The Sony ZV-1F is designed for anyone who wants to create quality video content, but doesn’t perhaps have the most advanced camera knowledge. It’s neat, fits easily into a pocket, and offers great 4K video footage, making it a brilliant choice for beginner vloggers.
It’s ideal for anyone wanting to move away from shooting video on their smartphone, and will absolutely hold its own if you’re wanting to make the move into videography to upload to YouTube or social media.
Canon EOS R6 II specs
Sensor: 20.1 Megapixel 1" CMOS AF points: 4,897 point Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 100% coverage Video: UHD 4K at 24, 25, 29.97 FPS, HD at 24, 25, , 29.97, 50, 59.94, 100 LCD: 3-inch LCD vari-angle touchscreen, 921,600 Dot Memory card: Single Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC Max Burst: Up to 16 fps Connectivity: Micro-HDMI Output, 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Input, USB-C Input, USB-C (USB 2.0) Data Output (Shared with Power Input), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Size: 105.5 × 60 × 46.4mm Weight: 256 grams (Battery and Memory Card)
You can adjust the settings on this camera as little or as much as you’d like; you’ll get fantastic results either way. It features Intelligent Auto modes, which read the scene you’re shooting and makes the decisions for you like how bright the picture is, or you can set it to manual mode where you have control of all the settings and exposure levels.
Photography is possible, but it plays second fiddle to video. If you do want to delve into the menus and you’re new to Sony, be warned that its cameras take getting used to; many users can be overwhelmed and confused by the dense menus. Much of the time it's easier just to set the custom buttons to what you want, then stay out of the menus as much as possible.
(Image credit: Future)
Other than that this is an incredibly intuitive little camera. It will turn on as soon as you flip the screen open, making it very quick and easy to get recording, and it has three main modes – video, S&Q (Sony’s ‘slow’ and ‘quick’ in-camera modes for videos such as timelapses and slow motion), and photo — all accessible with just the press of a single button on the top of the body.
Image stabilization is super impressive, while the face and eye tracking is second to none, as is standard for Sony cameras.
Sony claims you can easily transfer all your images and videos over to your smartphone or computer using its Imaging Edge smartphone app – but anyone who's actually used this app will tell you it’s… not great. If Sony could put as much effort into its app as it does in its cameras and autofocus, then it would make sharing your images an awful lot easier.
This is definitely a camera for vloggers rather than photographers, though, as it doesn't have raw capture capabilities. Also, its lens isn't interchangeable, and while the 20mm lens is decent for video, it limits your photography options somewhat.
(Image credit: Future)
Sony ZV-1F: release date and price
Benefits from optional accessories like the GP-VP2BT grip
Cheaper in the US
Accessory bundles not available in all regions
The Sony ZV-1F was released on October 17 2022, and you can buy it now for £550 / $499 / AU$845.
An accessory and travel bundle that includes memory cards, a flexible tripod, a pouch to keep your camera safe and dust free, and cleaning supplies is available on Amazon US priced at $598, but it didn’t appear to be available in the UK or Australia at the time of writing.
The handling of a vlogging camera like the Sony ZV-1F is enhanced with optional accessories like the GP-VP2BT grip (£170 / $139.99 / AU$249), which gives more stability when vlogging. This grip can be used both as an extension of your arm and as a mini tripod.
Price Score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Sony ZV-1F: design
Small and lightweight at just 256 grams
Optimized for auto rather than manual shooting
You’ll likely need to use a grip if you don’t have small hands
The Sony ZV-1F probably isn’t going to be the best-designed camera you’ve ever come across, but it does have some great features which lend themselves to the types of shooting you’d likely be doing with this camera.
Part of the beauty of the Sony ZV-1F is its small size — it weighs just 256 grams and measures 10.5 x 6 x 4.6cm, making it incredibly easy to travel with, or to just stick it in your pocket when you’re out and about and want to access it quickly.
That said, while nobody wants to lug a heavy camera around all day, its small size could be a disadvantage, depending on the user. It’s a tiny little camera, and it doesn’t have the biggest front grip, meaning it could be fiddly to hold onto if you don’t have small hands. You can alleviate this potential issue by using it with the aforementioned GP-VPT2BT grip, however, that does involve spending more money.
(Image credit: Future)
The Sony ZV-1F has been built with partly recycled plastic material as part of Sony’s Road to Zero environmental plan, and the fibers of the windscreen are made exclusively from recycled polyester.
It’s designed to be dust-proof and moisture-resistant, but it isn’t weather sealed. This does make it a less than ideal proposition for traveling as, obviously, you can’t control the weather, but – unless you’re a storm chaser – you probably won’t be using it much in wetter weather anyway, so it’s not a huge deal breaker for us. Additionally, if you’re looking at this camera after handling some top-of-the-line stills cameras, it’s going to feel plasticky and flimsy in comparison.
On the top of the camera is a button to switch between photo, video, and S&Q shooting modes, a video record button and a camera shutter button with a zoom toggle, and a Background Defocus button (great for showcasing products). On the back of the camera body there are the standard function, menu, playback and delete buttons, along with a control wheel via which you can access the ISO, timer, drive modes and exposure compensation — although these can all be reprogrammed to perform other functions.
Design 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Sony ZV-1F: features and performance
Decent eye and face tracking for humans and animals
Versatile touch-screen
Impressive SteadyShot
For such a small camera, the Sony ZV-1F can actually do quite a lot once you delve into its settings and features. Although the Intelligent Auto mode works a treat, you can also shoot fully in manual if you want to, as well as in Aperture and Shutter Priority, plus a few other modes.
