I’m worried about the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I do n’t desire to believe one specific rumor about the upcomingSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultraand would be traumatize if Samsung made such an peculiar strategical conclusion . But it ’s possible the 10x opthalmic soar lineament may be removed from the phone .

It could go either way at the consequence , but if it does find , it would bequeath the S24 Ultra with a 3x and a 5x optical rapid climb and exclusively remove the Ultra series ’s main , singular , standout camera feature . And I detest the opinion of that .

The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera lenses.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Moving backward

It would be a baffling decision should the rumors turn out to be accurate and almost as confusing as the fact no other maker has assume on Samsung with a 10x optical zoom camera on a different telephone set yet . In 2024 , I was hoping to see at least one other phone with such an impressive soar , but now it is possible there may not even be one exampleat all .

I utilise many different smartphones throughout the year , and I enjoy taking a lot of photos with them . But I on a regular basis think , “ Oh , I wish I had my S23 Ultra right now to take that photograph , ” purely because of the 10x zoom feature . It can take photograph that are simply impossible to capture with the same level of detail and quality as any other current headphone .

I ’ve loved the feature since it was introduce on theGalaxy S21 Ultra , andI’m not the only one . It ’s also just one look of theS23 Ultra ’s photographic art , which would be erode should the feature article be abandon .

Photo of a squirrel eating a nut in a tree, taken with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Galaxy S23 Ultra (10x zoom)Joe Maring/Digital Trends

Why would Samsung believe remove it and settling with a 5x optic rapid growth as its drawn-out option ? It may come down to price , as perhaps it ’s only a handful of people who use and relish the 10x zoom option , or it ’s inconceivable to jibe inside the novel S24 Ultra due to other alternations .

Or , it ’s a chemical reaction to theiPhone 15 Pro Maxand its new 5x optical zoom . Samsung is infamous for chasing Apple — look at theGalaxy Watch 5 Pro ’s merchandising , where it was incorrectly positioned against theApple Watch Ultra , for evidence — alternatively of start its own way .

Where is the competition?

If the Galaxy S24 Ultra does n’t have a 10x ocular zoom , I would n’t be so disturbed about it if a few other phones could satisfy me , but there simply is n’t another pick available to buy . Not only that , but I do n’t know which other major maker would be willing to even give it a try . Aside from Samsung ’s own bizarre Galaxy S4 Zoom , Huawei is the only one that has sweep up a 10x optical zoom before .

Huawei did so on theP40 Pro Plusafter gaining a lot of attention for introducing a 10x hybrid rapid growth on theHuawei P30 Pro , but then it went back to non - optical 10x soar for later phones . Huawei ’s lack of availableness and other drawback mean it would n’t be a executable option for many even if it did still have a 10x optical zoom on a current telephone set . Apple has only just dumbfound around to a 5x optical zoom , so a 10x optical soar iPhone seems unlikely .

Oppo may have put the feature in the name of itsReno 10x Zoomfrom 2019 , but it was also a intercrossed 10x zoom , and the phone only offer a 5x optical rapid climb . TheXiaomi 13 Ultrahas a 5x optical and 10x intercrossed mood , OnePlus seems to be contented with an optical zoom around 3x , Google trust on its ( admittedly very expert ) package to take picture beyond 5x visual rapid growth , and Vivo is experimenting with intercrossed frame-up too .

Galaxy S23 Ultra telephoto picture of a seagull on a railing.

Galaxy S23 Ultra (10x zoom)Joe Maring/Digital Trends

Other manufacturers need to seize the day

Samsung needs to keep the 10x optical rapid climb alive in 2024 with the Galaxy S24 Ultra . It ’s a unique feature of speech that has long made theUltra model exciting and different , and dropping it now would be like slay the S Pen stylus , another characteristic that sets the phone apart from the contest . Without these , the S24 Ultra is just another big , expensive phone .

But whatever happens , there is a gap for another manufacturer to fill up . It does n’t seem like the other crowing names are willing to take a gamble by adding a 10x optical soar to the photographic camera array , which give minuscule brands the chance to make an impact .

Several names spring to mind . Asus is adventuresome and has been mess around withgimbal stabilization — which is a moment gimmicky — on its Zenfone cameras , but it could really give the next model wide appeal with a 10x optical zoom .

Galaxy S23 Ultra 10x zoom capture

Galaxy S23 Ultra (10x zoom)Nadeem Sarwar / DigitalTrends

Nothing has been cause problems for itself withsoftware misplaysand could do withfocusing on hardwarefor a while . It would win a lot of fans with a Pro reading of the Nothing Phone , complete with a 10x optical soar .

Finally , Motorola is coming off a fantastic 2023 , and even though its cameras can be hit - or - miss , it does have experience with 10x optic zoom hardware through theHasselblad - backed True Zoom Moto Modfor the Moto Z series . lend something like it back for 2024 , please .

Don’t let the feature disappear

Ultimately , I want to take high-pitched - lineament , blur - detached photograph of squirrels in my back garden and other fauna I come across on my travel , and to do that , I really need my smartphone tv camera to have a 10x optical rapid climb . In the same manner , I do n’t desire Samsung to consign the feature to the past with the Galaxy S24 Ultra ; I also really need at least one other manufacturer to see the potential and introduce the feature on a new headphone , too .

you could keep yourface - swap toolsandAI - generated skies ; I ’m not all that worried if thecamera pop outwhen I take a photo or even if the main television camera has 200 megapixels . I just do n’t want 2023 to be the last yr when a 10x ocular zoom was a smartphone camera feature .

A photo taken with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 10x zoom camera.