Ultra Wide
13mm
ƒ/1.9
50MP · Autofocus · Macro
Samsung Galaxy Camera Settings Guide
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Camera Settings
Apple iPhone
Google Pixel
Recommended Setup
The settings to dial in first. Open Camera → Settings (gear icon) and match these
Photo
Photo Resolution
12MP (default)
Scene Optimizer
On
Shot Suggestions
On
HEIF Pictures
On
Video
Video Resolution
UHD 4K / 30fps
Video Stabilization
On
HDR10+ Video
On
General
Grid Lines
On
Location Tags
On
Shooting Methods
Vol key: Shutter
Camera → Settings (gear icon)
Recommended configuration
12MP
Photo resolution
Pixel-binned default beats 200MP in most light. Switch to 200MP only outdoors when you need to crop or print big.
4K · 30
Video resolution
The sweet spot for quality, stability, and file size. Save 8K for when you truly need the extra detail.
HEIF + HDR10+
Capture format
Smaller files with richer color. Leave Scene Optimizer on for smart, scene-aware processing.
Pro mode tip: Swipe to Pro mode in the camera app for manual control over ISO, shutter speed, focus, white balance, and EV. For maximum quality, shoot in RAW format from Pro mode or use the dedicated Expert RAW app for 16-bit multi-frame RAW capture.
Best Photo Settings
Recommended settings for the six most common shooting scenarios on Galaxy S25 Ultra
Portrait
Portrait Mode
Lens3× Telephoto (67mm)
FormatJPEG / HEIF
BlurAdjust in Gallery after
EffectNatural or Studio
TipUse 1× for full-body shots
Landscape
Photo Mode / Expert RAW
LensUltra Wide (13mm)
FormatRAW via Expert RAW
Resolution50MP (full sensor)
GridOn (level horizon)
TipTap to lock AE on the sky
Night
Night Mode
LensMain (23mm)
Night ModeAuto (up to 15s)
FlashOff
StabilityBrace or tripod
TipExpert RAW astrophoto for stars
Action / Sports
Photo Mode
Lens5× Telephoto (115mm)
BurstHold shutter or Vol Down
Tracking AFOn
FormatHEIF for speed
TipUse Single Take for variety
Street
Photo Mode
Lens1× Main (23mm)
FormatHEIF
Scene OptimizerOn
Motion PhotoOff
TipDouble-press power for quick launch
Macro
Photo Mode
LensUltra Wide (auto-macro)
Distance3–5cm for best results
FormatHEIF or Expert RAW
LightAvoid casting phone shadow
TipTap subject to lock focus
Best Video Settings
Resolution, frame rate, and codec combinations available on the S25 Ultra
Recommended Presets
8K
30fps
Maximum detail
4K
30fps
Best all-round
4K
60fps
Smooth motion
4K
120fps
Slow motion
1080p
30fps
Smaller files
1080p
240fps
Super slow-mo
| Use Case | Resolution | FPS | Codec | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Media Best | 4K | 30 | HEVC (H.265) | HDR10+ enabled |
| Maximum Detail | 8K | 30 | HEVC | Main lens only, large files |
| Cinematic | 4K | 24 | H.265 | Film-like motion cadence |
| Slow Motion | 4K | 120 | H.265 | Main lens, 4× slowdown at 30fps |
| Super Slow-Mo | 1080p | 240 | H.265 | Short burst capture |
| Hyperlapse | 4K | — | H.265 | 5× to 300× speed, stabilized |
8K recording: 8K at 30fps uses a crop from the 200MP sensor and produces files around 600 MB per minute. It's limited to the main camera and will generate heat during extended recording. For most use cases, 4K 30fps offers the best balance of quality, stability, and file size.
Camera System
Four cameras, five focal lengths — the S25 Ultra's quad-lens system covers 13mm to 115mm
Wide (Main)
23mm
ƒ/1.7
200MP · OIS · 1/1.3" sensor
3× Telephoto
67mm
ƒ/2.4
10MP · OIS · Phase-detect AF
5× Telephoto
115mm
ƒ/2.6
50MP · OIS · Phase-detect AF
| Spec | Ultra Wide | Main (Wide) | 3× Telephoto | 5× Telephoto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 50MP | 200MP | 10MP | 50MP |
| Focal Length | 13mm | 23mm | 67mm | 115mm |
| Aperture | ƒ/1.9 | ƒ/1.7 | ƒ/2.4 | ƒ/2.6 |
| Sensor Size | 1/2.52" | 1/1.3" | 1/3.52" | 1/2.52" |
| Pixel Size | 0.7μm | 0.6μm (2.4μm binned) | 1.12μm | 0.7μm |
| OIS | No | Yes (OIS) | Yes (OIS) | Yes (OIS) |
| Autofocus | Yes (phase-detect) | Yes (Dual Pixel PDAF) | Yes (phase-detect) | Yes (phase-detect) |
| Macro | Yes | No | No | No |
Digital zoom: The S25 Ultra supports up to 100× Space Zoom using AI-enhanced digital crop from the 5× telephoto. Usable results extend to about 30× — beyond that, quality degrades significantly despite AI sharpening.
Key Features
What sets the Galaxy S25 Ultra apart from other phones and previous Galaxy models
200MP Main Sensor
1/1.3" ISOCELL HP2. Shoots full 200MP for detail, or bins to 12MP for cleaner low light. Switches automatically.
FlagshipExpert RAW
16-bit RAW with full manual control over ISO, shutter, focus, and white balance, plus an astrophotography mode for the stars.
ProGalaxy AI Camera
The Snapdragon 8 Elite powers Generative Edit, Object Eraser, AI zoom, and Instant Slow-Mo on any clip.
