There is a lot to uncover from Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra launch. From the sensor sizes to the camera samples and now some interesting camera details.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an impressively capable video phone. It can record both 4K at 120fps and 8K video from its 5x zoom camera. These two capabilities alone make the Galaxy S24 Ultra one of the best phones for video. Recording 4K at 120fps isn’t meant for ultra-fast playback, but rather for ultra-smooth slow-motion. Capturing in 4K at 120fps and then slowing down the video four times and running it at 30fps. Shooting at 5x in 8K gives you a very high amount of detail at a high zoom range. You can then choose to either show a very detailed 5x video or zoom in more than 5x and still have enough detail to have 4K video.
Only a few flagships used to have those features. Sony’s Xperia 5 V and Xperia 1 V can both record 4K (21:9 3840x1644px) video at 24, 25, 30, 60 and 120 frames per second through Sony’s Cinema Pro application. Moving to the Video Pro app unlocks 4K up to 120 fps across all rear cameras on both phones.
Sony’s two pro phones may also have the upper hand when it comes to video editing software thanks to Sony’s Video Creator app (although Samsung’s Studio Video player, albeit limited to 1080p, is also great).
Then there’s the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, which also has an 8K-capable 50MP telephoto. However, keep in mind that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra can only record 8K at 24 frames per second, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra captures at a more conventional 30fps.
Sony’s two Xperias and Xiaomi’s latest Ultra can match the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s video prowess in parts, but neither has both 4K at 120fps and 8K zoom video on hand – giving Samsung’s latest Galaxy an edge.