Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 release is just around the corner. The new foldable phone is going to be revealed at the company’s Unpacked event on August 11. The phone should have major improvements in terms of its design, screen, battery life, and performance.
But what about the cameras? The predecessor of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Z Fold 2, had a camera system that lagged behind the likes of the iPhone 11 Pro and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Is the new Galaxy Z Fold 3 going to change that? Let’s take a look at what we know so far.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 camera upgrades: What to expect
At first, we expected that the upcoming foldable phone would implement the triple-camera system found in the Galaxy S21. This seemed like the logical Samsung choice, as its 2021 entry-level S series phone has some pretty good and modern cameras. And while we would love to see the cameras of the Galaxy S21 Ultra make their way into the Galaxy Z Fold 3, this would’ve made the foldable device even more expensive than before, which is why the regular Galaxy S21 camera system seems like a nice compromise. But recent reports stated that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will keep its camera system relatively unchanged compared to its predecessor. Last year’s Z Fold phone had a similar setup to the Galaxy S20, minus its big 64MP telephoto sensor.
Does this mean that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will struggle camera-wise? Not necessarily. See, Samsung has always been great at delivering excellent cameras, and this was the case with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 as well. While it is a little bit disappointing that the next generation Z Fold won’t have any significant camera upgrades, it will still have a decent camera system. And don’t forget that not everything is about camera sensors. Improvements in the camera department can also be accomplished by having new processing power and software.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 press renders of the silver version
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 camera upgrades: Specs
According to all the information reported, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will have a triple-camera system with a new camera module design. Here are the details about each camera:
- Main camera: 12MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel technology, OIS, 1.8µm pixel size
- Ultrawide camera: 12MP sensor with 123˚ field of view and an f/2.2 aperture, 1.12µm pixel size
- Telephoto camera: 12MP sensor with 2x zoom, OIS, f/2.4 aperture, 1.0µm pixel size
- Front camera (inner display): 4MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture
- Front camera (outer display): 10MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture
As you can see, these sensors are the same ones that we saw on the previous Galaxy Z Fold 2. Like we mentioned before, these are still pretty good cameras, and they will probably be on par with the likes of the Galaxy A72, the OnePlus 9, and the iPhone 11. The only camera upgrade we see is the telephoto sensor having OIS. But keep in mind that in the end, this sensor might still lack optical image stabilization, so take this with a grain of salt.
The design of the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s camera module will be on par with other 2021 Samsung devices
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 under-display camera: Taking a risk?
There has been much speculation about the Galaxy Z Fold 3 introducing the first under-display camera on a Samsung device. According to previous reports, the new selfie camera will be under the folding display, positioned in the same location as the punch-hole unit used in the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
Putting your first under-display camera in a device that you hope to be a success is risky, to say the least, but Samsung is known for being adventurous in order to push innovation forward. Previous leaks stated that this camera will be a 4MP sensor put under the foldable panel, but they also suggest that while the picture quality will be decent, this technology will have a glaring problem.
A render of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and its under-panel camera placement
Samsung will not be the first company to use an under-display selfie camera in a production device. ZTE has already done that a couple of times in its recent phones, though its technology is still struggling to produce good enough pictures.
As for the front camera on the outer display, just like the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s back cameras, it will probably be the same sensor as the one used in its predecessor. If so, it will be a 10MP punch-hole unit located in the middle with an f/2.2 aperture. This sensor was present in plenty of 2020 Samsung devices and it has proven itself to be able to produce quality selfies.
