Samsung is gearing up for the launch of the Galaxy S26 series in January 2026, with the S26 Ultra expected to be the crown jewel of the lineup. However, a recent leak from Ice Universe has revealed surprising news: the Galaxy S26 Ultra may feature a downgraded 10MP 3x telephoto camera, a step back compared to its predecessor.
Telephoto Camera Downgrade Explained
According to Ice Universe, the S26 Ultra’s mid-range telephoto module will use a 3x f/2.4 lens paired with a 10MP 1/3.94” sensor with 1.0µm pixels. For comparison, the Galaxy S25 Ultra currently uses the Sony IMX754 sensor, a slightly larger 12MP sensor (cropped to 10MP) with 1.12µm pixels. This makes the new telephoto sensor smaller and potentially less capable in low-light conditions.
Context Within the Market
The downgrade comes at a time when rivals are improving their camera systems. Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max has upgraded telephoto and selfie cameras, while Vivo’s X200 Pro and upcoming X300 Pro models feature large high-resolution sensors and custom optics. Within this competitive landscape, Samsung’s decision to reduce the telephoto sensor size is unexpected.
Other Camera Modules
While the main 200MP sensor and the ultra-wide lens are expected to remain unchanged, the 5x periscope module may retain a 50MP sensor. Ice Universe also notes that Samsung likely won’t use a 200MP sensor in the telephoto module due to cost constraints. The large camera bump on the S26 Ultra remains unexplained, raising questions about what optics improvements Samsung might include.
Conclusion
The leaked details suggest that the Galaxy S26 Ultra may not deliver the expected telephoto performance improvements, at least in its 3x module. Users will have to wait for the official launch to see whether the S26 Ultra’s other camera innovations make up for this downgrade.
