There's been no shortage of stellar camera setups in phones in recent years. From Google's AI-based computational photography, to Xiaomi's extra-large sensor size, many phone-makers tackle this critical feature area in varying exciting ways.
Samsung has been at the top of its game for a number of years, its flagship S-series Ultra model a long-standing symbol of what's possible with zoom photography and beyond – except its relatively slow year-on-year progress has seen others catch up.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra, however, which I've been using as my own following Galaxy Unpacked on 22 January, finally upgrades a camera unit that I've been waiting on for years.
Gone is the 12-megapixel ultra-wide of the S24 Ultra, replaced by a 50-megapixel unit in the S25 Ultra – and it can be used for close-up macro photography too, providing a double upgrade this generation.
I spent the day shooting in San Francisco and San Jose, to get a grasp on how much of an improvement this addition is – but have noticed yet more features, from variable aperture to enhanced AI experiences.
That, in concert with the other optics – catering for 5x optical zoom at 50MP (supplemented by a 3x 10MP) and a 200MP main camera – adds up to make for one of the best cameras in an Android phone.
As you can see from my array of shots, particularly the sea lions bathing on Pier 39, it shows how detailed the 10x results are straight from the device. High dynamic range (HDR), meanwhile, is handled by the wide-angle exquisitely – with results far better looking to my eyes.
But it's the sheer quality that I've been longing for – as wide-angle lenses are super useful, but often lack the ability to deliver ample detail where it matters. Especially with edge softness owed to the optics. Not so in the S25 Ultra though – as my snaps of rolling hills
That said, there are some foibles in how the software delivers some of these new features. The macro mode, for example, is only available when set to 50-megapixels – but the device defaults to 12MP. Furthermore, the 'flower symbol', which sometimes shows up in the Camera app's viewfinder, would typically represent a macro mode being active – but no, here it's Focus Assist and isn't always on display, depending on lighting conditions.
I'm somewhat surprised that Samsung has added a feature such as this, but half buried its presence. There's no Macro mode under 'More' within the Camera app either. It's not all that's hidden, as the new variable aperture – meaning you can control depth of field through software processing – is only available in Expert Raw mode (and even then there's a double-up of menus that doesn't feel intuitive).
These new functions are a credit to what the Galaxy S25 Ultra can deliver, as are the improved AI features – with the Object Eraser appearing to be much better this generation – so their integration really ought to be more considered and seamless. Right now they feel fractured in placement – but this could improve with software upgrades, possible even in approach to the 7 February launch date.
Nonetheless, this 50MP wide-angle camera is an upgrade I've been waiting years to see delivered in Samsung's setup. It means that from wide-angle to main lens, and portrait shooting to considerable zoom, that the Galaxy S25 Ultra really delivers strongly across the board. Its results look consistent, it's easy to use, and I'm already more impressed than I had expected. More to come as I continue using this phone ahead of next week's final review...
