Royce Bair

Samsung or Apple for Nightscape Photography?

Added 2025-12-11 23:18:17 +0000 UTC

I'm an Apple iPhone guy, and have been ever since Apple brought out their first smartphone in 2007. However, Sadeq Hayati recently came out on Instagram with a comparison between the Samsung S25 and the Apple iPhone 17 that might make diehard Apple users consider Samsung for smartphone nightscapes. See the higher quality comparison video below...

Sadeq is a "Guest Artist" in my Milky Way NightScapes ebook (page 161), that specializes in doing nightscape photography with smartphones. Featured below are some of his recent nightscapes, taken with Samsung smartphones:

Below, is a higher quality video, of Sadeq's comparison between the Samsung S25 and the Apple iPhone 17. Note: Mr. Hayati recently moved from Iran to Italy, so he still speaks Persian in his videos. Subtitles are in English.

Epilog: Despite the increased quality from the Samsung S25, serious nightscapers will still get the best quality from dedicated DSLR and mirrorless cameras that have larger sensors and more options. Even so, for the photographer who wants to keep his costs low and his gear to a minimum, smartphone night photography is getter better and more attractive every year!