Both the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium and Samsung Galaxy S7 sport extremely formidable cameras, but which smartphone actually nails the spot for professionals to accompany and complement their gears?

Note that this isn't a straight comparison of the two smartphones from Sony and Samsung in terms of overall performance. This review aims to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the Xperia Z5 Premium and Galaxy S7's camera alone.

One phone may be faster than the other, but that doesn't mean better images and videos out of the camera.

Sensor Resolution

One of the most notable features of the Xperia Z5 Premium is its sensor size. Having a 23MP and 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor greatly brings it above the advantage over some entry-level to mid-range compact cameras.

This is almost twice the size of the Samsung Galaxy S7 with just 12MP. Still, in photography standards of today, consumers are learning that megapixel count isn't always everything. Even the former Panasonic LX-7 flagship compact prosumer camera only had 10.1MP, but still managed to produce professional quality stills and videos.

While practically both of the smartphones have the same sensor sizes in paper, the Samsung boasts an F/1.7 aperture size against Sony's F/2.0. That means the Galaxy S7's camera can capture more light, less blur and faster shots.

Software and Features

One feature of the Samsung Galaxy S7's camera is the dual-pixel sensor, which is not present with Xperia Z5 Premium and was only introduced first with DSLRs.

What it provides are faster autofocusing, improved brightness and quality on most shots. The effect actually works and shows prior to capturing the image in the viewfinder.

This isn't to say that the images turn out dark with Xperia Z5 Premium, because even without the dual-pixel technology, images still appear clear and crisp with minimal blur.

Video

Both the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Sony Xperia Z5 Premium have full 1080p video and 4K video resolutions. The advantage goes a bit over to Samsung, however, due to slightly bigger sensor and better aperture for low-light situations.

Still, both handsets can be used to utilize third party camera apps like "Cinema FV-5," which has a host of professional manual controls especially designed for smartphones that run Camera2 Api.

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium Sample Footage:

Samsung Galaxy S7 Sample Footage:

While both handsets are very suitable alternatives for actual cameras, it all boils down to the users' preferences. Depth of field, frame rate, and quality can be subjective depending on the lighting situation, but consumers can't go wrong with either the Samsung Galaxy S7 or the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium.