Samsung is gearing up for the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, and rumors suggest a surprising change in the Ultra model’s camera setup. According to Ice Universe, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature a mid-range 3x telephoto camera with a 10MP sensor, marking a downgrade from the current Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Telephoto Camera Details
The new 3x lens will reportedly have an f/2.4 aperture with a 10MP 1/3.94” sensor and 1.0µm pixels. For comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra uses a 12MP Sony IMX754 sensor (1/3.52”, 1.12µm pixels). While technically the S25 Ultra’s optics cover only 10MP, the sensor is physically larger, making the S26 Ultra’s telephoto module one of the smallest seen on a flagship Ultra device.
Other Camera Modules
The 50MP 5x periscope camera remains unchanged, while the main 200MP camera and ultra-wide sensor are not expected to see upgrades. Rumors about a potential 200MP telephoto sensor have been dismissed due to cost constraints. Samsung reportedly considered a 50MP 4x telephoto, but it’s too late to implement it for the S26 Ultra.
Market Context
With rivals like Apple introducing upgraded telephoto and selfie cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro series, and Vivo experimenting with high-resolution custom sensors, Samsung faces pressure to innovate. However, the downgrade in the 3x telephoto module raises questions about how competitive the S26 Ultra’s camera system will be compared to peers.
Conclusion
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s camera bump might grow, but with the 3x telephoto being downgraded, users will likely need to wait for software optimizations or new optics to make the device truly stand out.