There’s also a Background Clear/Defocus button on the top of the camera, which is great for showcasing products or focusing on a certain person in your shot. In photography terms, this is basically a quick and easy way to change your aperture to create a nice bokeh effect. You can also change the aperture manually when the camera is in the right shooting mode, with the available range running from f/2 to f/8.
When I was out reviewing this camera, I was very impressed and pleasantly surprised with how effective SteadyShot is, particularly when shooting video. When I looked back at the footage it was obvious that I was walking around with the camera, but those movements didn’t ruin the footage and overall it did seem very smooth. Matters would be improved even further if you were to use the camera with a gimbal.
(Image credit: Future)
I’m primarily a stills photographer with little video experience, so I’m very much in the target audience for the ZV-1F. At a Christmas market, I found it’s quick to take out when needed, and switches on as soon as you flip the screen out, so I was able to start shooting almost instantly.
One frustration every photographer is familiar with: you see something happen that you want to capture, but by the time you’ve got your camera out of your bag, done the bag up again, turned the camera on and selected the right settings, the moment you wanted to shoot is long gone; so this was a nice change. I’m also quite a clunky walker, and I noticed just how good SteadyShot was when the video footage wasn’t going all over the place.
Even in the dark, Sony’s incredible autofocus was brilliant. One odd limitation of this camera is that it uses an older contrast-detection system, rather a hybrid setup that includes both contrast- and phase-detect technology, which makes it slightly less reliable than its predecessor.
Having said that, when I was walking around the market I noticed the AF automatically recognizing and tracking people’s faces as they walked across the frame, even when they weren’t looking directly at the camera. There’s animal recognition too, although when I tested this on a couple of camera-shy black cats it didn’t seem to detect and track their faces unless I focused myself by tapping on the screen, so it seems that its effectiveness depends on the lighting, and the color of the animal you’re working with.
Features and performance 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Sony ZV-1F: image and video quality
Better suited for daytime or well-lit shooting
Can only shoot JPEG images
Good audio, but you’ll need an external mic for the best results
While it’s not the most powerful, all-singing all-dancing camera in the world, the Sony ZV-1F does actually produce great image and video quality. It has a 1-inch sensor with 20.1MP resolution which isn’t bad at all, and can record 4K video and slow motion in Full HD with its wide and sharp 20mm lens.
We found that the ZV-1F performed better during the day than in lower-light situations, so that’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning on shooting content at night. Looking at the footage we shot of a Christmas market, overall the camera handled the contrasting light levels pretty well.
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
You can see in our sample images and videos that well-lit subjects and scenes were captured very well, although with the occasional blown highlights; the darker skies had noticeable noise and grain - something we’d expect from a 1-inch sensor.
The ZV-1F is designed to capture your voice clearly, whether you’re shooting inside or outdoors. It’s perfect for recording dialogue, as it features a built-in directional three-capsule microphone. It also comes with a windscreen to eliminate any muffling from winds, which can make or break a video. We found the sound was captured very well for casual day-to-day vlogging, but for anything more professional you’ll definitely need an external mic for better audio quality.
Another thing worth noting is that when it comes to photography, this camera can only shoot JPEGs. While the images that came out of it were very good, you don’t have as much detail, or editing headroom, as you get with raw files. That said, if you just want to snap quick images that you can upload quickly with little or no editing, this camera will be absolutely fine.
Image and video quality 3.5/5
Should I buy the Sony ZV-1F?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
If our Sony ZV-1F review has you wondering about alternatives, here are three rivals to consider:
This week was pretty quiet, save for the Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday – there were a few other launches, but most companies gave Samsung a wide berth. So, of course, this week’s deals post features the new Galaxy S23 series (and we have a special deal for US buyers), but we found solid discounts on plenty of 2022 phones as well.
Use the links below to jump to your region:
USA
The UK
Germany
India
USA
Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 series this week and started taking pre-orders, shipping is scheduled for a couple of weeks from now (though some might...
Seen in a vacuum, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is an excellent, near-perfectly proportioned Android handset that meets or exceeds expectation.
The mobile phone market, though, is not a vacuum, and the Galaxy S23 is inevitably judged against all the best smartphones, including its own stellar sibling, the big and bold Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and its nearest Apple competitor, the iPhone 14 Pro.
In that light, Samsung's latest flagship acquits itself nicely, with an excellent camera array, the most powerful Qualcomm SoC yet, a gorgeous screen and a multitude of other capabilities. But it does not outshine the S23 Ultra or the iPhone 14 Pro. In some instances, I found the S23 equal to anything Apple threw at it. In others, I wondered why the Galaxy S23 was – leaving aside the refined design – so similar to the Galaxy S22 and lacking compared to the beast-like Galaxy S23 Ultra.
At the very least, Samsung could've equipped the Galaxy S23 with last year's S22 Ultra 108MP main camera sensor. Instead, it chose to leave the cameras (save the selfie cam) untouched. Don't get me wrong, the S23 takes lovely photos but Samsung could've left the battery life untouched (200mAh more is not that exciting), added a 10MP periscope zoom, and radically improved the handset's Space Zoom capabilities too.
Naturally, it's hard to recommend that someone who owns the still-stellar Samsung Galaxy S22 upgrade to the S23, because it's not much of an upgrade. That said, newcomers to Samsung or the Android space (as well as users of much older Galaxy S models) will be hard-pressed to find a better mix of design, size, power, utility, communication, battery life and photographic performance.
