Samsung Galaxy S3 Camera Review

DPReview smartphone reviews are written with the needs of photographers in mind. We focus on camera features, performance and image quality.

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy S III is the latest incarnation of Samsung's successful Galaxy S line of smartphones and Samsung's best-selling smartphone. nowadays. The first model in Samsung's flagship series, the Galaxy S, was introduced in 2010 and featured a five-megapixel camera and, for a smartphone at the time, a set of innovative imaging features including panorama mode, smile shutter and 720p video recording. p>

The second generation Galaxy S2 was launched in 2011 and came with the usual improvements such as faster processing and an updated operating system (Android 2.3 Ginger Bread vs 2.1 Éclair on the Galaxy S) but also had dramatically improved image capture capabilities. With an eight-megapixel back-illuminated sensor and 1080p video capture, the Galaxy S2 was one of the best-specified smartphones in terms of photographic capabilities when it launched.

On paper, the S3 was launched in May this year. , comes with the same imaging specifications as its predecessor, but offers exciting new camera features such as a burst shooting mode, simultaneous video and image recording HD, reduced shutter lag and a Best Shot feature that recommends the best image based on color, lighting and sharpness.

Note: We tested the US version of this phone which at the time of review was running Android V4.04 “Ice Cream Sandwich”. Samsung is currently rolling out Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean' for international and US versions of the S3. Once this update is available, we will take a closer look and update this review if it features new camera features or changed image quality.

Click here to read our Android operating system guide

8-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor

F2.6 Lens

4.8in, 1280x720 dots (316ppi)< /p>

ISO 80-1600 (100-800 manually selectable)

4x digital zoom

burst mode

panorama mode

Touch to focus and hold AF lock

11 filter effects

Image stabilization

Best Shot recommends the best shot based on colors, lighting and clarity

Zero shutter lag

1080p 30fps video mode with frame capture while recording

Design & Operation

Since the introduction of the original Galaxy S in 2010, Samsung has retained the general design language of its flagship devices. Nevertheless, the S III clearly stands out from its predecessors with its slimmer profile and tapered edges. The screen has grown further to 4.8 inches and now takes up almost the entire face of the phone, with only a very thin bezel all around.

The Galaxy S3 deviates slightly from standard Android hardware specs so far that the navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen are hard buttons rather than soft buttons, as has been the Android norm since the introduction of the version 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”.

The camera app on the Galaxy S III offers more options than the standard Android app but is still simple and easy to use. You focus by pressing the screen and you can lock focus by long pressing. The shutter button is located on the right, the control above allows you to switch between still images and video capture. On the left, there's a column of customizable menu icons that give you access to a range of camera settings.

By default, autofocus is acquired at the center of the frame, but you can tap anywhere on the screen to move it around the scene. If you press and hold, you lock focus and can then recompose the scene. The controls on the right of the screen are dominated by the large 'virtual' trigger. Unfortunately, the shutter cannot be assigned to any of the phone's physical buttons. Above you'll find the photos/video switch and at the bottom a thumbnail of the last captured image that takes you to the Gallery app when tapped.

On the left you find another array of icons. In addition to the settings icon at the bottom, these can be customized and set to any of the following functions:

Scene mode

Resolution

Auto Contrast

Exposure Compensation

White balance

Guidelines

Focus mode

ISO

self-timer

Measurement mode

The settings icon at the bottom gives you access to settings that aren't set as a shortcut and a few more options that can't be assigned to a menu button:< /p>

Image stabilization

Image quality

GPS tagging

Shutter sound

Reset

Like most latest generation smartphones these days, the Galaxy S3 has very few external controls. The power button is on the right, the volume rocker is on the left, and on the front you'll find the Home button. The other Android buttons, the Back and Multitasking buttons, are implemented as capacitive touch buttons to the left and right of the Home button. They light up when you touch them.

Samsung's excellent 4.8-inch screen is great for framing shots, but it inevitably makes the Galaxy S3 one of the biggest smartphones on the market. And while the thin tapered edges look quite stylish in combination with the size of the S III, they do make the phone a bit more "slippery" to hold as a camera than some of its rivals. If you use your Galaxy S3 a lot to take photos, we recommend using a case. It not only protects your device, but also makes it more comfortable to hold when taking photos.

The only hard button on the front is the Home button (pictured here) but to the left and right of that are the capacitive Back and Multitasking buttons that light up when you touch them.

The flash LED is located next to the camera lens and microphone on the back of the phone. It can be set to On, Off or Auto. It's not as powerful as a compact camera flash, but good enough for a close portrait or some fill light. There are also apps available to use it as a flashlight - useful when trying to find your keys at night.

The Galaxy S3 flash settings are very simple. You can turn it on, off, or set it to Auto mode and let the camera decide if it wants to use the flash. In video mode, the LED flash can be used as a permanent video light. On the S3 camera app, the LED does not provide any red-eye reduction or focus functionality, but it can be useful for non-photographic purposes. There are a variety of applications that allow you to use it as a flashlight.

From the phone's lock screen, you can directly open the camera app by tapping the camera icon and swiping across the screen. This directly opens the camera app, but from there you can continue using the phone as usual.

There are four customizable shortcut buttons on the Galaxy S3 lock screen, one of them takes you directly to the camera app. Just tap the icon and swipe anywhere on the screen.

In addition to flash options, the Galaxy S3 offers a range of shooting modes that adapt to different shooting situations. There is an HDR mode which combines three exposures automatically in the camera to increase the dynamic range of photography. Other modes include a burst mode, around 6 fps, a panorama mode, and a smile mode that automatically takes a shot when your subject smiles.