Will You Miss the 3x on the Wide Galaxy Z Fold 8?
Most of you have heard the news by now. There is a second Galaxy Z Fold 8 model coming, and it is a "wide" fold with a different aspect ratio. The best way to think about this device is to take a Galaxy Z Fold 7 and lop a bit off the top. It is only millimeters wider physically, but it is shorter with that wide aspect ratio.
However, looking at the leaked renders, this device only has two cameras. This follows the rumors we have heard about the upcoming foldable iPhone. Even with one less lens, people seem more excited about this wide fold than the standard Z Fold 8. The views on the wide version are nearly double the standard leaks. Maybe it is the novelty, or maybe people just cannot believe there are only two cameras.
I wanted to dig into that two camera problem. The missing lens is almost certainly the 3x telephoto. You will still have the 200 megapixel primary camera and the 50 megapixel ultrawide, but no dedicated zoom.
The 3x Telephoto Problem
I am not defending Samsung for using a tiny, poor 3x telephoto camera in their foldables. It is not good enough, and removing it altogether is also not good enough. But the current situation might not be what you think.
If you use your Galaxy Fold with basic settings and scene detection turned on, there are times you think you are using the 3x sensor when you are actually not. The phone is smart enough to know that digitally cropping the main sensor often gives you a better image than that weak telephoto lens. You can test this yourself by covering the 3x lens with your finger while switching to it. Sometimes, you will see that the image is still there because the phone stayed on the main camera.
Digital vs. Optical: The Results
When you switch to 50 megapixel mode, you might be surprised how similar a digital zoom looks to the actual 3x sensor.
Outdoor Shots: In direct comparisons of things like lampposts or tree buds, it is very hard to tell which is which. The digital crop and the optical sensor look almost identical.
Indoor/Low Light: This is where you see a difference. The optical zoom has a bit more detail on small objects, but it also has much more noise and grain.
High Res Modes: Using the 50 megapixel mode gets you about 80% of the way to the 3x sensor performance.
In principle, this is a big deal. If Samsung takes a sensor away, the device needs to be cheaper. You should have all three sensors on an expensive flagship.
But in practice, your zoom performance is going to be lackluster regardless of which Fold 8 you buy. If you prefer the wide form factor, do not fret too much about the loss of that 3x lens. It was never that great to begin with.