Hey there, neilfrancis! Several factors could cause this, like a potential bug. First, let's run your Galaxy S22 Ultra in Safe Mode. Here's how:
Turn off your phone, then turn it back on
When the Samsung logo shows up, press and hold the Volume Down button
Your phone should now be in Safe Mode; you can clarify this if you see "Safe Mode" on the bottom left of your screen
In Safe Mode, open your camera app and see if this issue still persists or if it disappears. If it's working completely fine now, its inability to focus in normal mode is probably caused by a bug from recently downloaded apps. To find out which one, you're gonna have to manually delete new apps until you find which one is the culprit.
You can also try out these possible solutions:
Turn on your Focus Enhancer Option: Open the Camera app > Click on the two circles you'll find at the bottom left of your screen, make sure this icon turns yellow > Relaunch the Camera app
Enable Tracking Auto Focus Option: Open the Camera app > Go to your Camera Settings (the gear icon at the top of your screen) > Useful features > Toggle on Tracking auto-focus > Relaunch the Camera app
Clear your Camera Application Data and Cache: Go to Settings > Apps > Camera > Storage > Clear cache and Clear data
Reset your Camera settings: Open the Camera app > Go to your Camera Settings (the gear icon at the top of your screen) > Scroll all the way down and click Reset settings > Relaunch the Camera app
If none of these work, it's best that you take your device to a nearby service center. You may book your appointment directly from your Samsung Members app, or you may dial #GALAXY 😊 Let us know how it goes! 📷
