Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 Camera test

We put the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 through our rigorous SBMARK Camera test suite to measure its performance in terms of photo, video and zoom quality from an end-user perspective. This article analyzes the behavior of the device in a series of tests and several common use cases and aims to highlight the most important results of our tests with an excerpt of the acquired data.

Overview

Key Camera Specifications:

• Main: 50 MP sensor, 1.0 µm pixels, 23 mm equivalent f/1.8 aperture lens, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
• Ultra-wide: 12MP sensor, 1.12µm sensor, 12mm-equivalent f/2.2 aperture lens
• Tele: 10 MP sensor, 3x optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture lens, PDAF, OIS

While the Samsung Galaxy Fold5 didn’t make it into the upper regions of the SBMARK Camera rankings, it delivered decent results in most of our test categories and was able to capture nice photos and video clips in most shooting conditions. The Galaxy Z Fold5’s camera is also a slight improvement over its predecessor the Z Fold4. Considering they both have the same camera hardware, the slightly better performance is due to improved imaging software and tuning. The high price of the Galaxy Z Fold5, however, probably makes the device more interesting for those users who appreciate the (still) innovative folding design and large display. But if the priority is camera performance, then other high-end devices with a more conventional form factor offer better value.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 performed quite well when taking photos and videos of friends and family. In portrait scenes, subject exposure was generally good, and even in difficult backlighting conditions the camera managed to maintain good contrast on the subject. Color rendition was good, with natural skin tones in both photo and video modes. Image results in bokeh mode were also natural and pretty close to what you’d expect from a DSLR and fast lens. The downside is that the camera was unable to guarantee zero shutter lag, which meant it was harder to capture the decisive moment in moving scenes than other devices in this class. Additionally, a rather shallow depth of field resulted in out-of-focus background subjects in group shots.

When shooting in low light, the Z Fold5 captured photos with good exposure in most situations. White balance and color rendition were quite neutral and pleasant, and texture levels were generally high. However, our testers observed higher noise levels than other devices in this class, and in very low light, we also noticed some underexposed subjects and autofocus issues.

Trial summary

About SBMARK Camera Tests: SBMARK camera evaluations take place in laboratories and real-world situations using a wide variety of subjects. Scores are based on objective tests whose results are calculated directly by the measurement software in our laboratory setups, and on perceptual tests where a sophisticated set of metrics allows a panel of imaging experts to compare aspects of image quality images that require human judgment. Testing a smartphone involves a team of engineers and technicians for about a week. Photo, zoom and video quality are evaluated separately and then combined into an overall score for comparing cameras on different devices. For more information on the SBMARK camera protocol, click here. More details on smartphone camera scores can be found here. The following section compiles key elements of SBMARK’s comprehensive testing and analysis. Full performance evaluations are available upon request. Please contact us to find out how to receive a full report.

In photo mode, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 performed well in most use cases. The target exposure was always accurate and the dynamic range was quite wide, capturing good highlight and shadow detail in high-contrast scenes. In terms of color, slight white balance casts were sometimes visible, but they remained within acceptable limits. Autofocus was stable and reliable in most conditions. On the downside, image noise was evident in all test conditions, with noise levels sometimes peaking in discrete areas of the frame.

Approach

Close-up is the third new use case score introduced with SBMARK Camera version 5. It evaluates the camera’s ability to capture details at subject distances smaller than 10cm and magnifications as close to 1:1 as possible.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 doesn’t come with a dedicated lens for macro photography, but the device still allowed you to capture good close-ups using the pinch-zoom method.

In our tests the exposure was good, with a fairly wide dynamic range. In some very difficult backlit scenes, you may notice highlight clipping. That said, in these backlit portraits, the overall contrast on the subject’s face remained pleasing.

The Z Fold5 provided fairly accurate white balance in most lighting conditions. However, in cloudy conditions, our testers occasionally noticed a green cast. That said, color rendition was overall nice and vivid, with natural skin tones.

Autofocus was fast and reliable enough in most situations, but the camera offered zero shutter lag, resulting in a slight delay between pressing the shutter button and image capture. Some autofocus errors were evident in low-light conditions, and compared to some competitors, the Fold5 camera’s depth of field is quite shallow, which can result in blurry background subjects in group shots.

In terms of texture, the Z Fold5 produced decent results, even in low light. Fine details were preserved well and sharpening was applied only lightly, but the Z Fold5 couldn’t match the texture performance of the Google Pixel Fold.

With high noise levels in all light conditions, the Z Fold5 left some room for improvement in this test category. Our testers also noticed local areas that exhibited higher noise levels than the rest of the chassis, at all light levels.

In terms of unwanted image artifacts in photo mode, when shooting in low light, blending artifacts were evident, as were ghosting on moving subjects in the scene.

In bokeh mode, the Z Fold5 took great portraits, with proper subject isolation, good exposure, and nice skin tones. The gradient blur on the foreground and background parts of the frame created an overall effect that approximates what you’d get from a DSLR and a fast lens. However, some depth estimation errors were also visible in our test samples.

The preview image on the device’s display wasn’t as good as that of the class-leading iPhone 14 series, but it was still pretty close to the final shot. However, our testers noticed some differences between preview and capture, especially when shooting backlit scenes. Switching to bokeh mode, depth estimation was quite similar between preview and capture.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 comes with dedicated ultra-wide and tele modules, which allow for a lot of flexibility in terms of zoom. Images captured with the ultra-wide camera offered good color rendition, accurate and stable exposure. The tele module captured good details but our testers also noticed some noise in the image, especially when taking photos in low light conditions.

Zoom video

Video footage recorded with the wide-angle or telephoto zoom applied was well exposed and had good color rendition. However, the telezoom video lacked detail.

Images captured with the ultra-wide camera showed good colors and detail, but our testers also noticed some image noise and clipping of highlights in high-contrast scenes.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5’s telephoto lens offers good exposure stability and color saturation in different lighting conditions. Additionally, the camera captured good detail at all light levels in close-up telephoto shots. However, our testers observed a clear drop in detail at medium and long ranges. Image noise was also noticeable in indoor and low-light shots.

In video mode, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 offered good overall color rendition and stable white balance. The camera also managed to keep noise levels low when recording in daylight or indoors. However, in low light, noise, including color noise, became more intrusive, color accuracy suffered, and shots were often underexposed.

Video clips captured on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 had accurate target exposure in outdoor conditions. Dynamic range was wide, but there was often information loss and clipping in the shadow areas of the frame when recording in low light.

Color rendering was pleasant in all light conditions. However, some unnatural skin tones may be observed in low light conditions.

The Z Fold5 video autofocus provided good performance in most conditions, but some instability could occasionally be noted.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 recorded good details with good texture rendering in video mode, especially in bright light. In low-light conditions, our testers observed a slight loss of detail, especially in low-contrast areas of the frame.

Video noise was generally well under control in bright light, but began to be visible as scene lighting dimmed. You may notice luminance noise on moving subjects and in shadow areas of the frame when recording in low light conditions.

The video stabilization worked effectively when holding the phone still while recording and while moving.

Common video artifacts were well under control on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, but our testers observed some aliasing and lens flare.