Camera comparison: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra

02 February 2023
Is the 200MP camera better than the 108MP one?

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  • Samsung S 22 Ultra
  • Hk%
  • 06 Mar 2023

sleepy, 06 Feb 2023I have to disagree on the interior. I am not certain how th... moreSamsung S 22 Ultra

    SirArtur, 11 Feb 2023Nope, you can do that easily. If you go to any page and ope... moreJust one small thing - for this comparison s22 vs s23 I have used both images in 12Mpix, just to show processing degradation.

      gos, 10 Feb 2023Hello, The image you are referring to (https://i.postimg.c... moreNope, you can do that easily. If you go to any page and open the picture in the new window, you have the whole image in the original resolution. Double checked that, and the resolution matches 50Mpix and 200Mpix. Unfortunately then, it is just sad true. More on that, I have now S23 Ultra, and here is a comparison with iPhone 14 PRO raws. 50mpix vs 48 Mpix. Iphone on the right, Samsung on the left. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9ddd1wx2zp20jfm/AADakvHJMckG3v7R72bGHYHma?dl=0
      The drill was, to take RAW, save it, and then in Lightroom make them look somehow similar. `scene` file is for referral, how it looks. `comp_1` is the file, when I snapped in S23 Ultra raw in ExpertRAW with everything auto, same for iPhone. Look how processes Samsung RAW is (sharpening is the same for both, no NR reduction). On the iPhone smaller details are better reserved, like wooden patter on my furniture. But I have noticed, that Samsung out of the box is choosing way higher ISO than iPhone, so I took another shot, forcing S23 to use the same ISO as iPhone - `comp_2`. Bit better, but still Samsung loses more details and is overprocessed. `comp_3` is just a further zoom on the details, to show how small ones are much better preserver on the iPhone shot. `comp_4` is applying some sharpening on the iPhone to show, that what looks like a true detail on the previous Samsung shots it is just over processing. So long story short - Samsung has more megapixels, but the true resolution of the image is higher on the iPhone, at least when there is less light. In the real bright scene, Samsung seems to be on pair or even on the top with the level of details, but again images even in RAW is much overprocessed and small and tiny details are just better on the iPhone.

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        • gos
        • gnj
        • 10 Feb 2023

        SirArtur, 04 Feb 2023Nope. Just simply don't like what I see here. Download... moreHello,
        The image you are referring to (https://i.postimg.cc/MpVz2pYv/compare.jpg) is a low res version of the Image on GSM Areana's site. The high res version of the Image cannot simply be downloaded by using "save image" on any of the links!

        If you zoom into the High Res image, and closely study the details, you will clearly see that the 200 MPix sensor (pixel binned) & image processing of the S23 Ultra outperforms the S22 Ultra by pretty much. Colors is also better IMO.

          • J
          • JC2
          • IBw
          • 10 Feb 2023

          I'm on a Note 20 Ultra and considering an upgrade. If you search YouTube you'll see the video stabilization is much improved over the S22U however for 99% of the time, the videos I'm shooting on vacation or of friends and family aren't going to submitted to the Oscars and I can stabilize using Davinvi resolve. As far as the photos, they are so close it's a matter of personal preference in my opinion. If you really want to pixel peep and are sumer anal about your image quality you should never be shooting in the Auto JPEG mode. You should be shooting using the Expert Raw app, or in Pro mode. Although on my Note 20 Ultra, the RAW imaged from Pro mode on the native app are terrible compared to the jpegs - less detail! It must be a bug in the app for that phone. The RAW images produced by the Expert Raw app are fantastic. At same ISO and shutter speed in low light there is less noise and more detail than using the normal camera app in auto mode. So using the right app and settings I effectively upgraded my camera (from auto mode) without paying a penny. You'll be able to get a like new refurb S22U for about 60% the price of the S23U in a couple months. S23U isn't worth the extra money. It's just not that much better and in certain shoot situations a little worse!

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            • sleepy
            • qHg
            • 06 Feb 2023

            pilarius, 05 Feb 2023As an S22 Ultra owner I have to admit that there is a notic... moreI have to disagree on the interior. I am not certain how these were shot but to me the s22 look much better, especially on the low light shot. The box with the camera's you can read the camera name on the s22, on the s23 noise and oversharpening destroy the ability to read it.

            in the typewriter the main difference is not legibility, it is noise and chroma. horrible on the s23 not as bad on the s22.

            The s23 may be better, but it will take several updates for them to get rid of the ungodly amount of sharpening (as they always do) unsharp makes pictures especially ones with trees and leaves in them, look much better.

            i would hardly expect a difference in the 3/10 camera's since the sensors, as far as i know, are the same as last year

              c, 06 Feb 2023" It is on the market, so that means it is ready to be... moreTwo accounts? You said that this comparison is unfair, due to the fact that one of the devices is on software that has been updated many times, and the other has not. My point with those was that it does not matter because I do not care, when was the premiere, and how many times it has been updated by the producer. Both are in the store, and they are in a similar price range, so again both of them can be bought by anyone, and therefore comparison even should be made, so that customer knows what to buy - now. Don't buy the product on the future promises of the updates, make a decision on the current state.

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                • c
                • ps8
                • 06 Feb 2023

                SirArtur, 06 Feb 2023Cannot agree less. It is on the market, so that means it is... more" It is on the market, so that means it is ready to be sold and distributed. " nowhere did I mention sales so not sure why you even brought that up.

