Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Camera Specs

At the Time, the Galaxy S21 Took Respectable Photos with Its Triple-Lens Hardware. You Have a 12Mp Main Camera, 12Mp Ultra-Wide Camera, and a Whopping 64Mp Telephoto Lens. the Main Lens Has Dual-Pixel Pdaf (Phase Detection Autofocus) and Optical Image Stabilization, the Telephoto Also Has Ois and Pdaf, Along with 1.1X Optical Zoom and 3X Hybrid Zoom, and the Ultra-Wide Camera Has a 120-Degree Field of View. You Also Have a 10Mp Selfie Camera. the Camera Setup Is Pretty Much Identical to the Galaxy S20 Before It.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Main Camera

For Most People, the Most-Used Lens on a Dual or Triple Camera System Will Be the Main, Wide Lens. Because of That, the Main Camera Is the Most Important One to Evaluate. It’s What You Use to Take Photos of Pretty Much Everything — from What You’re Eating to Nature Scenes to Portraits and More.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Wide-Angle Camera

The Wide-Angle Camera Is Great for Capturing More of a Scene in the Frame When the Main Camera Is Too Tight. It’s Also Great for Group Photos with Large Gatherings. I Don’t Shoot with Ultra-Wide Very Much, but I Gathered up Some Examples for This Camera Comparison.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Telephoto Camera

It’s Important to Remember Here That While the Galaxy S21 Has a 64Mp Telephoto Lens, It Only Has 1.1 Optical Zoom and 3X Hybrid Zoom. the Galaxy S23 Only Has a 10Mp Telephoto Lens, but It Has 3X Optical Zoom, So While the Megapixel Count Is Less, It’s Not a Digital Zoom Like the S21. for These Comparisons, I Tried Both 3X and 10X Zoom.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Night Mode

Night Mode Is a Great Way to Capture Scenes in Low-Light Environments. of Course, with Daylight Saving Time in Effect Where I Live, It’s Getting Darker Later, and I’m a Very Tired Toddler Mom Who Barely Has the Energy to Stay up at Night. So, I Just Grabbed Some Shots in My Front Yard for This Night Mode Comparison.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Portrait Mode

Portrait Mode Has Been Popular Ever Since Apple Added It to the iPhone 7, and Now Pretty Much Every Smartphone Has the Feature. with Portrait Mode, You Can Create Professional-Looking Portraits of Others by Having the Subject in Focus While Blurring out the Background with a Depth-of-Field Effect. the S21 and S23 Both Have a 1X Portrait Mode, but the S21 Also Has a 2X Mode While the S23 Only Has 3X, So It Is Zoomed in a Bit More. for This Comparison, I Used the 2X on the S21 and 3X on S23.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21: Selfie Camera

I Don’t Usually Take a Lot of Selfies When I’m Not at Disneyland, and Unfortunately, the Weather Has Been Bad Enough to Prevent Me from Going for Photos Lately. Regardless, Here Are Some I Managed to Take at the Local Park While the Sun Was Actually Out.

The Galaxy S23 Is a Big Camera Upgrade over the S21

We Stated That Anyone Who Has the Galaxy S22 Lineup May See the S23 as an Overall Iterative Upgrade, but That Isn’t the Case for Those Who Are on Older Galaxy Devices, Like the Galaxy S21. as You Can See from These Camera Tests, the S23 Is a Big Jump from the S21, and If You Care About Overall Photo Quality, You’ll Want to Upgrade.

Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21 Camera Test: Is It Really Any Better?

By James H. Sterling

• Oct 9, 2026 • 17 min read

Galaxy S23 Vs. Galaxy S21 Camera Test: Is It Really Any Better?

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

Samsung’s Latest Flagship, the Galaxy S23, Has Arrived. While the Top of the Line S23 Ultra Has a 200Mp Camera Sensor, the 50Mp Main Camera on the S23 and S23 Plus Is Nothing to Scoff At. the Entire S23 Series Also Has the Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Chipset, Long-Lasting Battery Life, and Beautiful Displays.

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.

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