Camera review: iPhone 5S vs Lumia 1020 vs Galaxy S4 zoom

Thirty eight megapixels is about three times the 13MP on Samsung's regular Galaxy S4 and nearly five times the 8MP on the iPhone 5S and 5C. It's also more than what many SLR and point-and-shoot cameras offer. The downside: The Lumia runs Microsoft's Windows system, which has relatively few apps from outside parties.


The Galaxy S4 zoom works much like other Android phones from Samsung, except that it has a real zoom lens, offering up to 10 times magnification. Other camera phones have digital zoom features, or magnification using software, but all that does is blow up shots without boosting clarity. With the optical zoom found in the Galaxy S4 zoom and standalone cameras, you retain the sharpness as you zoom in. The Zoom's 16MP is better than most phones. The downside: It's not available in the US yet.