Photographing iconic destinations in Osaka with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

If Google is to be believed, Samsung is the top selling smartphone brand in the world, and their flagship Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is the most powerful smartphone available right now. It’s not very surprising considering the specs on this mobile device. Firstly, you can’t get any better than the speedy 4nm processor,  then add in a ridiculous 108MP rear lens, plus a 40MP selfie camera on the front; it’s easy to see why Samsung users are loyal and unwavering in their choice of mobile brand. It’s also hard to ignore the rumours swirling around the internet of a new Galaxy S model launching soon. No prizes for guessing what it’ll be called, but one thing we can be sure of, it’s going to be epic.

Above: my daily bag in osaka includes The samsung GALAXY S22 ULTRA 5g in a protective case from CASETIFY.

As a photography enthusiast, I’m most interested in the camera system on any mobile device, and so I took the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G along to Osaka to document some of the city’s iconic landmarks, including the fairly new Super Nintendo World that every other Singaporean wants to descend upon.

Above: me in super nintendo world taking pictures with the samsung galaxy s22 ultra 5g.

I started with one of Osaka’s most famous signboards that’s synonymous with the city — the Glico Running Man at Dotonbori.

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Both locals and tourists alike gather at Dotonbori for its vibrant food scene and nightlife. I photographed the row of illuminated signboards that are reflected in the waters of the Dotonbori Canal. It was a cloudy day and there was a gloominess to the atmosphere, which translated into a whole mood in the picture above.

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Crossing over to the Ebisu Bridge to get a more frontal shot of the Glico Running Man, I had to jostle with the crowd and wait for that perfect moment where no one (or at least very few people) were in my shot. Most tourists will pose with their arms up in the same style of the Running Man; I should’ve taken a series of tourists doing that. Next time.

Fun fact about the Glico signboard: This giant billboard was installed in 1935 as an advertisement for Glico, and has been altered on several occasions to celebrate events such as the World Cup. And the Running Man was chosen as Glico’s mascot because of the brand’s first product — a candy caramel. This sweet was created as an energy product and was said to provide the energy to run 300 metres!

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Super Nintendo World opened in Universal Studios Japan in Osaka on March 18, 2021, and photos of the surreal landscape have been flooding the internet since. This is a must-visit for any Nintendo fan, or photographer. It was fortunately a bright, sunny day with blue skies that was the perfect backdrop for this picture.

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Bowser’s Castle in Super Nintendo World houses the epic Mario Kart augmented reality ride. I zoomed in for this photo with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, and framed it so that the many visitors were cropped out. With 108MP for the main Ultra-Wide lens, there’s so much space to crop and still get a good, clear photo. Also, there’s 10x optical zoom, which really makes a difference to the quality of photo compared to one taken with a digital zoom.

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If this looks familiar, it’s because Universal Studios Singapore has the same diner. No surprises though that the food at the Japanese branch is far superior. The facade is also more impressive as seen in this night shot.

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This is the famous Universal Citiwalk in Osaka, where the iconic blue gorilla hangs along the main path to Universal Studios. Night photography on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is unsurprisingly impressive, considering it’s one of the main selling points of this phone, and the brand calls the camera system a “Super Night Solution”.

Here’s a time lapse video of the front of Universal Studios Japan taken at night. In the foreground, you can see the track for the park’s most popular rollercoaster — Hollywood Dream and Hollywood Dream Backdrop (you basically fall backwards. It’s very fun). Look further back and spot the massive splash of water from the Jurassic Park ride, and towards the right to see fire from someone successfully casting a spell at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That spinning thing in front of the fire is The Flying Snoopy ride (similar to the Dino-Soarin’ ride at Universal Studios Singapore). There’s always a very long queue for this ride and there are no Express Passes for it, so decide if it’s worth the wait.

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To capture a time lapse video like this on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, scroll to the function in the camera app called “Hyperlapse”, and then steady your phone by leaning it on something or by using a tripod, and then record for as long as you need (at least a few minutes).

Want to see more? Here are some of my favourite pictures taken on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G.

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The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is available at samsung’s online store HERE, priced at $1,598 for 128GB / 8GB and $1,738 for 256GB / 12gb.
If you’re eagerly anticipating what’s launching next with samsung, head to SAMSUNG.COM/SG/UNPACKED. We’ve been told it’s going to be epic.