The Samsung Galaxy S23 hit the market with many improvements over the Samsung Galaxy S22 thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy processor. And we had increases not only in performance and battery life, but also in image post-processing, now more competent in night environments.
But overall, are the Galaxy S23’s cameras better enough to make you trade your Galaxy S22 for the new smartphone? I separated some examples that I made with the two cell phones and I will comment on them in the next paragraphs!
Before we start, it’s worth mentioning that all photos were clicked in automatic mode, with no brightness adjustment. In some cases, focus was locked at the desired location to help compare images. There is some difference in framing due to the field of view and location of each camera.
Galaxy S23 (left) and Galaxy S22 (right) in Night Mode
Diego Sousa/Canaltech
main camera
- Samsung Galaxy S23: 50 MP, f/1.8, 24 mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS;
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 50 MP, f/1.8, 23 mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS.
Both the Galaxy S23 and S22 share a 50MP main camera with an aperture of f/1.8. In environments with good lighting, the two have almost perfect performances, presenting adequate dynamic range in most registers, pleasant colors and impeccable definition.
Looking through the cell phone screen, I hardly noticed differences between the two devices. But when I viewed the photos on the computer, I noticed more aggressive image post-processing on the Galaxy S22, which added a bit more saturation and contrast to the photos.
However, it’s interesting to note that with the Galaxy S23, Samsung has achieved a very nice balance in saturation and contrast. Anyone who has been following the Galaxy S line for a longer time knows that the brand has already been heavily criticized for its modifications in photos that bordered on the artificial. Personally, I always liked these alterations because they made the recordings more striking, but I understand that, now, the device’s performance should please more people.
In the example above, in which I pointed both cell phones directly at the sun, I noticed a higher level of detail on the Galaxy S23, making it possible to see plants and tree branches more clearly. Furthermore, even with the camera pointed at the Sun, the sun’s ray did not “invade” the photo, unlike its brother, who let light enter the lens.
In another external scenario, now with more controlled lighting, it was possible to notice an erroneous white balance on the Galaxy S22, leaving the image with a bluish tone. The Galaxy S23, on the other hand, valued the statue and the leaves around it much more. Even leaving reality a little, the image became much more appetizing.
In portrait mode, the two do an excellent job with people and objects, with the Galaxy S22’s higher saturation being noticed in almost every click. In both handsets, however, you can hardly notice flaws, and you will only find them if you look hard.
After many clicks with both smartphones in portrait mode, however, I noticed that the Galaxy S23 performed more consistently, maintaining a more professional background blur.
ultrawide camera
- Galaxy S23: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120º, Super Steady Video;
- Galaxy S22: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120º, Super Steady Video.
Regarding the wider angle camera, I couldn’t notice a difference between the two. Both have a 120-degree field of view, little distortion in the corners of the images and equally more vivid colors.
Looking a little more closely, I noticed that the Galaxy S23 has more defined textures and shadows, as you can see in the example below. But honestly, the difference is too little to choose the best between one and the other.
zoom camera
- Galaxy S23: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70 mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x de zoom óptico;
- Galaxy S22: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70 mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x de zoom óptico.
Regarding the zoom camera, there is not much to comment either. The two devices have a 3x optical approximation, which can reach up to 30x by combining the hardware and software. As for quality, both have a good level of textures and great dynamic range.
In portraits, you can barely distinguish one photo from another, except for the slightly higher saturation level on the Galaxy S22. However, the images are still excellent.
night photos
The biggest novelty in the Galaxy S23 cameras compared to the S22 is the performance in night shots. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy processor, the new generation of “Nightography” from Samsung, the name given to the night mode of the Galaxy S family, is much more competent in reducing noise and controlling sharpness.
As we can see in the example above, the Galaxy S23 processed my dear editor Leo’s skin and hair color more faithfully, and even added a slight background blur, which I found more pleasing. In addition, the shadows were more respected in the latest model, as you can see in the shoulder area and on the table.
With the ultrawide camera, the Galaxy S22 had a slight pop in the name of the hamburger joint, while the sky took on a grayer look. The tree on the right, in turn, was a little more saturated than in reality, as the ambient lighting was less hot.
In this other comparison, directly from the Coldplay show in Curitiba, not only is the level of detail higher on the Galaxy S23, but the light spots are more controlled. Note how, in the photo on the right, you can see Chris Martin on the screen with much more information, even though the image is darker.
In the comparison above, we have an example of portrait mode in a night environment. Clearly, the Galaxy S23 got the upper hand in this mode by moderately controlling sharpening and blurring the background more professionally. The Galaxy S22, on the other hand, left the model with a reddish skin tone, far from reality.
video and resources
With regard to videos, the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 record in up to 8K at 30 frames per second (fps), but also deliver 4K at 60 fps with both the rear camera and the front camera.
On a day-to-day basis, the Galaxy S23’s camera set hasn’t changed much from its predecessor, which I don’t see as a problem as the S22 takes excellent videos. In addition, both make great video recordings in portrait mode.
When night falls, the Galaxy S23 shows its strength in noise reduction, staying well ahead of its predecessor. But, at least in the tests I carried out, I noticed that the colors were a little warmer than I would have liked. The S22, on the other hand, kept my skin a nicer color but had less definition and more noise in the darker parts.
Conclusion
After some testing, it was clear that the Galaxy S23 did indeed improve in the photographic department over its sibling. The main innovations were in photos and videos in more challenging environments, with poor lighting, but another point of improvement was the image post-processing more focused on balance, something that did not happen in previous generations.
? Veja ofertas do Galaxy S23 no Magalu
? Compare Galaxy S23 prices on Zoom
? Check out Galaxy S23 deals on Amazon
In everyday life, however, the differences between the two are so few that I don’t consider it urgent to make the switch. The Galaxy S22 is a relatively new device with many high points in photography and video recording, and it shouldn’t disappoint at all for most users.
? Veja ofertas do Galaxy S22 5G no Magalu
? Compare Galaxy S22 prices on Zoom
? Check out Galaxy S22 deals on Amazon
In the end, this camera comparison only reinforced that the most current premium cell phones have reached the peak of performance in photos and videos, and what will improve from now on is more horizontal than vertical. It is possible to notice some improvement here or there, but what had to evolve, evolved. It seems that, now, releases just tweak what was already awesome.
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