6.1 inches turns out to be a lovely mid-spot for most hands and makes you wonder why the 6.7-inch S23 Plus – which offers only a bigger battery and larger heat-damping vapor chamber – exists. For comparison's sake, though, I suggest you read our early, hands-on Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus review and Alex Todd-Walker's extensive Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review.
Whichever S23 handset you choose, you'll get the same performance, powered by the new Qualcomm 'Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy'. GeekBench 5 tests put the mobile SoC within shooting distance of Apple's industry-leading A16 Bionic but the reality is that numbers do not tell the full story. There's scarcely a place where the Galaxy S23 can't hold its own against an iPhone 14 Pro.
The phone's cameras can shoot up to 3x optical zoom and image-processor-enhanced 30x Space Zoom. It can also shoot 8K video, that you can do light editing on in the phone's camera app. It's an able gaming system, content consumption, and productivity handset, with solid 5G support thanks to – in my case – the T-Mobile network.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
If you liked the camera array on the S22, you'll be similarly pleased with the Galaxy S23. It's just as good as the former, but with the added benefit of better image processing and new Camera app tricks for night and astrophotography.
At least the front-facing camera got a nice 2MP bump to 12MP and takes some impressive standard and portrait selfie photos.
The flat 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O FHD+ display (which has a perfectly round hole-punch at the top, center for the selfie camera) is, mostly, a replica of the S22's but with improved variable refresh rates of between 48Hz and 120Hz, and a new Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covering on the front (the brushed glass on the back is made of the same material).
Aside from the redesigned back that loses the awkward, raised contour around the cameras, the dimensions are virtually unchanged from the Galaxy S22. It still feels solid and comfortable to hold. I like the brushed glass back because it makes the handset feel a little less slip-prone. As before, the phone is IP68 rated for dust protection and drops in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
This is unquestionably one of the best smartphones of 2023, but it still might not offer enough reasons to upgrade from your also-excellent Galaxy S22.
Samsung Galaxy S23 review: Price and availability
Starts at $799.99 / £849 / AU$1,349
Holds the line on pricing in US, which is a good thing
Price ticked up elsewhere, which is a bad thing
Price will not be a driving factor for upgrades
Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy S23 (along with the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra) on February 1. It was made available for pre-order on the same day and shipped as of February 17. You'll find the best prices and offers in our Galaxy S23 deals roundup.
At $799.99, pricing on the Galaxy S23 remains unchanged since last year, but only in the US, with Australia seeing a AU$10 price hike across both models, while UK consumers are harder-hit by an £80 price jump YoY for both the 128GB and 256GB builds.
On the one hand, I give Samsung credit for super-charging the CPU, refining the design, enlarging the battery, and updating that selfie camera without a big price hike. Still, this isn't a major handset overhaul, so I'd expect no less. As for why the phone is more expensive elsewhere, there may be other global economic factors at play.
The one reason you might choose to spend more is if you want the bigger screen and heftier base storage (256GB as opposed to 128GB) of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus, which starts at $999 / £1,049. The ultimate upgrade in this line, though, is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra ($1,199 / £1,249); with a 200MP camera, 100x Space Zoom, a huge battery, and the included S Pen stylus. Also worth noting is that the Galaxy 23 comes in at $200 less than the iPhone 14 Pro. It's priced similarly to the iPhone 14 but the spec comparison really goes toward the Pro.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 comes in two storage variations, 128GB and 256GB, both have 8GM of RAM.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Samsung Galaxy S23 review: Design
The contour is gone and a cleaner look is in
Excellent look, feel and materials
Nice Gorilla Glass Victus 2 updated protection
It's remarkable how much you can change the look of a smartphone by subtraction.
Samsung didn't redesign its Galaxy S phones. Instead, on the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, it milled away the raised contour metal surrounding the phone's three cameras. It's a cleaner and more appealing look, though it almost makes the Galaxy S23 look a little bit more like a legion of other Android smartphones and, yes, the iPhone 14 line. Meanwhile, the slightly curved stainless-steel-looking aluminum band gives the phone a hint of retro aesthetic that harkens back to the Galaxy series' humble beginnings.
That chiseling away of the contour also makes the Galaxy S23 cameras look larger, but they're not. These lenses are the same size as last year.
It is a beautifully crafted, IP68-rated (1.5M of water for 30 minutes) device featuring premium materials from the brushed Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back to the glossy version of that material covering the 6.1-inch edge-to-edge screen.
Samsung adjusted the position of some of the antennas and the buttons, as well, though you may not notice the difference. There's still a razor-thin speaker slot at the top edge of the screen, and a speaker grill along the bottom edge. The Samsung Galaxy S23 line offers eSIM support but they all still feature a physical SIM slot, as well. As with the last few generations, there's also no 3.5mm jack. During my tests, I paired the phone with a nice set of Bluetooth Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
At 70.86 x 146.3 x 7.62 mm, the Galaxy S23 is essentially the same size and weight (168g) as before. I've come to believe that this is the sweet spot of phone sizes. It basically matches my Apple iPhone 14 Pro and, like that handset, is a perfect fit for my average-sized hands. The S23 Plus and, especially that powerful S23 Ultra, are unwieldy for my hands and jean pockets.
It's also worth mentioning here that while the phone ships with a USB-C charging and data cable, the charging adapter is sold separately. The S23 does support fast wired charging (so you might want to invest in a 25W charger) but not Super Fast Wired Charging, as found in the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra, which both top out at 45W.
