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Foldable phones need cameras that work in two physical states. The cover camera is available when the phone is shut, so it handles quick selfies and video calls like a conventional smartphone. When the device is opened, a second camera on or beneath the large inner display lets you stay on a call or use face recognition without closing the phone. Putting that inner camera under the screen preserves an uninterrupted viewing area, but the display layer can reduce image quality.
There is no universal foldable-camera layout. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold6 uses a 10-megapixel cover camera and a 4-megapixel under-display camera, while the Galaxy Z Fold7 uses 10-megapixel selfie cameras on both displays and places the inner camera in a visible hole-punch cutout. The reason for two cameras—and the quality difference between them—therefore depends on the phone’s generation and design.
What the cover and inner cameras are for
A foldable has two screens with different jobs. The cover screen is the normal phone-sized display used when the device is closed. The inner screen is larger and appears when the hinge is opened. A single front-facing camera cannot provide a convenient selfie and calling experience in both positions, because it would sit on only one of those surfaces.
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Cover camera: the closed-phone camera
The cover camera faces the user when the phone is folded. It is the practical choice for a quick selfie, an ordinary front-camera video, or a call made without opening the device. It is usually built like a conventional smartphone selfie camera, without a display panel in front of its lens.
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Inner camera: the open-phone camera
The inner camera is positioned to face the user of the large display. It supports video calls and face-unlock or other facial-recognition functions while the phone is open. On some generations it is hidden beneath the flexible display; on others it sits in a visible punch-hole. Samsung support identifies the Fold3, Fold4, Fold5 and Fold6 as models with a main-screen under-display camera, while the Fold7 specification sheet shows a different arrangement.
Why not use one camera for both screens?
The two screens point in different directions when the phone is being used. A camera mounted above the cover display can see the user with the phone closed, but it is not naturally positioned for an open inner-screen call. Conversely, a camera mounted above the inner display would be inaccessible or badly oriented when the phone is shut.
Some foldables can use their rear camera for higher-quality selfies when the phone is partly folded, with a preview appearing on the cover screen. That is a separate mode, not a replacement for a front camera: it requires a particular hinge position and leaves the user holding the phone differently. Dedicated cameras on both display sides make ordinary calls and selfies possible in either state.
What an under-display camera changes
An under-display camera (UDC) sits below the active screen rather than in a conventional cutout. Samsung engineer John Seok-Jun Lee described the goal as hiding the camera so the whole display can be used for applications. The result is a large inner panel without a notch or hole interrupting video, documents, games or other content.
Why the panel must be altered
An ordinary OLED display is made of dense pixels, wiring and other layers that block or scatter light. A camera beneath that panel would receive too little light for a usable image. Manufacturers therefore reduce pixel density in the area above the lens. The less-dense zone allows more light through while still displaying the screen image.
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The optical cost
The altered display is not optically invisible. Light passing through its pixel gaps and layers can diffract before reaching the lens. Samsung’s engineers identify possible effects including flare, saturation, blur and haze. Fine detail and contrast can suffer, particularly in dim rooms, against bright lights or in scenes with strong highlights.
Because the camera is physically behind the screen, the lens also has less unobstructed light than a conventional cover camera. A larger megapixel number would not by itself remove the problem; the display and optical path are the limiting components.
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The cover camera normally has a clear path from the subject to the lens. The UDC must look through the display’s modified pixel grid, so it starts with diffraction and reduced light. The resulting image may appear softer or hazier, and bright points can spread or bloom. These artifacts are most visible in backlit scenes, night scenes and shots containing lamps or windows.
Samsung support says the cover camera can produce a slightly clearer picture or video than the UDC on the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Fold5. That statement applies to those models and does not establish a result for every foldable or every generation. Camera quality also depends on focus design, lens aperture, software processing and lighting.
What the 4-megapixel specification means
The Galaxy Z Fold6 lists a 4MP under-display camera and a 10MP cover camera. The lower resolution reflects the inner camera’s intended role—video calls and facial recognition rather than detailed photography—and leaves less data for cropping or enlargement. Megapixels are only one specification, but the Fold6 numbers make the design trade-off visible.
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How software repairs an imperfect optical path
Manufacturers do not simply record the raw UDC output. Samsung engineers describe AI-based image restoration and multi-frame processing for the Fold4. Algorithms can combine information from successive frames, restore contrast and detail, and reduce patterns caused by the display’s pixel structure.
