The Galaxy S27 Ultra rumors may suggest a controversial redesign, but it's almost certain this will be one of the best smartphones to take photos with, once it comes out. A new rumor suggests that the vanilla Galaxy S27 and the Galaxy S27 Plus may come closer to the same achievement and get a long-overdue camera upgrade.
Galaxy S27 and S27 Plus may get the S27 Pro’s zoom camera
After the disappointing performance of the Galaxy S26’s zoom camera, Samsung may finally fix the telephoto system on the upcoming vanilla Galaxy S27 and the larger S27 Plus. Tipster @phonefuturist said in a tweet that the Korean giant is testing “a shared telephoto strategy across the S27 lineup.”
The leaker then goes on to clarify that the two base models may utilize the same 3x telephoto system as the Galaxy S27 Pro. While they haven’t shared any specifics about the camera sensor, earlier rumors suggested that the S27 Pro may use a new 12MP sensor for the telephoto camera.
This claim comes on the heels of another rumor from the same source, claiming the S27 Ultra may feature an entirely new 4x telephoto camera with a 1/1.9-inch sensor. With this change, Samsung may switch to a triple camera system for its top-tier model, replacing the 3x and 5x lenses with the new one.
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What else do we know about the Galaxy S27 cameras?
Unlike the Ultra, the Galaxy S27 may remain largely unchanged on the outside. | Image by Android Headlines
Considering we’re months away from the premiere of the Galaxy S27 series, there are still many unknowns about them. One thing that appears certain is that Samsung is thinking about various drastic changes for all models.
Previous leaks suggested that the Galaxy S27may switch to a new 50MP sensor made by Sony. Other rumors mentioned a new 16MP selfie camera across the whole series, as well as a new 50MP ultra-wide camera on the Ultra and Pro.
Which of your phone's cameras is the one you want to see upgraded the most?
The most recent leak comes with some clunky wording, saying the S27 and S27 Plus may share the main and ultra-wide camera hardware with the S27 Ultra, but that’s unlikely to be the case. Most leaks so far claim the S27 Pro will get the same camera as the Ultra, so this could be a mistake on the leaker’s part.
Either way, an upgrade to the telephoto camera of the base model would be more than welcome. In his in-depth review of the Galaxy S26, my colleague Victor pointed out the telephoto camera as a weak point, saying it felt much less capable than its rivals.
It may all depend on the iPhone 18 Pro
Galaxy S27 Pro. | Image by Android Headlines
Unsurprisingly, @phonefuturist says Samsung currently has five prototypes of the Galaxy S27 Ultra, which are being evaluated. This could explain the various leaks, but we may start getting more clarity after Apple’s event next week.
The leaker also says some of the decisions may depend on the hardware we see on September 9, referring to the announcement of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and, to a lesser extent, the foldable iPhone Ultra. With the iPhone 17 Pro Max already offering 4x zoom, albeit from a much smaller sensor, it wouldn’t be surprising for Samsung to try to match its main competitor.
The Pixel 11 Pro XL has a 1/1.93-inch sensor behind the 5x telephoto optics, which could also serve as an inspiration for Samsung. However, it appears the company won’t even try to compete with the likes of the Vivo X500 Pro Max and its giant 200MP telephoto sensor.
Lowkey the most important camera
The vast majority of my smartphone photos were taken with its main camera, but some of the most important among them come from the telephoto lens. Adding a better sensor and generally higher-quality zoom to the S27’s camera system could easily beat the improvements on the main camera, which is already great. That’s why I hope this rumor turns out to be true.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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