Smartphone vs. Mirrorless: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Battles the Sony a6700

 Today, we're putting two powerful cameras head-to-head: the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the popular Sony a6700. Before I started making these comparison videos, I honestly thought there was no way a smartphone could truly compete with a dedicated camera. But my perspective has definitely shifted!

To really see how these two stack up, we need to look at their differences in terms of real-world usability.  

I tested the video portrait mode on the S25 Ultra. In this shot, the Samsung (Camera A) blends all the lighting together, similar to what we just saw, which honestly doesn't look too bad. However, the Sony (Camera B) almost looks like it needs a bit more key light on the face.

This is just one of the many comparison tests I conducted with both of these cameras to help you decide which one might be better for your needs.

Just a quick reminder that this comparison isn't sponsored by Samsung or Sony, or any other company for that matter. If you find this helpful and want to support the channel, subscribing would be greatly appreciated.

Today, we're going to compare their Log performance for dynamic range, do some night shooting and extremely low-light tests, look at photography in both low light and on the street, compare fake blur versus real bokeh, test their stabilization, shoot some vertical content for social media, and examine their autofocus systems.

Here you can find the FREE PROJECT FILES for both cameras so you can dive in and explore for yourself. If you're still on the fence after you read this blog, you can take my free "Which Camera Should I Buy?" quiz.

I also made a YOUTUBE VIDEO on this comparison so you can watch it after you read this blog. 

Alright, I'm excited to dive into this again.

Price and Value

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, released in February 2025, starts at $1,419 US. The Sony a6700, released in July 2023, starts at $1,398, making it slightly cheaper than the Samsung. However, that price doesn't include a lens or an SD card. Adding a kit lens and an SD card will likely add around another $150 to the cost.

If you do opt for the Sony and have the budget, I'd recommend skipping the kit lens and investing in something better suited to your specific needs. For this comparison, though, I used the kit lens for those of you on a tighter budget, along with the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 for portrait shooting in some of the Log shots, and the Viltrox 25mm f/1.7 for some street photography and skin tone tests.

By the way, if you enjoy this type of video, make sure to give this post a like so I know to create more content like this!

Usability and Design 

There's a clear contrast in size and form factor between the Sony a6700 and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The S25 Ultra is significantly more portable and convenient, while the Sony a6700 offers more versatility and generally better image quality, especially in low light. The a6700 also boasts more external customization options, as you'd expect from a dedicated camera. I've mentioned this before, but I've never had a security guard question my filming when using a smartphone, which isn't always the case with a more professional-looking camera like the a6700. 

Grip: The Samsung, like most smartphones, doesn't offer a dedicated grip. The a6700, on the other hand, has a comfortable grip typical of mirrorless cameras, making it less prone to accidental drops.

Ports: The Sony a6700 has dedicated ports for audio input, headphones, HDMI, and a USB-C port for file transfer. The S25 Ultra has a single USB-C port for charging, file transfer, and HDMI output, which is quite versatile.

Body: The Samsung S25 Ultra is sleek, compact, and can easily fit in your pocket. The Sony a6700, especially with a lens attached, is considerably larger and requires a bag or dedicated space for transport. However, its interchangeable lens system provides a significant advantage in adapting to various shooting situations. 

Settings: The S25 Ultra has a user-friendly interface, as you'd expect from a smartphone, and can shoot in up to 8K at 30fps or 4K at 120fps. The a6700 offers extensive customization through both physical buttons and in-camera settings. While the Samsung's camera app is capable, it's more limited compared to the dedicated controls of the Sony. You'll need a basic understanding of exposure to get the most out of the a6700. The Sony a6700 can shoot in 4K up to 120fps with a 1.5x crop and 4K 60fps with a minimal 1.04x crop.

Features and Functionality

Autofocus: The a6700 boasts amazing autofocus, especially when paired with a good lens. The Samsung's autofocus is also quite capable, and due to the wider depth of field inherent in smartphone cameras, most things tend to be in focus already. 

Photography: The a6700 has a 26MP sensor, while the Samsung boasts a 200MP sensor. However, the a6700's sensor is significantly larger, which is a crucial factor in low-light photography. In well-lit street photography, I was surprised by how close the image quality was between the two. If I didn't have the file names, I might not have been able to tell which camera took which shot, which speaks volumes about the Samsung's capabilities. 

Sharpness: To get a closer look at that 200MP sensor, I did a sharpness test. When zoomed in significantly (5000%), I was surprised at how well the S25 Ultra held up against the a6700.

