S20 Ultra Camera focus issues - especially at close range

[ConcreteLlama]

Just received my S20 Ultra and have been experimenting with the camera a little. I have noticed that it is really, really bad at focusing on anything at relatively close range. If I try the same shot with the S10+ it's absolutely fine - I can get pretty insane quality pictures on the 2x lens on that from about 5cm away. This appears to be an issue on all lenses but is certainly much worse when it's using the 4x lens - as soon as it goes beyond the 4.0 point on anything less than 30-50cm away it just becomes a blurry mess, which wasn't an issue on any of my previous phones. Right now the camera feels like a downgrade in this regard...

Has anyone else had this? Or is there a firmware due to patch it? One of the main reasons I got the S20 Ultra was for the incredible camera but right now I'm quite disappointed with its performance. I did hear that a patch was due but I don't see any when trying to update - maybe it's just not been rolled out yet.

EDIT: Just had a look around and noticed that I was looking at the wrong part of the software version number, assuming I already had the update and it was still bad. It looks like the phones come shipped with firmware version ending in ATBM and the firmware that fixes the camera issues is ATC2

Either way if possible I'd still like to know an ETA on the update.

[MikeT30]

I have the same issue with the camera.....we have to wait until Samsung is sending out the update 🙄 

[Aumeisters]

Same issues on mine, but I'm still running ATBM software. Im UK based. Spoke with Samsung support yesterday and apparently its something new for them and they said they haven't heard anything about this issue #facepalm

[ConcreteLlama]

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@Aumeisters wrote:

Same issues on mine, but I'm still running ATBM software. Im UK based. Spoke with Samsung support yesterday and apparently its something new for them and they said they haven't heard anything about this issue #facepalm

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I don't know if they have to pretend they haven't heard about it (or feel they do because they don't want to speak for the company,  which I get) or if they just haven't been briefed on the issue. It would surprise me if they haven't as there have been quite a few articles about it. I'd heard about it before yesterday but assumed it had already been patched by now and we'd get that on day one (and when I opened the updater it says we have an update from March). Seems there are 2 updates this month it's just that the second one hasn't hit the UK yet. 

Hopefully it comes out soon as we have a limited time frame to return the device if it's not up to expectations and I don't want to miss my opportunity to return it just so I can hold out for a patch that may or may not resolve the issue - I really do hope this is a software thing and not a hardware issue. 

[Mosta1983]

I have a few friends in Korea they had the ATC2 update a few days ago ... And I can confirm It didn't work that we'll , he said it worked a small amount but no close up auto focus at all, video stabilisation also was not fixed at 5x ... I think there is a possibility that it's a hardware limitation ( sensor ) and only software will help and not fix .... Sucks right?

[Aumeisters]

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@ConcreteLlama wrote:

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@Aumeisters wrote:

Same issues on mine, but I'm still running ATBM software. Im UK based. Spoke with Samsung support yesterday and apparently its something new for them and they said they haven't heard anything about this issue #facepalm

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I don't know if they have to pretend they haven't heard about it (or feel they do because they don't want to speak for the company,  which I get) or if they just haven't been briefed on the issue. It would surprise me if they haven't as there have been quite a few articles about it. I'd heard about it before yesterday but assumed it had already been patched by now and we'd get that on day one (and when I opened the updater it says we have an update from March). Seems there are 2 updates this month it's just that the second one hasn't hit the UK yet. 

Hopefully it comes out soon as we have a limited time frame to return the device if it's not up to expectations and I don't want to miss my opportunity to return it just so I can hold out for a patch that may or may not resolve the issue - I really do hope this is a software thing and not a hardware issue. 

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I suspect that if you speak to Samsung they should be able to extend return time frame if you explain situation. At the moment I'm waiting for Samsung contact me to see if I will get compensated for this flaw as its doesn't seem right to have device which main selling point is camera but its not actually working properly, which means I just have slightly bigger screen version of S10plus, except camera works flawlessly on my s10plus 

[AntS]

Hi guys,

Just posting the official statement we received on this for you:

"The Galaxy S20 features a groundbreaking, advanced camera system. We are constantly working to update software to provide with the best camera experience for consumers. The rollout is beginning in Korea and will arrive in additional regions over the next few weeks."

[Aumeisters]

Cool. Thank you.

First impressions for most folk who done preorder will be damaged by then and most reviewers will have their reviews done by then, so I bet everyone will remember s20ultra as phone with massive camera which doesn't work 😞

[Mosta1983]

That's the message from Samsung 😂😂😂😂😂

[Aumeisters]

That's a long message saying camera is ***** 😅