Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

New 5x telephoto, 200MP main camera

Samsung hasn't changed much with the S24 Ultra's camera system, but it's not all the same either. Spicing things up is a new 5x telephoto camera that replaces the 10x module of the last generation - that way you'd be getting both 5x and 10x zoom shots. The rest of the setup has been carried over, including the 200MP primary unit that bins 16 pixels into 1, and the only ultrawide camera with autofocus in the Galaxy lineup.

Not to be disrespecting that ultrawide, but its not a particularly large-sensor unit and other than the iPhone 15 Pros, pretty much every other phone at this level (and several lower levels) has more competent hardware.

The 3x telephoto is also on the small size, but since the setup is such that it's not really being used for further zooming, we won't be complaining too much.

• Wide (main): 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 (1/1.3", 0.6µm-2.4µm), f/1.7, 23mm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS; 8K@30fps, 4K@120fps
• Ultrawide: 12MP Sony IMX563 (1/2.55", 1.4µm), f/2.2, dual pixel PDAF; 4K@60fps
• Telephoto 1, 3x: 12MP Sony IMX754 (1/3.52", 1.12µm), f/2.4, 67mm, PDAF, OIS; 4K@60fps
• Telephoto 2, 5x: 50MP Sony IMX854 (1/2.52", 0.7-1.4µm), f/3.4, 111mm, PDAF, OIS; 4K@60fps
• Front camera: 12MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K3LU (1/3.2", 1.12µm), f/2.2, 26mm, dual pixel PDAF; 4K@60fps

We do have some complaining to do about the way the Galaxy handles close focusing, because it will tend to switch down to the camera in line once you go below the current camera's minimum focusing distance. While you can disable that behavior from the main to the ultrawide, there's no immediate way to do so for the telephotos. Other than that, there's not a whole lot to talk about when it comes to the One UI camera app - it's full-featured and straightforward at the same time.

Daylight photo quality

The S24 Ultra's main camera takes great looking photos, as expected. The detail is excellent and it's rendered in a relatively natural way - certainly more natural than what the S23 Ultra has been doing in the past months. The S24 Ultra's processing still isn't as laid back as that on the S24 and S24+, and there's a bit more sharpening here, which we'd call the optimum middle ground - some people would say the S24s are too soft for their own good.

Daylight 1x comparison: Galaxy S24 Ultra • Galaxy S23 Ultra

Alongside the generational change in detail rendition, there's also a modest decrease in saturation. That's not to say that the S24 Ultra's color output is looking dull, but rather just a touch less vibrant in comparison.

Daylight 1x comparison: Galaxy S24 Ultra • Galaxy S24+

These model specifics aside, the Galaxy S24 Ultra's results in its default state don't leave us wanting in any way.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x), 12MP

We gave Expert RAW a quick test as well, only minus dealing with the actual RAW files - we were more interested in having the option to capture 24MP JPEGs, which you get in that mode/app, but not in the regular Photo mode. We can almost convince ourselves that there is a smidge more detail in these shots, but its rendition is jagged and pixelated and not too pleasing. The default embedded profile in the DNGs doesn't help either.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x), Expert RAW, 24MP

We'll dismiss the 200MP shots without much consideration, but the 50MP mode did pique our interest. The detail also has that artificial digital look, but here too a case could be made that you could extract some finer textures or distant text. It's not for general snaps, but perhaps of occasional use.

Daylight samples, main camera (1x), 50MP

The first telephoto camera of the S24 Ultra is a known performer and we're seeing solid results from it - a familiar feeling. The generational shift in some areas that we observed on the main camera can be seen here too, including the overall toning down of saturation.

Daylight 3x comparison: Galaxy S24 Ultra • Galaxy S23 Ultra

Overall, these photos have very good detail with only very fine grain to be observed in areas of uniform color. Dynamic range is excellent whether you're shooting outdoors or in, and even in Portrait mode backlit scenes are rendered nicely.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (3x)

Moving on to the one new camera this time around - the 50MP 5x zoom telephoto that replaces the 10MP 10x one of the previous three generations. With a setup like this one, the new model should be able to deliver massively superior 5x shots, while also maintaining a similar image quality to the S23 Ultra at 10x.

Indeed, we're quite fond of the 5x zoom shots. They have nice detail and minimal noise at low ISOs, which turns into some fine grit indoors as you raise the sensitivity. Dynamic range is great and the color rendition is very likeable too.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (5x)

Just for comparison, here's how the the S24 Ultra's 5x camera stacks up to the output of the S23 Ultra's 3x telephoto zoomed in to 5x.

Daylight 5x comparison: Galaxy S24 Ultra • Galaxy S23 Ultra

We mentioned the Ultra's auto switching behavior that will take you to the next in line wider camera if the current one can't focus because of being too close to your subject. There's no immediately available setting to disable that for the telephotos, but you could opt to shoot in Pro mode or Expert RAW and the phone won't be doing it. Alternatively, you can download the Camera Assistant app from the Galaxy Store and disable the switching from there. Once you know that, it almost makes sense, but we can't help but think that the Focus enhancer toggle that pops up in the viewfinder and controls this switching specifically from the main to the ultrawide camera can bear the weight of disabling the switching down from the telephotos.

Anyway, this was a prelude to the closeup samples we took with the S24 Ultra's 5x camera. While we often tend to be too strict with words and avoid calling these macro, they sure are some mighty fine closeups.

Closeups, 5x

At 10x zoom, the S24 Ultra does retain good detail levels and noise performance.

Daylight samples, telephoto camera (10x)

We'd say the S23 Ultra's 10x photos have slightly better definition, but they also have more prominent noise so the S24 Ultra isn't necessarily worse altogether.

Daylight 10x comparison: Galaxy S24 Ultra • Galaxy S23 Ultra

The thing is, the S24 Ultra can capture better looking images than those taken at 10x if you can be bothered to fiddle with pinch zoom and get to a 9.9x or a 9.8x magnification (but not 10.1x - that doesn't help). These exhibit more natural processing and tend to have a nicer rendition of fine detail, plus somehow less grain in the skies.

We're not sure how that disparity came to be. If the 9.9x results are looking better, why Samsung didn't just call them 10x and make them the default output, is also a valid question. It has to have something to do with how the 50MP sensor information is cropped and demosaicked to form a 12MP shot at what is a 2x zoom level from its standpoint. It will be interesting to observe how this develops with future software updates.

Daylight 10x comparison: 10x • 9.9x-ish

Switching gears abruptly to have a look at some ultrawide shots. This camera is also unchanged from the previous generation and the results are in many ways similar. There just might be a slightly nicer rendition of detail, compared to the S23 Ultra.

Daylight 0.6x comparison: Galaxy S24 Ultra • Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Ultra remains the only Galaxy with an ultrawide camera that has an autofocusing capability, so you can use it to capture nearby subjects in sharp focus. In the rest of the metrics, the Ultra's ultrawide is the same as the S24s' and we feel like the Ultra deserves more special treatment.

Daylight samples, ultrawide camera (0.6x)

Selfies

The Galaxy S24 Ultra shares a selfie camera with the other S24s and that should also be the same setup as on the previous generation. That's no bad thing, of course, since the S23 took some of the best selfies around, and we've already confirmed that to be the case on the S24 and S24+.

Detail is great in these photos, while noise is kept at bay. The true-to-life skin tones and the generally likeable color rendition, plus the wide dynamic range, mean there will be little to complain about.

Selfie samples