Enhanced in S2550MP 5× Telephoto
A 50MP optical 5× at 115mm with OIS, stretching to 100× Space Zoom and sharp enough for crisp 10× crops.
FlagshipStorage & File Sizes
How much you can fit on your Galaxy S25 Ultra (256GB / 512GB / 1TB)
4K 30fps Video Recording Time
256 GB
10
hrs
~350 MB/min at 4K30 HEVC
512 GB
21
hrs
Best value for most users
1 TB
43
hrs
Best for 8K & heavy shooting
| File Type | Format | Approximate Size |
|---|---|---|
| Photo (HEIF) | 12MP pixel-binned | 2 – 4 MB |
| Photo (Full Res) | 200MP JPEG | ~30 MB |
| Photo (Expert RAW) | 50MP 16-bit DNG | ~100 MB |
| Video (HEVC 4K30) | HDR10+ | ~350 MB/min |
| Video (HEVC 4K60) | HDR10+ | ~500 MB/min |
| Video (8K30) | HEVC | ~600 MB/min |
| Video (4K120) | HEVC | ~800 MB/min |
Pro Tips & Gotchas
Galaxy S25 Ultra-specific tips the manual won't tell you
200MP Mode
- Tap the resolution badge in Photo mode to switch
- Use it in good light only. 12MP wins in the dark
- ~30 MB files; save it for cropping or large prints
Expert RAW & Astrophotography
- Install separately from the Galaxy Store
- Astrophoto needs a tripod + 4 min of exposures
- Files are 16-bit DNG. Edit in Lightroom or Snapseed
Thermal Management
- 8K throttles after ~5–8 min when warm
- 4K 120fps is short clips only
- 4K 30fps runs 45+ min. Pull the case off for long takes
Galaxy AI Editing
- Generative Edit: long-press an object to move or delete
- Object Eraser shines on simple backgrounds
- Instant Slow-Mo: long-press any clip in Gallery
- AI edits carry a metadata watermark
Zoom Strategy
- Stick to optical stops: 0.5×, 1×, 3×, 5×
- Stay under 20×. Space Zoom falls apart past 30×
- Lock focus + exposure before zooming for steadier shots
Quick Launch & S Pen
- Double-press power to launch the camera anywhere
- S Pen button = remote shutter
- Wave the S Pen to flip front/rear camera
- Remap the volume key to shutter, zoom, or record
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S24 Ultra
What changed for cameras between generations
Feature
S24 Ultra
S25 Ultra
Chip
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Snapdragon 8 Elite
Ultra Wide
12MP ƒ/2.2
50MP ƒ/1.9 New
Main Camera
200MP ƒ/1.7
200MP ƒ/1.7
3× Telephoto
10MP ƒ/2.4
10MP ƒ/2.4
5× Telephoto
50MP ƒ/2.6
50MP ƒ/2.6
Galaxy AI
1st generation
Enhanced Improved
Low-Light Processing
Good
Improved Better
8K Video
8K 30fps
8K 30fps
4K Slow-Mo
4K 120fps
4K 120fps
Display Size
6.8"
6.9" Larger
Frame
Titanium
Titanium
Worth the upgrade? The S25 Ultra is an iterative upgrade over the S24 Ultra for cameras. The biggest improvements are the 50MP ultra-wide (up from 12MP), improved AI processing from the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and enhanced Galaxy AI features. If you primarily shoot with the main and telephoto lenses, the differences are mostly in software processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra camera
Does the Galaxy S25 Ultra support Expert RAW?
Yes. The Galaxy S25 Ultra fully supports Expert RAW, Samsung's professional photography app available from the Galaxy Store. It captures 16-bit RAW (DNG) files with multi-frame noise reduction, full manual controls for ISO, shutter speed, focus, and white balance, and includes a dedicated astrophotography mode for long-exposure star and Milky Way photos using stacked exposures.
Can the Galaxy S25 Ultra record 8K video?
Yes. The Galaxy S25 Ultra records 8K video at 30fps using a crop from the 200MP main sensor. It also supports 4K at up to 120fps for slow-motion footage. 8K files are very large (around 600 MB per minute) and the phone may thermal-throttle after 5–8 minutes of continuous 8K recording. For most use cases, 4K 30fps offers the best balance of quality and practicality.
What Galaxy AI camera features does the S25 Ultra have?
The Galaxy S25 Ultra includes several AI-powered camera and editing features: Generative Edit (move, resize, or remove objects and let AI fill the background), Object Eraser (remove unwanted objects from photos), AI-enhanced Night Mode (multi-frame noise reduction), AI zoom enhancement (sharpen telephoto and digital zoom shots), Instant Slow-Mo (create slow-motion from any regular video), and improved scene optimization. These features are enhanced by the Snapdragon 8 Elite's powerful NPU.
How many megapixels is the Galaxy S25 Ultra camera?
The Galaxy S25 Ultra has four rear cameras: a 200MP main (wide) camera, a 50MP ultra wide camera, a 50MP 5× telephoto camera, and a 10MP 3× telephoto camera. By default, the main camera outputs 12MP photos using 16-to-1 pixel binning, which produces larger effective pixels for better low-light performance. You can switch to full 200MP resolution in the camera settings for maximum detail in good lighting conditions.
What is the difference between the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S24 Ultra cameras?
The S25 Ultra features the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor (vs 8 Gen 3) for faster and better image processing, an upgraded 50MP ƒ/1.9 ultra-wide camera (the S24 Ultra had a 12MP ƒ/2.2 ultra-wide), enhanced Galaxy AI features for editing and post-processing, and improved low-light noise reduction. The main 200MP sensor and telephoto lenses are similar hardware, but software processing and AI capabilities are noticeably improved.