With a few subsequent software updates, Samsung managed to fix a lot of those, and most of its update schedule was entirely focused on the camera improvements, and there were a few security updates in for a good measure.
Now, however, a Samsung rep over in Korea has poured cold water over the hopes of many that all camera focusing issues will sooner or later be addressed with a software update. Take shots of closer objects, for instance.
Both a moderator and then the admin of the Camera section in Samsung's Galaxy support forum over at the home turf, are now saying (via TizenHelp) that there are hardware limitations to how close you can go with the Ultra, answering numerous user complaints.
If you don't really speak Korean, here's the translation of what the Galaxy S20 Ultra camera can and can't do when it comes to focusing at distances closer than four inches or so:
First of all, we are sorry for the confusion about the use. The S20 Ultra model is equipped with a high-pixel image sensor, which increases the size of the sensor, resulting in a shallow depth of field and a longer focal length of 10cm or more compared to previous Samsung models. Therefore, when shooting a close object, the background may be blurred, or out of focus may occur. The focal length is determined by the lens specifications, making it difficult to correct with software. We apologize for not being able to fully explain the focal length in advance. Thank you.
That's a bit of a bummer, given that we all need to take clear snaps of documents or labels from a close distance, but that incredible 108MP resolution should suffice to read those even if you move the lens a bit further out.
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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, 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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