Upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra: Leaked Information Suggests Significant Camera Enhancements
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is set to revolutionise smartphone photography, according to recent leaks. Here's a rundown of the anticipated improvements that promise sharper, more accurate photos with better zoom capabilities and enhanced low-light performance.
At the heart of the camera system, the primary camera will retain the 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor, but with a new lens designed to boost clarity and low-light performance. The ultra-wide camera will remain at 50MP, while the 5x telephoto lens is expected to stay unchanged from previous models. However, the most notable upgrade is the 3x telephoto camera, which is rumoured to be upgraded from 10MP to 12MP. This marks the first time in five generations that the 3x telephoto sensor receives a resolution boost, potentially enhancing portrait shots and zoom quality.
In addition to sensor upgrades and lens improvements, Samsung's next-generation ProVisual Engine will support better image processing, resulting in improved dynamic range and low-light photography. A new laser autofocus system may also be introduced to improve focusing speed, especially in low-light scenarios.
While specific details about the selfie camera are yet to be revealed, it is expected to receive an upgrade. The device is also said to be IP68 dust- and water-resistant.
Other notable features include a 6.9-inch display, the same size as the S25 Ultra, with narrower bezels for an improved screen:body ratio. A vapor chamber cooling system up to 1.2 times bigger than the S25 Ultra's could be employed on the S26 Ultra, aiding cooling and performance. Samsung is also reportedly ditching the camera rings that currently adorn the camera lenses on the S25 Ultra.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is claimed to pack 16GB of RAM across all storage variants (256GB, 512GB, and 1TB), and could be powered by Qualcomm's 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chipset in all markets.
Ben Andrews, the Imaging Labs manager at Digital Camera World, is responsible for all testing on Digital Camera World and the entire photography portfolio at Future. With years of experience trialling and testing camera equipment, Ben Andrews is a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys. His lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography, housing the latest camera phones, lenses, and accessories. He is the team's go-to guy for technical insight and is not involved in the development of the S26 Ultra's camera or other specifications mentioned earlier.
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- The primary camera of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a new lens designed to boost clarity and low-light performance, retaining the 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor.
- The 3x telephoto camera is anticipated to receive a resolution boost, moving from 10MP to 12MP, which could potentially enhance portrait shots and zoom quality.
- In addition to sensor upgrades and lens improvements, the ProVisual Engine will support better image processing, resulting in improved dynamic range and low-light photography.
- The selfie camera and specific details about it are yet to be revealed, but the device is expected to receive an upgrade.
- The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to pack 16GB of RAM across all storage variants and could be powered by Qualcomm's 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chipset.
- Ben Andrews, with years of experience in testing camera equipment, will likely provide a review and technical insight for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra when it is released.
