Is Samsung’s S23 Ultra the best mobile phone camera?

Samsung has introduced the most powerful mobile phone camera in the market in its new S23 range. But the price is steep.

Samsung's new S23+ with a 50 megapixel camera.

Samsung’s latest mobile phone camera is so powerful the Korean technology giant is confident users will no longer need a DSLR camera.

The whopping 200 megapixel camera is one of the prime features of the S23 Ultra, the top phone in the new Galaxy S range, which Samsung announced on Thursday.

The range includes a total of three models, including an S23 and an S23+, which retail for between $1349 to $1949, each $100 more than last year’s S22 range.

At $1949, a price point on par with a MacBook Pro, the 6.8 inch S Ultra is quite the investment to make but Samsung is confident there’ll be no problem with sales.

Last year sales of the S22 Ultra ($1849) accounted for more than 50 per cent of Samsung mobile phones sold in Australia. The company’s research shows six out of 10 mobile phones sold in Australia are over $1200.

The Samsung S23 Ultra has a 200 megapixel camera.

More affordable is the 6.1 inch S23 at $1349, while the 6.6 inch S23+ comes in at $1649.

While some specs vary, each of the three devices comes with Bluetooth v5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E.

The S23 comes with an 8GB ram and between 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of memory, while the S23+ comes with an 8GB ram and either 256GB or 512GB of memory. The S23 Ultra comes with an 8GB or 12GB ram and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of memory.

All three models are available in four colours: phantom black, cream, green and lavender.

This year Samsung has ditched the camera housing seen on earlier models, including the S22 range, in favour of a more neutral back. This is similar to Apple’s iPhone but not Google’s Pixel which still has casing.

The S23 Ultra in green, lavender, cream and phantom black.

Both the S23 and S23+ feature an ultra-high resolution 50 megapixel wide lens camera, while all three models have an ultra-wide 12 megapixel lens and a 10 megapixel telephoto lens.

Samsung appears to have invested heavily in the photography capability of the S23 range. The “nightography” ability of the S23 Ultra has increased with an adaptive pixel sensor that combines 16 pixels into a single pixel to improve lighting. Samsung promises situations that would normally create a blur will now be stable with a new optical image stabiliser.

The S23 range is able to record in 8K at 30 frames per second.

The 6.1 inch S23 with a 12 megapixel selfie camera.

All three models have a 12 megapixel front camera, an upgrade from the S22 range’s 10 megapixel camera. The front camera also now offers super high-definition resolution at 60 frames per second.

Night portraits using the front camera across all models will be clearer with the camera now able to analyse an object and separate it from its background. With the use of artificial intelligence, features including a person’s hair and eyes will appear sharper.

Another feature is the ability of the S23 range to utilise a user’s Galaxy 2 Buds to record audio when filming. This offers 360 degree sound according to Samsung.

While the S23 and S23+ come with a flat screen, the S23 Ultra has a rounded edge. The difference in weight varies, with the S23 weighing 168g, the S23+ weighing 196g and the S23 Ultra 234g.

The S23 Ultra in action at night time.

The battery size of each model also varies, with the S23 offering 3900mAh, the S23+ offering 4700mAh and the S23 Ultra offering 5000mAh.

The S23 range has an advanced vision booster and enhanced comfort feature adjusting the brightness of the display throughout the day as well adjusting colour.

Samsung also has a new modes and routines feature, similar to that of routines on Google or modes on iPhone, allowing users to adjust features, volume and silent mode settings.

For the office worker, there’s a lot to like about the video calling function, with which users can collaborate on documents via a partnership with Google Meet and the S Pen.

Pre-order for the Samsung S23 range begins on Thursday with devices delivered by February 17.

Originally published as Is Samsung’s S23 Ultra the best mobile phone camera?