Samsung Galaxy S21+ camera is blurry, shakes or will not focus

The checks in more detail

Reset the camera's settings in Camera, Settings, Reset settings, clear the camera app's cache, and test in Safe mode. If the camera hunts for focus, turn off Tracking auto-focus. The telephoto's 64 MP sensor produces 12 MP photos by default, and switching the zoom level to 3x and back sometimes clears a stuck lens. A camera that shows a black screen or an error needs a restart and, if it persists, service. Use Samsung Members diagnostics for the camera test.

For lag in the viewfinder, switch the camera's picture size to 12 MP and close the Single take and AR zone features, which draw on the processor, and turn off Scene optimizer to test, since owners report that these reduce lag. Install the camera app update from Galaxy Store if one is waiting, since Samsung updates the camera separately from the system. Samsung's Expert RAW and Pro modes bypass much of the processing, which can look softer than the automatic mode, so compare the same scene in Auto and Pro before concluding the camera is soft.

In the Camera settings, turn on Auto HDR and Scene optimizer if you like the processed look, and use Night mode in dim light with a steady hold. Compare the photos on the phone's screen and on a computer: a photo that looks soft on the phone may be fine zoomed out on a bigger screen, and some owners judge the camera by pixel-peeping. View at normal size before deciding that the camera is faulty, and compare with a previous photo taken in similar light to judge a change.