There’s frustrating reason sunset pictures rarely look good

Two-fifths of Brits have missed capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments – all due to one frustrating reason.

If you’ve struggled to photograph concerts, sunsets or indoor occasions, this is likely because your phone can’t cope with the lighting conditions.

A staggering 40% of people confessed low-light camera difficulties have denied them the opportunity to capture treasured experiences such as weddings and bucket-list gigs.

Rather than their loved one’s first dance or their favourite performer being preserved on their phone, memories are lost to a sea of blur, grain and darkness.

Research was commissioned by Samsung to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which features Enhanced Nightography Video and wide camera apertures to improve low-light photographs.

Of the 2,000 Britons surveyed, a third (32%) acknowledge they’ve abandoned attempting to take photos at night entirely because their device simply wasn’t capable of the task.

Nearly three quarters say they feel exasperated with the quality of pictures captured after dark, blaming blur, grain and dim lighting for spoiling the shot.

Sunsets, concerts and indoor gatherings top the list of the nation’s most disappointing photographs. More than half of Britons say capturing the ‘perfect’ sunrise or sunset is more challenging than it appears.

Live music enthusiasts are also particularly badly affected, with motion blur (37%), low brightness (30%), grain (26%) and poor zoom quality (33%) leaving many with unusable footage of their favourite artists.

Almost half of those polled indicate that the quality of their phone’s camera is the main obstacle preventing them from taking videos and photos at night as frequently as they would prefer.

Some confess they are unsure about the correct settings, whilst many argue that pictures seldom turn out well enough to justify the effort.

A staggering 80% of respondents express a desire for taking photos at night to be as straightforward as during the day, with simple point-and-shoot results.

On the Galaxy S26 Ultra, wider camera apertures permit more light to reach the sensor, resulting in clearer photos with richer details in low-light conditions, even when zoomed in.

Video capture is further improved with enhanced Super Steady features, which introduce a horizontal lock option for increased stability and to facilitate consistent framing, even on uneven terrain or during fast-paced activities.

Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience VP of Product and Marketing at Samsung, stated: “Life’s best moments don’t wait for perfect lighting.

“Whether it’s your favourite band playing your song, a bustling dance floor at a wedding or a sunset on holiday, these are memories people want to relive clearly – not through blur and grain.

“Brits shouldn’t have to miss out simply because it’s dark. That’s why the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is engineered with advanced low-light photography and Enhanced Nightography capabilities, so capturing incredible detail at night can be as effortless as snapping a photo in broad daylight.”