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    Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera review: More megapixels isn’t always better

    Every yr, smartphone cameras declare to get higher and higher. Most years, this pans out and people who improve — typically from telephones which might be a number of years outdated — discover that the digital camera high quality from the newest machine blows their outdated one out of the water.Samsung is launching a model new 200MP sensor with the Galaxy S23 (opens in new tab) Ultra, highlighting the will of shoppers to get increasingly more element out of their pictures and movies. But a large digital camera sensor is not simply good for further element, it is also good for pulling in additional gentle, making pictures look extra pure and fewer processed.So how does Samsung’s newest stack up towards the perfect Android telephones (opens in new tab) accessible? I took the Galaxy S23 Ultra out alongside the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Google Pixel 7 Pro, and OnePlus 11 — three of the perfect cameras you’ll find on a telephone right this moment. Here’s an in depth breakdown of each digital camera sensor and the way it compares.Main digital camera(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Let’s start with the headliner: the 200 MP foremost sensor on the again of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This massive sensor is able to taking 200-megapixel full decision pictures however will also be used to take 50 MP and 12.5 MP pictures. Each of those decrease settings provides benefits and downsides.The full 200 MP mode is clearly probably the most detailed of all, delivering over 200 million pixels of element and holding up extremely effectively in low gentle circumstances, regardless of what full-resolution imagery from telephone cameras typically appears like. This is achieved by Samsung persevering with to make use of multi-frame publicity even when the complete decision is chosen.In layman’s phrases, meaning the telephone takes between 2 and 8 photographs if you press the white shutter button. It then combines these photographs and intelligently improves the ultimate picture with all the additional visible data. See the distinction for your self:Image 1 of 4(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)During the daytime photographs above, you possibly can see an exponential quantity of element improve. In the shot of the constructing with the crow graffiti, you possibly can depend the person metallic spokes of the door beneath on the 200 MP picture whereas it’s important to actually squint to have the ability to see it. Likewise, within the second picture, you possibly can clearly see the wooden grain, brick construction, and different spectacular fantastic particulars on the 200 MP picture whereas it is troublesome or unattainable to see them on the 12.5 MP one.In decrease gentle, the distinction drops to basically nothing between the 2 modes. That’s truly extraordinarily spectacular provided that different telephones that provide a full-resolution mode usually produce considerably worse imagery in low gentle when utilizing the complete decision. There are not any negatives to utilizing the 200 MP mode, not even in low gentle. You’ll solely achieve element by tapping that 4:3 button on the high and deciding on 200 MP mode.There are not any negatives to utilizing the 200 MP mode, not even in low gentle. You’ll solely achieve element and that is an extremely spectacular feat by Samsung.The element that comes from this sensor is nothing wanting astounding. Surprisingly, dynamic vary and different qualities aren’t negatively affected by the decision change, and that is all due to Samsung’s multi-frame publicity algorithm. It’s gotten actually good and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor is definitely quick sufficient to seize a number of 200 MP pictures and mix them in just some seconds within the background.Also shocking is the truth that shutter pace and general digital camera app efficiency aren’t affected an excessive amount of by this alteration. In a 5-second window, I can take 6-7 pictures within the 12.5 MP mode whereas I can take about 3-4 with the complete 200 MP decision chosen. It’s slower to seize however not terribly gradual, and also you need not maintain the telephone nonetheless to attend for a seize such as you would want to throughout a nighttime shot.Image 1 of two(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)But this is the factor: 200 MP pictures will not be a correct substitute for good telephoto cameras. In the 2 examples above, I snapped a 200 MP shot adopted by a 10x and 30x shot within the viewfinder. The outcomes above present what a regular zoomed shot appears like in contrast with cropping a full 200 MP picture.As good as it’s, 200 MP pictures will not be a correct substitute for good telephoto cameras.Each picture was cropped based on the furthest zoom I used within the viewfinder. This is much like pinching and zooming on a picture after you took it.In each case, you will discover that, whereas the 200 MP shot is considerably extra detailed than the default 12.5 MP shot, you need to all the time use the zoom operate any time you are truly attempting to deal with a selected topic that is distant.