Low-Light Performance of the Main Camera
The Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra's main camera performs solidly in low-light conditions. It captures plenty of detail with a very tasteful amount of processing, keeping noise virtually absent, which is particularly impressive for a smartphone camera. Colors in low light look great with a wide dynamic range; shadows and highlights are very well developed. Light sources in the frame are also well contained, contributing to the camera's ability to handle low-light scenes effectively. The phone applies an automatic night mode processing option within the regular photo mode and also features a dedicated night mode that allows users to choose between short and long exposures. While longer exposures can sometimes take up to seven seconds to capture, the improvements over regular mode are marginal and might not justify the wait for most users.
Telephoto and Ultrawide Cameras in Low Light
The Zenfone 11 Ultra's telephoto camera is competent in low-light conditions as well. It delivers detailed images with colors well matched to those of the main camera, and noise remains minimal. This makes the telephoto lens suitable for zoom shots when lighting is less than ideal.
The ultrawide camera, however, shows more limitations in low-light environments. While it remains serviceable with decent detail and relatively low noise, it tends to produce slightly oversaturated colors, which may not align with everyone's tastes. Despite this, shadows, highlights, and light sources are handled reasonably well in terms of exposure and dynamic range. Testing has shown that using night mode on the ultrawide or telephoto cameras does not consistently produce better results than shooting in normal photo mode under low light. In fact, in some cases, night mode resulted in a more processed and less natural look.
Selfie Camera Performance in Low Light
Low-light selfies taken with the Zenfone 11 Ultra look good overall. The images show plenty of detail and mostly natural skin tones, though some users have found the processing to be a bit harsh. Night mode for selfies, however, is generally less effective than the regular photo mode, sometimes rendering less natural results. Nonetheless, the 32MP front-facing camera manages to capture clear and acceptable low-light selfies, maintaining decent color reproduction and dynamic range.
Noise Control and Detail Preservation
DXOMARK's comprehensive camera tests on the Zenfone 11 Ultra indicate that noise control is fairly effective under bright light but noise levels rise under indoor and dim conditions. The detail captured in low-light photos is not quite on par with the best devices in the premium smartphone segment, with noise and shadow noise being noticeable complaints. The Zenfone 11 Ultra sometimes struggles with texture preservation in low light, which affects the perceived sharpness and clarity of photos. Ghosting effects on moving subjects under low light can also reduce image quality. Overall, detail retention is acceptable but not class-leading in this environment.
Color Accuracy and Dynamic Range in Low Light
In low-light settings, the camera system retains good color accuracy and dynamic range, although there are occasional issues with skin tone rendering accuracy. Colors in photos tend to be vibrant and well contrasted, though in some scenarios, oversaturation (especially in ultrawide shots) can occur. The dynamic range is wide enough to capture both shadows and highlights well, contributing to balanced images without blown-out highlights or overly dark shadows in most cases. However, some exposure inconsistencies and limited dynamic range appear during video capture in low light.
Software and Processing Impact
The camera software on the Zenfone 11 Ultra uses a combination of pixel-binningâa process combining pixels to improve light captureâand AI-assisted night mode processing to enhance low-light photo quality. The auto night mode applies some processing even in regular photo mode, improving image brightness and clarity without needing manual selection. The dedicated night mode's longer exposure option can theoretically improve image quality but offers marginal practical benefits as it requires holding the phone steady for several seconds. The phone's image stabilization, including a six-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer in the main camera and OIS in the telephoto lens, helps reduce blur in low-light shots, maintaining more detail and sharpness.
Video Capture in Low Light
The Zenfone 11 Ultra can record 8K video at 24fps and slow-motion at up to 960fps. In low light, video stabilization technology helps maintain smooth footage even while moving, and colors stay vibrant with a decent level of detail. However, video capture suffers from some issues such as low levels of detail, exposure and autofocus instabilities, and inaccurate color rendering. Dynamic range in video is more limited compared to still photos, and noise is more noticeable. The video bokeh effect, which simulates background blur, works better when using the telephoto camera rather than the main camera.
Comparative User Opinions and Experience
While the camera system is generally regarded as quite competent in low light, user forums and discussions reveal mixed experiences. Some users note that other flagship phones like the iPhone 14 Pro may yield better low-light results with more detail and vibrant colors. Others recognize the Zenfone 11 Ultra's camera as a niche offering: good overall but not outperforming top-tier competitors in software processing or color accuracy, especially in challenging lighting. Some users also mention occasional issues with color rendering and photo consistency across different camera sensors.
Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses in Low Light
Strengths:
- Main camera has excellent noise control and detail preservation.
- Wide dynamic range with well-managed shadows and highlights.
- Telephoto lens performs well, with accurate colors and low noise.
- Selfies in low light retain detail and natural skin tones.
- Effective night mode with both auto and manual exposure options.
- Video stabilization works well in low-light recording.
Weaknesses:
- Ultrawide camera produces oversaturated colors and less detail.
- Night mode improvements over regular mode are marginal and can be slow.
- Video capture suffers from detail loss, noise, and exposure instability.
- Some skin tones and color accuracies can be inconsistent.
- Low-light texture and fine detail retention not best in class.
- Long exposure night mode can be inconvenient due to capture time.