Green Screen: Both cameras performed adequately in the green screen test. Factors like color temperature and white balance during the shoot can influence the final keying process.

Product Shots: For beginner content creators without a dedicated camera, the Samsung can definitely capture nice slider product shots, as I demonstrated. However, the a6700, with the right lens, can achieve even more impressive results, especially in terms of background sharpness and noise in dimly lit backgrounds.

Verticals for Socials: For creating vertical content, the Samsung's stabilization is noticeably better than the a6700's, as you can see in the comparison.

Audio: The Samsung has three microphones, while the a6700 has two. Additionally, the Samsung offers an audio AI magic eraser feature to remove unwanted background noise.

Vlog: The a6700 has a steeper learning curve but offers much more control and a flip screen, making it ideal for vlogging. While vlogging with the Samsung isn't difficult, the lack of a flip screen means relying on the front-facing camera, which often isn't as good as the rear cameras. The Sony a6700 also has features like auto reframing, which can be a great asset for solo creators.

Image Quality Deep Dive

Log Performance: Comparing the Log footage from the Samsung to the S-Log footage from the a6700, the Sony offers more latitude for color grading due to its larger sensor and greater detail. However, the fact that the Samsung can shoot in 8K Log is a significant advantage. The Log footage from the Samsung is quite good, and in a pinch, it could be matched with the a6700's footage, potentially making the Samsung a great B-cam.

Fake Blur vs. Bokeh: The a6700, especially when paired with a fast prime lens like the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2, produces a much more natural and pleasing bokeh compared to the Samsung's digital portrait mode. 

Low Light: While the a6700 with the kit lens doesn't completely obliterate the Samsung in low light, especially if you pair the Sony with a fast prime lens, the difference becomes more apparent. In a studio setting with very limited light, the Sony's larger sensor significantly outperformed the Samsung, even after manually exposing both cameras and attempting to match the Samsung's footage to the a6700's using software. The Samsung's fixed aperture also doesn't help in these situations. While Log made the Samsung footage look better, the a6700 still came out on top.

Night Shots: In very dark environments, the a6700 also performed better than the Samsung S25 Ultra. However, it's important to note that excessive movement in near-total darkness can challenge the stabilization systems of both cameras.

4K 120fps: Both cameras can shoot in 4K at 120fps. However, the a6700 introduces a significant 1.5x crop at this frame rate, which can make it virtually unusable in low-light situations, especially given the APS-C sensor's existing crop factor.

Dynamic Range: The computational photography algorithms in the Samsung are incredibly effective at retaining detail in both highlights and shadows, making its dynamic range quite impressive. However, the a6700 generally offers a more natural and nuanced dynamic range due to its larger sensor. 

Backlighting: In backlighting scenarios, both cameras performed well in some instances. The Samsung even outperformed the a6700 in certain situations, likely due to its computational dynamic range processing. However, the a6700 seemed to handle shadows slightly better, avoiding the crushed blacks seen in some of the Samsung's footage.

Stabilization: Both cameras have built-in stabilization, but the Samsung's electronic stabilization is significantly more effective, producing footage that looks almost gimbal-smooth, even when shooting handheld or vlogging. However, the Samsung's stabilization can struggle in very low light, resulting in grainy and unusable footage. The a6700's stabilization introduces a crop to the video, which can be inconvenient and further hinders low-light performance. For the best results with the a6700, using a gimbal and turning off in-camera stabilization is generally recommended.

Conclusion 

Reflecting on this comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra continues to impress with its versatility and the advancements in its camera system. It's a fantastic all-in-one device for capturing high-quality photos and videos in a wide range of situations, especially when convenience and strong stabilization are priorities.

However, the Sony a6700, as a dedicated interchangeable lens camera, ultimately offers superior image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions, along with greater creative control through its lens options and manual controls. While it requires a larger investment and has a steeper learning curve, it's the better choice for those who prioritize image quality and versatility for more serious photography and videography. 

For me personally, I still lean towards the dedicated camera for the greater control and image quality it provides. However, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is an incredibly capable tool, and if it were my only option, I'd still be able to capture fantastic content.

Thanks for reading this comparison. I hope it was helpful in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of both of these impressive cameras. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and don't forget to like this post and subscribe for more camera comparisons and tech reviews! You can also find links to the raw files in the description if you want to dive deeper into the footage yourself. I'll see you in the next one.