Computational correction improves usability, but it cannot make the camera optically identical to one in front of an unobstructed panel. Moving subjects, hand shake and very dark scenes give the software less clean information to work with. Processing can also change the appearance of skin texture or fine detail. Treat the result as a practical video-call camera, not automatically as the best camera for a portrait.
Model-by-model examples: Fold6 and Fold7
These two generations show why camera claims must include a model and year. Samsung changed the inner-camera approach rather than keeping one layout across the product line.
| Model | Cover selfie camera | Inner-display camera | Inner-camera design and stated details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold6 (2024) | 10MP | 4MP | Under-display camera; F1.8 aperture, fixed focus and 85-degree field of view. |
| Galaxy Z Fold7 (2025) | 10MP | 10MP | Samsung’s US specification sheet lists a 10MP main-display selfie camera with a visible hole-punch camera cutout. |
The Fold6’s 4MP UDC and the Fold7’s 10MP punch-hole camera are not evidence that all foldables use one standard. They show a manufacturer choosing different balances between an uninterrupted display and front-camera quality in successive generations.
Which camera should you use?
For the clearest selfie or video
Start with the cover camera when your model offers one. It has no display layer in front of the lens and, on the Fold4 and Fold5, Samsung says it can be slightly clearer than the UDC. Use good, even light and avoid placing a bright window or lamp directly behind you; those steps help either camera but are especially valuable for a UDC.
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For an open-screen video call
Use the inner camera when you want the phone open on a stand or when you need the larger display for multitasking during a call. The UDC is designed primarily for this kind of call and for facial recognition. Expect a less crisp image than a conventional camera in difficult lighting, particularly on older UDC generations.
For face recognition
The inner UDC can authenticate you without requiring the phone to be closed. Availability and behavior vary by model and software, so check the security settings and support documentation for your exact device rather than assuming that every foldable offers the same biometric options.
Can you use the cover camera while the phone is open?
Foldable camera systems are designed to remain usable in both folded and unfolded states, and Samsung support describes camera use in both positions. However, the physical experience differs from a normal selfie: when the phone is open, the cover camera is on the opposite exterior side from the inner display. You may need to fold the device or use a camera mode that shows a preview on the cover screen to frame yourself. The available controls and preview behavior are model-specific.
If the camera app does not offer the expected preview or switching option, close and reopen the app, install the phone’s current camera and system updates, and consult the model’s support guide. Do not infer a hardware fault merely because the inner and cover cameras have different controls or image quality.
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When evaluating a foldable, compare the screen experience and the camera’s intended job rather than counting megapixels alone.
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- Identify the generation. A brand can replace a UDC with a punch-hole camera, as the Fold6-to-Fold7 change demonstrates.
- Check the exact location. “Inner camera” may mean an under-display unit or a visible hole-punch unit; those designs have different optical trade-offs.
- Separate calling from photography. A camera tuned for calls and facial recognition may be adequate for those tasks but unsuitable for detailed selfies.
- Look for aperture, focus and field of view. The Fold6 UDC’s F1.8 aperture, fixed focus and 85-degree field of view describe its hardware more meaningfully than resolution alone.
- Test the lighting you actually use. Check faces, hair detail, glasses and bright background lights in a dim room and near a window. UDC diffraction artifacts are most apparent in challenging light.
- Distinguish engineering claims from independent tests. Samsung explains the causes of UDC artifacts and its software remedies, but those statements are not a controlled, independent head-to-head test of every model.
Common misconceptions
“Two selfie cameras mean one is defective.”
No. They serve different physical states of the phone. The cover unit is for the closed device; the inner unit keeps calls and authentication possible when the larger display is open.
“An under-display camera should be as good as the cover camera.”
Not necessarily. The display must be modified to pass light, and diffraction can introduce flare, saturation, blur and haze. Image restoration helps, but it cannot remove every optical limitation.
“Every model from one brand has the same arrangement.”
Generations can change substantially. Samsung’s Fold6 and Fold7 use different inner-camera designs, so always read the specification for the exact model.
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“More megapixels guarantee a better selfie.”
Resolution does not describe the light path, lens, focus system or processing. A 10MP camera behind a display can behave differently from a 10MP camera with an unobstructed lens, while a lower-resolution camera may still be sufficient for a video call.
The design decision in one sentence
Foldables use separate cover and inner cameras because one camera cannot be conveniently positioned for both closed and open use; hiding the inner camera under the display improves screen continuity at the cost of a more difficult optical path, while a visible punch-hole or a clearer cover camera favors image quality.
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