Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority
I take plenty of pictures, even when it isn’t as many as Rita together with her Pixels. I developed my love of images otherwise than some, beginning with telephones and never venturing into the world of cameras till a lot later. Even now, I take advantage of a cellphone for many of my pictures. I like my Sony A6300 and the pictures it produces, however carrying it round in every single place is impractical. Through the years, my telephones and I’ve traveled to the US, Wales, and probably the most stunning elements of England, in addition to attended concert events, automotive reveals, and extra.
These photos come from Samsung telephones of various ages, and making an attempt to select my favorites out of the hundreds that fill my Google Photographs library was a job unto itself. In the long run, some simply stood out greater than others, even when it’s for the recollections they evoke, somewhat than their goal high quality, and it’s been enjoyable to see how far cellphone cameras have come over time.
From 2014 to 2025 (with a spot within the center whereas I used Nexus telephones), these are 22 of my favourite pictures taken with the Galaxy S4, S10 Plus, S20 Extremely, S21 Extremely, S22 Extremely, S23 Extremely, and S24 Extremely. Apart from one picture, all of those pictures are unedited, precisely as when the cellphone snapped them.
The 22 Samsung pictures I at all times look again on
2014 was an enormous 12 months for me. I turned 18, handed my driving check, lastly removed my braces, and did some travelling. I took many pictures that 12 months, however of all of them, two stand out probably the most, each of which had been taken with my Galaxy S4 and its 13MP digital camera. First, I went to Florida for the everyday Disney and Common Studios-themed vacation. I took loads of stable pictures, however the one which takes me again to that journey is the photograph I took of the Spaceship Earth experience, though I name it the golf ball.
The Galaxy S4 carried out properly so far as I’m involved. Certain, the dynamic vary could possibly be improved, and the element fades within the shadowed areas on the backside, however the definition of the geometric shapes on the golf ball is all there, with good element. I took the following photograph from the highest of Mt Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales. Seeing the cloud rolling over the smaller mountains beneath, the way in which the bottom drops away, and the water that appeared so massive at floor degree however feels so small from the highest, virtually lets me really feel the chilliness of the mountain breeze once more.
I finished utilizing Samsung telephones for some time after the S4, however I’ve been utilizing them once more since 2019, once I bought my Galaxy S10 Plus, one in all my favourite telephones from all I’ve owned. I took these in Cornwall within the Southwest of England, a spot I go to usually, so there might be extra Cornish pictures as we proceed.
The Galaxy S10 Plus gained’t be remembered as a paragon of smartphone cameras, however I beloved the pictures it took, and I feel it was underrated. Photographs tended to be oversaturated, much more so than trendy Samsung fashions, however I appreciated the constant pop of shade. Consistency was the S10 Plus’ biggest energy. It nonetheless used a smaller sensor, 16MP, so whereas it lacked a shallow depth of subject, it may maintain extra issues in focus directly, which is why the mussels photograph seems so good. Dynamic vary and balancing shadows are additionally one thing I feel the S10 Plus excelled at, and the distinction between the sky, greenery, and reflections on the water within the first and third photographs nonetheless impress.
2020 was a memorable 12 months for a number of causes. As a result of chaos of the time, I didn’t get to enterprise out and take as many pictures with the Galaxy S20 Extremely as I’d have favored, however there are just a few that also stand out. The time spent at hand-crafted me reconnect with previous hobbies, and I began accumulating Transformers once more. I bought loads of them throughout 2020, however my satisfaction and pleasure is Masterpiece Grimlock, who’s doing his greatest to look scary down the lens of my S20 Extremely.
When the lockdowns began to ease, I first traveled to Yorkshire to spend time with my then-fiancé and her household as quickly as potential. The spotlight of that journey was an ideal day at Blackpool, with a improbable view over the city from the highest of Blackpool Tower. If I needed to rank the cameras on these telephones, the S20 Extremely can be second from the underside, solely beating the S4. The 108MP foremost sensor struggled to focus, an issue that the S21 Extremely addressed, and the 4X 48MP telephoto was additionally subpar. Even so, it captured these recollections properly.
