Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra sports an insane 100x camera
Each winter, Samsung unveils its latest flagship smartphones at a flashy, demo-packed event. It's often quite entertaining — surprise special guests, seemingly endless demonstrations and perhaps even some sort of proof-of-concept device, like last year's $1,980 Galaxy Fold, which was clearly geared toward early adopters. This time around, the company just announced a slew of new Galaxy S20 devices, and I managed to get an up-close look.
While there were several other announcements as well, most customers will likely be interested in the following three smartphones:
- Galaxy S20: 6.2-inch screen, triple camera, 30x Space Zoom ($1,000)
- Galaxy S20+: 6.7-inch screen, quad camera, 30x Space Zoom ($1,200)
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: 6.9-inch screen, quad camera, 100x Space Zoom ($1,400)
I got a look at all three models — they're lined up for a size comparison just below.
It's easy to get caught up in all of the specifications — there are a lot to share, from the (almost) bezel-less screens to the 5G connectivity available with all three models — so I'm going to focus on the feature that I'm most excited about as a traveler: the camera(s). You'll end up with an ultra-wide, wide-angle and telephoto camera at the very least, though the resolution and other capabilities do vary quite a bit.
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Each model has a slightly different lineup. Here's how they break down:
- Galaxy S20: 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide; 12MP, f/1.8 wide; 64MP, f/2.0 telephoto
- Galaxy S20+: 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide; 12MP, f/1.8 wide; 64MP, f/2.0 telephoto
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide; 108MP, f/1.8 wide; 48MP, f/3.5 telephoto
The latter two offer a special "Depth Vision" camera, which helps with things like live focus, while the feature-packed Ultra model adds a crazy 100x "Space Zoom." I've never used a 100x lens before, and while it does take some getting used to, it could come in handy when you want to, say, snap a tight shot from the nosebleed section at a sporting event, or capture a detailed photo of the Eiffel Tower from your Airbnb balcony across town.
The Ultra offers a 4x optical zoom that also functions as a "lossless" 10x zoom, by utilizing only a portion of the sensor. You'll be venturing far into digital zoom territory by the time you approach 100x, but the sample shots I managed to capture (but can't yet share) looked impressively sharp on the device's 6.9-inch screen.
All three also include an f/2.2 "'selfie" cam, rated at 10MP for the S20 and S20+, and 40 megapixels for the Ultra, and they can capture video content at a variety of resolutions, all the way up to 8K.
Finally, all three models offer a mode called "Single Take," which I think could be great for travelers as well.
That option lets you snap a variety of photos and video clips all at once, so you don't need to switch between different options if you aren't yet sure what you're hoping to capture. You can then choose to save select photos or videos, or keep them all.
Pre-orders begin Feb. 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, with devices shipping beginning on March 6. Certain carriers may offer special pricing — Verizon's lower-cost Visible subsidiary shared pricing of $984 for the S20 and $1,176 for the S20+, for example — but you can generally expect to pay about $1,000 for the base S20, $1,200 for the S20+ and $1,400 for the base S20 Ultra. Customers may also be eligible for a pre-order credit of up to $200 and a trade-in credit of up to $700.
More at TPG: Exciting new airline routes from January 2020 and beyond
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3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees