What you'll find in this Galaxy Z Fold 6 camera article
Welcome to our in-depth look at the Galaxy Z Fold 6 camera performance. We will take a look at how the cameras handle HDR, the level of detail they produce in different conditions, color reproduction and accuracy, post-processing, and more.
Besides the above-mentioned, you will also find information on:
Our rigorous PhoneArena Camera Score: Includes an overall score and individual scores for each camera, separated between its photo and video shooting performance
Photo and video samples showcasing how the cameras perform under different conditions (e.g. natural vs. artificial light, bright vs. low-light conditions, different subjects, etc.)
Main pros and cons of the camera system: What the Z Fold 6 excels at and where its cameras perform worse than the competition
Comparison with other popular phone models (e.g. phones from the same manufacturer and the most viable alternatives on the market)
Full-resolution sample downloads
The Galaxy Z Fold 6's camera is a bit of a snoozefest compared to the rest of its upgrades. While the ultra-wide sensor is new, it doesn't deliver a knockout punch in terms of image quality.
The Z Fold 6's camera upgrades are driven primarily by Galaxy AI and its integrated features, many of which were introduced with the Galaxy S24 series. These enhancements, while significant, do not constitute revolutionary advancements.
What are some of the AI features that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 camera uses? Firstly, we have the ProVisual Engine, a suite of AI tools that enhance image quality. It mostly has to do with the post-processing part that plays a major role in phone cameras. It helps make the image clearer and sharper, and also helps with color science.
The ProVisual Engine enhances Quad Tele System, delivering high-quality images at various zoom levels. Additional AI features include object removal and perspective correction. Portrait Studio offers creative portrait styles like 3D cartoon and watercolor.
Enough software, let's take a look at the hardware on board:
4MP Under Display Camera, F1.8, Pixel size: 2.0μm, FOV: 85˚
4MP Under Display Camera, F1.8, Pixel size: 2.0μm, FOV: 85˚
Overall, no major changes in the hardware. Spoiler alert, there are seemingly some updates and improvements to the image processing, as the new foldable delivers better results with the same hardware as you will see from our camera samples later.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
PhoneArena Camera Score
BEST 157
142
PhoneArena Photo Score
BEST 162
147
Main (wide)
BEST 85
79
Zoom
BEST 28
22
Ultra-wide
BEST 25
20
Selfie
BEST 30
26
PhoneArena Video Score
BEST 153
136
Main (wide)
BEST 80
72
Zoom
BEST 27
20
Ultra-wide
BEST 24
18
Selfie
BEST 28
26
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 compared to its rivals
Phone
PhoneArena Camera Score
Photo Score
Video Score
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
141.6
146.9
136.3
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
139.6
144.3
135
OnePlus Open
144.2
150.1
138.4
Google Pixel Fold
136.8
147.1
126.6
Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 scores a slight camera improvement over its predecessor. As evident in the table above, the brunt of improvements tends to be in the photography section, where the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has scored the biggest bump. Aside from besting the Z Fold 5, the new foldable also beats Google's Pixel Fold.
However, the OnePlus Open is ahead in overall camera performance, achieving better photo and video quality than its rival.
Pros
Great color science with natural tones and decent skin tones
Sharp details with the main camera
Great main camera dynamics
Cons
Ultra-wide still not good enough, soft details
Some oversharpening issues
Zooming above 5X doesn't deliver great results
Main camera
The main camera does a fantastic job at capturing true-to-life colors, which seemingly nothing to do with the excessively vivid and oversharpened style that previous Samsung devices were notorious for. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 main camera captures great dynamics and tons of detail with little to no oversharpening artifacts. Portrait mode is devoid of any issues as well, with just minuscule subject separation artifacts here and there.
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Here's a 100% crop comparison of photos taken by the Z Fold 6, S24 Ultra, and OnePlus Open main cameras:
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 appears to have provided slightly better detail and Portrait Mode performance.
Main camera low-light performance
Generally, the Z Fold 6 performs well in low light conditions. The best part is that colors continue to appear more natural and true to life. It looks like there is plenty of sharpness at the center of each image, but it deteriorates as you go closer to the edges. The main issue, however, is that much of the shadow areas have crushed blacks, which in simpler terms means there's no detail there.
When it comes to zooming, the Galaxy Z Fold 6's native 3X telephoto zoom performs admirably. You get perfect details with lovely colors and dynamics.
Zooming further to 5X hybrid zoom, which uses a combination of optical and digital zoom, still delivering excellent detail and a very true-to-life image. We definitely like seeing that!
Finally, at 10X, which is the last stop at which you can get a usable image, the phone starts struggling with the sharpness. Finer details appear hazy and soft, which isn't something you'd want.
Ultra-wide Camera
The ultra-wide camera of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does an okay job. Colors are slightly overprocessed here, shying away from the pleasantly natural look of the main camera. At the same time, details are slightly lacking here, especially in the corners of the frame, where the softness is clearly visible.
Front Camera
The external front camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does a splendid job at capturing a lovely selfie you'll simply want to share across your social media channels!
Aside from just the right amount of facial details, we also get lovely colors out of the front camera. If that's not enough, you can always just unfold the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and use the main camera to capture a selfie with an even higher quality that will hardly disappoint.
As far as the internal under-display camera goes, we'd advise you to only use it in emergencies––it's that bad.
Video Quality
In video recording, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 does a comparable job to its predecessor, so you get a decent amount of details and the same natural colors that you also get in photography mode.
When shooting video, we advise you to stick to the 3X optical zoom, as anything above that will greatly degrade the quality. At 3X, however, you get a very usable footage with just minor oversharpening.
The ultra-wide video on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is okay, but don't expect to be blown out of the water. There's a general lack of fine detail and softness in the corners of the frame which Samsung has tried to hide with some oversharpening; the dynamics are also okay at best, with lots of information lost in the shadows.
Here's another video sample but now low-light conditions:
Conclusion
Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 delivers minimal upgrades to the camera package.
Relying on mostly the same hardware, the software improvements to the camera are generally welcome, but not that impressive. Still, we should remember that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is definitely not a device you'd get for the camera performance alone. With that perspective, it's easier to get satisfied with its overall performance.
And yes, it does more than a good job at covering the basics: despite that it doesn't have the most advanced hardware or the most sophisticated zoom, it can still take awesome shots, especially if you plan it carefully and abstain from simply pointing and snapping a picture.
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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.
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