Samsung S24 Ultra Camera: What to Know Before Buying Used

Samsung’s seven-year update pledge started with the Galaxy S24 Ultra back in January 2024, and the phone also debuted the 50MP 5x telephoto camera that’s been found on all Galaxy S Ultra phones since. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera hardware hasn’t changed since launch, its camera software has. Here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s cameras before you buy one.

S24 Ultra camera specs

Samsung has christened this set-up Quad Tele, and according to the firm’s newsroom the 2x is a crop from the 200MP primary and the 10x is a crop from the 50MP 5x sensor, so the idea is to deliver optical-quality images at 2x, 3x, 5x and 10x.

The S24 series also debuted Samsung’s ProVisual Engine, its catch-all name for AI-powered image and video capture and post-capture editing.

What reviewers found at launch

GSMArena’s 13 February 2024 review said the S24 Ultra’s main camera produced more natural detail than the S23 Ultra’s, albeit with a touch less saturation. They particularly enjoyed the new 5x, praising detail with little noise at low ISOs and calling close-up shots “mighty fine”. At 10x they said the S23 Ultra was marginally sharper, though noisier, and also said they often got better images zooming to ~9.9x than using the 10x zoom button. For low-light images GSMArena preferred the S24 Ultra’s main camera images taken in Photo mode over Night mode, as Night mode smoothed out detail with little advantage. They said the 3x camera was noticeably better than the S23 Ultra’s in low light.

DXOMARK’s review from January 2024 said overall it was marginally better than the S23 Ultra. It also liked the portrait images taken in well-lit conditions. Negative points included noise in shadowy areas and corners of images, laggy shutter response and inconsistent exposures.

Two problems that haven't gone away

Unfortunately, the noticeable delay DXOMARK measured when pressing the shutter button is still there. Android Authority’s Rita El Khoury explained in June 2026 that it takes about half a second for the camera to actually snap a photo after you press the button, making the camera the feature she enjoyed using the least on the handset. She also found blurry images of moving children and pets in environments with lower lighting, since the camera leaves the shutter open longer to compensate for the lack of light.

Tap and hold to focus on your subject before taking the photo and press the shutter button a little earlier than you think you need to if they’re moving. Use Pro mode to manually adjust the shutter speed for clearer photos of walking people in dim environments (1/250s will be a good starting point). Find faster settings in the shutter speed guide to keep up with fast-moving subjects.

What changed after launch

While features introduced in One UI 7 and 9 have also come to the Galaxy S24 series (such as Log video recording, which Samsung’s developer page lists for the S24 series with One UI 7), some camera-related features remain exclusive to the newer flagships.

For example, Horizon Lock image stabilisation came to the S25 with One UI 9. Likewise, the ability to take 24MP photos in Photo mode is also only available on the S26 (on the S24 Ultra, you’ll have to use Expert RAW to take 24MP photos). Our S26 Ultra vs S24 Ultra comparison goes through the other differences.

According to GSMArena’s spec sheet, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone will receive up to seven major Android OS updates. And according to Samsung’s own security page, Samsung will provide security support for up to seven years starting in January 2024. In other words, the Galaxy S24 Ultra should get major OS and security updates into 2031 (counting from the month of its launch in January 2024). Our Samsung Log guide and Object Eraser and Photo Assist guide describe the two features in detail.

Checks before you buy one used

1. 1

   Confirm the model

   All SM-S928 models (S928B/U/W/N/0/E according to GSMArena) have the same camera setups, so make sure the model number in Settings > About phone starts with SM-S928.

2. 2

   Test every camera

   Make sure all the lenses (0.6x, 1x, 3x, 5x zoom and even 10x digital zoom) focus in on an object across the room fairly quickly and inspect the lenses from a side light to make sure there’s no scratching/haze on the glass.

3. 3

   Check the software

   Check for updates in Settings > Software update. A phone that can’t update may be tied to a different region/carrier. It is best to know before you buy!

4. 4

   Make sure it's signed out

   Have the seller factory reset the phone in front of you after logging out of Google/Samsung accounts to ensure the phone isn’t tied to anyone!

First settings to change

1. 1

   Install Expert RAW

   Get it from the Galaxy Store. It saves a 16-bit DNG next to each JPEG and adds the 24MP option. Our Expert RAW guide walks through the settings.

2. 2

   Stop telephoto lens swapping

   Close to a subject, the phone switches from a telephoto to a wider camera without asking. GSMArena found Pro mode and Expert RAW don't do this, and the free Camera Assistant app has an Auto lens switching option you can turn off.

3. 3

   Pick a resolution

   Leave Photo mode at 12MP for most shots. GSMArena found 50MP occasionally useful for fine textures in good light and saw little point in 200MP.

4. 4

   Try 9.9x for distant subjects

   When zooming in, GSMArena found that images taken at 9.9x appeared more natural than snaps captured at the default 10x, so pinch the display until you’re just shy of the 10x mark.

The S24 Ultra camera settings guide covers video settings, Pro mode settings and the rest of the camera settings. Recommended initial settings for different shooting situations can be found on the S24 Ultra settings page.

Who should buy one

If you want a phone that’ll stay relatively cutting edge in terms of cameras without having to drop top dollar for all of this year’s bells and whistles, and want plenty of years of updates ahead, the S24 Ultra may be the phone for you. Our S25 Ultra vs S24 Ultra comparison shows the S25 Ultra differentiates itself primarily through its 50MP ultrawide in terms of cameras. If you shoot a lot at 10x in daylight, the S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra comparison explains when the older phone's periscope is the better fit.