Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a brand-new lens for zoom

Recent rumors concerning Samsung ’s upcoming high-end devices have reignited tech enthusiasts’ attention around the camera department, always a crucial element in assessing the quality of premium smartphones.

The latest images and short videos leaked online in the past hours show a device that seems to introduce a structural novelty of great significance from an optical point of view.

After consolidating for two generations the use of a periscope telephoto with optical zoom 5x, implemented first on the S24 Ultra and subsequently on the S25 Ultra, the Korean company is preparing to offer a new element on the long-distance lens.

Galaxy S26 Ultra, the first Samsung with an ALoP zoom lens?

Observing closely the shared images, a detail emerges in clear contrast with past models: the aperture of the telephoto lens dedicated to the new smartphone appears perfectly circular, abandoning the typical rectangular slit that characterized the periscope modules of previous Ultra generations.

This structural change has immediately sparked speculation about a possible debut of the All Lenses on Prism technology, also known by the acronym ALoP. The Asian company had introduced this engineering innovation a few years ago, but kept it at prototype stage without ever bringing it to the global market.

Although online enthusiasm pushes to take this implementation as certain, prudence is required. The circular shape of the module, in fact, does not constitute an absolute guarantee of the presence of the ALoP system.

Other manufacturers, looking, for example, at the engineering choices adopted on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, have shown how it is possible to integrate the periscope architecture by hiding it behind a circular opening with a traditional appearance.

Consequently, Samsung engineers may have simply opted for a different and more compact arrangement of the lenses inside a proven periscope system.

What to expect from the S26 Ultra cameras?

Leaving aside doubts about the exact nature of the lens, the manufacturer’s strategy for the new Galaxy S26 Ultra seems clear: not to aim at indiscriminate increases in sensor or megapixel sizes, but at refining performance tied to light capture.

The base hardware will maintain solid continuity, offering a 200 MP primary rear sensor with optical image stabilization, accompanied by a 50 MP ultra-wide sensor with autofocus.

The magnification system will rely on a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and the already mentioned sensor from 50 MP with 5x optical zoom, both stabilized. For selfies, the company is expected to use a 12 MP front camera with autofocus.

The real leap forward will lie in the focal apertures, adjusted to maximize brightness. The main lens will rely on an aperture of f/1.4, a significant step forward compared with the previous f/1.7 value seen on the S25 Ultra, while the 50-megapixel telephoto will benefit from an aperture f/2.9 compared to the previous f/3.4.

This important update will ensure more light reaches the sensors. Such a luminosity increase will directly translate into photographs capable of delivering more precise details and a strong reduction in digital noise.