We Put the Samsung S23 Ultra’s Camera to the Test

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To say that we’ve hit a point in smartphones where they’ve become more of a camera than a mobile device is neither a groundbreaking statement nor a hot take. Not only do you want your phone to shoot a great video with good resolution, lighting, and depth-of-field for your social media, but you want one that’s flexible, with enough hardware options (lenses, optical zoom, and a large enough sensor) to shoot in any given circumstance.

In the case of the Samsung S23 Ultra, it exacerbates this point entirely. Combining its array of hardware with smart and functional software to create awesome photos and videos. We had a chance to spend the better part of a month with the latest flagship device from Samsung, and we were blown away by the results, particularly the 10x optical zoom and increased stabilisation. Oh, and they’ve fixed the Instagram upload quality issue.

RELATED: We put an $800 smartphone against Apple’s flagship iPhone 14 Pro Max in a battle for the ages.

Samsung S23 Ultra Tech Specs at a Glance

Arguably the most important smartphone feature of them all is the camera. We’ve had the chance to go hands-on with the latest flagship Samsung S23 Ultra for a month, checking out everything from the performance to the battery life (which is an absolute standout feature of this phone). However, what you really want to know about is the 200MP sensor and optical zoom options. But first, the specs.

Galaxy S23 Ultra
Price	from $1,949 AUD
Display	6.8-inch QHD AMOLED
Refresh rate	1 – 120Hz adaptive
Rear cameras	200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP 10x telephoto
Front camera	12MP selfie
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM	8GB/12GB
Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Battery	5,000 mAh
Charging	45W wired/10W wireless
Water/dust resistance	IP68
Size	163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm (6.4 x 3.0 x 0.35 inches)
Weight	233g (8.2 ounces)
Colours	Phantom Black, Cotton Flower, Botanic Green and Mystic Lilac

As you could probably tell from the tech specs of the Samsung S23 Ultra listed above, it’s a powerhouse of a smartphone. Without taking it to the absolute limits with a bench test, we’re more than confident that this it’s far more powerful than anyone would need for any amount of daily duties. And while the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy helps substantially with performance for power users, you’ll really notice the difference when it comes to battery life and video processing.

RELATED: Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra BMW M Edition is the Best Smartphone You’ll Never Have.

Samsung S23 Ultra camera array | Image: Supplied

How Good Are the Cameras on the Samsung S23 Ultra?

And now for the main event, how do the cameras perform on the Samsung S23 Ultra? Well, let’s start with the specs by the numbers vs. its main competitor, the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Samsung S23 Ultra	iPhone 14 Pro Max
Main camera	200MP, f/1.7	48MP, f/1.78
Ultrawide camera	12MP, f/2.2	12MP, f/1.78
Macro cameras	3x 10MP, f/2.4 10x 10MP, f/4.9	2x 12MP, f/2.8 3x 12MP, f/2.8
Selfie camera	12MP, f/2.2	12MP, f/1.9

You can see from the stats above just how close they’re on paper. Where the Samsung S23 Ultra outdoes the iPhone 14 Pro Max in sheer megapixels for the main camera, the iPhone has the upper hand in the megapixel department for the macro lenses at 2x and 3x zoom.

However, that’s hardly the full story because the Samsung S23 Ultra has a trick up its sleeve in the form of optical zoom at up to 10x f/4.9 optical zoom whereas the iPhone can only muster up to 3x. Essentially, using the zoom function on the iPhone simply crops in a shot taken from the 3x lens, whereas the Samsung is capable of up to 10x without cropping which equals quality.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning here that the S23 Ultra can “zoom in” all the way up to 100x, however, use cases for this are fairly limited. On the other hand, the Astrophotography mode is exceptional, but we’ll be covering that one in our full review.

RELATED: $2,000 Samsung 34-inch Odyssey OLED G8 Curved Gaming Monitor Doesn’t Play Fair.

Samsung S23 Ultra Photo Samples

Sample photos were taken on our Samsung S23 Ultra, all of which were taken at 200MP.

Samsung S23 Ultra 1x (compressed for web quality) | Image: Ben McKimm / Man of Many

Samsung S23 Ultra 10x (compressed for web quality) | Image: Ben McKimm / Man of Many