Review
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Camera Review: 200MP Meets Dual Telephoto
Samsung's dual-telephoto strategy — 3x and 5x prime focal lengths — plus a 200MP main sensor make the S25 Ultra the most versatile zoom phone you can buy.
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Optics overview
Four rear cameras: 200MP main (24mm, f/1.7, OIS), 50MP ultrawide (13mm, f/1.9), 10MP 3x telephoto (70mm, f/2.4), and 50MP 5x periscope (115mm, f/3.4, OIS). Samsung now offers two real prime telephoto focal lengths instead of one zoom and one crop.
Image quality
The 200MP main sensor uses 16-to-1 pixel binning by default, outputting clean 12MP files with strong dynamic range. Tap to 50MP or 200MP for landscape work where you'll actually crop in. Color processing has been dialed back from previous Ultras — still warmer than iPhone, no longer cartoonish.
Dual telephoto is the killer feature. 3x is your portrait/compression length; 5x is for distant subjects. Both are optical, both are sharp, and the hand-off between them is invisible. Digital zoom remains usable to about 30x in good light, then collapses to AI-fill territory past 50x.
Video
8K30 and 4K120 on the main sensor, log recording, and improved stabilization across all four lenses. Still trails iPhone for skin tones in mixed lighting, but the lead has shrunk.
Verdict
If zoom range or landscape detail matters more to you than color science or video polish, this is the phone. The 200MP sensor isn't a gimmick once you start cropping; the dual telephoto is genuinely two cameras you'll use.
What we love
- ✓Two optical telephoto lengths
- ✓200MP main delivers real cropping room
- ✓Best zoom range in any phone
- ✓Excellent OIS across all lenses
Where it falls short
- –Color processing still warmer than neutral
- –Heavy and large
- –f/3.4 periscope needs light
FAQ
Do you really need both 3x and 5x telephoto?
For portraits, 3x (70mm equivalent) is the classic flattering length. For wildlife or events, 5x (115mm) gets you closer without digital crop. Having both prevents the in-between-focal-length compromise.
Is 200MP useful day-to-day?
Not for most shots — the 12MP binned output is what you'll share. But for landscape or anything you'll crop, the raw 200MP file gives you real headroom.
How is night mode vs Pixel?
Closer than ever, but Pixel still pulls slightly more detail from very dark scenes. S25 Ultra wins on telephoto night shots thanks to the brighter sensors.
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