LG G4 vs Galaxy S6: Camera Comparison and Examples

The brand new LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy S6 promise to be one of the best smartphones released in 2015 and also try to offer the best smartphone camera. Both companies have gone to great lengths to deliver the best possible camera experience and to have two of the most capable and fastest lenses on the market. Here we share some sample photos taken by hand with both devices.

Earlier this week, LG took the stage in New York to officially announce and promote the all-new LG G4. The smartphone features an improved 5.5-inch Quad HD display, a powerful 6-core processor and a new genuine leather hand-stitched back design. However, the highlight of the show was the 16-megapixel F1.8 camera, which aims to beat the Galaxy S6 and even the iPhone 6 when it comes to camera performance.

The link above shows how impressive the new LG G4 camera is, but all of this was shot in a controlled environment setup by LG to highlight camera features rather than competition. And while the G4 showcases some great features of the camera, the images below will look like a better representation of real-world handheld use.

Both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4 represent some of the cutting-edge technology when it comes to mobile photography, so naturally we wanted to test both and see which was better. Although we try our best to take every photo in the same condition, some may be slightly different.

Both of these phones offer a lot of potential to work on while capturing the moments that matter to you. Naturally, we took a few different photos in different light to see how they got the job done, and it’s up to you to decide what would look best. There have been moments where the Galaxy S6 shines and the color and lighting don’t look as natural as captured on the LG G4.

As a reminder, both phones feature 16-megapixel cameras with optical image stabilization. The Galaxy S6 features an F1.9 lens that promises to be extremely fast and handle low-light situations better than any phone to date. The G4 took Samsung a step further by launching the LG G4 with a 16-megapixel camera with F1.8 lens, optical image stabilization, laser autofocus, and a 40% larger sensor than the one that came with the LG G3. They both have tons of potential so let’s take a look.

Every photo you see below will be taken with a new one.

Here are some photos of a fountain in New York. The first is a normal shot from above and the second is zoomed in using the stock settings of both cameras. The second image is not a crop, but we zoomed in to see how well it did work with the image stabilization and image stabilization. Everyone’s eyes are different, but I see more green in Galaxy S6 images.

One thing we found quite interesting happened while trying to take a picture in a poorly lit Tiffany Co store in NYC. I took out both phones, got the stock settings right out of the box, and tried to take a picture of some Tiffany Jewels. For whatever reason, the Galaxy S6 struggled with low light, glass, and additional lighting, resulting in a very unnatural yellow tint to the image.

Below is the LG G4 on the left and the Galaxy S6 on the right. What we see in person is shown by the LG G4, while the Galaxy S6 gave us that weird and unnatural yellow glow from multiple angles. I tried multiple angles to make the Galaxy S6 look more natural when it was light, but for whatever reason I couldn’t capture it.

There is so much to see in New York. From oddly colored bricks, the Wall Street Stock Exchange, and more. Both phones take great photos and have quick launch options so you never miss a quick photo moment, but here’s what we caught. Again. G4 on the left, Galaxy S6 on the right.

Here, taking a photo on the road, the LG G4 handled incoming light a little better, while the Galaxy S6 got a little washed out trying to get all the details. The bricks are similar, the G4 has a darker result, and the WTC memorial fountain was so great that I was too busy catching the moment to take more than a photo or two. That said, both photos said the fountain was excellent.

One area where I don’t have an example but where I can speak my mind is Panorama mode. I took a panorama photo of the WTC Memorial Pools with the G4 and it turned out absolutely awful. The lines didn’t match, it was blurry in places, and it was just a mess. The Galaxy S6 panorama mode (and the most elegant fancy settings) is better overall. The Galaxy S6 makes things easy. The G4 does too, but in Pro mode it has more advanced options for ISO control (more than the S6), shutter speed, long exposures, and more. Something the Galaxy S6 can’t do.

Unfortunately my trip to NYC was coming to an end and I immediately pulled out both phones and snapped a photo from the same spot at the airport. This was in the shade covered by the superstructure, which had plenty of natural light. The LG G4 manages to do a better job here too, letting more light in to see more details in cars, buildings and the sky, and the sky has a natural blue color. We’ll let you be the judge.

All said and done, it’s a mixed bag of results. We tried toggling the always-on HDR auto mode, taking pictures from different angles and even zooming in, and both phones perform pretty well. Sometimes the Galaxy S6 has better color reproduction, while other moments the LG G4 is the clear winner.

Both of these phones are incredibly fast, accurate, and have stunning 16-megapixel cameras, optical image stabilization, and the best low-light performance of any phone I’ve ever used, and the Nexus 6 in my back pocket was second to none. I didn’t even bother to compare. According to our first impressions, the LG G4 and Galaxy S6 have two of the best smartphone cameras on the market, and both will make their owner happy. The LG G4 may have more advanced controls and options, but the Galaxy S6 did a few things better, has some great built-in effects and filters and more like slow motion, fast motion, wide angle and selective focus.

The LG G4 camera interface isn’t quite as smooth as the Galaxy S6 as a whole, and while it does experience occasional lag when messing with settings or options, the Galaxy S6 is as fast as ever. It’s hard to say which is better, but both are excellent, that’s for sure. Video samples and even more content are coming soon, so stay tuned. Below is a breakdown of all the photos in one area.