Samsung S21 Ultra camera quality is shambolic!

[frankcalid]

I have just received the Samsung S21 Ultra 512gb and I must say the quality of the photos taken by the camera are shockingly bad, I compared them to my Note9 and they are much more sharper. I don't know whether it's a software update related issue but I will most likely return my phone if there is no improvement in the next couple of days.

Is anyone else experiencing the same? 

[lmedwards]

Hi,

I have just posted a similar post here on the forum because I am experiencing some major issues. I have narrowed it down to using the wrong camera modules at the wrong time. When I click  10x zoom and cover up the 10x zoom module, the image is still showing which suggests it's not even using the periscope camera. The result is really grainy images.

Hopefully this is fixed with a software update because it occasionally gets it right and the results are great.

[Thekidman96]

my camera is really good. what version you got, exynos Qualcomm

[Shamrock_Sean]

I've just had a second software update today, Vodafone UK and it states camera improvements

[frankcalid]

I also installed the update yesterday and it's not really made much difference, also phone is over heating when using zoom.

[j123456789]

I noticed that when using 10x zoom it feels like 2 lens were used as it jumps from very sharp 10x zoom lens to low quality  108mp digital zoom intermittently.  Also agree with zoom lens heat the phone up real quick as stated above.

[JulianeM]

I'm having problems with the camera as well, I bought as a replacement for my pixel 2 and the photo quality on s21 ultra is way inferior than this old device, for objects in soft movement like my toddler daughter reading a book it's always very blurred, and photos of static objects on my table had a terrible definition. I did the software update, the quality improved a little, but still way inferior than a simple pixel 2, I'm very disappointed.

[Members_lNA4JVW]

I have this issue too. Using the 3 and 10x zoom looks like it is performing the zoom digitally, rather than optically. There is a lot of noise and processing visible.

I only upgraded my S10 to the S21 Ultra because I use the camera so much and always need better zoom.

Very frustrated with this, hopefully it is a software issue and can be fixed via an update.

[Members_lNA4JVW]

I've today noticed that if your 3x and 10x zoom selections look fuzzy and digitised, you can pan to a brighter view of the same focal length and they suddenly switch to the correct optical zoom camera and look much better. 

You can then pan back to what you wanted to zoom/focus on and take a better shot.

It's a frustrating and disappointing issue on such an expensive flagship, but it gives me hope a software update will resolve it!

[frankcalid]

update on this post...I have now sent my phone back for a replacement to Samsung as I bought it directly from their website. Couple days later I receive an email saying that I have been refunded, woah wait I'm actually giving you another chance so please don't refund me my money, rather send me a replacement! "well let us investigate what happened with the logistics team and we'll get a case manager assigned for you" how hard isit to deal with replacements??? I will be livid if I'm advised I have to purchase it again via the website (which states the 512gb phantom black version is sold out)

Noticing some people have been posting work arounds to the camera problem, but once again I'm very sorry to say that spending around 1.5k on a phone to photo quality worse than a Note 9 is absolutely diabolical.

Story continues...will keep you all posted...