My test unit is in Cream (probably not my first choice) but you can choose from Green, Phantom Black, or Lavender finishes. There are some additional color options available only through Samsung.com that include Lime and Graphite.
Sustainability
For the first time, some external portions of the device are made, in part, from recycled materials, including the volume and power buttons and the aforementioned speaker grill at the very top of the display. In addition, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 includes some recycled glass and some of the phone's packaging is made from recycled materials. Even the plastic cover you'll peel off the screen is partially recycled.
Design score 4 / 5
Samsung Galaxy S23 review: Display
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Sharp and colorful
Smooth motion thanks to the high refresh rate
Bright enough for good visibility in sunlight
Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O FHD+ display is essentially unchanged from Galaxy S22. Because it squeezes the same number of pixels into a tighter space, the Galaxy S23 does beat its big sister – the S23 Plus – on pixels per inch: 425ppi vs 393ppi. It's a lovely display with 1,750 nits of sunlight-beating brightness. I enjoyed using it indoors and out.
The dynamic refresh rate ranges from 48Hz to 120Hz (choose the pricier S23 Ultra and it can stop down all the way to a battery-sipping 1Hz). In most instances, though, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a step behind Apple's iPhone 14 Pro, which offers a higher screen resolution (2556x1179), better pixel density (460ppi), and a wider adaptive refresh rate range (1Hz to 120Hz). On the other hand, even in side-by-side tests, it's hard to notice much of a difference.
Everything from photos and videos, to apps and games look great on the S23's screen and the 120Hz refresh rate means games look and feel smooth and ultra-responsive. I turned off the automatic adaptive refresh, which, at a fixed 60Hz, the phone says can save on battery life (which our tests bear out), and noticed the difference. Scrolling text on a long web page might look like it's skipping frames as you swipe up to down and games look just a little less fluid at 60Hz. Again, not a major difference but if you end up wanting a little more play, viewing, and usage time, stopping down the refresh rate is a clear and not-at-all painful path.
Samsung Galaxy S23 display at angle is still visible outdoors. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
A new Advanced Vision Booster automatically adjusts the screen for optimal color accuracy and contrast against certain ambient lighting conditions (three, to be exact). It's the kind of feature that, when it works well, you hardly notice it.
Naturally, there's a Dark Mode that, in supporting apps, looks really sharp. I'm beginning to think I prefer it over the standard mode and, with less light pushing through the screen, I might save some battery too.
Samsung left its rear camera array virtually unchanged from the S22. In Samsung's defense, they didn't mess with a good thing, on the other hand, I'm frustrated that Samsung didn't at least take the 108MP sensor from the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and migrate it down to the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus.
Virtually all photography improvements can be credited to the image processing on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy and most of them revolve around low-light performance.
The three main rear cameras are:
50MP f1.8 main w/ OIS and 85-degree FoV
12MP, f2.2 ultrawide w/ 120-degree FoV
10MP f2.4 telephoto (3x) w/ OIS and 36-degree FoV
These are three excellent sensors that take photos that stand toe-to-toe with the best Apple can offer from its iPhone 14 line. But I do have some quibbles.
Samsung still defaults to an over-vibrant view of the world. Blues are bluer, greens are brighter and generally, everything 'pops' with accentuated contrast. From one point of view, this makes for some truly excellent images straight out the camera, but they can't escape the fact that they are not a perfect representation of the real world. Side-by-side with iPhone 14 Pro photos of the same subject, and I see a more detailed and realistic image in the latter.
This backlit picture of my philodendron is a perfect example. One could argue that either photo taken with each phone's telephoto lens is excellent. In fact, the S23's image might be more pleasing, but if you look at the leaves you'll notice that some of the plant's cellular detail is lost and the color is more uniformly green. Even the sky outside through the window and screen is bluer than it should be.
The results are the same with the main 50MP lens, which defaults to a 4-in-1 pixel binning system, meaning each 'pixel' in the final image was actually rendered using the information of four. In these photos of my orchid, Samsung's Galaxy S23 favors a vibrant purple over the exquisite detail captured in the iPhone 14 Pro shot. Yes, the latter is duller but it's also truer to the real hue of the plant.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with Samsung Galaxy S23 cameras and I'm certain that you will look at every image and proclaim it "lovely." Some of them, though, don't hold it up against what you can get from an iPhone 14, especially when it comes to authenticity.
Where the S23 lineup starts to run circles around the iPhone is in zoom capabilities. The S23 tops out at 3x optical zoom (10MP) but it also has AI-assisted Space Zoom that, in increments of 10x, goes up to 30X. Despite those not being optical, the digitally-enhanced zoom far outstrips what you can get by digitally zooming up to 15x on the iPhone 14 Pro.
There's a lot of image processing trickery that goes on here to bring you pretty darn good 30x moon shots and I often wonder how much of the final result is AI filling in the gaps, but there's also nothing else quite like it in the smartphone photography space, currently. Of course, the S23 Ultra's 100x Space Zoom is where the real excitement is, if you're willing to pay at least $1,199 / £1,249 / AU$1,949 and across the pond companies like Xiaomi have been bold enough to challenge Samsung's Ultra, but generally the alternatives are sparse, when comparing the zoom abilities across the entire S23 range.
One other thing that the Galaxy S23 does exceedingly well is optical and electronic image stabilization. You'd be hard-pressed to capture anything usable at 30x, without that assistance.
