The first Samsung Galaxy Unpacked of 2025 has been and gone, and having tried out the new Samsung Galaxy S25 series, we’re chewing over some of the nuances of these flagship Android phones.
Though we’re getting a decently refreshed Galaxy S25 Ultra and an entirely new model with the Galaxy S25 Edge, our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S25 review found that the baseline S25 has received a comparatively smaller update from its predecessor than either of its siblings. .
However, as important as it is to celebrate innovation, I also think it’s worth taking a step back before casting judgement over the vanilla Galaxy S25, and appreciating that the S25 offers a lot of value for its $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 price tag. Though it’s broadly similar to last year’s Samsung Galaxy S24, when it comes to one specific camera feature, the S25 still has subtle ace up its sleeve.
The Galaxy S25 is still the only globally available phone that blend true flagship specs, design, and – pertinent to this article – an optical telephoto zoom lens, and I personally think that’s worth raving about. Optical zoom gives users so much more capability and versatility when it comes to taking photos and videos, offering more consistent quality and enabling the accompanying digital zoom to reach further.
An optical zoom camera is one of those smartphone features that you don’t know you need until you have it, like a 120Hz display or an under-display fingerprint scanner. While those other two features have found their way to dozens of models at all kinds of price points, telephoto cameras of this quality are still typically relegated to only the most premium phones.
The Galaxy S25 has three rear cameras, but its two main rivals – the iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9 – both opt for a two-camera system comprising a main and ultra-wide camera. Apple and Google fans need to step up to the pricier iPhone 16 Pro ($999 / £999 / AU$1,799 or Google Pixel 9 Pro ($999 / £999 / AU$1,699) to get their hands on a telephoto zoom.
I’ve been using telephoto-equipped phones for close to six years, and would go so far as to call optical zoom an essential feature, depending on one’s budget. The extended reach is great for concerts and wildlife photography, while the narrower field of view and longer focal distance of telephoto cameras makes them ideal for portraits.
In the examples below, I effectively took the same photo with the Galaxy S25’s 3x telephoto camera and the iPhone 15 at 3x digital zoom. Feel free to draw your own conclusions and let me know in the comments section. But if you ask me, the S25 wins thanks to its richer detail and bolder lighting.
iPhone 15 camera samples: 3x digital zoom
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Samsung Galaxy S25 camera samples: 3x optical zoom
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I previously delved into my distaste for ultra-wide cameras, but my appreciation of the S25’s camera system is more than just the flipside of this long-standing annoyance.
As well as giving users more options for photography, the continued inclusion of the 3x camera symbolizes what I see as Samsung’s genuine commitment to equipping users with higher-quality hardware. In fact, the Galaxy S25 overall is probably the most technically advanced phone in its price bracket, sporting a chunky 12GB of RAM and the class-leading Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, in addition to its well-furnished camera system.
So, can we hope to see Apple and Google catch up any time soon? I’m not so sure.
The baseline iPhone generally inherits features from the Pro models one, two, or three years after they debut, but the telephoto camera has remained a preserve of the premium tier since the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max released in 2019. As for the Pixel, telephoto cameras have always been held back for the XL, Pro, and Pro XL, versions of the phone. It seems like Samsung’s lead is pretty safe, then.
It’s worth mentioning here that there are cheaper telephoto-equipped phones available from phone makers like Xiaomi, Oppo, and even Samsung itself with the Galaxy S24 FE, but these aren’t globally available and don’t match the S25 in hardware power. Additionally, you can currently get last-year’s telephoto-sporting OnePlus 12 for $799 / £799, though with the OnePlus 13 out this isn’t part of the same generation as the S25. Samsung’s baseline flagship remains one-of-a-kind.