The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is not just another flagship smartphone; it represents a significant leap forward in mobile photography. Packed with cutting-edge technology, its camera system has been designed to redefine what is possible with a smartphone camera, competing head-to-head with high-end digital cameras and providing photographers, both professional and amateur, with a powerful tool for capturing stunning images and video.
In this in-depth review, we’ll explore how the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera system excels in various areas, focusing on its key features and performance in different conditions.
The 200MP Primary Camera: Unparalleled Detail and Versatility
The star of the show on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is undoubtedly its 200MP primary camera. Samsung has upped the ante in terms of raw megapixels, and while high resolution doesn’t always translate to better photos, in this case, it opens up new possibilities. The large sensor captures an extraordinary amount of detail, enabling users to crop images significantly without losing quality.
Pixel Binning Technology
Samsung employs pixel binning technology to combine multiple pixels into one, resulting in 12.5MP or 50MP photos by default, depending on the mode you choose. This process enhances low-light performance by gathering more light per pixel, while still offering the flexibility to shoot in the full 200MP mode for unmatched detail. The 200MP mode is ideal for landscapes, architecture, or any scenario where intricate details matter. Even when you zoom into a photo taken at 200MP, the level of detail retained is impressive.
In regular shooting modes, the S24 Ultra intelligently balances light and color, producing vivid, punchy images that maintain a natural look, especially in well-lit conditions. The ability to toggle between full resolution and pixel-binned shots gives photographers flexibility based on their needs, whether it’s to capture more light in dim settings or to retain ultimate clarity for detailed scenes.
Advanced 5x Telephoto Lens: A Major Upgrade for Zoom Photography
One of the significant changes in the S24 Ultra’s camera system is the introduction of a 5x telephoto lens with a 50MP sensor. This replaces the 10x telephoto lens from the previous Galaxy S23 Ultra, offering a higher-resolution sensor that captures more detail at a mid-range zoom level. This change is particularly useful for users who frequently zoom between 3x and 10x, where the 50MP sensor provides much sharper and more detailed images than before.
Super Resolution Zoom
The Super Resolution Zoom feature, enhanced by AI, further extends the S24 Ultra’s zoom capabilities. The 5x optical zoom is a perfect balance between close-ups and wide shots, making it ideal for portrait photography and capturing distant subjects with high clarity. The AI-based image processing ensures that zoomed-in shots still retain their sharpness, minimizing the typical noise and loss of detail associated with digital zoom.
For photographers who often find themselves far from their subject, such as in wildlife photography or sporting events, the 5x zoom delivers incredibly detailed images without the need for additional equipment.
Ultra-Wide Camera: Expansive and Detailed Shots
The 12MP ultra-wide camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra continues Samsung’s trend of delivering expansive, detailed images, perfect for capturing sweeping landscapes, large groups, or architectural shots. Despite the lower megapixel count compared to the primary and telephoto cameras, the ultra-wide lens excels in both daylight and low-light conditions.
The lens offers a 123-degree field of view, which allows users to capture more in a single shot without significant distortion, a common issue with ultra-wide lenses. Samsung’s software corrections ensure that straight lines, such as those in buildings or horizons, remain undistorted, providing a realistic and clean ultra-wide experience.
Night Mode: Low-Light Photography Mastered
Low-light performance is often where even the best smartphone cameras struggle, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra continues to impress in this area with its highly refined Night Mode. Leveraging AI enhancements and the large 200MP sensor with pixel binning, the S24 Ultra captures an impressive amount of light, even in near-dark conditions. The results are clear, detailed, and colorful images, with minimal noise—a challenge for many smartphones in similar environments.
In extreme low-light conditions, the Night Mode kicks in automatically, but users can manually activate it as well. The mode effectively reduces graininess while retaining key details and color accuracy. The AI multi-frame processing blends multiple exposures together to create the best possible image, allowing users to take handheld shots without the need for a tripod.