The 12MP ultrawide (with its 120-degree field of view) does a nice job, though I think it's time for Samsung to put a 48MP or above sensor behind it to maintain some of the detail on these super-wide shots; it's stuck with what is thought to be the same 12MP sensor for more than a couple of generations at this point.
I was especially impressed with Portrait mode photography from both the rear main camera and the S23's new 12MP selfie camera. Both lenses did an excellent job of separating the right elements from the background. You can adjust the level of blur effect either before you shoot or after. Thanks to improved low-light performance, illumination-challenged portrait mode shots also look better, though you will notice the graininess if you zoom in on the photos.
As I mentioned, the Galaxy S23 is a more effective low-light and nighttime photographer, this year. I took pictures in a wide range of lighting conditions and was invariably pleased with the results.
For my money, though, the somewhat inaccurately named astrophotography mode is the real highlight. I created a series of nighttime sky sequences that show stars, planes, satellites, and cloud cover streaking across the night sky. To do so, you have to use the Hyperlapse setting under "More" in the camera app. This is where you find things like slow motion, pro photography controls, Expert RAW photography (if you want to edit 50MP images in, say Adobe Lightroom), still night photography for a shot of the stars, portrait video (like Apple's Cinematic Video), and panoramic shots.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
After selecting 300x – which is the right speed, according to Samsung, for recording the movement of the stars – and a tiny "Star Trails" icon, I set the phone on a tripod for between two and four hours to capture 14 seconds of timelapse video. Still, the results are pretty stunning, for a smartphone camera.
Overall, this is a tremendously versatile camera system, capable of shooting in most lighting conditions. On the video front, it supports shooing up to 8K 30fps video (which looks smooth but is not always editable in third-party apps) and the Super Steady video mode is an able competitor to the iPhone 14's Action Mode. Holding both phones, I ran around my backyard to see just how much jiggle each phone's digital Steadicam mode could remove. They both did a decent – though imperfect – job of removing the major bumps.
Image 1 of 17
Shot with Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultrawide camera (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Image 2 of 17
Shot with Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultrawide camera (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The Samsung Galaxy S23 series all run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy; a custom and slightly faster (overclocked to 3.36GHz) version of the standard mobile CPU found in phones like the OnePlus 11.
Geekbench 5 scores handily beat those of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, with OpenCL scores taking a massive leap. While the graphics scores are more easily comparable across platforms, the Galaxy S23's single and multicore scores still lag behind those of the iPhone 14 Pro's A16 Bionic, however. Still, Qualcomm is closing the gap. It doesn't hurt that Samsung backs its bespoke Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8GB of RAM (faster and more power efficient LPDDR5X RAM, compared to the iPhone 14 Pro's reported 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM).
In our lab tests, the Qualcomm chip appears to have as much headroom as the A16 Bionic, maxing out many of our Adobe Premiere Rush tests. In the Extreme rendering, the times and overall scores were just a tick behind the A16 Bionic.
Storage-wise, the Galaxy S23 starts with 128GB. If you demand more space up front, you might want to look to the S23 Plus or S23 Ultra, both of which start at 256GB.
It's also worth noting for users in markets less fortunate than the US, that there's no longer a discrepancy in silicon; with every S23 worldwide running on Qualcomm hardware, rather than a split of Snapdragon and (consistently inferior) Samsung Exynos, that varied region to region.
The Galaxy S23 offers a decent stereo sound that's sharp, clear, and, naturally, lacking in any real bass. Samsung oddly hides its Dolby Atmos capabilities under settings, but you'll want to turn them on if you plan on using those speakers to watch a supporting film. I wouldn't call the audio quite surround, but it's good. Overall, though, I prefer connecting the phone, which has no audio jack, to a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which provides excellent audio and noise cancellation.
My Galaxy S23 connected to T-Mobile's excellent 5GUC network, which afforded me a consistent connection in most scenarios. I was able to download apps, stream HD-quality Netflix during my commute, and send media-filled texts to my friends. I also used the phone as a personal hotspot and got quite a bit of commute work done as a result. At home, I had no trouble connecting to my 5GHz Wi-Fi network. Sadly, I don't have access to a WiFi 6E network to test the S23's bleeding-edge WiFi capabilities.
For now, Samsung does not stand on equal footing with Apple when it comes to Satellite connectivity. The latter launched Emergency SOS via Satellite with the iPhone 14 line and Qualcomm showed how a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-equipped demo device could send and receive texts over satellite at CES 2023. Both the S23 and S23 Plus pair the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with the X70 5G modem, the same one Qualcomm told me is capable of satellite communications but the capability is not enabled and there is no timeline for turning it on.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Performance score: 4.5 / 5
Samsung Galaxy S23 review: Software
By now, I'm used to – and comfortable with – Samsung's One UI overlay. I still avoid most of its homegrown apps, including the browser, but I do now use the Gallery app and, of course, the deep and versatile Camera app. I tried using Samsung's own messaging app but gave up when it wouldn't message more than two images at a time. Google's messaging app, on the other hand, had no such limitation. I used that from then on.
There are some notable updates like Samsung Notes (co-create features), co-watching in Google Meet, and enhanced security features. The latter adds the ability to set your S23 in Maintenance Mode (added in One UI 5.0), so all your data is protected while someone works on your phone. There's also a refined privacy dashboard.
Samsung is also promising four generations of OS upgrades for these Android 13-launched phones and five years of security upgrades.
