Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera could get some incredible zooming features — here’s how
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra could get a big camera boost
We’ve heard a lot of rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S24, which is expected to be launched in January, but almost nothing from Samsung itself. That might have just changed, however, thanks to the demonstration of its new “ISOCELL Zoom Anyplace” camera tech — which looks like a shoo-in for inclusion on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Ok, so the company doesn’t confirm what devices will or won’t get the 200MP sensor. But we can read between the lines a little bit, and it would be a huge surprise if the S24 Ultra didn’t get released with these new camera features. Especially since Samsung notes Zoom Anyplace is enhanced by the AI engine in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
There are a bunch of different features here, the first of which is AI-powered tracking that helps keep tabs on your chosen subject at all times. That way you don’t need to be waving your phone around trying to keep them in frame. The tech is also capable of filming a full-angle video while simultaneously filming a zoomed-in shot, the idea being you can film content in a bunch of different ways, and decide what looks better after the fact.
Interestingly, the tech also allows your cameras to maintain a consistent resolution, up to 4K. Previously zooming in or out mid-video would cause a drop in quality — which isn’t ideal. Here, though, everything stays the same no matter how much you change the magnification.
The tech also features what Samsung calls “end-to-end AI remosaic image capture." Apparently, this has changed data output from sequential to parallel. Those words may not mean much on their own, but Samsung says this improves image quality by reducing latency-induced data losses — offering “richer details and colors” in the process.
Parallel processing is also said to reduce processing time, capturing images up to 2 times faster than before. Samsung doesn’t specify the benefits, but nabbing a shot faster, even if the difference is fractions of a second, means there’s even less chance for the subject to move and mess up the whole thing.
Other Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra rumors that have been doing the rounds claim we could see the sensor size increase to 1-inch, as well as possibly getting a new hybrid telephoto lens that offers 3x and 10x optical zoom without needing two separate lenses. However more recent rumors claim the maximum optical zoom could be reduced to 5x, though 100x digital zoom wouldn’t be going anywhere.
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We'll have to wait until the official launch event to find out exactly what the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera will involve. Recent rumors have tipped a mid-January launch, so we’ve got a few months to go. In the meantime you can keep on top of all the latest news and rumors in our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra hub.
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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.