Huawei P30 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S10+ vs Apple iPhone XS – Which Phone Has The Best Cameras?

We recently compared these three devices so we can make a recommendation based on overall specs and price. One of the things we noticed that these phones have great cameras, so we’re comparing them again, but we’re going to focus on their camera quality. Which one has the best cameras? Let’s find out.

For this comparison, we’re going to post camera samples that were shot in various conditions, side-by-side so we can easily compare.

Daylight

When it comes to daylight shots, the P30 Pro seems brighter and warmer compared to the rest. However, the Galaxy S10+ seems sharper. The iPhone XS, on the other hand, is the darkest with noise evident on the upper right corner. We’re putting our vote on the P30 Pro for brightness and the Galaxy S10+ for sharpness.

Low light

When it comes to low light, the P30 Pro is the obvious winner for producing a clear image with less noise and more accurate colors. The S10+ comes second, then the iPhone XS.

Night Mode

One of the best features of the Huawei P30 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is their Night Mode feature, allowing both devices to produce shots at night that are clear, bright, blur-free, and less noise. Our vote goes to the P30 Pro for having a more accurate color reproduction and less noise. The Galaxy S10+, on the other hand, has this attractive glow to it, but the whole image seems to have reddish tint as evident in the buildings on the left.

Macro

All three phones support have macro modes, allowing you to shoot subjects at an extremely close distance. upon closer inspection, the P30 Pro can get the closest to the subject and can produce the sharpest image. The Galaxy S10+, on the other hand, has decent details but can’t get as close as the P30 Pro and color is a bit washed out. For the iPhone XS, the image looks dirty and can’t get as close as well.

Zoom (Max)

Again, the P30 Pro wins in this criteria as it can up to a maximum of 50X digital zoom compared to the others which can only go as far as 10X. Even at that distance, it’s impressive how the P30 Pro can manage to keep the image clear and blur-free.

Portrait

Portrait mode allows the devices to shoot a subject with an artificially blurred background. All three devices support this feature. Looking at the samples, the P30 Pro has the creamiest background among the three. The Galaxy S10+ has less blur but the colors are better. The iPhone XS almost doesn’t have a blur. For this criteria, we’re putting a point on the P30 Pro for the blur and the Galaxy S10+ for colors.

Selfie

Selfie technology has evolved over the years and smartphones nowadays can add effects to a rather ordinary photo which you can see in these samples. The Galaxy S10+, with its dual-front cameras, can produce selfies with creamy backgrounds. However, the P30 Pro has the advantage when it comes to details as the subject’s face is clearer. The iPhone XS comes second in terms of creamy backgrounds but the details are of less quality. So in this case, we’re going for the Galaxy S10+ for bokeh and the P30 Pro for the details.

Ultra-wide

One of the features of the P30 Pro and the Galaxy S10+ is their wide-angle cameras. Looking at the samples, the latter has a wider shot thanks to its 12mm ultrawide lens, while the P30 Pro is at 16mm. While having the widest lens possible is great, quality is also important. In this case, the P30 Pro wins as the colors and contrast are obviously better.

Video (Daylight)

All three phones can shoot stabilized videos thanks to OIS with a resolution of up to 4K. But quality-wise, it’s between the P30 Pro and the S10+. However, our vote goes to the Huawei P30 Pro for having richer colors and better zoom distance.
Video (Night)

Things are a lot different when shooting videos at night. Quality, as expected, degrades and we just have to look for the one that can retain the most details, colors, and contrast. Although the P30 Pro has a better zoom range, the quality is not that good in the dark. In this case, it’s a tie between the P30 Pro and the S10+.

Summary:

Daylight – P30 Pro, S10+
Low light – P30 Pro
Night Mode – P30 Pro
Macro – P30 Pro
Zoom (Max) – P30 Pro
Portrait – P30 Pro, S10+
Selfie – P30 Pro, S10+
Ultrawide – P30 Pro
Video (daylight) – P30 Pro
Video (Night) – P30 Pro, S10+

Looking at the summary, most of our choices are between the P30 Pro and the Galaxy S10+. The S10+ is a great phone and in other aspects, is better than the P30 Pro, but when it comes to overall capabilities, we choose the latter. That is also evident in their DxOMark scores with the P30 Pro with 112 points and the S10+ with 109. So if you’re looking for a versatile shooter that can perform well in various shooting conditions, we recommend the Huawei P30 Pro.

And that sums it up. Do note that our conclusion is based on our own observations, so feel free to make your own and share your verdict in the comments below.