The Samsung Galaxy A54 (review), a recent launch by the South Korean smartphone giant, is now up for sale in India starting at Rs 38,999. Among things of note is the handset’s camera apparatus which consists of a triple-lens setup on the rear and a 32MP selfie camera on the front. The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ (review) is a device that can be considered a viable alternative to the Samsung Galaxy A54, as it offers similar camera capabilities but at a lower price point. In this camera comparison let us see if the A54’s higher cost is justified by its optical capabilities.
Daylight HDR
Looking at this daylight shot of the Anjuna beach in Goa, there are some differentiators visible. With the Galaxy A54, there is clearly more detail in the sand, and the texture is also more defined. However, with the Note 12 Pro+, there is some overprocessing visible. The colour of the sky and the sand do appear slightly saturated on Samsung’s handset but the extra bit of vibrancy can appeal to users. On the horizon, a bit of fringing is noticeable in both phones but only if you zoom in to nitpick details. The boats in the water are a bit sharper on the Galaxy A54 snap but the Redmi does a decent job as well. Finally, both images have ample dynamic range and the exposure is managed quite well as well. As an overall shot, I will have to go with the Galaxy A54 image here, just because of the higher level of detail in the shot.
Winner: Galaxy A54
Ultra-wide
Coming now to the ultra-wide image, both phones are quite adept at showcasing a wider landscape than what their respective primary sensor can churn out. The difference is that the Galaxy A54’s focus is sharp pretty much across the frame, while the Redmi has it mostly around the centre. In the above image, it can be seen clearly that the ferns on the very left have sharper details with Samsung’s snap. I also noticed that the Redmi image provides slightly more exposure to objects in the shadows. The A54’s image, in contrast, gives these areas a more natural look while also outputting realistic colours. Even so, the Note 12 Pro+’s slightly boosted exposure does allow it to gather more information in the frame. There’s no warping at the edges for either phone, which is always nice to see. However, the Galaxy A54 takes this round for its uniform tonality across the image and a more natural look.
Winner: Galaxy A54
Macro image
The macro sensors on either device are nothing to brag about. On the Galaxy A54, the resolution is 5MP while the Note 12 Pro+ has to deal with less than half of that. Neither of them can shoot a close-up macro photo that can be viewed on screens that are larger than a smartphone. However, if I have to choose, then the Galaxy A54 is the way to go thanks to a higher level of detail in its shot. With colours and focus distance remaining just about the same with both devices, Samsung’s offering does take this round.
Winner: Galaxy A54
Low light
Talking a bit about the low-light capabilities on offer, the images from both phones can be considered quite good. Having a look at the poolside area, the railings and wooden planks are captured in better detail with the Redmi Note 12 Pro+. In fact, everything in the frame that is closer to the camera is slightly sharper than the A54’s image. Apart from that the building has an equal amount of detail in terms of its texture and colour, with either shot. The lights are slightly better exposed with the Redmi although the shadow is slightly devoid of information. Noise can be spotted in the night sky in both images but there’s a tab bit more overprocessing on the Galaxy A54. This round will go to the Redmi Note 12 Pro+.
Winner: Redmi Note 12 Pro+
Night mode
The dedicated Night mode usually turns on automatically on either device in case the scenario is dimly lit. You can manually turn it on for a bit of extra detail and clarity even with moderate ambient lighting. In this first instance of a beach shack in Goa’s Calangute and I think the Galaxy A54 does a tremendous job of getting just the right amount of details and controlling excessive exposure. If you see the Note 12 Pro+’s output, it distributed the shacks’ bright yellow flare across the frame and gives it a very unnatural look. Even the sky looks a bit light blue which could be mistaken for the onset of the evening when the photo was in fact snapped somewhere near midnight. The A54 gets the colours correct and at the same time keeps highlights defined with the palm trees.
Even with this second shot, the Note 12 Pro+ amps up the lighting of the wall lamps and while there is more detail in the wall and shadows, I again prefer the more soothing look of the Galaxy A54’s shot. Also the latter interestingly has better noise reduction than the former, which just adds more depth to the night shot. Overall, I believe this to be a victory for the Galaxy A54.
Winner: Galaxy A54
Portrait shot
Getting good portrait shots requires two major things ie. subject separation and a clean background blur. Suffice it to say, both these qualities are on display with shots from the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Galaxy A54. Apart from that you can also control the amount of bokeh you need with either phone. However, when it comes to colours and finer details, Redmi’s offering has a more natural look. The edge detection is precise on both, but overall this is a round that can be given to the Redmi Note 12 Pro+.
Winner: Redmi Note 12 Pro+
Selfies
The selfies generated from both devices are very adept in ample sunlight. You can see a lot of facial features in shots from both phones but it does seem that the Note 12 Pro+ has a shade of extra detailing. The skin tones also look slightly more realistic than the Galaxy A54 and the background behind my face is in sharper focus. While little separates the two, this round is won by the Redmi.
Winner: Redmi Note 12 Pro+
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A54 takes the win in four rounds while the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is victorious in three. However, not all categories are equally important and the A54 is ahead of Redmi’s offering in a few key areas such as daylight, ultra-wide, and night mode photography. It is also important to know that the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is priced significantly lower at Rs 29,999. Even so, if you are looking for a better image-capturing experience and don’t mind shelling out the extra premium, the Galaxy A54 is the phone for you.
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