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)At this level, most premium smartphone cameras are so good it is nearly not price evaluating them anymore. If you spend this a lot cash on a digital camera and simply level and shoot, you are going to be pleased with the picture nearly each time. Above are a number of examples of the overall high quality you need to anticipate at totally different instances of the day.In the night-time shot, the OnePlus 11 and Galaxy S23 Ultra are literally extra color-accurate to what the scene seemed like in actual life, regardless of each being extraordinarily yellow. Both the S22 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro adjusted the scene to have a greater white steadiness however that is not technically right, regardless of wanting extra enticing. Samsung’s HDR methodology additionally appears to trigger some odd hallowing across the timber on the high of the picture whereas the opposite two telephones haven’t got this concern.At daybreak, Samsung’s new 200 MP sensor appears to do a superb job of capturing the scene because it appeared to the attention. The sky was turning vibrant however the panorama was nonetheless darkish and that is what we’re seeing right here. Both the OnePlus 11 and S22 Ultra tried to brighten the panorama an excessive amount of and find yourself wanting grainy.Oddly sufficient, I discovered the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s foremost sensor struggles most through the day and with indoor lighting. On a number of events, I discovered that the S23 Ultra overexposed the picture for no obvious cause or bought the white steadiness improper when different telephones would not wrestle with these points; not even the S22 Ultra earlier than it.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Tshaka Armstrong / Android Central)(Image credit score: Tshaka Armstrong / Android Central)(Image credit score: Tshaka Armstrong / Android Central)The foremost sensor on the S23 Ultra has severe consistency points with publicity, recurrently overexposing photographs for no good cause.Our personal Tshaka Armstrong took the Galaxy S23 Ultra to the stage of Good Day LA and the outcomes had been wildly inconsistent, to say the least. The first picture blew out the birthday cake utterly, turning the child blue facade right into a frosty white cake. I had this occur a number of instances in my testing however this was probably the greatest examples I’ve but seen of how inconsistent the S23 Ultra is correct now.Note that that is in a manufacturing TV studio with good, constant lighting. There’s no cause the telephone ought to have had these difficulties.Likewise, the S23 Ultra nonetheless has hassle capturing movement, simply as most smartphones do. I supplied an in depth breakdown (opens in new tab) of this concern if you would like to learn all about it, however I believe this one picture speaks volumes for fogeys seeking to seize their little ones with out being blurry.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)In each shot I took on this check, the S23 Ultra and S22 Ultra each overexposed the shot and had a really troublesome time capturing motion, in consequence. The ultimate picture is not enticing in any respect and does not seem like it got here from a $1,200 telephone in 2023. Samsung actually must iron out these points, as a result of the remainder of the outcomes from the principle sensor are phenomenal.Telephoto cameras(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)More than seemingly, in case you’re contemplating a Galaxy S23 Ultra, you are doing so since you’ve heard concerning the telephone’s unbelievable capability to zoom as much as 100x and nonetheless seize a usable picture. True to type, the Galaxy S23 Ultra excels at zooming in a method that solely the Galaxy S22 Ultra or Pixel 7 Pro can rival.If you have by no means had a telephone that may zoom like this, you is likely to be questioning if you really want this type of performance. As with a variety of issues, you do not notice how a lot you will truly use it till your telephone can do it.If you are in search of a telephone that may seize an excellent picture even when it’s important to zoom method in, you are not going to search out higher ones than what I’ve examined right here.This is a telephone that may seize an excellent picture even when it’s important to zoom method in. Most of the time, not less than.Largely, the S23 Ultra does not differ a lot from the S22 Ultra in relation to zooming in. Sure, the principle sensor has almost double the variety of pixels because the S22 Ultra’s foremost sensor but it surely does not appear to have an effect on the standard of a zoomed picture. While this won’t make sense on the floor, it is truly a bit shocking to see in motion.In brief, Samsung makes use of a number of sensors to seize a picture if you zoom in. Theoretically, a sensor improve on any lens ought to enhance the ultimate picture considerably but it surely does not seem to take action. As a end result, zoom element is essentially equivalent between the S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra.Image 1 of 5(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)At 10x zoom, the variations between the Galaxy S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra, and Pixel 7 Pro are negligible. In one case, the S23 Ultra overexposed the picture whereas the opposite two did not — one thing that is according to the principle sensor outcomes above — however the remainder of the photographs are fairly even throughout the board.The finest phrase to explain the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s zoom efficiency is “inconsistent.”During the day, the Pixel 7 Pro’s zoom element between 5x and 10x is healthier than what Samsung provides. Once you transcend 10x, nonetheless, the tides change considerably. Samsung’s zoom element past 10x is superb, even when the S23 Ultra has inconsistent publicity between photographs. Sometimes it has higher publicity than the S22 Ultra and generally it is worse. There appears to be no rhyme or cause for this distinction.Image 1 of two(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)At evening, the perfect phrase to explain the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s zoom efficiency is “inconsistent.” The two examples above present this in motion. It’s the identical scene on the similar time of day using the identical digital camera module — that is the 10x optical lens — but, the outcomes are totally different.In the 10x shot, the Pixel 7 Pro wins out fairly handily. Overall publicity is healthier, the picture is cleaner and clearer, and the colours do not look washed out as they do on the S22 or S23 Ultra.At 30x, the S23 Ultra takes an enormous nosedive in high quality, overexposing the picture as we have seen in a number of earlier examples. Even the S22 Ultra did it higher, begging the query: why?Image 1 of