Adam Kos If you've been living in the Apple bubble for some time, it's quite hard to come to terms with the fact that there are other smartphones on the market from other manufacturers that could be equal to iPhones in some respect. Here we don't want to deal with display sizes, cutout sizes, batteries and copying design or features. Here we are only concerned with photographic possibilities and abilities.
According to an independent test DXOMark we know what is currently the best camera phone on the market (Huawei P50 Pro). We also know that the iPhone 13 Pro (Max) is 4th in this test, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is 13th. Personally, I definitely do not envy the work of the editors there, because apart from many professional measurements, the final photo is still a lot about a subjective impression. Some people may like more colors, others prefer to render the scene as faithfully as possible.
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It's not about habit
The truth is that when I had the opportunity to test the Galaxy S22 Ultra, I was more afraid of the native application than its photographic capabilities. But Android phones have come a long way, and so has the One UI superstructure that Samsung provides in its devices. There was practically no need to get used to the interface. It is actually very similar to the one in iOS, it only offers a few minor differences (for example, the possibility to organize the menu of modes).
Camera interface
If I need to take a picture of something on my iPhone when I don't have it active, I'll use a hard press on the camera icon on the lock screen. The condition is that the display is turned on, but this happens automatically. But with Samsung, you just need to press the off button twice in quick succession and your camera will be activated immediately. It's a fairly addictive solution, eventually finding myself constantly turning the iPhone's display on and off to activate the photo mode. In addition, Samsung also provides a Pro mode, which will be welcomed by anyone who understands photography and wants to have control over the camera settings. For iPhones, you need to search for apps in the App Store.
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12 MPx does not matter
With its iPhones, Apple manages to take brilliant pictures even with only 12 MPx. The Ultra does this through 108 MPx with a pixel merging function, where 9 of them act as one. Honestly, it doesn't really matter. Samsung does mention how you can then print a full 108MPx photo on large formats, and how you can zoom in on the photo to see details. But you simply won't take 108MPx photos. You might try it, but that's about it.
Gallery
The 3x optical zoom is very similar, as are the results from the ultra-wide lens. In both cases, it's nice that the devices provide them, but in neither case could you say you couldn't exist without them. After all, I didn't like the ultra-wide-angle lens on any phone, and I think it's quite a shame that Apple puts it in the basic line instead of a more usable telephoto lens. He certainly has his reasons for that.
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Samsung Magazine Periscope is not just about numbers
But the most interesting thing about the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the 10x periscope lens, which I initially underestimated the most. Even thanks to the f/4,9 aperture, it is not exactly destined to take perfect photos. The triple optical zoom doesn't provide that much of a difference between the double or the 2,5x. But you will really get to know the 10x zoom, and you will really use it. Of course, in case of ideal lighting conditions and if there is no movement on the scene. But it brings a really interesting and, above all, a different view of the scene, which you only look at through the display of a mobile phone.
Galaxy S22 Ultra zoom range
No, you don't really need 108MPx, you don't even need 10x zoom. In the end, you don't even need to take macro photos, but once you have those options, you'll find a use for them from time to time. There is probably no future in the periscope, because it still contains enough limits that it is difficult for manufacturers to ideally implement it in the body. But it is the thing that you will enjoy taking pictures with. And if it's about having fun with the device, it has its place.
iPhone 13 Pro Zoom Range Max
I'm not saying that if the iPhone 14 brought a periscope camera, I would immediately upgrade to it from the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It's not something you can't live without, but it's something that expands your options and it's definitely nice that Samsung is trying in this regard. Compared to the 100x space zoom, which simply does not do well and is more or less useless, this optical zoom is an interesting factor for all photography enthusiasts. If Apple really did bring a periscope, we can only hope that it will not stop at just 5x zoom and that it will have the courage to bring more, even if it is the same as Samsung. Personally, I wouldn't really get mad at him for possible copying.
