S23 ultra macro woes

[kobresia]

I used an iPhone 14 Pro max for 2 weeks while waiting for this s23 ultra to release and the macro camera on that iPhone is phenomenal. You can literally touch the lenswith something and it will stay in focus. I created some spectacular super-close ups using it, very easily. 

This s23 ultra however, is very disappointing. For everything except macro it's very very good but super-macro shots are far from it

The lenses will change on their own just as you get focused on the subject, which is very annoying. 

I need to hold the camera quite far away from the subject and use the optical zoom to get a closer shot which doesn't work very well. 

Why is it so hard to get this right?

I love samsung phones and if the camera was a good a the iPhone camera, it would be the ultimate perfect phone. But it isn't. 

Please try to fix the macro so it's better and more user friendly. 

[Christo19862010]

This is my best mate, he's loving himself here

[kobresia]

Thank you
Yeah, we love them to bits. Your little fella is looking super cute there.

[Tinoco]

That's not true, you have a 200Mp camera, you don't need to stick the phone to the object to see a fairly powerful macro.

For example this image, taken as a snapshot of a bigger one:

[SparkoneGKSC]

I find that 1.9x zoom works best (pro mode & manual zoom).
At 2x zoom, it flips to the next lens.
There seems to be a minimum focus distance - if too close to the subject, the image will not focus at all.
Even after much jiggling to maximise the focused percentage, a large top/centre portion of the image will blur.
I have not tried shielding the lens from sunl8ght yet, but am still experimenting with it.
I agree, for macro images, S23U is significantly flawed.
It's zoom is incredible though.
Compared to iPhone 14 pro, the S23U picked up details on the moon that **bleep** Apple to shame.

If you find a better result for macro photos on S23U, please do share!

This daisy is the best macro effort so far. 1.9x zoom/pro mode/Wide/manual focus

[BN44]

This seems to work pretty well, but then I only dabble with the macro stuff. I guess if you're an enthusiast for those kind of shots it may not be enough.

[SparkoneGKSC]

I just learned via Reddit that, to trigger macro mode, we actually need to use UW (ultrawide) mode.
Get close to subject with 0x zoom, and allow for the image to auto focus/adjust settings.
Just tried this with an indoor picture of a bank note, and seems to be the missing factor.
I'll play with it tomorrow in the sunshine, and see how it goes.

[SparkoneGKSC]

These 4 pictures were taken using 0x zoom, UltraWide (UW), full ratio, and screen optimiser.
Unfortunately, it was a very windy day, and overcast (reduced light).
Considering the conditions, I am please with how they came out.
For high-spec macro images however, they are still lacking (probably user error - still learning).

[jameseadkins224]

I, too, have the same issues taking macro photos. It's such a shame. The galaxy s5 had better macro capabilities. The galaxy s23 ultra's camera was supposed to be the very best camera ever to be on a smartphone. I hope samsung can fix this issue with a simple update. 

[nyeah]

I was absolutely disgusted and beyond disappointed and let down with the s23 Ultra Macro shots. I completely agree with you, and I hate Iphones. I am not an Iphone user, but my friend has the new one and were showing me their Macro shots, and they were very impressive for an iphone, however compared to the Macro shots I have been taking on my Huawei P30 Pro for the last 4 years, the iphone 14max still couldn't come close to comparing to it, so when I purchased the S23 Ultra, being a 2023 top of the range Model, and supposedly with a 200MP camera with all these amazing features they push in their not very honest advertising, I was looking forward to seeing how it performed.
I was shocked there was not even a pre-set Macro option in the MORE section of the camera, after watching a few youtube videos on how to do a macro shot on the S23 Ultra, I was infuriated that it is worse than an iPhone for Macros, not to mention a 4year old model phone the Huawei P30 Pro sh*ts all over the S23 Ultra that set me back $2600. Outright scam in my opinion.
I am still yet to see better pictures taken on the 200mp S23 Ultra camera, than what the Huawei P30 Pros 40mp camera can do that is a 4year old model.
To be fair its only my second day with the Ultra, so I will be playing around with it a little more.
But the Macro issue has me fuming, and left a very sour taste left in my mouth from Samsung, along with their removal of SD card slots.
Seems they want to go the way of iphone and utterly rip their customers off and charge them for everything other android models offer for free and are basic inclusions!

[Charmie]

Upgraded to S23 in September. Wish I had cleaned up my S10 & stayed with that. I'm so disappointed with the macro on S23. Why must they fiddle with a perfectly great camera functions?