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After Samsung's announcement of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 yesterday, we couldn't wait to start playing with it! Of course, one of the first things we wanted to test out was the camera system, despite the lack of apparent hardware upgrades.
So, does the Galaxy Z Fold 6 hold any secret camera improvements compared to last year's Galaxy Z Fold 5? Or maybe it has some similarities with the Galaxy S24 Ultra that Samsung released in the beginning of 2024...
(512GB) Z Fold 6: up to $1,120 off; Z Flip 6: up to $820 off
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The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 are available at Samsung.com. Right now, you can get the 51GB Galaxy Z Fold 6 for up to $1,000 off with a trade-in. There's a free storage upgrade ($120 value) available on select colors. The Z Flip 6 comes at up to $820 off, provided you spare an eligible device in good condition.
Generally, we feel the main 50MP camera of the Z Fold 6 holds pretty well, but we noticed that the HDR performance is rather unreliable. While the sky is always well exposed, the shadow areas are often too dark in these images. This makes the photo unbalanced and means there is loss of detail in those areas.
Sharpness, colors, and low-light performance are good though. We especially like how the phone handled the photo with the sweets and with our colleague posing for a nice portrait (without portrait mode).
Telephoto camera at 3x zoom
Much of what we see from the main camera is also present for the 10MP telephoto camera too. We are very happy with the level of detail and the way the phone handles colors (which are much more natural with Samsung phones these days). That said, there's also that rather poor HDR performance here.
Portrait mode at 3x zoom
< Portrait Mode OffPortrait Mode On >
The Portrait Mode on the Z Fold 6 still looks rather fake, but at least the phone does superbly to cut out the subject from the background, as you can see from this comparison above.
Ultra-wide camera
This year the ultra-wide camera is supposed to be better, and from what we see here it appears to offer better detail. The camera also handled the light and dark areas rather well in this case.
Cover display selfie camera
The 10MP selfie camera embedded in the cover display seems to provide very clear and sharp photos. We also think that the skin tones have been handled very well here, and it is a plus that there is no apparent oversharpening.
Detail and sharpness appear to be similar between the Z Fold 6, its predecessor, and the S24 Ultra. The Ultra's photo looks a bit less sharp, but that might be due to the different light conditions the image was shot at.
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What's curious is that the photos from the Z Fold 5 and Galaxy S24 Ultra look better exposed, with a more balanced contrast and more detail in the shadows compared to the Z Fold 6.
We also appreciate the more natural colors on the Z Fold 6 and S24 Ultra. The Z Fold 5 seems to have that classic Samsung oversaturation that the company has recently strayed from.
In comparing these three photos in particular, we think the one taken by the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is noticeably sharper and clearer compared to those from the Z Fold 5 and S24 Ultra. We are not sure if it is the result of the upgrades the new ultra-wide camera on the Z Fold 6 is supposed have, but we are happy to see this improvement.
All 3x telephoto cameras seem to provide similar image quality to each other. Again, keep in mind that the photo from the S24 Ultra was taking a little after sunset when the light is more limited, so that has affected the level of detail a little.
Finally, with the selfie cameras, we think the one embedded in the cover display of the Z Fold 6 takes visibly sharper photos. It seems to handle lighting somewhat better too. We would say the Z Fold 6 selfie comes closer to that from the S24 Ultra, which is awesome news!
Conclusion
While there aren't any massive jumps in camera quality and some apparent issues with the HDR performance, the Z Fold 6 seems to offer some slight improvements when it comes to the ultra-wide and selfie cameras.
Apart from that, however, the camera system appears to be mostly unchanged, so we wouldn't say it is big reason to upgrade. Stay tuned for our full Galaxy Z Fold 6 review and comparisons with other phones!
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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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