Best Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Camera Settings
A 108MP main camera with 3x and 10x telephotos and a built-in S Pen. Its updates stopped at One UI 8.
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The Galaxy S22 Ultra pairs a 108MP main camera with 3x and 10x telephotos, and its S Pen can still fire the shutter. One UI 8 was its last major update, so it won't get One UI 9 and its menus keep the older names. These settings work around the weak spots reviewers found, which were grain, slow photo autofocus and soft zoom shots at night.
Galaxy S22 Ultra camera specs
| Lens | Resolution / aperture | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.6x ultra-wide | 12 MP · f/2.2 | 13mm, 120° view, autofocus |
| 1x main | 108 MP · f/1.8 | 23mm, 1/1.33-inch sensor, OIS, laser AF. Saves 12MP by default |
| 3x telephoto | 10 MP · f/2.4 | 70mm, 1/3.52-inch sensor, OIS |
| 10x periscope | 10 MP · f/4.9 | 230mm, 1/3.52-inch sensor, OIS |
| Selfie | 40 MP · f/2.2 | Saves 10MP by default |
Video: 8K at 24fps, 4K at up to 60fps, Full HD slow motion at 240fps and HDR10+. No Samsung Log
Signature features: Optical 10x periscope · Expert RAW with Astrophoto · Built-in S Pen with Air actions · Generative Edit since One UI 6.1
Settings to change first
| Setting | Recommended value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Composition guide | On, with grid lines and the level | It sits under General in Camera settings. |
| Press Volume buttons to | Take picture or record video | You'll find it under Shooting methods, and a side key shakes the phone less. |
| Scene optimizer | On for quick shares, off for natural colour | On One UI 8 it sits inside Intelligent optimization. |
| RAW copies | On, under Advanced picture options | It saves a DNG next to each Pro mode JPEG. |
| S Pen Air actions | Camera single press set to Take picture | It gives you a shutter you don't have to touch. |
Settings by situation
Everyday and travel
Install every update first, since later software tuned the noise reviewers saw at launch.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lens | 1x for most scenes, 3x and 10x for details | Tap the zoom buttons instead of pinching between them. |
| Resolution | 12MP, or 108MP in bright light | The 108MP mode needs strong light and a subject that holds still. |
| Moving subjects | Pre-focus with a long press, then shoot | DXOMARK found photo autofocus slow on both chip versions. Our AE/AF lock guide shows the long press. |
| Motion photo | On for groups | It gives you extra frames to choose from. |
Portraits
GSMArena preferred the 3x in daylight, since the 23mm main camera makes noses look large up close.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lens | 3x from about 1.2m in daylight | Features look flatter and more natural at 70mm. |
| Dim rooms | 1x with Night mode | The 3x often failed to focus in low light in GSMArena's testing. |
| Mode | Portrait, with blur below the maximum | Edges around hair come out cleaner with less blur. |
| Prioritize focus over speed (Camera Assistant) | On | It gives the slower autofocus time to settle on the eyes. |
Low light and night
Night mode fixes most of the S22 Ultra's night problems.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Zoomed night shots | Night mode at 3x, with the phone braced | Photo mode often came out soft at 3x after dark in testing. |
| 10x after dark | Only with decent light | In dark scenes the phone may crop from the 3x instead. |
| Flare | Wipe the lens and keep bright lights off the frame edges | Android Authority found flare its main night problem. |
| Pro mode on a tripod | Low ISO, 2 to 10 seconds | The shutter runs to 30 seconds for trails and moving water. |
Action and long range
Use the 10x in daylight and give it a fast shutter.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lens | 10x for distant subjects in good light | It's real optical reach, which newer Ultras replaced with a 5x. |
| Shutter in Pro mode | 1/500s to 1/1000s | A fast shutter freezes movement at 230mm. |
| Burst | Swipe the shutter down | Set Swipe Shutter button to Take burst shot first. |
| Bracing | Lean on a rail or a wall | Long-lens framing is much steadier with support. |
Video
Video autofocus and stabilisation were strengths in the reviews.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday clips | 4K at 30fps | You get small, sharp files that play anywhere. |
| Motion | 4K at 60fps | It's the highest 4K frame rate this phone offers. |
| 8K | Only at 24fps | The files are rarely worth the storage they take. |
| Walking shots | Super steady on | Turn it off when the phone is on a tripod. |
RAW and editing
Expert RAW lets you set noise reduction yourself when you edit.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Expert RAW | DNG and JPEG, then denoise in Lightroom | You can trade a little grain for more detail. |
| Astrophoto | Expert RAW at 12MP, Special photo options on | The S22 lineup was the first to get it. |
| Remote shutter | S Pen single press | It's useful for tripod exposures. Our RAW vs JPEG guide covers when RAW pays off. |
One UI 8 menu paths
GSMArena reported One UI 8 (Android 16) reaching the S22 series on 6 October 2025 as its last major update, and Samsung moved the S22 Ultra to quarterly security patches in February 2026. It won't get One UI 9, so the paths below use the One UI 7 and 8 names from Samsung's support pages. Your menus may differ slightly by region.
