But if you look closely at the actual pixel size, there is clear loss in sharpness and visible noise artefacts. It is up to the rest of the pack to rise up to the challenge.įor social media channels, this 10x shot by iPhone 13 Pro Max would have been sufficient for casual social media use, apart from being slightly overexposed. That said, other contenders are likely to use a mix of cameras to achieve the 10x zoom level required of this test, and so it falls upon their software and camera prowess to deliver.

We also expect the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra to have an upper hand, since it's the only contender here with 10x optical zoom capability (with theoretically better image quality). On the other hand, zoom levels beyond 10x still don't offer elegant social media-ready shots, with significant noise and software compensation.

For shorter zoom ranges, it's likely that users would opt to reposition themselves to get the main camera working instead. We chose 10x zoom because we want to test the smartphone's telephoto camera zoom capabilities at a practical level. Things that we will be looking out for include details resolved of the Waterhen's feathers, the overall sharpness and exposure handling. This is a difficult shot, so it can be considered a bonus if the smartphone can pull it off. We will be using the 10x zoom option for each smartphone to do so. Here, we will be photographing a White-breasted Waterhen swimming in a pond at Singapore Botanical Gardens. The common belief is you need a proper camera setup, be it a mirrorless camera or DSLR with a whopping 400mm or 600mm telephoto lens. Wildlife is one field of photography that continues to elude the smartphone camera. Note: All images were judged on a colour-calibrated screen and as such, if our commentary doesn't quite equate to what you're viewing onscreen, there's a high chance you would need to have your screen(s) calibrated or re-calibrated, which could easily make up for the difference perceived.

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