We pitted the iPhone 6S camera against Samsung's Galaxy Note 5, and there was a clear winner

iphone 6s plus and galaxy note 5
Antonio Villas-Boas/Tech Insider

The two best smartphone cameras come from the two biggest mobile companies in the world: Apple and Samsung.

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With the launch of the iPhone 6S Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 5, we have a new standard for smartphone photography.

So how do the two stack up? Check out our comparison below.

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The iPhone clearly wins this one, as the colors are rich and deep, and the brightness is more accurate. The Note 5's picture might seem better because it's brighter, but it's completely overblown and colors are washed out.

iphone note comp 1 (smaller)
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The iPhone's picture has a lot more depth.

Also, look at the dome and the sky toward the top. The iPhone captures variations in the clouds on this overcast day, and the dome is clearly defined from the sky. It's a good example of how the Note 5 overexposes in this picture.

The iPhone's new 12-megapixel camera captures even more detail than the Note 5's 16-megapixel shooter in this case. The letters in the sign are much clearer in the iPhone's picture.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera closeup
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Many of you will think the Note 5's picture is better, and it is if you just want to "shoot and show." But the colors are washed out and flat, and the picture is generally overly bright. The iPhone's color and brightness are more accurate.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera church
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The Note 5's picture is overblown and colors are washed out again. You can see deeper colors in the iPhone picture.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera bush
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But the Note 5 captures an incredible amount of detail, more than the iPhone in this shot. You can see more detail on the rock in the Note 5's photo, and the leaf edges are sharper.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera iphone rock closeup
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The iPhone is a clear winner here, as colors are rich, deep, and accurate compared to the washed-out and relatively flat colors in the Note 5's picture.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera eagle
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But, again, the Note 5 trounces the iPhone when it comes to capturing detail, which are relatively softer on the iPhone's photo.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera eagle closeup
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Here's a dark environment. The iPhone's photo looks cool compared to the Note 5's warmer, more inviting photo. But the iPhone's photo is more accurate, and colors look a little oversaturated in the Note 5's photos.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera pipes
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The apple's color is almost identical in both pictures, but the floor's gray color is better captured by the iPhone. The Note 5 is affected by the area's yellow lighting.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera apple
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This photo was taken at night. The iPhone captures more light here, and the Note 5 overcompensates with yellowish tinting. Also, the blacks in the Note 5's picture almost look gray compared to the iPhone's picture.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera night
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No contest here. The iPhone has the better selfie camera. I look normal in the iPhone selfie with color on my face, but the Note 5 makes me look like I've been dead for a couple of hours.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera selfie light
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Blue Steel or deer caught in the headlights? The iPhone uses its screen to create a flash effect for the front-facing FaceTime camera, and it's good. The Note 5 obviously doesn't have a front-facing flash.

iphone 6s plus vs note 5 camera selfie dark
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Final word:

The iPhone 6S Plus is the new reigning champion of smartphone cameras.

In some cases, the Note 5 does offer a better picture if you just want to "shoot and show" without the need for any editing. But the Note 5 overcompensates for darker parts of pictures by brightening up the picture too much, and colors are too often washed out and flat as a result.

But the Note 5 is still unrivaled when it comes to sharpness and detail.

Many smartphones that take pictures with accurate color tend to look gloomy and dull, even in bright sunlight. But the iPhone offers an excellent balance of color accuracy and enticing brightness.

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