Samsung S23 Ultra Camera: Strengths and Weak Spots

Introduced as Samsung’s first smartphone equipped with a 200MP main camera, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also marked the last of the Ultra series of Samsung flagships to feature a 10x periscope camera. Three years after its launch, the Galaxy S23 Ultra still receives Samsung’s monthly security updates, making it one of the better used Samsung flagships to consider.

Whether it’s the right choice for you, however, will depend on the kind of photos you take. With that in mind, we’ll start things off with a table summarising a handful of use cases for the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera that we’ve compiled from its launch reviews. We’ll follow that up with a closer look at its camera hardware and software.

How the S23 Ultra handles each situation

In February 2023, GSMArena and DXOMARK conducted their own tests on the phone and rated the results accordingly. You can check out the full reviews using the links provided. Below is a table of common shots with the camera and shooting mode that suits each, along with a brief description of what the GSMArena and DXOMARK reviews found.

Auto Night shot will be indicated by a crescent icon in Photo mode. According to GSMArena, the icon will turn yellow when it’s active, and you can disable Auto Night shot by tapping on the icon (the camera will remember your setting next time). Keep an eye out for this if you find that your night photos are coming out noisier or darker than expected.

GSMArena noticed fusion artefacts and noise issues with the ultrawide and 10x cameras at night. DXOMARK’s review similarly called out noise in low light and indoors, and fusion artefacts at times, as the S23 Ultra’s main issues, otherwise singling it out as an all-rounder with no particularly glaring weakness.

Android Authority’s review of the S23 Ultra’s cameras found the 3x and 10x cameras to be reliable when used at their respective focal lengths, noting only that some night pictures exhibited halation (a purplish tint around bright lights) and motion artefacts (blurring / smearing of details on moving objects).

Why 50MP usually beats 200MP

By default, the camera app will bin pixels together to produce a 12MP image. This is good for controlling noise and file size. The 50MP and 200MP modes tap into more of the sensor’s resolution and can produce more detailed images but need good light to avoid noise. According to GSMArena, 50MP images were noticeably more detailed with no downside while 200MP images were very large files that didn’t see much of a detail advantage and also suffered from lower dynamic range.

For most shots and especially in low light, we recommend sticking with the default 12MP mode. 50MP could be handy when you have good light and expect to crop in on a shot later on. For 200MP, you’ll want a well-lit subject that’s not moving and expect to print the image at a large size. Our S23 Ultra settings page lists starting values for each situation.

S23 Ultra camera hardware

Its chip is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (there’s no Exynos variant of the S23 Ultra to worry about if you’re shopping used). Its telephotos (which GSMArena says are carried over from the S22 Ultra) may not be new, but they still outperform their predecessors in terms of overall image quality.

The 10x lens and what replaced it

Whereas the S23 Ultra had a 10MP 10x periscope, the S24 Ultra instead has a 50MP 5x periscope (as have all subsequent Ultra models). Comparing their performance at 10x, GSMArena found that while the S23 Ultra's shots were ever so slightly better defined, they were also noisier, so on balance the S24 Ultra wasn't worse. At 5x the S24 Ultra is the clear winner, as it is at 10x in low light.

If you like shooting birds or far-off buildings in good light, though, an optical 10x zoom like the S23 Ultra's is nice. Our S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra comparison goes through each zoom level, and the telephoto lens guide explains when to pick each lens.

Features and software support

One UI 9 has also been rolling out in South Korea since 14 October 2026 for the S23 series, marking the fourth major Android version update for the phones since their launch with Android 13. As per Samsung’s update policy introduced in 2022, which promised four such updates, these phones will continue receiving security updates for up to five years, potentially extending into early 2028. Our Expert RAW guide and Object Eraser and Photo Assist guide cover those two features in detail.

Who it suits as a used buy

Optical 10x zoom in good lighting conditions? The S23 Ultra still rules. And if you’re into super high-res stills, the 200MP sensor will serve you well here too. It’s the newest 10x Ultra, and its support will outlast the S22 Ultra’s.

The S24 Ultra makes more sense if you find yourself using the 5x more often than the 10x, or if Samsung Log video recording appeals to you. Plus, you get seven years of OS and security updates from date of launch with the newer phone. The Galaxy Ultra ranking lays out how all six generations compare. Not everyone needs the 10x zoom lens, so here’s our Galaxy S23 guide to see how well the smaller phone does in 2026.