Comparisons with competitors such as the Google Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 Pro Max show that the S24 Ultra is highly competitive, especially when it comes to retaining color saturation and reducing noise in challenging lighting scenarios. Samsung’s advanced AI optimizations ensure that even when shooting in dim lighting, subjects remain sharp, with well-balanced contrast and brightness.
AI-Powered Photography: Elevating Image Quality
The AI integration in the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera system plays a significant role in enhancing mobile photography. Samsung has developed a suite of AI-powered tools that work in real-time to improve the quality of your shots. These tools automatically adjust settings such as exposure, contrast, white balance, and focus, depending on the shooting conditions.
AI Image Remastering
One of the standout features is the AI Image Remastering tool, which helps to enhance older or less-than-perfect images. Whether it’s removing noise, sharpening details, or adjusting brightness and contrast, the remastering tool uses AI to make your photos look professionally edited with minimal effort.
Generative AI and Scene Recognition
Samsung has also incorporated generative AI capabilities into the camera system, allowing users to reframe, crop, and modify images in post-processing without sacrificing quality. The Scene Recognition AI automatically detects the type of scene being shot—whether it’s a sunset, food, or a pet—and adjusts the camera settings to optimize the image accordingly. This feature makes it easier for users to take professional-looking photos without needing to manually tweak every setting.
Pro Mode and RAW Capture: For Photography Enthusiasts
For those who want complete control over their photography, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a Pro Mode that unlocks manual control over settings such as ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and focus. This mode is perfect for photography enthusiasts who want to fine-tune their shots to capture the perfect image.
Additionally, the S24 Ultra supports RAW image capture, allowing photographers to take uncompressed photos that retain all the data from the sensor. This is ideal for those who wish to edit their photos in post-production using professional software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. With RAW support, users can extract more detail from shadows, recover highlights, and make precise color corrections, much like they would with a DSLR camera.
Samsung’s Expert RAW app further enhances this experience by providing more granular control over RAW images. The app gives photographers tools such as multi-frame HDR and enhanced dynamic range, making it easier to capture complex lighting situations with a single shot.
8K Video Recording: Cinema-Quality Footage
Video recording on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is as impressive as its still photography capabilities. The phone supports 8K video recording at 30fps, making it one of the few smartphones capable of shooting ultra-high-definition footage. The 200MP sensor plays a crucial role here, allowing users to capture highly detailed videos that are perfect for editing and playback on large screens.
In addition to the high resolution, the phone includes features like Super Steady Mode, which stabilizes footage even during intense movement, reducing the need for external gimbals. HDR10+ support ensures vivid colors and rich contrasts, making video playback immersive and true to life.
The phone’s AI-powered auto-framing feature ensures that the subject remains in focus and centered during video recording, which is particularly useful for vlogs or recording in dynamic environments. The Director’s View feature, which debuted in earlier models, allows users to capture footage from multiple lenses simultaneously, adding more versatility to the storytelling process.
Front Camera: High-Resolution Selfies and Video Calls
The 12MP front camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is no slouch either. It features AI beautification and auto-focus capabilities that ensure selfies are sharp and flattering, regardless of lighting conditions. Samsung has also improved the portrait mode, allowing for more accurate subject separation and natural-looking background blur (bokeh).
For those who rely on their phones for video calls, the S24 Ultra’s front camera supports 4K video at 60fps, ensuring that you look clear and professional during video chats or livestreams. The front camera also benefits from Samsung’s AI optimizations, ensuring that skin tones and lighting look natural in different environments.
Software Experience: Easy, Smart, and Intuitive
Samsung’s One UI 6.1 provides a smooth and intuitive camera interface, making it easy to switch between different modes, adjust settings, and access the vast array of features. The camera app is designed for both novice users who prefer automatic settings and professionals who want full control over every aspect of their shot.
Samsung has also integrated several AI editing tools directly into the camera app, allowing users to edit photos and videos on the fly. These tools include background removal, automatic cropping, and portrait relighting, all powered by AI. The experience is seamless, ensuring that users can quickly enhance their photos without needing to export them to third-party editing apps.