Samsung’s Ultra S-series has been the most dominating camera smartphone in the Android world, while the DXOMARK team may think otherwise, consumers know it’s a real deal. That said, we’re 8 days away from the Galaxy S26 Ultra release, and the phone maker has planned camera upgrades, which could provide an enhanced all-around photography and videography experience.
Here’s the table of contents in case you want to dive into a specific section.
- Main
- Ultra-wide-angle
- Primary telephoto
- Secondary telephoto
- Selfie camera
- 24MP camera mode
- AI Intelligence
- Camera assistant
Main camera
Samsung has used the 200MP main camera for the past three generations, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra will retain this module. The new version will equip a larger sensor than previous generations, including a 1.4 aperture over the 1.7 aperture used in the S25 Ultra.
This will help the camera to take brighter images and high-quality videos. It will drop motion blur, increase shutter speed, and the portrait shots will appear precise. Also, the colors will feel more natural thanks to the new optimizations.

Image – Samsung Galaxy S26 Night Camera Teaser
Ultra wide angle
It’s one of the most underated but the most unique capability, and the next-gen device will use a 50MP sensor with f/1.9 aperture and 120-degree field of view, a 1/2.5-inch sensor size, and 0.7-micrometer pixels, as well as phase-detection autofocus. Basically, it’s the same as the last generation.
Telephoto
A 50MP telephoto camera could take good photos, but Samsung’s version hasn’t impressed much in a long-distance zoom competition. However, a sensor upgrade is planned for the 5X zoom lens with a f/2.8 aperture over the f/3.4 used in the S25 Ultra. Again, a larger aperture will let more light into the images and improve the zoomed scene. Who knows, we may now have a less pixelated view than before.
Secondary telephoto
Early versions of leaks suggest that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will use an upgraded 12MP 3x telephoto, as its predecessor did, with a 10MP version. However, now it’s being reported that the 12MP sensor will be used to capture 10MP resolution.
This strategy may benefit in capturing more details, but the resolution is likely to remain the same as the previous model. However, the situation around the 3x telephoto remains doubtful.

24MP camera mode
Samsung’s 200MP Ultra models come with three preset camera modes – 200MP, 50MP, and 12MP. Among these, the 12MP is set by default, which means most of the features rely on this resolution, since it enables faster image processing.
This situation may change with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which could bring a new 24MP camera mode. You should know that Apple has already switched to a 24MP mode as the default. And, this may be a time for the Korean phone maker to do the same for its flagship phones.
With an optimized 24MP resolution, you can take high-quality shots. Still, we have to see whether Samsung quits on the 12MP default mode.
New selfie sensor
If you are not into the rear camera, the S26 Ultra may have a surprise for you. According to reports, Samsung has installed a new sensor for better image quality and a wider field of view to capture more people in one picture. We’ve been expecting the company to adopt a square camera sensor against the iPhone 17 Pro series, but that may not be going to happen at least this year.
AI enhancements
Samsung has already made it clear that this year’s Unpacked will once again deploy new AI technologies with the Galaxy S26 series. So, you can expect improvement in AI features such as pre- and post-image processing, subject and face detection, pixel enhancement, and other key imaging capabilities.
Camera Assistant
Besides hardware and AI upgrades, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could unlock some extra perks with the Camera Assistant plugin. Some of these additions are video softening and auto focus controls. These two extra options could help pro users to control more image properties and capture better photos and videos. Learn more about them here.
Conclusion
These are just some of the most notable camera specs, but we may have more that could be uncovered at the Unpacked 2026 event.
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