Notebookcheck Logo

Galaxy Note20 Ultra: Does the new lens make it the zoom master?

The Note20 Ultra now has a 5x optical zoom.
The Note20 Ultra now has a 5x optical zoom.
While the Galaxy S20 Ultra still relied on a hybrid optical zoom, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra now has real optical magnification on board. Our short comparison will reveal how big the differences are next to the competition and whether it offers enough to be on par with Huawei.

Unlike the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Note20 Ultra uses a true 5x optical zoom as the basis for magnification. The data from the main sensor and the periscope zoom is combined to achieve the clearest possible magnification. In addition to electronic image stabilizers, the two OIS also ensure a fairly steady hand at longer focal lengths. A maximum digital magnification of 50x is possible. 

In a short comparison, we let the Galaxy Note20 Ultra compete against the Huawei P40 Pro+ camera king, the iPhone 11 Pro, and its predecessor, the Note10+. In any case, only the P40 Pro can compete in this comparison field when it comes to magnification beyond 10x.

Even at a 5x zoom, the Note10+ and the iPhone already begin to show their weaknesses; the two devices with the better zoom solutions are immediately noticeable here, and the Note20 Ultra shows the highest level of detail in both the observation-tower subject and the castle.

Galaxy Note10+
Galaxy Note10+
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro
Huawei P40 Pro+
Huawei P40 Pro+
Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Galaxy Note10+
iPhone 11 Pro
Huawei P40 Pro+
Galaxy Note20 Ultra

5x zoom

The 10x magnification also paints a similar picture, with the iPhone sitting in last place and showing strong fragments. In addition, the Huawei smartphone shows a visible red tint.

Galaxy Note10+
Galaxy Note10+
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro
P40 Pro+
P40 Pro+
Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Galaxy Note20 Ultra

10x zoom

No photo looks good anymore at this zoom level. However, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra convinces with better color reproduction and more plasticity.

P40 Pro+
P40 Pro+
Galaxy Note20 Ultra
Galaxy Note20 Ultra
P40 Pro+
Galaxy Note20 Ultra

50x zoom

The Galaxy Note20 Ultra beats them all

Well done, Samsung. The Koreans have done a great job in reworking the zoom, and at every zoom level, they show better image performance than the super-strong competition from Huawei. However, the P40 Pro+ still has a little more zoom capacity up its sleeve, and we also liked it better when it came to stabilizing long focal lengths.

Read all 1 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Galaxy Note20 Ultra: Does the new lens make it the zoom master?
Daniel Schmidt, 2020-09- 8 (Update: 2020-09- 7)