Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 users are seeing 12MP photos despite selecting 24MP: Here is why
Follow UsSamsung phones may switch between 24MP and 12MP photos.
Heat and some camera modes can lower the photo resolution.
Samsung says the change helps maintain camera performance.
Samsung devices do not capture all the images in the highest possible resolution. A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 recently reported that photos captured in the same location, under identical lighting, and with the standard 1x camera were being saved at different resolutions. He also added images that supported his claim. Samsung has since acknowledged the behaviour and explained that several factors can trigger the automatic resolution change. Not only that but the company also investigated the case posted on the community forum and provided an explanation for why the device switched to a different resolution. Follow along to learn more about the issue and what Samsung has to say about it.
SurveySamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 camera issue
A user recently reported on the Samsung Community page that his latest Galaxy Z Fold 8 camera is not consistently maintaining the selected 24MP resolution when taking photos in Photo mode. He also added that all the recommended settings are enabled, including Photo Enhancement set to Highest Quality, 24M usage in Photo mode.
The issue didn’t end there, as he also flagged that when taking photos continuously in the same location and under the same lighting conditions, using only the standard 1x camera without any digital zoom, the issue appears to happen unpredictably, with some photos being saved at 24MP and others at 12MP. He reported that to fix the issue, he also tried closing and reopening the camera app, but the issue still persisted.
What did Samsung say?
Samsung acknowledged the issue and stated that the camera may automatically use 12MP during zoom, low-light photography, Motion Photo, flash photography and close-up shots. The South Korean giant also added that continuous shooting can also trigger the change from the third photo onwards.
Aside from that, the phone can also reduce the resolution when its surface temperature goes up to 45 degrees Celsius or more. Samsung says this is a protective measure designed to keep the camera working reliably instead of allowing higher-resolution shooting to continue under unfavourable conditions.
While investigating the Galaxy Z Fold 8 case, the company found that it involved outdoor shooting in hot weather and concluded that as the phone’s surface temperature continued to rise, the camera switched to 12MP. Samsung clarified that the users shooting outside on a hot day may notice the change even if 24MP has been enabled in Camera Assistant, as the phone can prioritise temperature control over the selected resolution.
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Is this limited to the Galaxy Z Fold 8?
The behaviour may not be exclusive to the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Some Galaxy S26 Ultra owners have also reported seeing their cameras capture images at 12MP despite having 24MP enabled. However, these reports do not prove that every Galaxy phone has the same issue. Samsung’s explanation makes one thing clear: the Camera Assistant 24MP setting is not an absolute command. Under certain conditions, the phone can still lower the resolution to protect shooting performance and stability.