Samsung Galaxy S23 (left) and Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (right) (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Software score: 4.5 / 5
Samsung Galaxy S23 review: Battery life
Samsung managed to squeeze a slightly bigger battery in the Galaxy S23, going from 3,700mAh in the S22 to 3,900mAh battery in the S23 (still 100mAh smaller than the Galaxy S21's battery).
Anecdotally, I got more than a day of battery life, and by "day" I mean grabbing the phone at 7AM and still having juice left at 10PM. If I didn't charge overnight, I could get halfway through the morning on that same charge.
In our lab-based rundown tests, the Galaxy S23 got 10:27 hrs of battery life in Adaptive refresh rate mode and 11:20 hours at 60Hz.
In my charge tests, I charged more than 50% in 30 minutes using a 25W charger, which is basically in line with our lab tests, where we found we could charge to 55% in 30 minutes.
The phone supports the same peak 25W wired charging as its predecessor, along with fast wireless charging and wireless PowerShare, if you want to charge the likes of your Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Galaxy Watch 5, or even another phone, off the back of your new S23.
Like other cool S23 features, Wireless PowerShare is not on by default, but it's easy enough to find with a Settings search. I used it to charge up my Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. My only complaint is that you have to slide the case around a bit to find that sweet charging spot.
Battery life: 4.5 / 5
Samsung Galaxy S23 with the rest of the lineup behind it. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
I really like the Samsung Galaxy S23 and would happily recommend it to anyone who is looking for a new, perfectly sized, powerful, long-lasting, and attractive Android handset.
It has a stellar screen, great cameras, and the cleanest design of any Galaxy phone in recent memory. Of course, I said much the same thing about the Samsung Galaxy S22, and if I have a complaint, it's that Samsung really didn't move the bar all that much. I applaud the powerful new CPU, bigger battery and cleaner design, but I wanted Samsung to take the next step in flagship photography and find a way to squeeze 10x optical zoom and a 108MP sensor into what will probably be its second-most popular phone this year.
What this means is that the Galaxy S23 is not a must-have upgrade for S22 owners. Similarly, I don't know that this is the phone that attracts Apple iPhone switchers (the S23 Ultra probably is, though).
Samsung Galaxy S23 review: Also consider
Buy it if...
An affordable but powerful Android phone At $799.99, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a full-featured flagship that doesn't skimp on power, looks, or capabilities.
A small-hand-friendly phone 6.1 inches is the Goldilocks of smartphone sizes, not too big, not too small, but just right.
Don't buy if...
You own the Samsung Galaxy S22 Yes, you get a more powerful CPU and a bigger battery, but those and some of the other welcome changes are not enough to encourage an upgrade from the previous generation.
You demand the ultimate camera experience If you're a Galaxy fan but want the absolute best the S series has in photographic capabilities, you'll want the S23 Ultra and its 10x zoom and 100x Space Zoom.
More Android options
Google Pixel 7 If you like the idea of getting a flagship smartphone for even less money, the Google Pixel 7 is the only phone that has the OnePlus 11 beat. It doesn't have the big screen (or battery), and it relies on AI for its camera powers. It still saves you more, takes great photos, and looks cool.
Check out our Google Pixel 7 review
OnePlus 11 The OnePlus 11 is an affordable pick for buyers who want something unique and offers a more artistic take on smartphone photography. Its lack of durability is a bit worrisome, though.
Check out our OnePlus 11 review
How I tested the Samsung Galaxy S23
Review test period = 7 days
Testing included = Everyday usage, web browsing, social media, photography, streaming, tethering, gaming
I did my best to use the Samsung Galaxy S23 as my everyday phone. It was what I used for email, web browsing, streaming, gaming, and productivity.
I installed my favorite mobile games, which include Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty, and played probably a little more than was necessary.
I installed Apple Music and Google Podcasts and enjoyed audio both through the handset's speakers and with connected Bluetooth earbuds.
I enjoyed rewatching the Adam Project on Netflix while on the train and truly appreciate the rock-solid T-Mobile 5G connection that made tethering my computer and working during the commute possible.
For performance testing, I used a combination of my own Geekbench 5 tests and those performed by Future's Labs team.
As for who I am, I've been writing about technology for 31 years and testing smartphones for almost 20.
In 2019 the US placed Huawei on a trade blacklist, which meant that US companies required a special license to continue trading. Licenses were granted to the likes of AMD, Intel and Qualcomm, the latter was allowed to ship 4G-only chipsets (which we have seen in recent Huawei P and Mate series models).
Licenses continued to be granted during the early days of President Biden’s administration, but insiders now say that the US is looking to expand the list of banned items.
The new additions are said to include 4G tech, Wi-Fi 6 and 7, tech related to artificial intelligence as well as...
“We decided to make the U.S. our No. 1 priority in terms of markets,” said Nothing CEO Carl Pei in an interview with Inverse. This won’t happen with the Phone (1), it’s just not built with support for bands used by US carriers (you can get one for $300, but it’s intended as a beta test). It will be the Nothing Phone (2), coming in late 2023, that targets the US market specifically.
Nothing sells its TWS buds in the US, in fact, the US accounts for a third of all sales. Pei sees this as a sign that the Phone (2) will see a similar success in the new market.
The new model will be more...
Three weeks ago Samsung US kicked off a pre-booking campaign for the Galaxy S23 flagships and the Galaxy Book3 laptops. This campaign is almost over – there are only 2 days left – which means that this is your last chance to secure $50 or $100 in Samsung Credit.
