The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra provides the convenience of a compact form factor, the experience of a tablet and an array of lenses, high-resolution sensors and AI-driven software enhancements to make pro photographers shift their seats into upright position to take notice. The result is a versatile foldable mobile phone that takes travel photography to a new level eliminating the need to pack a DSLR or mirrorless camera kit that fills your entire hand luggage.
TL;DR
- HDR enhancements make it possible to capture spontaneous moments with perfectly balanced exposure, even in high-contrast scenes.
- The AI Image Signal Processor brings out micro-textures and colour tone variations instantly to make travel photos look crisp and true to life.
- AI-powered Nightography mode intelligently enhances low-light shots to keep night scenes crisp, vivid and free from noise.
- A versatile system of lenses covers you for every holiday photography situation, including an ultra wide camera for expansive landscapes or city architecture.
- Super Steady video with Horizontal Lock keeps video footage smooth, and My FanCam automatically tracks and centres moving subjects, perfect for vlogging about your trip.
HDR captures the vibrance of every scene
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra's powerful new high-dynamic range (HDR) processing helps ensure perfect exposure in high-contrast scenes like sunsets, hotel views and skylines under harsh sunlight.
Typically, scenes with a lot of contrast like bright skies over a darker landscape or portraits against a sunset lead to photos with thick shadows that lack detail or bright areas that look blown out. The HDR processing on the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s main 200MP main camera instantly captures and combines multiple photos taken at different light levels to balance these highlights and shadows.
The wide f/1.7 aperture captures lots of detail in darker areas to blend into the final image, while the processing also makes colour and tone adjustments to enhance the results, eliminating blur. This means you can take a perfectly exposed shot of a sun-scorched beach or piste, a stunning sunset framed by a hotel balcony or dark interiors at landmarks with bright windows.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s AI Image Signal Processor preserves finer details
Samsung's AI Image Signal Processor (ISP) and ProVisual Engine enhance vacation photos to make scenes look sharper and clearer, the way you actually remember them.
We’ve all had that feeling of disappointment when a photo doesn’t do justice to the landscape we see in front of us. Fine details can get lost because of zoom, low lighting or atmospheric haze. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s ISP analyses a scene in real time and combines multiple sequential shots into a more detailed image, rebuilding pixel details and boosting clarity while reducing noise.
This restores detail that might be lost in a single shot, which makes it superb for capturing interesting features in landscapes or textures in art and architecture, especially when you want to zoom in on a detail in a distant building or natural landmark.
You can also take advantage of the main camera’s huge 200MP resolution to crop in heavily for the perfect composition that highlights the detail that drew your attention. You could take a photo of exotic fruit or wildlife in a jungle canopy and crop in tightly to put the focus on the animal.
The improved ultra wide lens means stunning landscapes and city architecture shots
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s ultra wide lens fits more of a scene into the frame, allowing you to capture sweeping vistas or dramatic city architecture without having to step back or resort to complex panoramic collages.
When you’re visiting famous sites, touring an art gallery or even hiking in the great outdoors, sometimes you’re just too close to capture the immensity of a scene, and stepping backwards isn’t always an option. The old-fashioned solution was to take lots of photos and stitch them together in a panorama, but that’s time-consuming and requires a tripod or a very steady hand.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra features an ultra-wide lens with a width equivalent to a full-frame 13mm. That creates a dramatic, expansive perspective that’s excellent for architecture. Unlike with a traditional camera lens, there’s minimal barrel distortion because the AI Image Signal Processor auto-corrects and aligns the scene. An f/1.9 aperture lets in plenty of light, so the same lens can serve for interiors too, which makes it ideal for taking shots of your hotel room.
The ultra wide now has a 50-megapixel resolution, a big jump up from the 12MP sensor on previous generations, so you can also crop into photos without sacrificing clarity. If you want to get experimental, try using it for holiday portraits too. Place your subject near the centre of the frame and use the wide 120-degree field of view to create dynamic leading lines.
AI-powered Nightography captures the magic of holiday sunsets and nights out in the city
Some of the most exciting moments on a trip can happen as dusk starts to fall, from golden-hour cocktails to bustling night markets and moonlit strolls. These instants have always been challenging to capture in photography because low light can lead to blurry, noisy images that lack colour detail.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s Nightography mode builds on the phone’s wide light gathering apertures with AI processing powered by the ISP. This sharpens and enhances low-light photos (and video).
