Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Camera Quality

[Mishal]

Hi, Anyone noticed whether your Main sensor image quality has gone completely bad after the latest software update. Its Complete Blurry. Its same with 108MP mode as well. All other sensors like Ultrawide, 3X,10X Telephoto and Front camera are working fine. The Ultrawide is taking sharper Pictures than the main sensor now.

I have been in touch with the customer service via Smart Tutor and they realised there is a problem and tried few steps to fix it but didnt work. Then they asked few other colleagues and found that few devices are facing this issue after the update and a complete reset of the device should fix it and if the problem spreads to more devices then samsung may be providing a patch. Even though its time consuming i will be doing my reset tomorrow and will update the outcome here. 

Just wanted to check anyone else is facing the same problem.

[Ale7485]

since I started doing it, the problem has been occurring less and less frequently.
Maybe it's just a matter of fully greasing the moving parts.

if it continues to do so after the repair I will give the smartphone a lot of blows until it focuses smoothly by itself! 🤣

[Ale7485]

Hi @Mishal 

After a long wait to find spare parts, yesterday morning I was contacted by the Samsung Service Center to carry out the intervention the same afternoon.

At 4.30 pm on time I left my device. Samsung advertises interventions in an hour but in my case it took two, according to the technician most of the time goes away to carry out all the testing procedures on the hardware after the intervention, an absolutely necessary operation to avoid returning the device with other "problems" related to the disassembly-reassembly operation. I had already taken the afternoon off from work so it wasn't a problem an hour of waiting.
The parts changed were the entire logic board (motherboard) and the camera block, as well as the usual update to the latest firmware available to date (the same one I had before the intervention).
After 24 hours it is premature to say that the problem is solved, I reserve 1-2 weeks of time "testing" it in everyday conditions, if it should happen again be sure I will go back to writing as well as if it will be definitively solved so that those who in the future find themselves with my own problem knows exactly what to do!
For the moment satisfied with the service provided.

[Mishal]

I will be giving my device for repair soon. Will update the result

[Mishal]

Hi All. Hopefully this will be my final update on the issue. Finally, after couple of months and trying various solutions and using various temporary workarounds, the issue has been permanently(i hope) resolved on my device. So i found my nearest samsung experience store and booked an appointment and took my device in person so that i can show them the actual issue. I didn't want to book online repair and send it via post and recieve it back saying no issue found as last time. AS ALWAYS HAPPENS when i reached the store, the issue was not visible. They were not able to book it in for repair without recreatibg the issue. Fortunately the customer assistant was really supportive and trusted me with the sample images i had. We tried and failed few times to recreate the issue. He went inside to speek with the engineer to check whether its a known issue so that he can book it in even though the issue was not appearing. But it was not so we tried again and finally after about 45 minutes, the issue appeared back. The realised there is a real problem. The engineer decided to replace my devices main camera module. So after 4 days, i collected (wanted to make sure its solved so opted not to get delivered) my device today with the replaced camera module. The problem is now solved, hopefully permanently. Relieved finally. Attaching the Service Order Sheet.

[Mishal]

Hi, got my device repaired. Replaced the main camera module. Seems it solved the issue. Will wait and see.

[Ale7485]

Hi,

A week after the surgery I did not encounter the problem. I think I've finally solved it.
Future users who find themselves in the same condition as me now know what to do!
In summary: the problem is hardware and has to do with the mechanical movement of the lens or the stabilization for the focus that occasionally freezes. The proof is that by tapping the smartphone it unlocks instantly and correctly focuses the scene. The intervention is covered by the warranty and it is important to show the photos, before and after our manual intervention, to the samsung service center.

[Ale7485]

After 3 weeks I can confirm that the problem is definitely solved!

[Mishal]

I can also confirm the problem is solved. Back to Ultra camera

[JeffreyG73]

All,

After just returning from a Cornwall holiday I was massively disappointing with my S21 Ultra 108mp performance, the photos looked frankly terrible when viewing on the PC. However, when opening the photos outside of Windows Photo Gallery the images are crisp and as I would of expect; not just in terms of resolution but also colour. The left image is opened in Photoshop, the right in Windows (I use Win7 x64)   

Certainly not saying this is the issue, some of my 1080p videos frankly are poor, but worth checking first before you send off your phone, if you are seeing the same results as I was.  Since finding this I've also done some test images in the home and the S21 Ultra in 108mp is delivering......its' simply the Windows program not showing the full resolution.  Try another photo viewer just in case.

Anyone wondering, absolutely NO post processing has been done, literally opened using different program and zoomed in for comparison.

[Mishal]

Hi JeffreyG73, i think your issue with the image quality is caused by the windows photo viewer. May be its not powerfull enough or not optimised to open large 108MP files as they can 25MB or above. Our issue was different. Both 12MP and 108MP pictures from the main sensor was blurry. It was the same even if we open it in any device or photo app. It was a hardware issue with main sensors focusing my devices main camera sensor module got replaced under warranty to fix the issue and is perfectly fine now. Check the attached image for reference as how the images differ from before the issue started and during the issue.