The Samsung Galaxy S21+ (2021) shoots in DNG RAW via Expert RAW or Pro mode and has no mechanical shutter — the image counter stored in each DNG file records total electronic captures across all cameras. Drop an Expert RAW DNG file to read it instantly.
Check Image Counter →The Samsung Galaxy S21+ is powered by the Snapdragon 888 (US/Korea/China) or Exynos 2100 (most other regions) and shares the same triple-camera system as the standard S21: a 12 MP wide main (f/1.8, 26 mm equiv, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), a 12 MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 123°, fixed focus), and a 64 MP 3× telephoto (f/2.0, 72 mm equiv, OIS, PDAF). The key differences over the base S21 are the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (vs 6.2-inch), a larger 4800 mAh battery, faster 45 W wired charging (vs 25 W), and a glass back (vs polycarbonate).
Like all Galaxy S smartphones, the S21+ uses CMOS electronic readout only. There is no mechanical focal-plane shutter. Every photo — regardless of which lens — increments the persistent electronic image counter embedded in Expert RAW DNG files.
| Model | Display | Battery | Back | Charging |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S21 | 6.2″ FHD+ | 4000 mAh | Polycarbonate | 25 W |
| Galaxy S21+ | 6.7″ FHD+ | 4800 mAh | Glass (Gorilla Glass Victus) | 45 W |
| Galaxy S21 Ultra | 6.8″ QHD+ | 5000 mAh | Glass (Gorilla Glass Victus) | 25 W |
DCIM/ExpertRAW or DCIM/Camera. Copy the .dng file to your computer.exiftool -ImageNumber yourfile.dng to read the counter from the file metadata.The S21+ is a well-regarded mid-generation value pick. Key hardware factors to evaluate on a used device:
| What to Check | How |
|---|---|
| Battery health | Settings → Battery → Battery status. Aim for >80% capacity; the 4800 mAh cell provides ample reserve even at 85% health |
| Display condition | Inspect the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X for burn-in (grey background test), dead pixels, or corner delamination |
| Glass back | The Gorilla Glass Victus back is more scratch-resistant than its predecessor but can still crack on hard drops; inspect all four corners |
| Camera lenses | Check all three lenses for scratches; test the 64 MP 3× telephoto autofocus at distance |
| USB-C port | Inspect for lint or pin damage; test 45 W charging to verify full-speed operation |
| Image counter | High count (>40,000) indicates intensive use — useful context, not a hardware failure indicator |
Samsung Expert RAW on the Galaxy S21+ produces multi-frame DNG files. The 12 MP main sensor captures at native resolution without binning; the 64 MP telephoto is available in full resolution via Expert RAW. Files are compatible with Lightroom, Capture One, darktable, and other DNG-capable editors.
The image counter is stored in the DNG EXIF metadata under the ImageNumber field. This persistent hardware counter increments with every capture across all camera modes and cannot be reset by factory restore or software reinstall.
The S21 and S21+ share an identical triple-camera system: the same 12 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, and 64 MP 3× telephoto. All differences between the two models are in body dimensions, display size, battery, charging speed, and back material. RAW capture quality and DNG counter behaviour are identical.
No. All Galaxy S21+ cameras use CMOS electronic readout. There is no focal-plane shutter mechanism and no rated mechanical lifespan. The image counter in the DNG file tracks electronic captures only.
Expert RAW (Galaxy Store) provides multi-frame RAW fusion, dedicated histogram overlays, and a richer RAW workflow. Pro mode in the stock Camera app also outputs DNG but without multi-frame processing. Both reliably embed the image counter; Expert RAW generally produces higher-quality files.
Casual users accumulate roughly 5,000–15,000 captures per year; active photographers may exceed 30,000 per year. Given the S21+’s 2021 release, a well-used device could show 20,000–80,000 total captures. There is no mechanical wear threshold to worry about.
The S22+ upgraded the main camera from 12 MP to 50 MP (ISOCELL GN5, 1/1.57-inch sensor), added a 10 MP 3× telephoto (replacing the 64 MP crop-zoom design on S21+), removed the regional Exynos variant in favour of Snapdragon-only (US) or Exynos 2200 (most other markets), and improved the display brightness significantly. The image counter mechanism is the same on both generations.