I put the Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6 through a 10-round photo shootout — here's the winner

Tom's Guide

6 days ago

Before the Galaxy Z Flip 7 debuted, I was worried about the cameras on Samsung's latest foldable flip phone. Rumors surrounding the Z Flip 7 hinted at no hardware changes — and that's exactly what happened once the phone became official.
Camera performance is one of the key areas I always look at with year-to-year upgrades and this one's no exception. In my Galaxy Z Flip 7 review, I mention how the phone's updated ProVisual Engine helps to enhance its shots — proven by how it drew out better details at 10x zoom in my 10-round Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Razr Ultra (2025) photo face-off.
That bodes well for the newer phone in this Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Galaxy Z Flip 6 photo shootout. Just a reminder, both phones pack the same cameras — 50MP main cams, 12MP ultrawides, and 10MP selfie shooters — right down to the same aperture for each lens.
While the hardware is unchanged (a bummer in my opinion), the Galaxy Z Flip 7 benefits from a larger Flex Window display on the exterior of the phone. It makes vlogs and selfies a lot easier to pull off, primarily due to the extra real estate where you can see the video preview through that cover display.
Similar to my other photo shootouts, I take both best foldable phone contenders and capture the same scenes and then preview them on a monitor. I can't stress enough how a lot of the emphasis will come down to the newer image processing algorithms with the Z Flip 7.
Galaxy Z Flip 7
Galaxy Z Flip 6
Main Camera
50 MP main (f/1.8)
50 MP main (f/1.8)
Ultrawide
12MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
12MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
Selfie
10MP (f/2.2)
10MP (f/2.2)
Video Recording
up to 4K 60 fps
up to 4K 60 fps
It's an even match up with the daytime shots I captured using the main cameras on both Flip models. All the details are nicely captured, including the license plates on the cars, the texture of the pavement in the foreground, and the sign on the light pole.
The only difference I can make out is how the Galaxy Z Flip 7 gives the trees in the background a little boost in the shadows. Those darker areas are exposed more to draw out the details there, while the Z Flip 6 looks dark.
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Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7
Sticking to the same spot with the parking lot, I switched over to the ultrawide shooters on both phones. Again, it's almost identical in terms of their details captured and field of views.
This time, there's no exposure bump whatsoever applied to the Galaxy Z Flip 7, so the only difference comes down to their color temperature. While the Z Flip 7 skews warm, I also like the Z Flip 6 because it also looks warm.
Winner: Tie
I have to admit, these shots of the yellow flowers look amazing. However, trying to determine which of the two Flip models produces the better colors is tough because they're very close.
There's just a tiny bit more saturation with the yellow from the Galaxy Z Flip 6 shot, but the Z Flip 7 isn't too far off. I can also see the same with the green leaves and stems all around the scene, as the Z Flip 7 sprinkles a small dose of saturation. It's honestly a good shot, but the Z Flip 7 has a slightly more true-to-life tone.
Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7
Now this one's interesting because upon closer inspection, I can make out a difference between them. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has the better selfie due to the sharpened effect it applies, which draws out more of the details around my face.
Initially I was surprised by the results, but there's a reason why the Z Flip 6 captures the better selfie. All you need to do is look closer at the selfie cutout on the interior display.
Both phones come with Samsung's pre-applied screen protector (which you shouldn't remove), but the Z Flip 7's screen protector goes over the selfie camera — whereas the Z Flip 6 cuts around it. As a result, the Z Flip 6's selfie camera isn't obscured, which I think explains the results.
Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 6
Here's a perfect example of new image processing algorithms that help to improve a shot. If you look closely at the edges of my portrait shot, you can see how both phones apply the usual blurring effect to the background.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is pretty spot on with the blurring effect, but it does it in a linear way. Meaning, it detects me from the shot and blurs out everything else so that the effect goes all the way around the edges.
However, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 applies the effect in a more realistic way by not keeping it uniform. Take a look at the strap around my neck and even my right shoulder. They're slightly blurred out, which is what happens when you place the focus on a face.
Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7
I captured a shot of the gazebo in the park with the sun behind it, so that it casts a shadow around the foreground, which helps to show off their dynamic range performance. Even though the Z Flip 7 has the sharper details, there's not an overwhelming difference with their dynamic range performance.
Both the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Flip 7 boost the exposure in the shadows to better balance out the highlights, which I can see in the shadowed parts of the trees in the background and the flower bed directly in front of the gazebo. Meanwhile, the sky is properly exposed without losing details in the clouds.
Winner: Tie
Neither phone has a dedicated macro mode, but that doesn't stop me from taking close-up shots. While the Galaxy Z Flip 6's slightly saturated colors are present here again, both phones actually match each other in terms of detail and clarity.
I really like how they both capture the texture in the petals, along with the strong details of the stem in the middle of the flower. And if you look close enough, you can make out the tiny bits of pollen that are sticking all around the stem.
Winner: Tie
Despite the lack of telephoto cameras, both phones can still whip up decent 2x zoom shots. The flowers in the foreground appear identical with both and I like how they retain the textures of the leaves with some of the plants.
Looking elsewhere in the shots, the Z Flip 7 does a better job of cleaning up the background — especially around the upper right corner with the bench and street sign. They appear blurred with the Z Flip 6, but they're crystal clear sharp with the Z Flip 7. In fact, I can make out the name of the street sign.
Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7
Any of those discrepancies at 2x zoom only become exemplified when you go to their maximum 10x zoom level. I have to pixel peep with these shots above because they look very similar at a cursory look.
The first thing I lock on is the sign on the post in the middle of the shot, where the words look more defined with the Z Flip 7. It's not by a tremendous amount, but still one I notice.
Elsewhere, I look at the chain link fence and trees in the background, which look a bit murky on the Z Flip 6. And finally, the concrete pavement has more detail and looks a bit sharper with the Z Fold 7.
Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7
Out of all the categories, this is the one with an overwhelming advantage for the Galaxy Z Flip 7. First of all, I have to tell you that both phones are low-light beats — which is impressive for a foldable. They take the nearly pitch black conditions in my backyard and make it look like a light source is shining onto the tree.
The details in the tree are more defined with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, whereas the Z Flip 6 softens them. Further back with the sidings on my garage, the Z Flip 7 also neutralizes the small section that's lit there to better expose the siding. That same spot looks overexposed with the Z Flip 6.
Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 7
Even though I would've loved to see hardware upgrades to the camera, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 benefits largely from Samsung's updated ProVisual Engine, and as a result, manages to come out on top with this shoot out. The improvements are minor at best, so if you're considering upgrading, I'd actually tell you to wait — that's unless the other upgrades are worthwhile for you.
What I'm interested next, though, is to put the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE through its own photo shoot out. It has the same camera setup at the Z Flip 7 and Flip 6, but presumably gets treated to the same enhancements with this updated ProVisual Engine. And yes, it does come in at a lower cost and sticks to a smaller Flex Window display.
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