Samsung unveiled its new foldables on July 9, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. Yet, despite all the buzz around the launch, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has been heavily criticized — not least for its cameras.
On the popular r/Samsung subreddit, one user recently vented frustration over the Galaxy Z Flip 7 camera with this brief, but impactful, headline: “Disappointed with Flip 7 cam.” The post was later removed by moderators, but it received a lot of attention, with other Galaxy Z Flip 7 users leaving comments and complaints about the device.
Judging from comments, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 takes crappy photos and is a step back in camera performance from the Galaxy Z Flip 5, they say.
I’m trading in and I have the Flip 5. Looking at the two cameras side by side, I’m just so disappointed. 12 MP or 50 MP made no difference. The Flip 5 made better photos and caught more detail, and it just ended up getting mostly shadow’s back. — Careless_Ad3940 on Reddit
This perspective is not isolated. A lot of people using the Z Flip 7 after coming from the Flip 5 are having the same OIS related problems and saying the newer phone is not as sharp, not as detailed and does not look as good as they had anticipated. The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s camera is unanimously seen as a step back.
The outrage is not limited to Reddit. Reliable tech reviewers like CNET, GSMArena and The Guardian have criticized their lackluster performance. Social media sites such as X (formerly Twitter) have also reported a surge in gripes. The Flip 7 cameras, for example, were described by one user as simply “horrible.”
In spite of the deluge of criticism, the remove Reddit post appeared to fail afoul of none of the subreddit’s 13 rules, confusing many users about why it was deleted. It is not clear whether the statement was deleted in accordance with its moderation policy or under external pressure, but the sentiment voiced in it has already echoed throughout the tech community.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7, currently available on Amazon for $1,099.99, was promised to deliver flaghip level photography. But for many users, particularly those with experience using the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the new version has fallen short of expectations.
There may still be hope, at least if Samsung is willing to take community voice into account; it’s always possible the camera performance could be improved through subsequent software updates on the Galaxy Z Flip 7. For now, early adopters are left with a foldable phone that folds — but never quite closes the deal.