| What you want | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Grid and level | Camera settings > General > Composition guide |
| Volume keys as a shutter | Camera settings > General > Shooting methods |
| Scene optimizer | Camera settings > Intelligent features > Intelligent optimization |
| RAW in Pro mode | Camera settings > Pictures > Advanced picture options |
| Burst gesture | Camera settings > Pictures > Swipe Shutter button to |
| S Pen shutter | Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > Air actions |
What the S22 Ultra can't do
- It won't get One UI 9, so there's no My FanCam and none of the One UI 9 camera changes.
- There's no Samsung Log, and 8K stops at 24fps.
- 4K tops out at 60fps.
- Photo autofocus is slow on moving subjects, so pre-focus when you can.
- Security updates come quarterly, and Samsung's five-year pledge runs out in early 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best camera settings for the S22 Ultra?+
Keep Photo mode at 12MP, turn on the grid and set the S Pen's single press to take pictures. Use the 3x for portraits in daylight, Night mode for zoomed shots after dark, and Expert RAW when you want to control noise reduction yourself.
Does the S22 Ultra have Expert RAW?+
Expert RAW runs on the S22 Ultra, and the S22 lineup was the first to get Astrophoto in the app. Astrophoto and Multiple exposure need 12MP with Special photo options turned on.
Will the S22 Ultra get One UI 9?+
One UI 8 was its last major update, so One UI 9 isn't coming. It now gets quarterly security patches.
Can the S22 Ultra S Pen take photos?+
The S Pen works as a shutter through Air actions. Set Camera's single press to Take picture in the S Pen settings, then press the pen's button with the camera open.
Why are my S22 Ultra night zoom photos blurry?+
Photo mode often comes out soft at 3x and 10x at night. Switch to Night mode, brace the phone and drop to 3x when there isn't enough light for the 10x. Our Night mode guide has more.
Everything for your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
S22 Ultra camera guides
- → Samsung S22 Ultra Camera: Known Flaws and Workarounds, known flaws and workarounds
Features that work on your S22 Ultra
- → Samsung Expert RAW: Pro Photography Guide (2026), the RAW workflow and Astrophoto
- → S Pen Camera Remote: Can the S25 Ultra S Pen Take Pictures?
- → Samsung Camera Assistant: Every Setting and When to Use It
- → Samsung Pro Mode Guide: Manual Camera Control Explained
- → Samsung Night Mode: Sharper Low-Light Photos, when to switch modes yourself
- → Samsung 100x Space Zoom: What It Can and Can't Do
- → Samsung Telephoto Lenses: 3x, 5x and 10x on Every Galaxy
- → Samsung Moon Photography: Real Moon Shots, No Faking
- → Samsung Camera HDR: Where the Toggle Went and What's Left
Thinking of upgrading?
More guides
- → Samsung AE/AF Lock: How to Lock Focus and Exposure, pre-focusing for moving subjects
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