Samsung has temporarily stopped the One UI 6.1.1 update roll-out after some users noticed "ghost shadow" and "blurry pic" issues while zooming between 16x to 19.9x.
Even though this issue won't matter for most users, the company promised to solve the problem immediately. Fortunately, you can take a temporary workaround to resolve this issue.
The Camera Problem: Smearing and Ghosting at Certain Zooms
For photo zoom fans in the new Galaxy S23 Ultra, their images taken within this 16x to 19.9x range come out seriously smeared and ghosted. It is an anomaly for any camera-centric device, especially from one of the flagship brands claiming zero compromises in image quality.
Far from being a showstopper, this bug is more disturbing as it directly interferes with the camera performance of the primary selling feature on the S23 Ultra, according to Android Authority.
Samsung has announced that they have halted the One UI 6.1.1 update for users of the S23 Ultra and are working on the fix.
Read Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Specs Leak: Full List of Alleged Specs, What's New, and More
Temporary Workaround S23 Ultra Camera Bug
Suppose you have already updated your Galaxy S23 Ultra to One UI 6.1.1, and you experience such camera issues. In that case, there are a few temporary ways with which you can solve it to enhance your pictures while waiting for the official patch.
Solution 1: Switch to Medium Quality Optimization
Sam Mobile says the ghosting and blurring issue occurs, especially when setting the camera to maximum quality optimization. If you don't want this problem to occur, you can change the setting from maximum quality optimization to medium quality optimization, as noted below:
- Launch the Camera app.
- Tap on the Settings menu.
- Tap on Intelligent Optimization.
- Tap on Medium.
This compromise may slightly fuzz the overall image quality, but it is not a drastic difference, especially within the range where ghosting and blurring happen. The solution allows you to achieve still the functionality of zooming by using the zoom option minus the ghosting and blurring.
Solution 2: Use the Samsung Expert RAW App
Another option to capture amazing photos would be using the Samsung Expert RAW app. Expert RAW gives you access to up to 20x zoom with advanced camera controls; however, it might seem very complicated for some users, so many are overwhelmed by such a menu.
If you're unfamiliar with Expert RAW, don't worry—you can use the default settings for the same picture quality as the stock camera app and avoid ghosting or blurring at the affected zoom levels. To download and start using Expert RAW, you do this:
- Open Camera.
- Swipe to the Modes section.
- Now, select Expert RAW.
Using this app, you can take high-quality photos without running into ghosting or blurring at the affected zoom levels.
Video Recording Will Not Be Affected
So, video recording enthusiasts and the worried ones about ghosting and blurring, the good news: it does not affect video. You can record videos at all zoom levels without affecting your video quality.
Fix Coming By Samsung
That would, therefore, ensure the delivery of a patch in the system of software to rectify the issue of the camera problem of Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The fix's date is still unclear, but according to expectations, it will be within the coming days before the update rolls out. Users can temporarily solve the frustrating camera problems through the solutions above.
Although this camera malfunction with Galaxy S23 Ultra following the One UI 6.1.1 update may appear as a minor issue, the tech giant takes pride in its reputation for excellence in the camera experience.
Meanwhile, users can use medium-quality optimization or manually access the Samsung Expert RAW app to capture high-quality photos until the tech company publishes the official patch.
Samsung will make the official fix for this problem public soon.
Related Article: Samsung Confirms Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for Galaxy S25 Series: What Happened to Exynos 2500?
