Clarity
When we talk about clarity, we’re looking at both the sharpness of the image (resolution and fine detail) as well as image-processing artifacts. We want to see an image that retains small details and fine textures, without introducing a lot of noise or edge artifacts from over-sharpening.
Let's take a look at this bright daylight shot in Las Vegas.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG Both cameras did a great job with detail and noise in this bright daylight shot.
We see similar detail and noise between the two phones, and they both do a great job. Just look at this close-up, where the slats around those tiny windows are easily visible.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG Both phones do a great job with sharpness and noise in bright outdoor light.
How about this close-up of a circuit board in bright indoor lighting?
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG Which phone will bring out the fine details of this circuit board?
Here, the Galaxy S8 pulls ahead, with more details and fine writing visible when you look closely at the chips. The text printed on the circuit board is crisper, too.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG The Galaxy S8 has crisper text and fine lines on the circuit board.
Let's take a look at a really low light scene, with some color/detail photo targets thrown in for good measure.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG The lighting in this scene is exceptionally dim. And it's going to make a big difference in final photo quality.
It's just no contest. The Galaxy S8's bigger sensor and wider aperture give it the advantage it needs to expose both the model and the photo targets. The G6 just couldn't keep up. It ruined the model's skin tones and facial detail, and completely destroyed the photo targets.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG The G6 couldn't keep up with this low light scene. Just look how bad the photo targets are!
In bright daylight it's pretty close, but the darker it gets, the more the Galaxy S8 shines. A larger sensor with bigger pixels, and a slightly brighter aperture, give it a real advantage in capturing detail and reducing noise in darker environments.
Winner: The Galaxy S8 takes clearer, less noisy shots, especially in low light.
Finally, let's look at dynamic range.
