Note 20 Ultra camera quality degraded over time?

[gray2018]

Hello all. My primary device for the past year and a half has been the S21 Ultra. I previously had a Note 10+ before that, so I'm pretty familiar with Note devices. I recently ordered a Note 20 Ultra from Amazon renewed just so I could play around with and possibly have a Note-like device. I don't need the latest and greatest for that, considering I already have the S21 Ultra. Also, having a device in rotation for me personally with a micro SD card slot is always a plus. I don't feel like spending 700-1000 dollars on an S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra.

That said, I have dabbled around with this device for short periods of time a few years back. I have noticed unfortunately, it seems the camera isn't quite as good as I remember it to be. Either that or the camera has degraded over time through updates. I suppose it could also be possibly due to who refurbished the device as well. But the device looked brand new, so I don't really think it could be that. I think they possibly even put a new battery in the device, because the battery life so far has been quite excellent given all the flack I've heard about the Note 20 Ultra's battery life.

Any thoughts or experiences with this?

 

[TechNut79]

Mine hasn't been great either. I took off the camera protector that I had on it, thinking it got nicked up over the years and was affecting camera quality. That didn't really work.

 

[gray2018]

But it was better before recently right? 5.1 update did something? Weird.. I noticed the wide angle lens seems to be fine. Its the regular standard lens that seems to be fuzzy usually.

 

[TechNut79]

Yeah, it was good for years before it started to get blurry or fuzzy as you described it. I'm not sure what they did, but I don't like it. I can't afford a new device right now, so I'm stuck with it for at least another year or two.

 

[belodion]

It may be worth trying another camera app.

 

[gray2018]

Yeah, it was good for years before it started to get blurry or fuzzy as you described it. I'm not sure what they did, but I don't like it. I can't afford a new device right now, so I'm stuck with it for at least another year or two.

Well, considering mine was refurbished, that might have something to do with my issues. Also,camera is awful in low light. There's this weird halo effect around things.
Also, I have noticed this in previous times using the Note 20U as well.. is it just me, or in a lot of face pictures, is there a yellow hue to it? I noticed this in the S20 line too.

 

[TechNut79]

That has to be a software issue. I'm not sure I've noticed that.

 

[gendo667]

That has to be a software issue. I'm not sure I've noticed that.

I still think the S8 was a better camera than the S10. I had the S8, S10 and S21 Ultra and I think Samsung's image processing only got worse.

 

[TechNut79]

I'm not hearing good things about the S24 line either. I'd like to get a new device at some point. Hopefully they can figure it out sooner rather than later.

 

[mustang7757]

I'm not hearing good things about the S24 line either. I'd like to get a new device at some point. Hopefully they can figure it out sooner rather than later.

Your not hearing good things about the s24 line?

 

[TechNut79]

Not when it comes to the cameras.

 

[gray2018]

Or the screen. I definitely won't be getting it. I dont think I need to anyways when I have both the S21U and Note 20U.

 

[TechNut79]

No. The S25 line is rumored to be redesigned, so I'd like to see what that looks like.

 

[mustang7757]

Not when it comes to the cameras.

Hmm
I heard good praises on it , I haven't tested it out fully yet

 

[Laura Knotek]

Hmm
I heard good praises on it , I haven't tested it out fully yet

Same here. I haven't heard anything bad about the camera but haven't had a chance to test it either.

 

[TechNut79]

Hopefully what I'm hearing on X (Twitter) is wrong.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Hopefully what I'm hearing on X (Twitter) is wrong.

Check out this review. https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-camera-review

 

[TechNut79]

Of course you'd share that review because Android Central did the review.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Of course you'd share that review because Android Central did the review.

Here's another review. https://www.dxomark.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-camera-test/

 

[gray2018]

Yeah, I still don't see the enticement of getting the S24 Ultra. Personally, I would much rather get the S23 Ultra
if I were to purchase any new devices.
I still can't quite grasp why the Note 20 Ultra's main sensor is so bad. I still wonder if it had something to do with it's refurbishment.