Issues had been brighter and extra hopeful in 2021. I bought married, cinemas and different venues reopened, and issues felt like they had been nearer to regular. My two favourite pictures, which I took on my S21 Extremely, seize that heat, no less than in my thoughts.
Buddies of mine bought Elmo, a Schnauzer who’s the bestest boy, and who’s completely captured on this photograph because the little man enjoys the solar and cuddles. Subsequent, we’ve got Studying, a city close to the place I stay, as we went to see Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Which may not be remembered as an ideal movie, however it was the primary packed screening I’d attended since 2020, and the cheers of tons of of individuals in the course of the post-credits scene are one thing I can nonetheless hear once I rewatch it.
On a technical degree, the S21 Extremely carried out properly in each of those pictures, contemplating its launch date. Within the latter picture, night time mode ensured every thing was correctly uncovered, and I like the way in which the lights stand out.
My Galaxy S22 Extremely was an Exynos mannequin, so whereas I wasn’t impressed by its tendency to overheat at a second’s discover, the cameras impressed me. The element within the river within the first photograph, taken in Boscastle, provides texture to the picture that I respect.
The remaining pictures are all zoom photographs, which have been a powerful level for Extremely telephones because the S21. For an Think about Dragons live performance, I used to be sitting on the very far finish of the world, so getting a zoom shot like this at that distance is fairly unbelievable, even when it’s helped by the large display screen in the back of the stage. The Purple Starling provides some bombastic aspect eye within the subsequent shot, and the penguins are maybe one in all my favourite pictures taken on any cellphone. They had been ready for meals, and I zoomed by means of a waterfall that separated us to seize this shot. Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave. Lastly, the Patagonian Mara, which was having fun with the uncommon British sunshine, which ought to by no means be taken without any consideration.
The Galaxy S23 Extremely is the perfect cellphone I’ve ever owned. It lastly introduced Snapdragon chips to UK Galaxy telephones, seemed attractive within the online-exclusive pink and black, and it was probably the most dependable gadget I’ve used. The pictures are nice, too.
I’ve been to extra concert events than I can depend, however seeing Fall Out Boy on the finish of 2023 was a dream come true, and the S23 Extremely helped seize that second. What units this cellphone aside from the Galaxy telephones earlier on this checklist is that I didn’t must take a number of pictures at a time to get one I favored. These are all first makes an attempt, from the difficult lighting on the live performance to the expansive vista of the Cornish seaside at sundown, and the superb pure bokeh that frames the Heron.
Lastly, we’ve got two of my favourite pictures from my present cellphone, the Galaxy S24 Extremely. In Might 2024, we had the uncommon alternative to see the Northern Lights in southern England. Utilizing a tripod mount with Samsung’s Professional RAW app, I captured this attractive photograph. The contrasting colours and stars that shine by means of make it a putting picture. This photograph underwent some delicate enhancing, utilizing Lightroom to take away grain and steadiness the publicity.
Lastly, a closely modified Toyota GT86 that I noticed at Japfest 2024 at Silverstone. The automotive is excessive, however in the easiest way. The bodykit, the stance, and the way in which the yellow pops in opposition to the gray British climate make me pleased every time I take a look at it.
Are these technically the perfect pictures on the earth? No. However whether or not it’s the standard of the picture or the fond reminiscence it brings to thoughts, my Samsung telephones have taken a few of my favourite pictures over time. Samsung’s cameras usually get flak for movement blur, shutter lag, and oversharpening and oversaturation. These are legitimate criticisms, however it doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t take good pictures with them. The varied array of lenses makes them extra versatile than many competing fashions.
What’s your favourite smartphone digital camera? Is it a brand new cellphone, or one thing older? Let me know within the feedback.
