Testing the new Samsung Note 20 Ultra at Deception Pass (Fidalgo Island) and Horseshoe Creek (Nooksack)

This is a (10/06/2020) update to my original article that now starts below the break. I have recently completed two vlogs of day hiking trips where my sole camera was the Samsung Note 20 Ultra:

• The High Divide October 2020
• Excelsior Pass Rainy Fall Walk falls short

I am still learning the three lens Samsung way. But to date, I am still very impressed with the Samsung Note 20 Ultra that I have encased in an Otterbox Defender.  Two short stories: (1) I shot the rainy day hike in the pouring, drenching rain. Obviously the Samsung Note 20 Ultra with Otterbox Defender has excellent water resistance. (2) Trekking home in the dense fog (and tired) on the second trip, I took a tumble and rolled twice on the trail. (Yes, I was fine). The Samsung Note 20 Ultra with Otterbox Defender stayed tight on my hip attached to my belt covered by my jacket. Not a hint of damage!

No, I am not on the take from either Samsung or Otterbox!

[Original 09/21/2020 post:]

Below are some shots from Samsung's Note 20 Ultra I purchased recently. Top four  are "Full" resolution from Deception Pass State Park. Bottom three invoke that new (3:4) 108 MegaPixel lens on the North Fork of the Nooksack. Click to enlarge the photos. The blogger upload makes these all reduced resolutions of course. See further discussion below the pictures.

 I set out to give my new Samsung Note 20 Ultra 512 a spin this weekend. I can't say I wasn't impressed. It's shocking to carry around hardware with these type of specs. I expect to have a Unix subsystem installed on this puppy soon. In between food and hiking photos, I will be writing code in R! The difference between the 'landscape' lens ('12MP Ultra Wide Camera') and the 50x ('12MP Telephoto Camera') zoom lens can be seen in the two shots below. The first is the telephoto (ultra wide) landscape from Rosario cliff/beach area at WA Deception Pass State Park :

The second is the zoom of the center rock with a flock (family?) of five Oyster Catchers hanging out early Sunday morning. Maybe post breakfast?:

Yeah baby... The reach of these lens is dramatic. It will change the way I use my phone to take photos. These lens won't replace a top notch Panasonic or Sony photo camera. But they give new meaning to "I snapped these pictures with my cell phone!".  You will have to cut some cash to own this camera. I put a defender "Otter Box" on mine. Too much camera not to Wilderness proof as I carry it around in my back pocket! There's no way to make these shots on this blog contain the original shot resolution. Check out the Samsung Note pages for more pictures.