OPINION : When Samsung was rumoured to bring a 5x periscope lens to theSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , I assumed it ’d be the shortsighted 3x camera that go the way of the Dodo – but that was n’t the case .
rather , Samsung ditched the tenacious 10x periscope for the new 5x periscope , and I was more than a little disappointed . After all , the Galaxy Ultra model has always set itself apart from the rival strictly on zoom art . Why would Samsung basically halve the range of its periscope lens with its latesttop - conclusion smartphone ?
It just did n’t make sense to me . That was until I started using the Galaxy S24 Ultra retentive - term following its launch in San Jose last week .
I was favourable enough to go along to the launching in California and got my mitts on the headphone just an time of day subsequently . As well astrying out some of the cool Galaxy AI features for myself , my first port of call was to take photos . As many photos as possible , in fact . I needed to see the method acting behind the apparent rabidity with this new camera setup – and I was sunnily surprised .
You see , all recent entry in the Galaxy Ultra range have seen a pairing of the 3x telephoto and 10x periscope cameras . That frame-up allows for some of the best results on the market place at , and past , the 10x punctuate as no other periscope lense came close to those floor of zoom . However , the 3x telephoto lense had a mighty job of covering all medium zoom levels between 3x and 10x .
Unlike periscope lense design for varying rapid climb level , telephoto layer are fixed . That meant images at or around the 3 - 5x sign looked pretty elaborated , but between the 5- and 10x mark where the digital zoom was pushed to the max , images could look comparatively subdued . You might even notice the queer bit of artifacting on particularly complex subject area .
That ’s why the new 5x periscope sensor makes much more sense . It not only bolster the previously overlook 5x to 10x range , but it ’s also five times higher in the megapixel department at a whopping 50MP .
Now there ’s much more to camera quality than sheer megapixel count , but it really can make the dispute with periscope genus Lens like this – particularly when paired withpixel - binning tech .
effect at the 5x level are unsurprisingly a huge jump fore in timbre , with the huge majority of images packed with detail and vibrant colours , so much so that images are pretty much in pedigree with those taken by the principal 200MP snapper .
The boosted zoom compared to the 3x telephoto sensor is appreciated too , allowing me to get middling bloody close to my subjects without needing to dabble with the digital rapid climb and risk of infection impacting the overall quality of my shooter .
That said , the high megapixel numeration of the 5x sensor means it does a valorous job at providing almost ocular - level caliber images between the 5x mark and the 10x of the lens it ’s replacing . I ’d even indicate that , at the 10x mark , images are corresponding to those fork up by the dedicated zoom of theS23 Ultra .
Here ’s a veranda of zoom shots I ’ve accept between the 5x and 10x mark during a trip to San Francisco to practice this home further :
Ultimately , while it ’s straight that the want of a consecrate 10x periscope will have a knock - on result on truly high horizontal surface of zoom , I ’d argue that the vast majority of people will use between 1 - 10x way of life more than 80 - 100x and , as such , will see a welfare from this think downgrade .