How does Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s Nightography work?
Automatic scene detection means the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s cameras will automatically detect the level of light and use Night Mode when needed. Since there’s no need to hunt through settings, you can focus on framing your shot.
The ISP’s advanced AI processing targets the patterns of each camera sensor to reduce noise while keeping details sharp and preserving the vibrance in elements like clothing, decor or colourful local food and ensuring natural skin tones for stunning night portraits.
Super Steady video with Horizontal Lock eliminates camera shake from holiday video footage
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s Super Steady video with Horizontal Lock allows you to film smooth, professional-looking holiday videos without having to check-in a gimbal on your flight.
Capturing video can preserve more of your experience, and it’s great for sharing on social media, but hand-held shots can be more nauseating than a pedalo on a stormy sea. Samsung’s AI-powered Super Steady video with Horizontal Lock can eliminate it, even if you’re on the move in transit or walking over difficult terrain.
This game-changing feature takes advantage of the phone’s ultra-wide sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer and superabundance of pixels to lock the horizon level making handheld footage look like it was shot using a gimbal. It’s so effective that you can even turn your phone 360 degrees.
How do I use Super Steady video with Horizontal Lock on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra?
Just tap the Super Steady icon (it looks like a person in motion) in the top-right corner of the camera app to turn it on. Recording will be available at up to QHD resolution at 60fps.
My FanCam makes travel blogging a breeze
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra’s My FanCam automatically tracks and centres moving subjects in video clips, allowing you to create perfectly framed videos for posting on social media.
If you’re filming a travel companion at a busy tourist site, it can be hard to keep the focus on them, and that makes it difficult to crop a video to different aspect ratios later. Editing video to manually zoom in and reposition footage is tedious, but Samsung’s new My FanCam on the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra automatically detects people, allowing you to crop to a specific subject in vertical or horizontal formats.
This could be useful for filming walk-through videos at crowded tourist spots or busy markets for social media. You can also use it to capture spontaneous action like kids running on a beach. Use a wide framing first to save time and then let AI cleanly track and reframe the movement later when you’re relaxing back at the hotel.
How My FanCam on Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra works
- Tap the stars icon when you’re viewing a video in the Gallery, and AI will scan the clip to identify people.
- Tap ‘+’ to select a person as the character to focus on
- Select from the suggested aspect ratios (9:16 is the one to choose for social media Reels).
- The tool will then automatically adjust the zoom and crop the video while keeping the subject centred and stabilised.
Whether you want to capture sweeping vistas on a trip into the wilderness or the action of a buzzing city at night, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra has the lenses and AI processing smarts to simplify and upgrade your travel photography. For the perfect setup, you can also choose the native Anti-reflecting Film to make it easier to frame shots in harsh sunlight and the Clear Case to protect the device on the road without sacrificing on looks.
If you think the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra could be the right choice to preserve your next holiday memories, visit the Samsung website to learn more.
FAQs
Can the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra replace a dedicated camera for travel photography?
Yes, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is a viable alternative to a standalone travel camera thanks to its high-resolution 200MP main camera with reliable HDR (High Dynamic Range) and a new 50MP ultra-wide camera for capturing wide landscape shots. The multiple lenses and AI-powered image processing mean that the foldable phone can capture a wide range of photographs in different travel situations, from hotel interiors to high-contrast sunsets and low-light evening meals and events.
Is the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra durable enough for travel photography?
Yes, with its solid premium Armor Aluminium frame, Flex Titanium display structure and IP48 rating for water resistance, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is well-built for travel. Its compact foldable design also fits easily into a bag or pocket, making it easier to keep safe.
What accessories are available to protect the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra during travel?
Samsung offers a range of native accessories that can add extra peace of mind when you’re travelling with your Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. The Carbon Standing Case provides additional protection from scratches and drops as well as serving as a hands-free stand for travel use, or you could opt for the Clear Magnet Case, which provides reliable protection without covering the phone’s natural design. Samsung’s Anti-reflecting Film can make it easier to operate the camera and edit images in harsh sunlight.
