Galaxy S26 Ultra camera leak suggests Samsung might play it safe – again
Early leak reveals the Galaxy S26 Ultra may stick with last year's telephoto camera, leaving fans wondering if Samsung is holding back on innovation — just as Apple prepares to raise the bar.
Samsung's next premium flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is now starting to show up more and more in leaks and rumors. We've recently heard its battery may be disappointing, or at least – well, the same as previous years – and now, a new report is giving us info about the phone's telephoto camera. And, well, it doesn't seem too exciting either.
The report comes from GalaxyClub and indicates that the Galaxy S26 Ultra may come with a 50MP telephoto camera with a 5x optical zoom lens. Reportedly, it is also a 1/2.52-inch sensor with 0.7µm pixels, PDAF, and OIS. Well, this is the same telephoto camera that Samsung used in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. And in the Galaxy S24 Ultra too.
There were rumors earlier that Samsung may use a 200MP ISOCELL sensor for the Galaxy S26 Ultra's telephoto camera. This isn't entirely out of the question just yet, as the S26 Ultra may have two telephoto camera units. For now, what we expect with a certain level of trustworthiness is that one of these two telephoto units has a 50MP sensor. The other one has not leaked yet.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra's cameras. | Image Credit – PhoneArena
The Galaxy S25 Ultra upgraded the 12MP ultrawide camera from the previous model to a 50MP ultrawide one. It is very likely that the same ultrawide will be available for the Galaxy S26 Ultra as well. The main camera may also be the same 200MP one, as per rumors.
What do you think about Samsung possibly reusing the same telephoto camera for the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
It’s disappointing — we expect fresh tech every year
81.82%
Playing it safe can be smart if the camera is already great
0%
I’m waiting to see if there are surprises
18.18%
Not a big deal, I care more about other features
0%
So, right now, the biggest mystery is this second telephoto sensor, and hopefully, there we can see an upgrade.
Meanwhile, an earlier report indicated Samsung may bring variable aperture back on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but as an early report that is yet to be corroborated, we should take this with a grain of salt. It's also possible for Samsung to use thinner camera modules for the phone to achieve a slim-chic profile.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be announced sometime in early next year. It will face the yet-unannounced iPhone 17 Pro Max in the battle for the best phone on the market. For now, it seems Samsung may not be planning to upgrade the cameras on its beast, but rumors indicate some nice upgrades for the iPhone, so the Korean company may have a tough challenge to beat.
I personally think that if Samsung really sticks with the same camera setup for the third year in a row, it might disappoint fans who were hoping for something fresh and exciting. Even though the current sensors are solid, people expect innovation from a flagship like the S26 Ultra – especially when competitors like Apple are rumored to be stepping things up. Hopefully, that second telephoto camera brings a real surprise.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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