iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Camera Specs Compared
A 48MP main camera with a variable aperture against a 200MP main camera with two telephoto lenses. The official specs, side by side.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Galaxy S26 Ultra take very different approaches to the camera. These are the official specs from Apple and Samsung, side by side. This is not a photo test.
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Main | 48MP, f/1.48 to f/4.0 variable | 200MP, f/1.4 |
| Ultra wide | 48MP | 50MP |
| Telephoto | 4x | 3x and 5x |
| Optical-quality zoom | Up to 8x | Up to 10x |
| Maximum zoom | 40x | 100x |
| Video | 4K at up to 120 fps, ProRes RAW | 8K at 30 fps, 4K at up to 120 fps, APV |
| Front | 18MP with Center Stage | 12MP |
Main camera
The iPhone has 48 megapixels. The Galaxy has 200. The iPhone's aperture is variable, from f/1.48 to f/4.0, while the Galaxy's is fixed at f/1.4.
A variable aperture means the iPhone can stop down to keep more of a scene in focus. The Galaxy's answer is resolution, for cropping in later. More megapixels does not automatically mean better photos, and both phones combine pixels for everyday shots.
Ultra wide and front cameras
The ultra wide cameras are close: 48 megapixels on the iPhone and 50 on the Galaxy. On the front, the iPhone has 18 megapixels with Center Stage, and the Galaxy has 12.
Zoom
Zoom is where the two differ most. The iPhone has one telephoto lens, at 4x. The Galaxy has two, at 3x and 5x. Optical-quality zoom reaches 8x on the iPhone and 10x on the Galaxy, and the maximum is 40x against 100x. For reach, the Galaxy wins on paper.
Video
The Galaxy records up to 8K at 30 frames per second. The iPhone tops out at 4K. Both shoot 4K at 120 frames per second. For professional work, the iPhone records ProRes RAW, and the Galaxy uses a format called APV.
The scorecard
- Main camera: split
- Ultra wide: tie
- Zoom: Galaxy
- Video: split
- Front camera: iPhone
If you want reach and resolution, look at the Galaxy. If you want aperture control and professional video formats, look at the iPhone.
Specs tell you what each camera can do. They don't tell you which one takes the better photo. Processing matters just as much as hardware, so use this as a guide.