The Best Camera Comparison You'll Love: Xiaomi 15 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max

Xiaomi has just launched its highly anticipated Xiaomi 15 Ultra, setting a new benchmark in smartphone photography. With cutting-edge camera technology, it enters the fierce battle against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max for the title of the best camera phone of 2025.

We put these flagship devices through a rigorous camera test, evaluating their zoom performance, portrait mode, low-light photography, and video stabilization. Can Xiaomi’s latest release outperform its biggest rivals? Let’s dive into the ultimate smartphone camera showdown!

Audio quality and a front-facing camera

Electronic image stabilization (EIS) on the front cameras of all three phones allows for 4K 30 frames per second video recording. We switched the microphones on each phone to test the clarity and noise cancellation of the audio. We noticed variations in stabilization during a brief jogging test. Which one seems the most stable? To find out, let's look at the back cameras.

Performance of Ultra-Wide Cameras

With EIS turned on, all three devices recorded footage in 4K at 30 frames per second using the ultra-wide back cameras. In landscape photos, one phone's slightly larger field of vision offered a more expansive viewpoint. Initial impressions were encouraging, and a little jog test down a staircase showed how well these ultra-wide cameras handled stability.

Optical zoom and primary camera

The primary camera on each flagship handset has both optical and electronic picture stabilization. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra reached its maximum optical zoom of 4.3x, while the iPhone and Samsung both functioned identically at 5x. All three phones maintained consistent stability, giving them dependable choices for telephoto photographs.

The Xiaomi still produced excellent results at 10x zoom, despite having a slightly lesser optical zoom than the Samsung and iPhone. It was difficult to get a balanced shot in the shadows because of the harsh lighting conditions caused by the sun overhead.

8K Video Features

In terms of video resolution, Android phones are superior because the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra can record in 8K, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max can only record in 4K. All cameras, including ultra-wide, telephoto, portrait, and primary lenses, can record in 8K thanks to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. A drawback for videographers is that neither the Samsung nor the Xiaomi allow switching between lenses in 8K mode once recording has begun.

In a thorough comparison, Android phones generated more crisp 8K video, which added even more clarity when reduced to 4K.

Video Performance in Low Light

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra's one-inch sensor was advantageous in low-light video tests. Lens flare was apparent on the iPhone and Xiaomi, though. It's interesting to note that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra had the least amount of lens flare, which minimized needless artifacts in nighttime photos.

Although stabilization in low light was not as great as it was in daytime, night videography was clearly the most successful of the three.

Comparison of Stills and Portraits

Every phone takes a different approach to taking pictures of people. While the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra leans warm but slightly more neutral, the iPhone 16 Pro Max maintains warm tones. With its richer skin tones and deeper shadows, Xiaomi's Leica Portrait mode offers a vintage look.

The iPhone was the best at edge detection (stitching) in portrait mode, however several people liked the Xiaomi's creative rendering. In the end, user preferences determine the subjective nature of portrait output.

Samsung was the best option for front-camera portraits because it provided the most natural skin tones, whereas Xiaomi leaned orange and the iPhone leaned white.

White balance and photography in low light

With the most recent firmware update, Samsung's low-light white balance was greatly enhanced, outperforming the competition. When compared to the Xiaomi and iPhone, the Samsung continuously created more realistic tones.

The iPhone had an advantage in handheld night photography because of its better stabilization, which allowed it to capture the best images when using optical zoom in low light.

Optical Zoom and Detail in the Daytime

All three phones produced excellent images when zoomed in at 5x optical. But the iPhone lagged behind the Samsung and Xiaomi due to its obvious over-sharpening.

Xiaomi's 200MP sensor showed off its prowess at 30x magnification, capturing noticeably more information than the iPhone and Samsung.

Extremely Broad HDR and Exposure Management

The Xiaomi fared better than the iPhone and Samsung in HDR testing, catching shadow details. However, the Samsung avoided the over-the-top highlights found on the Xiaomi and iPhone, providing the most balanced exposure in some high-contrast situations.

An image of white curtains demonstrated Samsung's superior HDR accuracy, allowing it to preserve details better than its rivals.

Color Accuracy in Practical Settings

Each phone's ability to handle tiny color differences was tested using a white-furred cat (Vera). The iPhone missed some of the natural differences, the Xiaomi overexposed, and the Samsung replicated the most realistic tones.

The Xiaomi somewhat overexposed in a another flower photo where the white petal clipping was studied. All three, however, did a good job of catching pollen details. Xiaomi finished third in this test, with Samsung and Apple ultimately deadlocked.

Final Verdict: Which Camera Reigns Supreme?

Summarizing this camera showdown:

Best for Vlogging & General Video: Xiaomi 15 Ultra (8K on all lenses, artistic Leica portraits)
Best Low-Light Performance: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (minimal lens flare, improved white balance)
Best Optical Zoom & Stabilization: iPhone 16 Pro Max (excellent 5x and low-light zoom stabilization)
Best Detail in High-Zoom Shots: Xiaomi 15 Ultra (200MP sensor captures more information)
Best HDR & Exposure Control: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (balanced highlights and shadows)

Your decision ultimately comes down to your needs in terms of photography and videography. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the best option if zoom and details are important to you. A good all-arounder for balanced HDR and low-light performance is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. In the meantime, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is excellent in terms of color consistency, steadiness, and portraiture.

All three offer flagship-level camera experiences that elevate smartphone photography, regardless of the device you select.

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