The so-called “reservation” is really just an email reminder with a prize attached. You need to enter your name and email (optionally your phone number too) and wait. Once you get the email, pre-ordering a phone and/or laptop will get you that Credit. If you change your mind, then just ignore the email (you won’t get the credit,...
January is an interesting time in the smartphone world – the first next-gen flagships are just starting to hit the market, others are yet to come. And with their replacements months (or even weeks) away, older flagship and premium phones are about as cheap as they are going to get while still being somewhat current.
We have picked out deals from several regions, and included some tablet, smartwatch and headset offers too. Use the links below to jump to your region:
Germany
The UK
USA
India
Germany
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max will probably never see a...
If you’re buying into Canon’s EOS R mirrorless system, you might well be weighing the do-it-all EOS R6 II against the more expensive and high-powered EOS R5. Plenty chose the original EOS R6 for its price, low-light capability, burst shooting and video features, and the R6 II removes one remaining barrier – the original model’s 20MP resolution.
The Mark II’s resolution increase will may not make much difference to the detail rendition, but it’s an important psychological bonus which puts the Canon on a par with rivals like the Lumix S5 (and now the S5 II), Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III (though not quite the A7 IV).
(Image credit: Future)
The R6 Mark II’s burst mode frame rates are doubled to 40fps with the electronic shutter but stay at 12fps with the mechanical shutter, and while the AI-powered AF subject recognition has been extended with more subject types, the original was pretty good already.
Canon EOS R6 II specs
Sensor: 24.2MP full frame CMOS AF points: 4,897 point Dual PIxel CMOS AF II, 100% coverage Video: 4K UHD up to 60p, FHD up to 180p Viewfinder: OLED 3.69m-dot LCD: 3-inch vari-angle touch 1.62m-dot Memory card: 2x SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II Max Burst: 12fps mechanical shutter (1,000+ JPEG, 110 RAW/1,000 CRAW), 40fps electronic shutter (190 JPEG, 75 RAW/140CRAW) Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mic, Headphone, HDMI Type D, USB 3.2 Size: 138.4 × 98.4 × 88.4mm Weight: 670g (inc. battery and SD card)
For video, the original 30-minute recording limit has been scrapped and Canon reckons the R6 II can shoot for over 40 minutes at 4K 60p, and up to 6 hours at 4K 30p. It also has Canon C Log 3 and can capture 6K ProRes RAW over HDMI.
These things are all great, but they are incremental rather than revolutionary improvements, and they make for a pretty expensive camera that’s only worth it if you need everything that it does.
The EOS R6 II is nice to use and captures very attractive stills and video, but the 8-stop IBIS system will not necessarily deliver that in real life and does not have the fluency for smooth camera movements in video. The EOS R6 II feels like one of the better cameras in its class, but not necessarily the best and definitely not the cheapest.
Canon EOS R6 II: release date and price
About the same price at launch as the old R6, which is welcome
Much more expensive in the UK than the US
Seems expensive compared to the Sony A7 IV and Lumix S5 II
New Canon cameras typically arrive with premium price tags relative to the competition and take a while – sometimes a very long while – to move back down to a more competitive price point. Launch price for the Canon EOS R6 II is $2,499.99 / £2,799 / AU$4499 body only, and $3,599.99 / £3,999 / AU$6399 bundled with the RF 24-105mm F4 lens.
It’s no surprise then, that the EOS R6 II immediately looks expensive compared to its rivals. These include the Nikon Z6 II, Sony A7 II and the brand new Panasonic Lumix S5 II, all of which are around $500 cheaper. Indeed, even the 30MP Sony A7 IV currently costs less than the Canon. And if you’re thinking of getting the R6 II and 24-105mm f/4 lens bundle, that’s almost the price of an EOS R5 body.
(Image credit: Future)
So is the EOS R6 II good enough to make it worth the extra compared to its direct rivals? At this level, you commit to a system rather than a specific camera, and if you’re starting from scratch you’ll need a lot of trust in the Canon brand to pay the extra for the R6 II. If you’re a Canon shooter, the R6 II might make a logical upgrade for existing kit, but if you already use Sony, Panasonic or Nikon gear, it’s hard to see why you would switch.
Price Score: 3.5/5
Canon EOS R6 II: design
Curved shapes and smooth materials make it nice to handle
Very good EFV and rear display
Some minor control niggles
Canon does make very nice-handling cameras. When other makers seem to be favoring hard-edged rectilinear designs, the EOS R6 II has comfortable curved contours and soft, grippy surfaces. Your little finger is still left dangling at the bottom of the grip and it does feel overbalanced by bigger lenses – we tested it with the RF 24-105mm f/4 – but it’s more comfortable than its rivals.
The three-dial control layout does take some learning, since the dial functions depend on the mode and in some modes two dials do the same thing, but it’s all part of learning a sophisticated camera.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
It would have been nice to have had dedicated ISO and WB buttons, and why doesn’t the stills/video lever on the far left of the top plate have a continuous shooting option? It’s something this camera is especially good at, so it’s a bit annoying to have to dig around the the interface to find it.
And you might wish there was some quick way to disable the subject-recognition system for when you want to choose the focus point – though you could do that with the C1, C2 and C3 settings on the main mode dial.
It does feels as if Canon has gone away from the idea of a camera that has buttons and dials you can see, to a camera you customize and program yourself.
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
The EVF offers superb clarity, definition and contrast, though it can also be a bit jittery as you move the camera, and while the vari-angle rear screen is equally excellent, could Canon not have stretched to a 3.2-inch display rather than 3-inch?
