Head to head
A direct, no-fluff comparison: specs, pros and cons, pricing, and the scenarios where each one earns its keep.
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (USD) | $1299 | $899 |
| Our rating | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Category | smartphone-cameras | camera-lenses |
| Pros | 4 | 3 |
| Cons | 3 | 2 |
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Inferred from each camera's pros and review focus. Treat as a starting point, then read the full reviews for nuance.
It depends on what you shoot. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra scores 4.5/5 in our review, while the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 scores 4.6/5. See the spec table and use-case breakdown above for our verdict.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra sells around $1299, and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 around $899. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is the cheaper of the two.
Both are capable, but beginners usually do better with whichever has the simpler interface and more forgiving autofocus. Read the "Winner by use case" section above for our specific call.
Only if the gap in features you actually use is wide. If you already own one, the marginal upgrade is rarely worth the cost unless a specific shortcoming is blocking your work.
Co-engineered with Leica, the 14 Ultra's 1-inch main sensor and stepless variable aperture deliver image quality that's genuinely closer to a compact camera than a phone.
Apple's tetraprism telephoto finally makes it to the smaller Pro, and the 48MP Fusion main sensor delivers the most natural color science of any phone in 2026.
Smaller sensors, smarter software. The Pixel 9 Pro's computational pipeline extracts more detail per pixel than any flagship — and Magic Editor is genuinely useful, not gimmicky.