two(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung’s portrait mode is finest.Lastly, we’re having a look at portrait mode with the default digital camera chosen. When switching to portrait mode, every of those 4 telephones — The S23 Ultra, S22 Ultra, OnePlus 11, and Pixel 7 Pro — default to a distinct lens. Both Galaxy telephones use the 3x lens, the OnePlus 11 makes use of the devoted 2x portrait lens, and the Pixel 7 Pro makes use of the principle sensor at 1x.The result’s a really totally different impact for the general picture due to the zoom stage/cropping that takes place. You can all the time zoom in or out with any of those telephones however the default lens selection is the one finest optimized for the portrait mode expertise.In the second shot, I zoomed in/out in an try to seize the identical picture on all telephones. I additionally used a troublesome topic; a tree with English Ivy crawling up the trunk. Once once more, Samsung’s portrait mode is finest right here, with OnePlus’s coming in a really shut second. Google’s portrait mode simply is not nearly as good nowadays, because the picture is much less crisp, has worse dynamic vary, and extra edges of the Ivy leaves are erroneously blurred.Ultra-wide/macro digital camera(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Ultra-wide cameras have turn into a staple on smartphones ever since LG proved to us they had been a necessity so a few years in the past. But ultra-wide cameras have not seen an enormous shift in high quality shortly, usually focusing (pun meant) on options like autofocus and macro modes.The ultra-wide angle digital camera within the Galaxy S23 Ultra is equivalent to what’s within the Galaxy S22 Ultra primarily based on what Samsung advised us, however that does not imply we do not see an enchancment year-over-year in some areas (whereas different areas are, surprisingly, worse).Image 1 of 5(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Low gentle efficiency of the macro digital camera appears to be worse on the S23 Ultra than the S22 Ultra.Low gentle efficiency of the macro digital camera appears to be worse on the S23 Ultra than the S22 Ultra, in my testing. While the sensor and lens are equivalent between the telephones, the Image Signal Processor (ISP) — a part within the Snapdragon SoC onboard — is totally different between the 2 telephones. In different phrases, what you are seeing is essentially a software-level tweak that Samsung may regulate sooner or later.During the day, the ultra-wide digital camera has a slight inexperienced tint to it and does not appear to have a narrower dynamic vary than the S22 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro. Overall, the ultra-wide digital camera on the Galaxy S23 Ultra appears to provide worse outcomes than the one on the S22 Ultra and the Pixel 7 Pro.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Macro imagery is likely one of the clearest areas the place Samsung has improved with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.Macro imagery is likely one of the clearest areas the place Samsung has improved with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Macro images is tremendous simple to make use of as you simply must get the digital camera near a topic and the software program will mechanically change to the digital camera that’ll seize the perfect picture.All of the macro pictures above had been taken with small topics that had been transferring within the wind. The Galaxy S22 Ultra had a really arduous time with this specific area of interest of macro images whereas the S23 Ultra clearly has no concern capturing an exceptional picture each time.Front digital camera(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung swapped out the 40 MP sensor from the Galaxy S22 Ultra with a brand new 12 MP sensor on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. While this appears backward from what we have come to anticipate within the smartphone world. But, whereas the megapixel depend is decrease, the standard is larger. In truth, this appears to be the brand new chief in front-facing cameras on the smartphones I’ve just lately examined.Image 1 of two(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s front-facing digital camera is the perfect within the enterprise.Front-facing digital camera high quality, on the whole, is superb. Both through the day and at evening, the S23 Ultra’s front-facing digital camera has excellent dynamic vary and it does not even require you to make use of evening mode to get an excellent shot at evening. The Pixel 7 Pro did a greater job of exposing my face correctly within the daylight shot above however the S23 Ultra is brighter throughout, simply in case you wished to see what’s within the background a bit higher.Image 1 of 4(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The S23 Ultra has the highest quality portrait mode out of all of the cameras I examined.Onto portrait mode, the S23 Ultra does the perfect job out of all of the cameras I examined. It has excellent edge detection enabled by Samsung’s newest object-detection AI advances and it blows Google’s methodology out of the water. I discovered multiple event the place the Pixel 7 Pro tousled the distinction lots (have a look at my hand within the open palm shot). It positively did not seem like that, because the S23 Ultra shot proved.In low gentle, it most frequently produced the clearest shot general. Not solely had been the sides round me lower out basically completely — with attractive focus fall-off that appears like a “proper” digital camera — however the general image of me was sharp and in focus. I am unable to say the identical factor about all three different telephones I examined right here, particularly in low gentle. It’s truly shocking how poor the Pixel 7 Pro’s photographs look in most of those examples.Video assessments(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)If the Pixel collection has confirmed something through the years, it is that video high quality will not be the identical factor as photo-taking high quality. It takes two very totally different trains of thought to make