The moon has long been a showcase feature for Samsung's Ultra smartphones, but Galaxy S25 Ultra owners are now reporting bizarre camera malfunctions that turn lunar photography into a purple-hued nightmare. Multiple users across forums and social media describe unsettling issues when activating the phone's specialized moon mode.
The Problem: Cosmic Colors Gone Wrong
According to widespread complaints, attempting to photograph the moon triggers unexpected visual artifacts. Instead of crisp craters against a black sky, users encounter:
- Violet/purple color splashes obscuring details
- Unnatural smearing effects around the lunar edges
- Complete focus failure despite steady hands
- Overprocessed images resembling watercolor paintings
The issue appears particularly prevalent among early adopters who installed Samsung's One UI 8 beta software. As one frustrated user detailed on Samsung's official community forum: "Every moon shot comes out with this unnatural purple blob effect. Tried resetting camera settings, clearing cache - nothing fixes it."
Several users on Samsung's support forum have shared identical experiences, with beta testers noting the glitch appeared after recent updates. Photography enthusiasts are especially vocal about the problem given the S25 Ultra's premium $1,299+ price point.
Social Media Evidence Mounts
Real-world examples continue to surface, like this viral Twitter thread comparing previous Ultra moon shots to the S25 Ultra's current output. Side-by-side images reveal dramatic quality differences, with the newer device producing noticeably artificial-looking results.
The timing couldn't be worse for Samsung. Moon photography became a signature capability starting with the S21 series, using sophisticated AI-assisted zoom technology. Now flagship users question whether software tuning or hardware limitations cause these aberrations.
Temporary Fixes and Workarounds
While awaiting an official patch, photographers suggest:
- Disabling Scene Optimizer in camera settings
- Switching to Pro mode with manual white balance
- Avoiding 100x zoom (stick to 30x or below)
- Using third-party camera apps like ProShot
Some speculate the issue relates to new lens protectors interfering with the periscope lens system. Several users reported improvement after removing third-party camera covers. Samsung hasn't confirmed this theory but acknowledges investigating the reports.
The Bigger Picture
This isn't Samsung's first lunar controversy. The company previously faced debates about how much AI enhancement occurs during moon shots. But current complaints focus on outright malfunctions rather than philosophical debates about computational photography.
As smartphone photography pushes physical boundaries, the S25 Ultra situation highlights the delicate balance between hardware capability and software processing. With no formal timeline for a fix, disappointed astrophotographers may need to keep their telescopes handy a while longer.
Samsung has not issued an official statement regarding the moon photography glitches. This story will be updated with any response from the company.
The latest One UI 8 Beta 4 for Galaxy S25 Ultra makes the moon purple in 30/50/100x zoom pic.twitter.com/PPwCexAn6S
— The Sam #OneUI8 (@Samoneui8) August 12, 2025
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