If you like cameras with power levers around the shutter release, right where your forefinger is, you won’t like the R6 II’s big Off-Lock-On lever further back on the top plate. There must be some ergonomic reason why you should need one hand to hold a camera and another to switch it on and off. Answers on a postcard.
There’s no status panel on the top plate, but the menu system, although extensive, is very clear and easy to navigate. The video record button on the on the top plate looks to be in a random position but it’s actually quite easy to find with your index finger.
Design 4/5
Canon EOS R6 II: features and performance
Really good AI autofocus and tracking
Operation all-round is smooth, responsive and satisfying
We didn’t get Canon’s claimed 8-stops of IBIS
Canon’s latest AI autofocus system is very impressive – mostly because you can set its subject-recognition to auto and let it get on with it. Almost always it figures out what your subject is and focuses on it without you having to do a thing. It’s especially effective with animals and humans, but it’s also very good at identifying cars.
If you choose Zone AF or single point AF, it will still show you what it’s recognized in the EVF or on the rear screen, but it will respect your area/point AF choice, which saves you getting into a fight with the camera over what to focus on.
(Image credit: Future)
The eye AF and tracking is very good, and ideal for one-person vlogging crews filming themselves. In our tests it tracked us doggedly as we walked about talking to the camera, and only failed with sudden frame entries for fast and erratic movements. Basically, as long as you’re not deliberately trying to trip it up, it doesn’t put a foot wrong.
It was also excellent for tracking squirrels in our local park. With a squirrel face-on it didn’t quite figure out the eyes, but with the squirrel sideways it got the focus bang on.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
The 8-stop (claimed) IBIS is less convincing. It’s quoted with the RF 24-105mm lens at 105mm, which is just how we tested it. We got an acceptable hit rate at around 4-stops compensation, but pretty poor results after that.
We didn’t find it great for video or long lenses, either. For static filming it’s excellent, but for any kind of camera movement it does too many ‘jump-resets’ for reliable footage in the hands of all but the most skilled operators. We tried it with the RF 800mm f/11 super-telephoto and got the same results – if you can’t keep this lens’s movement under tight control, the stabilizer just jumps from one ‘stable’ position to another, making accurate framing very difficult.
Features and performance 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Canon EOS R6 II: image and video quality
Very attractive color rendering for both stills and video
Excellent high-ISO image quality
24MP resolution enough for most but unremarkable
The JPEGs we got from the R6 II are really attractive. The auto WB seems to judge the lighting and the colors of the scene perfectly, and the evaluative exposure metering seems to know exactly how you would want a scene rendered. We shot both JPEG and raw, but the exposure system and the JPEG rendering proved so effective that the raw files were largely superfluous.
The resolution was no better and no worse than we’d expect from a 24MP full frame camera with an anti-aliasing filter. For resolution, the EOS R6 II is good but utterly unremarkable. At least it’s not at a megapixel disadvantage compared to most rivals, unlike its predecessor.
Image 1 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 7
(Image credit: Future)
The low-light, high-ISO performance is extremely good. We set up a test scene with the same subject shot at a range of ISOs with the camera on a tripod and operated with the self-timer to eliminate any possible shake. The results were very good indeed right up to ISO 6400, when it was possible to start seeing some loss of detail and image smoothing, but it wasn’t until ISO 12,800 when we felt there was any significant quality loss.
This was all done by comparing JPEGs. The danger of comparing raw files is that different raw converters handle noise differently.
Image 1 of 6
(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 6
(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 6
(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 6
(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 6
(Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 6
(Image credit: Future)
The video quality was very impressive too. We shot 4K 30p and 4K 60p in-camera in standard mode (no log flattening) to see what the R6 II could do straight out of the box. Detail was sharp, the color rendition was rich and natural and the exposure – as with stills photography – gave enough dynamic range for most needs and lighting conditions. The AF kept up well too, with smooth shifts for changing subject distances.
The IBIS was less convincing, failing to properly smooth out walking footage and not handling long focal lengths or smooth camera movements (or as smooth as we could make them) particularly well.
The IBIS could get you out of a hole if you’re shooting handheld and you don’t have your tripod or gimbal but, realistically, you need those supports to really get the best from this or any camera.
Image and video quality 5/5
Should I buy the Canon EOS R6 II?
Don't buy it if...
(Image credit: Future)
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
If our Canon EOS R6 II review has you wondering about alternatives, here are three rivals to consider.
Japan and the Netherlands will join the United States in imposing chip bans on China, Bloomberg revealed in a report. The goal is to “undercut Beijing’s ambition to build its own domestic chip capabilities”, according to people aware of the situation.
The Dutch company ASML Holding HV will be prevented from transferring deep ultraviolet lithography machines used for chip manufacture, and similar restrictions will be imposed on the Japanese Nikon Corp.
The joint effort is an expansion on US President Joe Biden’s agenda to limit China’s ability to manufacture and develop its own...
Almost all smartphones come with non-removable batteries these days, but TCL is ready to provide the exception called Ion X. If you live in the US, you are able to purchase it for $119 from Metro starting today. It can also be free if you open a new line or migrate your number.
The TCL Ion X packs a 3,000 mAh removable battery, allowing you to swap it out with a new one if it degrades over time. You can also carry a spare battery for instant top-ups. A removable battery is still the fastest way to have a phone with a fully charged battery after all.
In addition to a removable...
