In the first of these two blogs about my S21’s cameras, I talked about the good & bad things about the ultrawide lens.
Next up, the Wide/default and Telephoto lenses. I’ve grouped these 2 lenses together in this blog as I’ve found that I sometimes use them interchangeably, to achieve a similar result.
Let me explain…
Zoom in
The telephoto camera is something I’ve come to expect on a smartphone. It’s useful for zooming into a scene where physically moving towards a subject is either just restricted, or simply impossible.
It was especially useful during my trip to Prague in May 2022, when I wanted to capture photos of Pražský hrad and Vyšehrad (the two castles in Prague) from a great distance.
Although the main ‘Wide’ 26mm camera has its uses, I’ve found the ultrawide and telephoto lenses on my Galaxy S21 have created the most opportunities when it comes to creativity and capturing a scene.
But, herein lies a problem: the telephoto camera on my S21 is part optical, part digital zoom.
Whereas my Galaxy S9 Plus benefitted from a 52mm (2x) optical zoom lens, my S21 has only a 3x ‘hybrid zoom’ lens.
As GSMArena noted in their review of the Galaxy S21, the telephoto camera “has an ever so slightly longer lens than the main module – around 29mm equivalent.
“However, thanks to its 64MP sensor, it’s used for hybrid zoom action with ‘lossless’ results up to the default 3x magnification level.”
My S21’s 3x hybrid zoom therefore comprises a 29mm (1.1x) optical zoom lens, coupled with 1.9x digital zoom.
The 64MP sensor is making up the difference with ‘lossless’ quality photos, but the lack of optical zoom is a problem – and means most of the detail is coming from digital cropping and pixel-binning.
Also, while the 64 megapixel sensor sometimes outputs a very detailed 12MP photo (when compared to taking a photo with the 26mm Wide lens, and zooming-in on the image), the combination of lacking hardware and compensating software means my results have been mixed.
My feelings…
Sometimes, the 64 MP mode produces a better image; other times, using the telephoto lens in its default setting steps up to the mark.
Bearing in mind, the telephoto lens is a 64 megapixel sensor – so this variation is confusing.
This hasn’t been helped by the monthly updates which, while certainly welcome, have consistently changed the camera performance – and trust me when I say that what you’re about to read is the re-written, re-drafted, TL;DR version.
One month, the 64MP mode does its job; the next, the telephoto camera outputs an image that is 10x more detailed.
This inconsistency means it’s been difficult to know which mode & lens to use to get the best shot – and I’ve often had to take 2 photos (one in each mode) to make sure I get the best shot each time.
As I’ve got the 256GB version of the Galaxy S21, this isn’t a problem, and at a later time I can always delete the photos I don’t need. However, it’s inconvenient and adds an extra step in the way to ‘capturing the moments of life.’
Camera conclusion
Using a phone camera is supposed to be instant – a point & shoot experience. However, I’ve found my Galaxy S21’s cameras to be a bit hit and miss, and because of the extra thinking it’s more like using a DSLR than a compact/point & shoot camera.
There’s pros and cons to this – one benefit is I’ve had to think more creatively about my photos (thus putting more control in the photographer’s hands), but adversely it means taking photos takes more time.
I realise my Galaxy S21 is the smaller sibling of the S21 range, and therefore aimed at the casual user, but using my S21 has felt like more of a creative experience than a casual one.
As I said, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but as I already own a DSLR, what I wanted from the Galaxy S21 was a phone that could simply take half decent photos on the fly, all the time.
What I actually got was a phone that requires the same level of thinking as using my DSLR & prime vintage lenses. Sometimes, even I just want to chill & quickly capture a simple photo.
Especially when I’m on holiday – and, sadly, I was unaware of these inconsistencies until after I had returned from my holiday in Prague in May, 2022.
When I got home, that’s when I really noticed how some photos looked awful, but some looked brilliant.
If only I’d known this before going on holiday…
With inconsistent results, my S21’s cameras haven’t been on par with my initial expectations. I knew that opting for a fairly small & compact phone would have its compromises, but I didn’t even imagine that inconsistent camera performance would be top of that list.
With this in mind, would I have been better off with an iPhone or a Pixel 5, or even – for the creator in me – the Sony Xperia 5 III? It’s certainly a consideration for next time, that’s for sure…
KPH tech blog 
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