Note 20 Ultra cameras

So far, I am happy with what I see, although I need to do more testing. Here's a series of examples showing the range. Note that there are 3 lenses, with the middle one being roughly a 50mm equivalent (based on what I see) but it is not clear what happens after the standard view: is the tele lens about a 250 mm equivalent and 1x to 5x by digital zooming? They say it has a 5x optical zoom, but is that 250 and up?

This is the standard wide view

This is the mid range lens - which is about a "natural" view - think of it as roughly a 50mm equivalent.

This is the default from the tele lens - it defaults to 5x.

From the tele setting, you can select 2x - I probably a 2x digital enlargement of the standard, but I don't know for sure.

Here's the 10x setting

Here's the 20x setting

Here's the 50x settng

I just noticed from the EXIF data showing here that the Standard view and the 2x show the same focal length and so the 2x is probably a digital zoom. The 5x has an EXIF focal length twice that of the standard, so it is the telephoto lens - probably that lens has a smaller sensor than the standard one (they shoot at different resolutions) so the crop factor is the reason for the 5x magnification. The 10x, 20x, and 50x, show the same focal length, so I still don't know the range of the optical zoom.

I haven't had the time to play with the phone as much as I would like, but I do need to try the Pro mode, especially with it set to save raw files. I have seen a post saying that the S20 series only saves raw files from the main sensor, but I don't know if that is true with the new Notes.

According to GSM Arena the camera specs are:

108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
12 MP, f/3.0, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom, 50x hybrid zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm

The focal lengths appear to be 35mm eq. Not sure what the 5X optical zoom refers to. Is it a 20-120mm eq zoom, or does it just mean that it is a fixed 120mm lens approximately 5X the focal length of the standard 26mm eq camera.

Full specs here:

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note20_ultra_5g-10261.php

After a lot of discussions and looking around, plus the Exif details from a binch of shots, I am pretty sure it is:

"does it just mean that it is a fixed 120mm lens approximately 5X the focal length of the standard 26mm eq camera."

The hybrid 50x zoom is compared to the standard lens - 5x from the telephoto plus 10x crop (digital zoom).

Jeff Peterman wrote:

After a lot of discussions and looking around, plus the Exif details from a binch of shots, I am pretty sure it is:

"does it just mean that it is a fixed 120mm lens approximately 5X the focal length of the standard 26mm eq camera."

The hybrid 50x zoom is compared to the standard lens - 5x from the telephoto plus 10x crop (digital zoom).

So it’s not an optical zoom at all!

That appears to be the case, but it is really hard to get information because none of the reviews I've seen make it clear.

I've just ordered mine, delivery hopefully tomorrow. If it is a real zoom it's a pity it doesn't record the actual focal length in the EXIF.

The main sensor looks quite large from the GSM Arena specs, although the pixel pitch is small as it's 108Mp.

OK, I looked at the video and see the sliding mechanism - but they say the motion is for optical image stabilization, and then go on to talk about a combination of sensor cropping and digital zoom to get the extra magnification.

So, still unclear and absolutely nothing anywhere talks about the true optical zoom focal length, if it exists.

In the OP’s images the EXIF data doesn’t change as it is “zoomed? In.  Focal length and aperture and shutter speed (except for the last) , although that might just be a software bug.

If it is a real zoom Samsung are going out of there way to hide it!

I didn't turn it on, but it may be on by default.

I’ve had my Note 20 Ultra for a week and am disappointed with the camera. It is definitely not an optical Zoom as cane be seen by the EXIF and by the file sizes. As you Zoom the file size decreases until the next lens/sensor is activated when there is a jump in size, then a further decrease.

Close focus is poor compared to my Note 8.

Sharpness is no better for general pictures than the Note 8 and much worse for closer focussed images. Regarding the closer focus and Zoom, it behaves inconsistently. As you zoom in it reaches 6X the jumps to the next lens which can’t focus as close and also shifts the image due to parallax.

The 108 Mpixel mode is slightly sharper but there is a large lag between tapping the button and the picture being taken. I’m guessing this is the actual shutter lag of the camera but in the 12Mp modes it is buffering images before the button is tapped and just saves the past image that matches the tap.

Focus in the dark with flash on is much worse than the Note 8, often taking out of focus shots (taking picture of electric meter in cupboard to report reading). I don’t know what the mythical laser focussing does.

Overall the phone is faster and the screen better than the Note 8. There’s a few UI changes that a worse, such as the loss of the quick switch swipe on the home button and the loss of the 5 across grid on the pull down menu.

So I think this one is going back. Sad because I had high hopes that the camera would be an improvement on the Note 8. I will miss some improvements to the phone side.

Perhaps the next version...