The 100x "space zoom", which is reserved exclusively for the Galaxy S20 Ultra, could be a fun gimmick for some and perhaps even a blessing for others in some situations. For private investigator Michael McKeever, it's at least an opportunity to show how far smartphones have come in terms of zoom levels, and how Samsung's latest and largest flagship is beating its own traditional cameras. For comparison, the iPhone 11 Pro Max, a Sony HDR-CX190 and a Nikon P100 were included in the test.
McKeever has been conducting private investigations for 30 years, and this was the first time he had decided to shoot the videos with a smartphone. Joanna Stern, the Wall Street Journal's senior personal technology columnist, also contributed her findings, noting that while the Galaxy S20 Ultra can capture 30-fold zoomed images in crisp lyroban quality, it struggles to capture a decent image when using the 100-fold space zoom feature. This is also confirmed by the way McKeever uses his Nikon P100.

This professional camera is equipped with 125x optical zoom and is actually ideal if you are a private detective. In terms of image quality, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is at least capable of beating the iPhone 11 Pro Max. This is probably also due to the fact that Apple's current flagship can only offer a 2x, true optical zoom. So if you want to experience higher zoom levels, it's best to invest in a Galaxy S20 Ultra, but many are unlikely to be willing to pay a total of $1400 for such a device just for that reason. Then you will rather buy a real camera, where by it e.g. with the Sony RX100 Mark VI there are also quite bright pocket cameras, which can also score with good zoom lenses and higher resolution.
In many cases, users will certainly not even find a use for a 100x room zoom. Well, maximum when they show the function to the friends to brag a bit. That doesn't mean that the flagship doesn't have an impeccable camera system, but whether you really need it? Samsung says it will certainly get even better thanks to future software updates. However, if you are an up-and-coming private detective and need the zoomed material with a little more quality, then smartphones unfortunately cannot trump the right cameras for the time being.
Source: Wallstreet Journal (via YouTube)
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