Samsung's Galaxy S4 has won another battle against Apple as the newer, bigger handset seems to have edged out the iPhone 5 in camera tests by well-known DxO Labs.
Overall, DxO Labs gave the Samsung Galaxy S4 a score of 75. The iPhone 5 received a score of 72 back in December. The Galaxy S4 scored a 79 for photo quality versus the iPhone 5's 74. Still, Apple did win in the video category, scoring a 70 against the Galaxy S4's 68.
Pros for the Galaxy S4's photo quality were "impressive detail preservation in bright light conditions," good autofocus and auto-exposure, and "good image quality with flash." Cons included poor low light performance and over-sharpening halos.
The Galaxy S4's video was praised simply for "good colors" and "good texture reproduction," however DxO Labs noted that the Galaxy S4 had poor image stabilization.
Meanwhile, DxO Labs was impressed by the iPhone 5's camera for its broad dynamic range, an accurate autofocus, and the level of detail under bright lighting conditions. The iPhone 5 did not fare well under low light conditions.
The iPhone 5's video camera showed off its image stabilization under bright light well, but failed to hold up in low light.
The scores for the two handsets are incredibly similar, although remember that the Galaxy S4's rear-facing camera is 13 megapixels while the iPhone 5's is 8 megapixels. The iPhone 5 is also eight months old, while the Galaxy S4 is just releasing here in the United States, meaning that Apple's handset will set your wallet back far less. Still, the best way is to try out the handsets and their camera capabilities for yourself.
Let us know which smartphone's camera you prefer and why in the comments below.