Samsung Macro Photography: Close-Up Options on Galaxy Phones

Depending on the model, you may have access to a true macro lens (a small fixed-focus camera on Galaxy A-series phones), cropping with the main camera (available on all Galaxy phones), an ultrawide camera that can autofocus on nearby subjects (available on Galaxy Ultras), or a telephoto camera that allows you to get closer to your subject without getting physically closer. Experiment with these options to see which one produces the best results for your particular shot, as that matters more than any setting.

Four ways to get close, compared

GSMArena notes that the ultrawide camera in the Galaxy S21 Ultra and subsequent Galaxy Ultra phones has dual pixel autofocus, which allows for shots with a very close focus distance. On base Galaxy S models, however, the ultrawide camera doesn’t have autofocus, as it is fixed focus, so you’ll want to shoot close-ups using either the main camera or 3x telephoto camera. Note that the close-up feature is only mentioned in relation to the Galaxy S26 Ultra in Samsung’s S26 user guide.

Focus enhancer on the Ultras

1. 1

   Start at 1x

   Open Photo mode and select 1x. The phone will automatically switch cameras for you (according to Samsung’s S26 user guide).

2. 2

   Move in slowly

   Move the phone closer to your subject until you see the flower icon showing in the preview (this indicates that Focus enhancer is enabled).

3. 3

   Turn it on if it's off

   Tap the icon to turn it on if it’s showing as off. According to Samsung's support page, this setting will enable you to take photos with less blur around the subject when taking pictures of close-up objects. Samsung states that images taken without this setting enabled may have blurry areas surrounding objects photographed up-close, and that the ultra-wide camera will automatically be used when shooting objects up close with this setting enabled.

4. 4

   Tap the part that should be sharp

   Tap the eye of an insect or the near edge of a droplet to focus. Focusing in the centre of the frame can miss the target, especially because depth of field is shallow this close.

5. 5

   Use the timer

   Using Quick controls, turn on a short timer so you won’t shake your phone when you tap the shutter button.

Older advice says macro is turned on through the Scene optimizer (called Scene detection in One UI 9) setting in your Camera app’s Photo enhancer section of Camera settings, but it controls some image settings like colour and contrast. To turn on macro mode, tap the macro/flower icon in the Camera app’s viewfinder, according to Samsung’s support page. The working distance for each lens is included in our S26 Ultra zoom guide for that phone.

The A-series macro camera

On the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37, Macro mode (under More) uses a 5MP fixed-focus camera and according to GSMArena’s Galaxy A57 review works at distances of 3.5 to 5cm, close enough that it’ll probably scare your subject away, not to mention cast a shadow over it.

Instead try shooting close-ups with your phone’s main camera, which on the Galaxy A57 can focus on objects as close as 9cm away. From there you can digitally zoom in 2x for bigger, sharper shots than Macro mode (according to GSMArena’s Galaxy A57 review, Macro mode images look rather ‘cheap’). Our Galaxy A57 and A37 camera guide covers both phones.

Close-up settings by subject

Another pro option is Focus peaking in Pro modes, which helps outline the area of your photo that’s in focus when shooting in a manual focus mode. This can be super helpful when shooting still objects while on a tripod. It’s in the Camera Assistant menu in One UI 9 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. For flowers in particular, our flower photography guide covers light and composition in more depth.

Steadiness and depth of field

Most soft close-ups are the result of movement. Macro photography has a narrow plane of focus so even the tiniest movement can mean your focus point will miss the mark, and at close range even a light breeze can move your subject. Get low and brace your elbows on your knees or the ground to avoid camera shake, or prop your phone up on a solid surface, and wait for gusts of wind to die down.

If you’re still having focus problems, set the focus, then take several shots in succession while nudging your phone a few millimetres closer to and further away from your subject, as one of the images in the sequence should have the focus in the right place. Our tripod guide looks at the different options for tripods. Indoors a small tripod will help take the shake out of stills when used with the camera’s timer function.

Lighting close-ups

For shooting in macro mode, your phone will be quite close to your subject and will block some of the light. Try to position yourself so that the light is coming in from the side and your shadow falls away from your subject. Indoors, soft diffused light from a window is ideal for macro shots.

Don’t use the flash as it will illuminate your subject from directly in front of the phone which can create harsh reflections. If you do need a little extra light, try holding a phone torch up to a piece of white paper to diffuse the light. This can be useful for filling in small shadows. Translucent subjects such as flower petals, leaves and water drops can look beautiful backlit with the sun shining through them.

When close-ups go wrong

• Make sure you haven’t moved too far away, as the flower icon will disappear if you do, and gradually move back towards your subject until you see it again.
• If you can’t get sharp photos at close range with the telephoto, try backing up a bit or using a different lens. The S25 Ultra’s 5x telephoto can’t focus on subjects that are closer than 30cm (the S26 Ultra’s limit is 80cm). Our guide to a Samsung camera that won't focus lists the minimum focus distance of each lens on both phones.
• Check that your lenses are clean, since hazy, low-contrast photos are usually the result of smudges. This is especially important when using the ultrawide lens, which is positioned over an area you’re likely to touch when holding the phone.
• Tap on the area you want to be in focus, for example an insect’s eye, and take multiple shots with subtle movements to increase your chances of getting a sharp image.

See also our blurry photo fix guide for other causes of soft images.

Editing close-ups

Use the crop tool in Samsung’s Gallery app editing options (pencil icon) to crop and straighten out the photo if an edge or flower stem isn’t level. Use the adjustment tool (sun icon) to make changes to brightness and contrast. Open the photo in Snapseed. Use the free Healing tool to remove blemishes (even tiny specks of dust become apparent when you zoom in for macro shots). Use the Details tool to add a touch of definition, but not too much as sharpening can also highlight noise.

An extreme close-up shot of a pattern that fills the frame can be considered an abstract, which our abstract photography guide deals with. In our patterns and textures guide, texture and repetition aren’t just features; they’re the subject matter.