I took 500 photos with the two best Android camera phones – here is the light winner

ZDNET’s main dishes

• Oppo Find X8 Ultra works better than its Samsung rival in almost all scenarios.
• The Galaxy S25 Ultra is close to the comparison of ultrairs cameras.
• The OPPO lighthouse has unique features such as XPAN mode, Hasselblad’s colors science and master mode.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra houses one of the most versatile cameras systems on a consumer phone, thanks to its two telephotoracks and an ultra -id sensor coupled with a 200 MP primary camera.

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But the Oppo Find X8 Ultra is also versatile, if not more. He has larger sensors on the four 50 Mp cameras on his back. In addition, the flagship product of the Oppo is twinned with a Hasselblad renewed partnership – for additional features such as XPAN mode, better portraits, and Hasselblad natural color solutionregenerated for mobile.

I was confused about the phone to take in my trip to Sweden, so I took both and compared the results, which are … interesting.

Camera specifications comparison

The flagship products of Oppo and Samsung are among the best phones of 2025. The two sport four rear cameras, but the Find X8 Ultra houses larger sensors in three. It is directed by a 50mp main 50MP sensor, which takes on better quality photos than the 200MP main camera from Samsung.

But it is the rest of the sensors that help him take the lead. The SAMSUNG telephotctive telephotctive camera with a 10MP 3X optical zoom does not include any chance against the periscope camera support for OPPO Optical Optical Optics, while it rivals closely on ultraid photos and photos of Secondary 50MP Periscope (6x on OPPO).

Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra against OnePlus 13: I compared the best Android phones, and it was very close

There is no doubt that the Find X8 Ultra has a better package of cameras than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, thanks to its largest sensors and Hasselblad Color Science. But it can also sometimes be inconsistent, giving the advantage to the Samsung Galaxy S25. Here’s how the two compare themselves in my vacation photos.

It’s all about color science

The Oppo Find X8 Ultra exhibits the subjects better in most scenarios. It tends to brighten up the subject in difficult light conditions, which makes them (almost) artificial, but I would always prefer it to the under-exposed shooting of Samsung. For example, in the photos above, my face looks better exposed in the image of the left than in the 3x portrait of Samsung. Samsung has a warmer shade, while Oppo’s shot seems more alive.

Oppo can sometimes exaggerate treatment. None of the above gunshots are perfect, but I would choose the ultra galaxy S25 photo because it does not seem artificial.

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Although underexposed, it retains my complexion and seems more real, while OPPO blows to some extent. This is one of these incoherent treatment scenarios that occur from time to time, but it can ruin the atmosphere of the photo if you have not taken a backup.

Incoherent treatment is limited only to severe lighting conditions. Otherwise, Oppo’s Find X8 ultra beats the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in each scenario. He always shoots better photos in low light. Notice the bulbs on this lamp; Samsung could not get the details, and the overall shooting has more noise, while the image of OPPO is clearer.

This story continues on their respective Zoom Periscope cameras. The 6x Zoom of Oppo captures more details, the natural bokeh and no noise, even in low light. Samsung’s shooting seems dull despite a large amount of details, while the colors of Oppo Pop compared to the ultra galaxy S25.

Samsung competes better in ultrairs images. The two phones treat the saturated colors with many details for a shot with low light. Outside, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Oppo find X8 ultra capture just as beautiful, but the science of the bright colors of Oppo pleases me more.

Oppo takes the cake in the portraits

I would choose the Oppo Find X8 Ultra on the Galaxy S25 Ultra for portrait photos every day. Even at 6x, portrait photos are fantastic, thanks to Hasselblad Color Science. Under lively lighting conditions, he treats a natural appearance bokeh and adapts to the tone of his environment.

For example, the two photos above were taken near the sea, so they have a fresher tone, but a portrait taken during sunset will have a warmer tone.

To compare, Samsung’s shooting seems less alive and tends to have an aggressive blur on the edges of the subject, which makes an unnatural portrait. Although it better retains the color of my shirt, the photo of Oppo delivers the atmosphere of the place with its warmer tone in direct sunlight.

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There are several things – like the Macro 6x Tele and the Xpan mode – which you will only find on the Oppo Find X8 Ultra. For non -current mode, XPAN mode is available on ONEPLUS and OPPO flagship phones. It is inspired by the XPAN function of Hasselblad, which allows you to capture panoramic photos in a single appearance ratio 65:24.

I love it because how could I break the artistic ceilings in castles or panoramic views in panoramic places? Certainly not with a regular panorama mode.

End

Samsung gets a lot of things correctly, like not adding a camera control button, which hinders the landscape shooting experience on my Oppo phone. However, the South Korean giant must work on the setting of colors if he wants to challenge the tastes of Oppo Find X8 Ultra. For the moment, I would gladly choose the Oppo flagship on a ultra galaxy S25 for its Hasselblad colors, better portraits, master mode and XPAN mode.

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