Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Full Frame Camera - RAW Image Quality Comparison
Introduction
How much image quality difference is there between a modern smartphone and a professional full frame camera when both are shooting RAW?
To find out, I compared Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Expert RAW files against Nikon Z7 II RAW files captured side by side during real-world landscape photography. For this comparison, I matched focal lengths as closely as possible using the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 1x and 5x cameras alongside the Nikon Z7 II paired with the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 lens shot near equivalent focal lengths. While the Samsung captures up to 50 megapixel Expert RAW files, the Nikon Z7 II uses a 45 megapixel full frame sensor and interchangeable lenses, making this an interesting comparison between smartphone photography and a dedicated professional camera system.
For testing, both cameras were shot primarily at base ISO and compared in Lightroom using unedited RAW files imported with default settings. I also tested higher ISO performance, underexposure and overexposure recovery, and shadow recovery to evaluate detail retention, dynamic range, and overall image quality differences between the two systems.
Watch the Full Comparison
Watch the full side-by-side comparison below, including RAW image comparisons, dynamic range testing, ISO testing, and real-world landscape examples.
Key Takeaways
Detail & Rendering: The Nikon Z7 II consistently produced cleaner, more detailed files with a more natural and organic look, while Samsung Expert RAW files often appeared more oversharpened and digitally processed. The difference became especially noticeable when zooming into fine textures such as rocks, foliage, and distant landscape detail.
Dynamic Range Recovery: During three-stop exposure recovery tests, the Nikon Z7 II retained significantly more shadow detail and color information, while Samsung files softened considerably and developed color shifts or loss of shadow information during heavier edits.
Highlight Recovery: When recovering overexposed files, the Nikon Z7 II retained more highlight detail and generally recovered blown highlights more gracefully, while Samsung files clipped sooner and lost more usable information.
High ISO Performance: At ISO 3200, the Nikon Z7 II dramatically outperformed the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. While the Nikon still retained strong detail and usable files, Samsung images became noticeably softer with major detail loss and strong degradation in image quality.
1x vs 5x Samsung Performance: One interesting finding was that the Samsung’s 1x camera generally performed better than the 5x telephoto camera, holding detail together more effectively and producing stronger overall image quality.
Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra delivers impressive image quality for a smartphone and offers genuine RAW shooting flexibility, but the Nikon Z7 II maintained a clear advantage in detail, dynamic range, ISO performance, and overall file quality. That said, the Samsung remains a highly capable creative tool that fits in your pocket.
RAW Files
Download the original RAW files from this comparison to inspect the images yourself, test your own editing workflow, and compare smartphone vs full frame image quality in Lightroom, Photoshop, or your preferred RAW editor.
Check Current Pricing
Check current pricing and availability below:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
View at Amazon
Nikon Z7 II
View at B&H Photo | View at Amazon
Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S
View at B&H Photo | View at Amazon
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