Samsung has retained the maximum digital zoom level for its Galaxy S24 Ultra, going up to 100x, just like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Unfortunately, in the latest camera sample showdown, where two images taken from two different smartphones are compared, there is a minimal difference between them, showing that there is immense room for improvement here.
Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 100x camera shot produces a less brighter image but with reduced detail when showing text
Almost everyone knows that it is physically impossible for smartphone manufacturers to include a 100x optical zoom lens in smartphones without introducing a protruding mechanism like the ones seen in those old portable cameras. Instead, companies like Samsung use computational techniques to retain as much detail as possible when going up to 100x. Sadly, the software can recognize only so much detail when working at this zoom level, and the results are evident by comparison shots provided by Parker Burton.
On the left, one image is taken by the Galaxy S24 Ultra, while the same image on the right is captured with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. In short, both 100x images significantly lose detail, especially when capturing the signboard saying ‘San Jose.’ The image taken from the Galaxy S23 Ultra appears brighter and, therefore, shows more detail, whereas the one captured by the Galaxy S24 Ultra looks dull, for lack of a better word.
S24 Ultra (left) vs S23 Ultra (right) at 100x zoom pic.twitter.com/tG042zoPKE
— Parker Burton (@imparkerburton) January 17, 2024
For readers who might comment that the 5x optical zoom downgrade on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the reason why the loss in quality is evident, we must remind you that beyond the 10x zoom, even the Galaxy S23 Ultra starts relying on software for image processing. Since Samsung’s flagship just recently launched, there could be some tweaking in the form of future updates that might help improve image quality when using the 100x zoom option, but for now, we are disappointed by these results.
Then again, the Galaxy S24 Ultra may produce better images when capturing a different scene, as that is typically the case for various smartphones. Then again, we do not have any comparisons at this time other than the one shown here, so let us know in the comments if you think Samsung should do a better job in this category.
News Source: Parker Burton
