OnePlus 9 vs Galaxy S21, iPhone 12 Pro camera comparison

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Scene 1

In our second scene, the main differences between the three cameras are the colors. We can observe those super-realistic colors in the OnePlus 9 picture, whereas the Galaxy and the iPhone have gone for more punchiness. Samsung’s latest trooper is the one to come up with the most vivid picture that has a somewhat unrealistic sky, while the iPhone offers a nice balance between realism and punchy colors.

Greenery is the name of the game for the OnePlus, with green dominating the color spectrum here. The Galaxy S21 has gone for a unrealistic sky that seems too blue to me, one that 12-year old me would have been raving about. Again, I’d probably pick the iPhone picture out of the three as it’s consistent with what we’ve already seen: balance between realism and vividness. 

Scene 4

When the light goes scarce, the roles are somewhat reversed: the iPhone has produced the most vivid and punchy photo, which I certainly like the best, whereas the OnePlus 9 has come up with a more realistic picture. The Galaxy S21 is a bit on the colder side, but hey, that could be just your thing! All three phones used their respective long exposure modes in this scene, and the results are commendable: there’s more than enough detail and sharpness here, and all areas of the scene are exposed well.

Scene 5

This next scene reveals another role reversal: the iPhone 12 Pro bets on realism and muted colors, the Galaxy S21 came up with the most “shareable” image, and the OnePlus which strikes a balanced middle ground between the rest.

Scene 6

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: portraits are an iPhone’s specialty, and this scene proves that without the shadow of a doubt. The Galaxy S21 has done a great job as well, but the saturated and predominantly pinkish colors out the phone in the second spot. The OnePlus 9 is sadly not good enough when it comes to portraits: the picture is just too soft and lacks any real definition in the face. The iPhone wins this round.

Scene 8

Portrait selfies are generally hard as the phone has to rely on a single camera and algorithms to judge what should be in focus and what should be blurred with that sweet artificial bokeh. What comes off as a pleasant surprise is that all three phones have done an excellent job at separating my ill-shaped head from the complex background. Great!

Conclusion

Despite its affordable price tag, the $729 OnePlus 9 can definitely holds its own against the more expensive Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12 Pro. Surely, there are differences in the color reproduction in some scenarios, but generally speaking, a OnePlus 9 will do a good job against its famed adversaries.