Galaxy S23 Ultra defies backlighting and turns the S-Pen into a magic wand

With the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung has unleashed a true backlight champion. The premium mobile phone also offers many other exciting features for photo and video enthusiasts. Plus, the included S-Pen can now do a lot more.

With the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung launched its first smartphone with a 200MP sensor. The manufacturer has also worked on the camera system and the functions behind it. The S23 Ultra solves a problem photographers encounter time and time again: backlighting. Whether in portrait mode, wide-angle camera or selfie mode – the device delivers high quality images. Backlit images are crisp, faces are easily recognizable – even in group shots and with the wide-angle camera – and the device produces beautiful natural-looking bokeh in portrait mode. Backlight shooting also works well if the focus is on the right subject.

Taken against the light with Galaxy S23 Ultra. (Source: Netzmedia)

Thanks to a 200MP sensor, those who forgot to get close enough to their subject can still show decent photos. If you activate the 200MP mode, you can zoom in afterwards and usually get better results than the camera zoom.

Samsung hails the cell phone as an ideal companion for the night and advertises “night photography” functions. The S23 does really well in the city at night, at dusk, and anywhere there is a strong contrast between the light source and the environment. In terms of quality, photos were slightly more convincing than videos recorded in poor lighting conditions. However, all of the content is impressive.

Samsung has also greatly improved the image stabilizer. He did such a good job shooting that there were even videos of someone jumping up and down, up and down stairs and through the garden with phone in hand (yes, the neighbors thought it was their side) feeling so relaxed and smooth.

Taken with the S23 Ultra. (Source: Netzmedia)

Stargazers, cloud watchers, and anyone who loves sunsets and sunrises should be happy with the new Hyperlapse functionality. The S23 Ultra offers different modes for recording the motions of stars in the night sky, passing clouds, or simply sunrise or sunset. All of the mentioned functions did what the manufacturer promised when trying them. The first mode should provide great shots, especially on a shooting star night. However, depending on the environment, it may not be advisable to leave your new, expensive smartphone outside overnight to shoot the stars, as that takes time.

The S Pen becomes the remote control

Not only the camera, but also the S-Pen hidden in the device can now do a lot. If desired, they become a kind of magic wand. Users can use it as a camera trigger and use gestures to make the device switch cameras or zoom in and out. But be warned: If you can’t draw pretty circles in the air, you’ll sometimes have to move the S-Pen several times in a row for the S23 Ultra to recognize the shape. If the corresponding function is activated, the smartphone can also be unlocked with one click on the S-Pen.

As with its predecessor, notes can also be taken with a pen and converted to typed text with handwriting recognition. In addition, users can make notes on screenshots or mark specific areas on screenshots with a highlighter.

Conclusion

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the perfect device for anyone who loves to experiment with their phone’s camera and wants to take high-quality photos and videos with it. It’s amazing what a camera system can do against the light. In addition, it also copes well with night scenes in which there are strong contrasts between light and dark. With different Hyperlapse modes, it also offers new functions to try. The upgraded S Pen is very useful. Triggering the camera with the pen is particularly useful. In addition, the new functions provide a certain fun factor.