Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G review

Last year's triple camera setup

The Galaxy S21+ comes with a virtually identical camera setup to the one on the S20+, only minus the ToF bits - so the exact same one as on the S21. We can't be sure if Samsung hasn't used a new sensor here or there, or tweaked a lens element ever so slightly, but the published numbers all look the same.

The primary camera uses a 1/1.76" sensor with 1.8µm individual pixels, 12 million of them. In front of it is a 26mm equivalent focal length lens with an f/1.8 aperture, which features optical image stabilization.

The ultra-wide camera remains fixed focus - only the S21 Ultra gets an autofocusing ultra-wide among all Galaxies. The lens has a field of view of 120 degrees and an f/2.2 aperture, while the size of the 12MP sensor is 1/2.55", with 1.4µm pixels.

Branded as telephoto, the third camera has an ever so slightly longer lens than the main module - around 29mm equivalent. However, thanks to its 64MP sensor, it's used for hybrid zoom action with 'lossless' results up to the default 3x magnification level. This one, too, has a stabilized lens, its aperture listed at f/2.0.

The selfie camera has been carried over, too. It relies on a 10MP 1/3.24" sensor with 1.22µm pixels coupled to an autofocusing lens with a 26mm equivalent focal length and f/2.2 aperture.

Continuously evolving, Samsung's camera app has a few new tweaks and additions this year. A cosmetic change is the renaming of Live Focus mode to Portrait mode - about time, we'd say. Single take mode, meanwhile, not only allows you to select the duration of capture but also pick the types of shots you want it to take.

Moving on, Pro mode can now be used on the ultra-wide camera as well, not just the main one. The telephoto is still off-limits to Pros.

Those will probably enjoy Director's view for video recording. The S21's viewfinder can show you live images from all four cameras at once, so you can pick and switch which one to use for capture. The selfie camera can either be displayed as picture-in-picture, or it can share the screen in a 50/50 split with the rear cameras, and you can also turn it off altogether. Director's view recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps, and only one of the video streams is actually recorded - not all at the same time.

Another video-related development is the relocation of the resolution selector from the menu right into the viewfinder - this one we really appreciate.

Viewfinder • Single take 2.0 • Director's view • Extra modes • Settings

Image quality

As we already saw on the identically equipped S21, the S21+ takes really nice daylight shots with its main camera. While it's still delivering a very lively color output, we're finding it ever so slightly reduced in saturation compared to last year's. The wide dynamic range is also appreciated. The detail level is about what you can expect from any good 12MP camera on the market, and there's not much noise to speak of, though images are a bit grainier than on the Ultras.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x)

The ultra wide on the S21+ is an improvement over last year's model in terms of sharpness - a minor, but noticeable one. Following the overall trend this year, a slight reduction in color saturation is also observed, though this being a Samsung, you won't be starved for pop. Dynamic range is decently wide, though clipped highlights are an inevitability in high-contrast scenes.

Daylight samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x)

By default, the S21+ comes with pre-enabled distortion correction on the ultra-wide camera, and that would be our preference for general purpose ultra-wide shooting. It introduces only a minor loss of coverage (from the pretty extreme native FoV) and a marginal increase in softness in the corners won't hurt anybody. There is a toggle in the camera settings to disable it, if you're specifically targeting the bulging barrel look for creative purposes.

Daylight samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x), distortion correction: On • Off

The 64MP sensor of the Galaxy S21+'s 'telephoto' camera has a regular RGB Bayer filter array so it can actually capture more granular color gradation data than a Quad Bayer/Tetracell counterpart. What this means in practice is very detailed full-res 64MP shots in daylight. We're also not seeing any dynamic range penalty compared to the 12MP main camera shots - so it's an entirely viable option for shooting in good light. The phone does urge you to use the 64MP mode when it detects a landscape scene in favorable lighting, and you may want to take its advice. The one downside is the lower than ideal contrast of these photos.

Daylight samples, zoom camera (64MP, 1x-ish)

Cropping from the center portion of that 64MP sensor is how the Galaxy S21+ achieves its zooming. At 2x zoom level (that you need to pinch to, or access from the secondary zoom level presets) you get a very similar per-pixel look to the 64MP 'originals' - detailed, but not as contrasty as what the main cam can output.

Daylight samples, zoom camera (2x)

The default 'tele' zoom level with the one tree in the viewfinder takes you to 3x magnification and there you're beyond the resolution of the sensor. It's a minor upscale job resulting in similarly minor loss of absolute detail and sharpness with noise becoming a bit more visible. In any case, these 3x zoom shots are very much usable.

