Galaxy Note7 vs. S7 edge vs. Note5: Camera shootout

Test #9: Macro

Macro photography is another area where you could apply your cameraphone's skills. The macro photos by the three devices came out nice, but the Note5 had the advantage of the higher resolution and captured more detail than the 7-series.

The Note7 sample was the brightest, but even its sharpening couldn't help it beat the Note5.

Galaxy Note5 • Galaxy S7 edge • Galaxy Note7

Test #10: HDR

Thanks to the wide dynamic range of all three cameras, even if you leave the Auto HDR mode on - it rarely gets triggered (you can force it 'On' if you like). It does a great job at restoring detail to highlights, but it slightly affects image quality - thin lines develop jaggies and moire effects appear.

No matter which phone of the three you are using, the Auto mode does a great job of recovering detail in the shadows, while forcing it to 'On' brightens the whole image without ruining the quality if we don't count the minor moire effect visible on some photos.

There is no need of crops to demonstrate the HDR effects, just take a look at the thumbnails below.

Galaxy Note5 HDR off • Galaxy Note5 HDR Auto • Galaxy Note5 HDR On

Galaxy S7 edge HDR off • Galaxy S7 edge HDR Auto • Galaxy S7 edge HDR On

Galaxy Note7 HDR off • Galaxy Note7 HDR Auto • Galaxy Note7 HDR On

And here is a classic HDR scene - a dark corridor and a well-lit space after. Even when the HDR effect is turned off, all three phones did great. Thanks to the improved processing, the Galaxy Note7 outed the most balanced exposure.

Galaxy Note5 HDR off • Galaxy Note5 HDR on

Galaxy S7 edge HDR off • Galaxy S7 edge HDR On

Galaxy Note7 HDR off • Galaxy Note7 HDR on

Test #12: Panorama

Samsung is known for its great panoramic shots in its flagship cameras and all three Galaxies here are great in shooting panoramas. The Galaxy S7 edge and Note7 samples are huge - close to 4,000px vertically and rich with detail. The dynamic range handles the shadows and highlights well, and stitching is excellent.

The Note5 is equally impressive, though the vertical resolution maxes out at 3,200px.

If you are after resolution - the 7-series does better, but if you are after quality - all three Galaxies are equally great at shooting panoramic images.

Galaxy Note5 • Galaxy S7 edge • Galaxy Note7

Winners: The Note5 has the sharpest macro, even though the Note7 has the brightest. The HDR shots are best on the Note7. The Note7 and S7 edge has higher-res pano shots, but the quality is on par with the Note5.