an excellent picture or video mode, and the perfect Samsung telephones (opens in new tab) have historically all the time had robust video recording expertise.Those expertise have acquired an improve with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, notably in the principle 200MP sensor which is now brighter and data smoother video than ever. The optical picture stabilization gimbal inside is ready to transfer twice as extensive on all axis’ this time round, transferring as much as a full 3 levels in any path wanted to assist mitigate motion.For these assessments, I set every digital camera to report in 4K high quality at 30FPS. This is usually an excellent medium between video high quality and stabilization high quality, as each telephones have stabilization enabled by default. No different settings had been modified.During playback, you will see the speaker icon seem on the facet the place the audio is coming from. Only one audio supply is taking part in at a time they usually swap each 4 seconds.Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra handily beats the Pixel 7 Pro.Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra handily beats the Pixel 7 Pro on this instance. By and huge, each telephones’ video high quality are each glorious, exhibiting nice shade replica and element with out wanting faux or oversharpened. But that is the place the comparisons finish right here.In the primary half of the video, you possibly can hear how a lot noise the Pixel 7 Pro picks up whereas the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s video appears like there is no wind in any respect. That’s fantstic.Samsung’s video can be considerably extra steady, particularly within the second half of the video once I begin working round.During the evening, we see the identical sample with stability. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra video recording at 4K is supremely steady, even when working. You’ll discover extra jitter right here than you will discover through the day but it surely’s an admirable enchancment over different telephones. Otherwise, general high quality is fairly related between the 2, with the Pixel 7 Pro producing barely extra correct colours in some parts of the video.Front-facing digital camera videoSamsung’s software program seems to have gotten smarter, and general video and audio high quality are excellent on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.Onto the the front-facing digital camera, which I additionally set to 4K high quality at 30FPS for each telephones. This check happened on the identical extraordinarily windy day because the earlier video, however I used to be capable of stroll close to a rubbish truck emptying a dumpster to check out the front-facing digital camera’s capability to differentiate the individual’s voice from background noise.While I totally anticipated Google’s Pixel 7 Pro to stroll away victorious right here — Google has a particular function enabled by default that makes use of AI to research mouth actions and match these up with speech that the telephone hears — Samsung’s software program seems to have gotten smarter, as effectively.The distinction right here is that Samsung’s background cancellation algorithm finally ends up making my voice sound tinny, whereas Google’s does a greater job of protecting it sounding pure regardless of loud background noise. The draw back is which you can hear extra of the background noise within the Pixel 7 Pro’s video, so the distinction right here might be all the way down to a private choice fairly than a superior methodology.At evening, Samsung actually takes the cake.At evening, Samsung actually takes the cake. For no matter cause, it looks like Google’s noise canceling does not work effectively (or in any respect) at midnight. Every time a automotive goes by, you possibly can clearly hear it within the Pixel’s video whereas it is considerably downplayed within the S23 Ultra’s video.You’ll discover the identical tinny sound coming from Samsung’s video any time it is doing arduous noise cancelation however, general, it sounds higher and picks up my voice extra clearly. Quality can be higher than the Pixel 7 Pro though not by leaps and bounds all through a lot of the video.In closing(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung has made some enormous enhancements in some areas and walked away with the perfect video seize, finest front-facing digital camera, and finest portrait mode on this enterprise. This ought to be no shock to anybody who has used a premium Samsung telephone lately.The Galaxy S23 Ultra additionally stays the zoom champ in most circumstances, capable of zoom past 10x whereas nonetheless offering a crisp, clear, well-exposed picture usually. But there is a stage of inconsistency in general publicity that we did not see with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and that does not simply apply to the telephoto cameras, both.The foremost sensor, regardless of the large element positive aspects that the 200 MP sensor introduced forth, appears to have important hassle getting publicity proper. This does not occur in each shot but it surely occurs far too typically on a telephone that prices effectively over $1,000. It’s additionally not one thing we noticed occur to this diploma final yr with the S22 Ultra.Ultra-wide high quality additionally took a nosedive, with worse low-light efficiency than the S22 Ultra and general high quality missing when in comparison with different premium Android telephones. Samsung was capable of enhance macro images considerably, nonetheless, and now has the perfect macro digital camera within the Android world.And whereas the Camera Assistant app does assist the telephone higher seize motion in pictures, Samsung nonetheless cannot match Google’s prowess in relation to capturing pictures of children or pets. All in all, that is each an excellent and disappointing launch.It’s extra than simply “two steps forward, one step back.” If something, it feels just like the needle hasn’t been moved ahead in any respect, simply sideways.

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