Samsung's new triple release Galaxy S-line strategy brings higher average prices, and you'd be forgiven if you want to know what you get for the hefty tags that start at $999 if you don't count the preorder bonuses.
As usual, everyone wants the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but most will settle for the S20 or S20+ given the price differences. Granted, the Ultra is the one that sports the top periscope zoom and high-res main camera that will allow for some clever up to 100x "Space Zoom" hybrid optical/digital magnification, but the S20/S20+ have a brand new main camera, too.
The 12MP sensor on the S20 and S20 Plus models is 65% larger than the one in the Galaxy S10 or Note 10 series, says Samsung, and that is why we are expecting some pretty interesting camera comparisons to start flooding the airwaves soon.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus vs iPhone 11 Pro Max vs Pixel 4 XL camera samples and video comparison
In the meantime, you can preview a very early indoor camera samples comparison between a Dubai store floor unit of the Galaxy S20+, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, on one hand, and the Pixel 4 XL, on the other, in the following categories:
Samsung Galaxy S20+ wide angle shots (12.2MP sensor) comparison with Pixel 4 XL and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Samsung Galaxy S20+ telephoto shots (64MP sensor & 3x hybrid optical zoom) with Pixel 4 XL and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Samsung Galaxy S20+ 30x hybrid zoom with Pixel 4 XL with the camera PX mod to enable 30x zoom on the Pixel 4 XL.
Samsung Galaxy S20+ 8K sample video.
The full-res Galaxy S20+ sample photos and videos can be previewed at this 1GB+ download link, and since this will be the main camera rivalry this season, barring the Ultra, they should be an interesting read.
Samsung Galaxy S20 vs Plus vs S20 Ultra camera specs differences
Galaxy S20 series camera set
The Galaxy S20 Ultra is quite a bit thicker than Samsung's S20+ or the S20 even. This should serve as a hint that it is the exclusive bearer of Samsung's first periscope zoom setup that offers 5x optical, 10x hybrid, and 100x digital "Space Zoom" magnification.
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That crazy zoom level is achieved by a hybrid optical/digital efforts when coupled with crops and pixel-binning from the ultra high-res 108MP main sensor and the 48MP telephoto camera.
The S20+ and S20 use the same hybrid cropping and binning to reach the advertised 30x "Space Zoom" levels, but from a 64MP camera with 3x hybrid optical zoom, so the ultimate magnification total is much smaller. In both cases, however, we don't expect the largest zoom numbers to produce anything but passable results, as you can see in the samples above.
Galaxy S20 Ultra
Galaxy S20+
Galaxy S20
Cameras
108MP main (12MP photos with 2.4 μm virtual pixel size) 48MP periscope 'Space Zoom', up to 10x hybrid and 100x digital magnification 12MP Ultrawide-angle lens ToF camera 40MP selfie camera
12MP main, 1.8μm pixel size 64MP Telephoto, 3x hybrid optical, 30x digital Space Zoom 12MP Ultrawide-angle lens ToF camera 10MP selfie camera 8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording
12MP main, 1.8μm pixel size 64MP Telephoto, 3x hybrid optical, 30x digital Space Zoom 12MP Ultrawide-angle lens 10MP selfie camera 8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording
Features
8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording
Bright Night, Single Take, Director’s Cut from all cameras at once, Night Hyperlapse
8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording
Bright Night, Single Take, Director’s Cut from all cameras at once, Night Hyperlapse
8K 30fps or 4K HDR 120fps recording
Bright Night, Single Take, Director’s Cut from all cameras at once, Night Hyperlapse
The S20 and S20+, however, come with new 12MP sensors that sport huge 1.8 micron pixels, much larger than the 0.8 micron dots of the 108MP sensor reserved for the Ultra. Samsung still managed to set the Ultra apart by introducing the Nonacell technology, combining nine adjacent pixels into one to reach the whopping 2.4 micron virtual pixel size on its most expensive S-line phone to date.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Galaxy S10+ camera samples comparison
Needless to say, this is a very early and improvised floor comparison to draw any drastic conclusions from, and, given that the Galaxy S20+ is a Dubai unit here, it is most likely running on the Exynos chipset, so your Snapdragon 865 machine may vary slightly, too.
Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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