                " A customer should not care, how long ago that device was launched. It is available and can be purchased, so it is absolutely right to compare and check what is the best option for your money. " This is another round of irrelevance to my post. I referred to shipping software and not about caring about something and who said anyone should care? Those who care do care so point invalid once again although I do agree with the last part that the best option should be chosen for your money.

                  Difference, 06 Feb 2023Unfair comparison. Why? Because the S22 Ultra is most... moreCannot agree less. It is on the market, so that means it is ready to be sold and distributed. A customer should not care, how long ago that device was launched. It is available and can be purchased, so it is absolutely right to compare and check what is the best option for your money.

                    • D
                    • Difference
                    • 64i
                    • 06 Feb 2023

                    Unfair comparison.

                    Why?

                    Because the S22 Ultra is most likely not on the original shipping firmware after unboxing whereas the S23 Ultra likely is.

                      Rimas2, 06 Feb 2023The more I look at the S23U samples, the more I'm conv... moreIt is not, but due to limitations of the optics, the real resolution of the image is rather not greater that those 20-30 Mpix.

                        Canard, 05 Feb 2023I don't plan on anything else than Samsung. I was alwa... moreThe awful screen on Pixel 7 Pro? What are you talking about? Maybe, just maybe, someone didn't change the screen resolution, which is 1080p by default.
                        Pixel 7 Pro camera has it's quirks, but IMO it is the best alternative to Samsung/Apple at the moment. The photo/video detail rendering is pretty comparable to Xiaomi 12S Ultra (my own impressions from GSMArena sample comparisons). I have it. Satisfied so far. Plus other goodies - no bloatware, no ugly Samsung icons, stable connections, all Bluetooth codecs, pretty good sound overall, Google's AI stuff. It has to be setup properly though. First thing - display resolution should be manually switched to QHD and also Clear Voice should be enabled in settings. Those two make a world of a difference.

                          The more I look at the S23U samples, the more I'm convinced that 200/50Mpix photos are just upscaled versions of something like 20-30Mpix.

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                            • Tj
                            • m9{
                            • 05 Feb 2023

                            Canard, 03 Feb 2023Artifacts and halos that dosnt exist here: all is fineBut they do. They clearly do.

                              As an S22 Ultra owner I have to admit that there is a noticeable difference in the quality of the interior photos - just look at the sofa or the porcelain figurines. S23 is a solid upgrade for those. Its sensor can simply take in more light. Nevertheless I don't see much difference in the exterior photos and when I see it, I like S22 Ultra photos more. I also think that some of those differences are due to processing and they might be reduced by upcoming updates.

                                Plovdiv, 03 Feb 2023 Simply use the Professional mode and you get a very natura... moreThe pro mode doesn't fix any problem with the processing on Samsung (or any other manufacturers') phones unless you're shooting in RAW. It's just if you shoot in the pro mode, most of the time you will lose all the HDR stacking and tonemapping that the auto mode does and you will end up getting a more contrasty image with a lot of blown highlights and dark shadows. Sharpening, saturation, noise reduction and other parameters, on the other hand, as far as I'm concerned, remain mostly the same.

                                  Anonymous, 03 Feb 2023Some vivo iqoo also had gn5 or 766. Still better than oppo ... moreFrom what I have seen, these Vivo phones didn't do any better than Find X5 Pro - All of Vivo's phones with 64MP type 1/1.7 sensors did considerably worse in low light, while those with IMX766 or GN5 performed comparably to Oppo's flagship.

                                    SirArtur, 04 Feb 2023Please share some thoughts and samples, if possible. :) I h... moreI don't plan on anything else than Samsung. I was always happy with these and in the end I make good photos with. Otherwise I use my Sony a7 3 for better result and semi pro work.

                                    I tried Iphone (it's just impossible for me. The photos are great but video just ok) and LG ( a while ago).

                                    I tried the new pixel (7 pro) and even if I found the camera really intelligent (yes really), I just don't see it on par (for the inherent quality) with Iphone and Samsung (sorry Google fans) and the screen is awfull.

                                    When I receive my Samsung, I can tell about my experience. I need to try some other stuffs and see the result after the first update (always wait a the first udpate). But I'm really surprised by my experience of this afternoon... It's really strange the difference between my results and what I collect form ther others's... wait and see.

                                      Canard, 04 Feb 2023To be fair (jokes done): I was able to play with the pho... morePlease share some thoughts and samples, if possible. :) I hope, that the problems we see here and you describe, are only because of the early software version and will be resolved soon. At least partially. Softness on the sides and corners unfortunately is rather a design issue. Can I ask what other phone you consider? I am looking for something for me, and the most important thing is the photo department. On my shortlist I have Pixel 7 PRO, Vivo X90 PRO (unfortunately, Plus will not be available globally :( ) and Oppo X6 PRO. My GF has Iphone 14 PRO, 48MPix RAWs are amazing, but I just cannot force myself to use iPhone. Have tried one for a year, and just didn't like it at all.

                                        SirArtur, 04 Feb 2023Nope. Just simply don't like what I see here. Download... moreTo be fair (jokes done):

                                        I was able to play with the phone for some time... and I don't know if I had a pre alpha version but the results weren't even like the GSM arena samples:

                                        It was really bad but not with the oversharping problem: There is a ton of noise and a lot of movement blur on the element (really strange thing). The gallery app was sooooo long to show the pics. I see here a software problem more than a technical problem but It was awfull. I receive mine monday and if the results are the same, I send it back right away.

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