As is always the case, noise and the effects of noise reduction become more intrusive in lower light but the Samsung manages to maintain a very good balance between noise reduction and detail retention across the ISO range.
Chromatic aberrations are very well controlled and we could not find moiré patterns or other artifacts in the S6 Edge image output. The F1.9-lens is sharp across the frame and images show good detail in bright light, with just the right dose of sharpening applied. If you want better image detail and low light performance you'd have to move to a hybrid device like the Pananonic Lumix DMC-CM1 or make the switch to an enthusiast compact camera. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge's image quality is as good as it gets with a small-sensor smartphone camera. Arguable the most popular features, HDR and panorama, are pre-installed and produce excellent results.
You can download all the special modes we have seen on the S4 and S5 from the Samsung app store to have them accessible in the camera app but out-of-the-box the camera app looks more streamlined. In terms of imaging features the new model actually offers less than its predecessors, but that's not a bad thing. A double-click on the S6 Edge's home button opens it up in approximately half a second which can help capture that decisive moment. Thanks to the new Quick Launch feature the camera is also very quick to access.
For now you'll have to switch to third-party apps such as Camera FV-5 or Manual Camera for this feature, but like Raw capture, manual shutter speed control is rumored to arrive with a software update sometime in the nearer future. Its downside is a lack of manual control over shutter speed.
It's simpler and feels less cluttered, though more settings are available by switching to Pro mode. The new Samsung camera app is a clear step forward from the previous version. It offers great smartphone image quality and camera performance in a beautiful package and will hopefully get even better as software updates arrive. So overall, as a mobile photographer you can't go wrong with the Galaxy S6 Edge. That said, the former is available in third-party apps and there are rumors that Samsung is working on a software update to enable the latter.
There aren't many points of criticism but it's a pity that, despite Android 5.0, the S6 Edge does not feature manual control of shutter speeds or DNG Raw capture. The 5.1-inch Quad-HD screen is fantastic for viewing images or composition, even in bright outdoor conditions, and the new Quick Launch feature gives rapid access to the redesigned and better-structured camera app via a double-click of the home button. In addition both panorama and HDR modes produce great results and the front camera is among the best we have seen. With good detail in bright light and very well balanced noise reduction in dimmer conditions the S6 Edge's main camera captures image quality that is at the very top of smartphone cameras with small sensors. It's the nicest-looking and made Samsung smartphone we have tested so far and the interior components, especially in the camera department, perfectly match the premium look and feel of the exterior. If you have a look at the pros and cons list above it becomes pretty clear that we really liked the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and its performance as a camera.
Quad-HD screen offers decent visibility in bright light.Decent video quality and useful slow motion mode.Efficient HDR mode produces natural results.