro Max continues to be a stellar option. Its no-fuss handling means you’ll get outstanding results regardless of your skill level.
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