Daylight samples, zoom camera (3x)

Low-light image quality

As we noted in our Galaxy S21 review, the S21+ has a particularly relaxed approach to noise reduction which leaves a lot of grain in the final image. With it, there's also a lot of detail and it's a trade-off we don't mind, though your preferences could lie on the opposite end of that conundrum. In any case, the color rendition is very nice, with spot on saturation and no extra warmth caused by specific types of street lights. Dynamic range is fairly wide, though the shadows could use a boost.

Low-light samples, main camera (1x)

Night mode helps out with that and lifts up the shadows a little, though we've seen more dramatic effects. Noise is taken care of too if you opt for Night mode. A common trait of shots taken this way is the heavy handed processing that deals with the multi-frame pseudo-long exposures and results in some loss of fine detail in the well-lit areas. Additionally, a mild level of bleaching is also happening, taking away some of the yellow of warm street lights.

Low-light samples, main camera (1x), Night mode

Predictably, the S21+'s ultra-wide cam didn't impress in low light in plain auto mode. Darker scenes render it incapable of exposing brightly enough, though if you do present it with some well-lit streets, you could get usable shots.

Low-light samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x)

It's on this camera that you'll see more dramatic effects if you switch to Night mode. You'll get better shadow development and actual texture where previously there was just mush, and noise is thoroughly removed as well.

Low-light samples, ultrawide camera (0.5x), Night mode

Zooming in at night with the tiny pixels on the 64MP camera isn't quite as successful as in daylight. If you stick to well lit scenes you will get images that look decent at fit to screen magnification - colors and tonal development are good, but zooming in reveals softness and noise. And in darker settings the phone may even choose to shoot with its main cam instead, and in those instances the photos are very soft.

Low-light samples, zoom camera (3x)

Night mode can help a lot for low-light zooming. You'll get significant improvements in the textures in the shadows and lower midtones as well as a noticeable reduction of noise.

Low-light samples, zoom camera (3x), Night mode

Once you're done with the real world samples, head over to our Photo compare tool to see how the Samsung Galaxy S21+ stacks up against the competition.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ against the iPhone 12 Pro and the OnePlus 8 Pro in our Photo compare tool

Portraits, bokeh

Live Focus mode has been renamed to Portrait mode in the OneUI 3.1 version of the Samsung camera app, but it essentially does the same thing - isolate the subject by keeping it in focus and blurring the background.

Two zoom levels are available, and the default is a 2.5-ish times zoom, sourced from the 64MP cam - just crop, no upscale. This puts a nice distance between photographer and subject and allows for a flattering perspective while still filling the frame with a head-and-shoulders type of shot. Subject detection is properly great, with even complex borders like messy haircuts being handled with superb results. Detail is excellent too.

Portrait samples, zoomed-in mode

Portraits in the wide mode are captured on the main camera, and that means getting closer to your subject, uncomfortably close. Conversely, if you're taking self-portraits with the rear cam, that's the mode to go for - the zoomed-in mode will fit an entire face at arm's length, but little more. Subject detection is generally very good, too, though it's somehow less natural-looking when it comes to difficult stuff like stray hair.

Portrait samples, wide mode

Selfies

We noted a shift in processing when reviewing the S21 and comparing against the S20 and, more generally, the bulk of Samsung high-end phones from days past. The S21+, naturally, takes the same selfies as the S21.

We're talking about the general prioritization of detail and textures over the slightly (or more strongly) smoothed out look of before. The wide dynamic range is also much appreciated and we were to ask for any changes that would be a bump in color saturation and a little more warmth to match the look of the rear cam.

Selfie samples

While not quite as proficient as on the main cameras, Portrait mode for selfies on S21+ still does a fine job. We're seeing the occasional mishap along the border between subject and background if we look closely, but no proper blunders like clipped ears or the likes. Dynamic range is as wide in portraits as in regular selfies, which is nice too.

Selfie samples, Portrait mode

We'll touch up on this in the selfie section, but it's also available for rear camera portraits - the S21+ has some new AI-enabled background effects. Those include High-key and Low-key mono, Backdrop and Color point. In all of these sub-modes you also get Studio lighting - an additional boost to face brightness, which is also available within a blur-only sub-mode, without the color trickery.

Regular portrait • Studio lighting • Low-key mono • High-key mono • Backdrop • Color point