Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra just solved one of the biggest camera phone problems

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera close up
(Image credit: Future)

I don't know what Samsung did precisely with the Galaxy S23 Ultra's camera hardware and software, but all I know is that it's fixed something that's been bothering me about portrait mode photos for a long time.

Samsung put a lot of emphasis on the Galaxy S23 Ultra's new 200MP camera during its presentation at Galaxy Unpacked earlier this month, but one moment that really captured my attention was when (23 minutes in to be precise) it promised a clean separation of a subject's glasses from the background in portrait mode shots.

As a spectacles wearer myself, I've often found using portrait mode for selfies when my face isn't dead-on to the camera can be unreliable, so this sounded very interesting. And of course I had to give it a try when the the phone arrived for testing as part of our Galaxy S23 Ultra review.

To give you the bottom line early: Samsung's telling the truth. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra already tops our best camera phones guide, the fact it can capture glasses better in portrait mode than an iPhone 14 Pro Max (our second-placed phone), lets you have more freedom when taking selfies or posing for the phone's main cameras. That only reinforces the S23 Ultra's position as the top camera phone you can buy.

Galaxy S23: $100 credit + storage upgrade @ Samsung

Galaxy S23: $100 credit + storage upgrade @ Samsung
Samsung is one of the best sites for Galaxy S23 deals. Preorder your Galaxy S23 at Samsung and you'll get a free memory/storage upgrade and $100 Samsung credit. Additionally, Samsung is offering exclusive access to the phones in Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, or Red colors. Samsung will even let you purchase your phone on any carrier direct from the Samsung website.

Making a spectacle of portrait mode

I first noticed this when I went hands-on with the Galaxy S23 Ultra prior to the phone's release and took this selfie in front of a leafy pot plant. While you can debate whether I look better in the iPhone or Galaxy's image, what's obvious is that my glasses are cut out near-perfectly in the Samsung photo, whereas there's a strange blurry artifact on my specs' right side in the iPhone photo.

This problem doesn't come up if you take an image straight-on, as you can see in the comparison below, this time with a plain white background. But having to always take photos while staring straight down the lens isn't fun let alone practical.

Turning my head to the side in this 3x lens shot, we see even with a nice simple background for the phones to apply the bokeh blurring effect to, the iPhone still can't get it right. While my glasses frames are cut out properly, it doesn't have my eye in focus, which looks very odd when the rest of my face is otherwise in shot.

Going back to the selfie cameras, we again see the iPhone struggling to pick out the edge of my glasses, although my eye is in focus this time (minus my eyelashes). The Galaxy S23 Ultra however gets it right, just as I'd hoped.

To be fully transparent, one of my Samsung portrait shots didn't come out quite so well. So even if the Galaxy S23 Ultra can get the bokeh around a glasses wearing subject right, it's still not flawless. Maybe we're going to have to wait for future Samsung phones for this to be fully reliable.

(Image credit: Future)

In the current smartphone world, where flagship models across brands offer similarly effective cameras, tiny differences — such as being able to apply portrait mode to people accurately — can be make or break for a sale.

I'm not going to abandon my iPhone off the back of this test, but it's more evidence that Apple's photography lead has been eaten away at by the Galaxy S23 Ultra. And that Cupertino's finest, despite being led by the glasses-wearing Tim Cook, have missed something crucial that needs to come to the iPhone 15.

TOPICS
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.

Read more
Taking a photo with the Galaxy S25 Ultra
I shot professional headshots with the Galaxy S25 Ultra — here’s how it compares to the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max
I put Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max cameras through an 11-round shoot-out — and I'm shocked
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max
I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max — here’s the winner
A Galaxy S25 Ultra held alongside a Galaxy S24 Ultra
I shot over 200 photos with the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Galaxy S24 Ultra — here’s the winner
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max — 7 ways Samsung beats Apple
Galaxy S25 Ultra from the back
I spent 24 hours with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra — here’s what I like and what I don’t
Latest in Samsung Phones
Galaxy S25 Edge dummy unit from side angle
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge design just shown off on video from every angle with seemingly accurate dummies
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 design just teased in new cases leak — and the outer display is huge
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 could finally fix the one thing that has prevented me from using Samsung’s flip phones
Amazon Spring Sale Galaxy S25
Amazon’s Spring Sale drops the Samsung Galaxy S25 to $734 — its lowest price ever!
Galaxy S25 Plus held in the hand.
Samsung could delay One UI 7’s release in the US — here’s what we know
Galaxy S25 Ultra Now brief
Samsung’s Personal Data Engine is a big addition to the Galaxy S25 — here’s why
Latest in Opinion
Fallout TV show
‘Fallout’ season 2 will feature the iconic Deathclaws — but there’s something I’m looking forward to even more
Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Chase Sui Wonders and Seth Rogen in "The Studio," episode 1, on Apple TV Plus.
Seth Rogen's 'The Studio' on Apple TV Plus is a scathing critique of Hollywood — and absurdly funny
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Galaxy Z Flip 7 could finally fix the one thing that has prevented me from using Samsung’s flip phones
A composite image representing three of the best shows of 2025 so far: "Severance," "Paradise" and "The Pitt."
I've streamed 24 shows in 2025 — here's the 5 best so far
The Amazfit T-Rex 3 shown close-up on a user's wrist with the snorkeling and surfing workout tracking modes displayed; colorful flowers are out of focus in the background
7 reasons why this budget-friendly smartwatch is my new go-to for surfing and swimming
Apple maps logo on iPhone screen
I avoided Apple Maps for trip planning — but these iOS 18 features are changing my mind