Galaxy S24 Ultra Zoom Camera Test: A Closer Look

The Galaxy S24 Ultra continues Samsung’s tradition of pushing smartphone photography to new heights, particularly with its zoom capabilities. Whether you’re capturing distant landscapes, detailed close-ups, or spontaneous moments, the S24 Ultra’s zoom performance promises clarity and precision. But how does it really hold up in everyday use? Let’s take a calm, measured look.

The Hardware: A Strong Foundation

The S24 Ultra retains a quad-camera setup, featuring a 200MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide, and two telephoto lenses—a 10MP 3x optical zoom and a 50MP 5x optical zoom. The real magic happens with Samsung’s Space Zoom, which combines optical and AI-powered processing to deliver up to 100x digital zoom.

Testing the Zoom: From Subtle to Extreme

3x Optical Zoom: Natural and Sharp

At 3x magnification, the S24 Ultra performs flawlessly. Details remain crisp, colors stay true, and there’s no noticeable loss in quality. This is ideal for portraits or capturing subjects just out of reach without distortion.

5x Optical Zoom: Where It Shines

The 5x zoom is where the S24 Ultra truly excels. Even in moderate lighting, images retain impressive sharpness, making it perfect for wildlife shots, architectural details, or distant scenery. The 50MP sensor ensures that cropping in further doesn’t degrade the image significantly.

10x Hybrid Zoom: Still Impressive

Using a mix of optical and computational photography, the 10x zoom maintains strong detail. While not as pristine as the 5x, it’s surprisingly usable for a hybrid zoom, with Samsung’s AI smoothing out noise effectively.

30x and Beyond: For Special Cases

Pushing to 30x or 100x introduces more digital processing. At these ranges, results can vary—sometimes you get a surprisingly clear shot of a faraway subject, other times the image softens noticeably. It’s best used sparingly, like capturing text on a distant sign or the moon (thanks to dedicated astrophotography enhancements).

Low-Light Performance: Respectable but Not Perfect

Zooming in dim environments introduces some noise, but Samsung’s night mode helps stabilize and brighten shots. The 5x zoom holds up well, but extreme zoom levels struggle without ample light.

Final Thoughts: A Balanced Perspective

The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s zoom capabilities are among the best in smartphones today. The 3x and 5x optical zooms deliver consistently excellent results, while the higher zoom ranges are useful in specific scenarios. If you frequently need to capture distant details without sacrificing quality, the S24 Ultra is a reliable choice—just temper expectations at the highest magnifications.

For most users, this level of zoom is more than enough, reaffirming Samsung’s position as a leader in mobile photography. Whether you’re a casual shooter or a photography enthusiast, the S24 Ultra’s zoom offers flexibility without compromise.

Would you rely on 100x zoom often? Probably not. But having the option when needed? That’s the real luxury