I put this camera beast next to the S25 Ultra, and the results surprised me

Ask anyone right now what smartphone they’d pick for the best camera, and chances are they’ll name a Google Pixel, an iPhone, or the latest Samsung flagship. And honestly, it’s no surprise. These are the most recognizable premium smartphone brands in the US, and they genuinely deliver excellent camera performance.

But here’s the thing: in the US, we’re missing out on a whole lineup of competitive flagship phones from brands like Huawei, Vivo, and OPPO — devices that are available in other parts of the world at similar price points and with equally (if not more) impressive specs.

I recently got my hands on the Pura 80 Ultra, Huawei’s new flagship smartphone with a beefy camera module and some impressive new camera tech. But does it really offer something better than what we already have? To find out, I put the Pura 80 Ultra head-to-head with the Galaxy S25 Ultra in a camera comparison test. And to my surprise, the results weren’t exactly what I expected.

A closer look at the camera hardware

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra brings something new to the table

Huawei has consistently stayed ahead of other Android OEMs when it comes to new camera tech in smartphones. The company’s P30 Pro was the first to introduce 5x optical zoom in a smartphone — a whole year before Samsung did it with the Galaxy S20 Ultra. And, even before its US ban, Huawei was genuinely shaping up to be the brand to beat in mobile photography.

As expected, the Pura 80 Ultra brings more innovative camera tech to the table. The main sensor is a 50-megapixel unit with a variable aperture (f/1.6–f/4.0), coupled with a 40-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 1.5-megapixel spectral camera for improved color accuracy. But the real magic lies in the zoom lenses.

Huawei is using a new switchable periscope system, where a mechanical prism inside the module physically shifts between two lenses, allowing for lossless zoom. The company is using this tech because the Pura 80 Ultra uses a single large sensor for both the zoom lenses underneath, allowing it to capture more light. In terms of the lenses, you get a 50-megapixel 3.7x optical zoom and a 12.5-megapixel 9.4x optical zoom lens.

In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra features a more familiar camera setup: a 200-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture and OIS, a 10MP 3x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel 5x zoom lens, and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide. On paper, Huawei seems to have the edge with its unified sensor setup for zoom, but does that translate into better real-world results? Let’s find out.

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The rear camera showdown

Which smartphone has the better camera?

Before we begin, there are a couple of things to note. First, this comparison is limited to images taken by the rear cameras, not the selfie cameras. Secondly, all the photos below were taken in simple tap-and-shoot mode, not Pro mode, as that’s how most people typically capture photos.

Primary cameras

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

Right off the bat, you’ll notice a significant difference in color science and image processing between the two smartphones. Both cameras favor vibrant and punchy colors, but they differ slightly in white balance. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra produces warmer tones, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra leans toward a cooler tone.

For example, in the shot above, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra retains the natural color of the wooden frame around the painting taken at Burj Khalifa, while the Pura 80 Ultra renders the wooden brown finish with a noticeably yellowish tone. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also keeps images a bit sharper, whereas Huawei’s phone tends to soften the details slightly.

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

A similar difference in image processing and white balance is visible in the shot above, with the Pura 80 Ultra applying a stronger yellowish tone, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra maintains a cooler tone, more accurately reflecting what was actually on the scene.

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

However, Huawei pulls ahead when it comes to handling HDR balance. In the restaurant photo above, the buildings behind the bay window are much clearer in the Pura 80 Ultra’s shot, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra blurs them slightly, losing the sense of how high the restaurant actually is.

Interestingly, in this instance, Huawei opts for a cooler tone, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra shifts slightly warmer.

Zoom shots

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test (30x)

Now, taking a look at the zoom shots, and this is where the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra begins to pull ahead, thanks to the large sensor beneath its prism-shifting lenses. The photo above of the EMAAR building in Dubai was taken at 30x, and you can clearly see how that large sensor makes a difference.

The image from the Pura 80 Ultra is more vibrant and retains impressive sharpness even at this zoom level. Meanwhile, the shot from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though still solid, lacks that punch — colors look washed out, and the image appears a bit soft.

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test (50x)

At 50x, this becomes even more apparent. The Pura 80 Ultra retains more detail, like the flap-like concrete elements behind the EMAAR logo and the tile lines on the terrace. Color reproduction is also noticeably better on the Pura 80 Ultra, thanks to its larger sensor, compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Night and indoor photos

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

Moving on to nighttime shots, and this is where things get even closer. These two images of the Ain Dubai at night clearly highlight the differences in image processing between the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Huawei Pura 80 Ultra.

The photo from the S25 Ultra has a more natural tone and handles exposure more gracefully. The lights around the Ferris wheel are cleaner, without the over-bleeding seen in the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra’s shot. Look at the background buildings too — on the S25 Ultra, window outlines and signage remain clear, while the Pura blows them out slightly with aggressive HDR.

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

However, taking a look at this shot up close of a mosque, and the Pura 80 Ultra’s aggressive HDR really comes in handy. The textures on the walls and the intricate lattice patterns are noticeably more defined, and the shadows around the corners are better lifted. The Pura 80 Ultra also nails the white balance with a cleaner, warmer tone that feels more accurate.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra does a great job with natural lighting and avoids over-processing, but it ends up losing finer detail and depth in the darker areas.

This shot at AYA Universe really shows how each phone handles colors and light. The Pura 80 Ultra’s image is cleaner and more balanced, with better white control and less highlight clipping. The Galaxy S25 Ultra looks a bit blown out, especially on the floor, losing texture in brighter areas that turn white.

Close-up shots

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

This food shot highlights how differently the two phones process color and texture. Unlike other shots from the primary camera, the Pura 80 Ultra delivers a cooler tone, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra opts for a warmer white balance. Both images are sharp and detailed, but the Pura 80 Ultra pulls slightly ahead — just look at the truffle mushroom below the egg yolk and the black pepper on the egg white.

Fast-moving subject test

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra vs Galaxy S25 Ultra camera test

Now, taking a look at this shot of two otters, the Pura 80 Ultra pulls ahead with noticeably better depth and sharpness. The fur texture is more refined, and there’s a beautiful separation between the subjects and the background. While the Galaxy S25 Ultra does a better job controlling highlights, it loses some of the finer details that make the Pura’s shot stand out in this tricky lighting.

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Which camera is better?

Now, coming to the main question — which camera is actually better? In 2025, Android phones have improved greatly in camera performance, and they’re closer than ever, with both phones excelling in different scenarios.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 200MP primary sensor handles day-to-day shots better, with slightly more natural-looking tones while keeping a punchy vibe. The Pura 80 Ultra leans toward a warmer tone, which I’m not a fan of. However, low-light and zoom shots are noticeably better on the Pura 80 Ultra, with the sensor managing light well and retaining more detail.

If I had to pick one camera for a concert or vacation, I’d prefer the Pura 80 Ultra, since it handles low light, zoom, and fast-moving subjects better than the S25 Ultra. That said, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is still arguably the best option you can buy in the US, but Samsung clearly needs to adopt the new zoom tech with a combined sensor for both zoom lenses.

Brand

Samsung

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Elite

Display

6.9-inch

RAM

12GB

Storage

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the most refined flagship from the brand yet. It comes with a big 6.9-inch edge-to-edge AMOLED panel, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a quad-camera setup with up to 5x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom.