How ‘Ultra’ are the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's cameras? I put them to the test against the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung’s been making its “Ultra” phones for years under the Galaxy S banner, but this year marks the first time the title is being used for a foldable phone. Needless to say, Samsung is trying to change the narrative with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra — by slapping its premier "Ultra" badge on a foldable for the very first time.

On paper, it packs the flagship hardware specs that I know appeal to hardcore fans who’ve remained faithful to the Galaxy S line for years, including the same 200MP main sensor as the Galaxy S26 Ultra. But when you’re paying a massive premium for a phone that folds, the cameras can’t come up short against the traditional slab flagship.

There are valid reasons why Samsung’s primary flagship remains the best camera phone around, armed with a quadruple camera setup that includes two telephoto lenses — whereas the Z Fold 8 Ultra comes with just a single telephoto lens with a shorter optical range. To see if Samsung’s newest foldable genuinely earns its name, I captured side-by-side photo sets with both the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Here’s what I found.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Camera specifications

What’s really fascinating when looking at the specs alone is that the cameras are not entirely identical. Despite both devices sharing a 200MP resolution for their main sensors and a 50MP (f/1.9) ultrawide camera, the Galaxy S26 Ultra technically holds an edge in optical range and low-light capabilities.

For starters, the S26 Ultra features a wider f/1.4 aperture compared to the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s f/1.7, allowing more light to enter the sensor — which should result in better low-light performance, less noise, and blur-free action shots.

Over in the telephoto department, the S26 Ultra also benefits from dual telephoto lenses, complete with a superior 50MP sensor featuring 5x optical zoom. In contrast, the newer Z Fold 8 Ultra relies on just a single 10MP telephoto camera with a shorter 3x optical zoom. These specs alone tell me there’s no way the Z Fold 8 Ultra is going to match the S26 Ultra in sheer telephoto performance.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: 200MP high resolution

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These first two shots illustrate the amount of detail captured when set to their maximum 200MP photo option. Not only do both produce massive file sizes, but the differences between them appear minimal at first glance. Looking at the full scene, it’s great that both phones balance the exposure evenly, though the S26 Ultra is slightly brighter in the shadows.

Zooming in, however, reveals that the Z Fold 8 Ultra retains sharper details and definition almost everywhere. From the base of the tree to the ornate floral arrangement hanging over the terrace in the background, I’d give this round to the Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Colors

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Judging by color performance alone, both phones deliver vibrant shots of the flower arrangement inside Whole Foods.

While the S26 Ultra has a penchant for a warmer color temperature — evident in how the pink flowers take on a slightly orange tone — the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s shot isn’t too far off, albeit not quite as warm. Still, neither phone clearly outperforms the other when it comes to color rendering here.

Winner: tie

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Ultrawide

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Given that both phones share identical 50MP (f/1.9) ultrawide cameras, I’m not surprised that this wide shot of Bryant Park is almost too close to call. Both devices capture impressive sharpness across the frame with minimal distortion around the edges.

However, looking closely at the lighting dynamics, the Galaxy S26 Ultra handles exposure and shadows slightly better — a trend I previously noted in the 200MP test. Notice how the people seated in the foreground have better visibility and contrast on the S26 Ultra, whereas the Z Fold 8 Ultra pulls a bit more shadow detail at the expense of a somewhat flatter tone.

Once again, it's a narrow victory, but the S26 Ultra takes it thanks to its superior dynamic range.

Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Dynamic Range

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With the sun coming from behind, the background and sky are much brighter than the metal statue sitting in the shadow — a setup that clearly reveals how their dynamic range performances differ.

I’m initially drawn to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra’s punchier overall shot, which is largely due to how it boosts contrast. Doing so, however, comes at the expense of the highlights in the trees and the glass building in the background.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S26 Ultra exhibits superior dynamic range. It manages to tone down the harsh highlights on the metal statue while pulling up subtle details in the darker foliage and shadowed steps along the bottom left. Ultimately, the S26 Ultra achieves a more balanced, natural exposure without blowing out the brightest areas or over-darkening the shadows.

Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Portrait

At first glance, I don’t notice a whole lot of difference in the way they approach portrait shots, as both apply just the right amount of bokeh to blur the background while preserving clean edge separation around my colleague, Mark Spoonauer.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra produces a natural skin tone and plenty of fine detail across Mark’s face and shirt. However, closer inspection reveals that there are sharper details captured by the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s portrait shot. Most noticeably, the fabric of his shirt and the stitching around his pocket show superior definition.

Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Selfie

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The S26 Ultra has a slight advantage on paper for taking selfies thanks to its 12MP front camera. The Z Fold 8 Ultra features dual 10MP selfie shooters, but for this test, I’m specifically comparing the cover screen camera.

It’s a very close call, though, with neither phone clearly outperforming the other. I really like the amount of sharp detail both capture across Mark’s face, as well as the texture of his shirt. Meanwhile, both devices manage to lift the exposure nicely in the shaded areas in the background.

Winner: tie

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Low light

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When shooting in dimly lit conditions, the main sensor aperture specs show their real-world impact. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s wider f/1.4 aperture pulls in significantly more light than the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s f/1.7 lens, creating a slightly brighter scene overall.

Looking at the backyard patio shot, the Galaxy S26 Ultra does a much better job illuminating the white fence in the background, the lawn, and the texture of the patio pavers.

Don’t get me wrong, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra still produces an excellent low-light photo that brightens an otherwise dark scene, but those same background areas remain darker and cast heavier shadows around the base of the chairs and side table. Thanks to its wider aperture, the S26 Ultra also retains cleaner details across the patio furniture without introducing excessive noise.

Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Telephoto

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Where I find the most substantial difference between them is in their telephoto performance. At shorter distances, they deliver nearly identical results, but the shots above of the ice cream truck show how the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers true Ultra-level performance.

Comparing them across 5x, 10x, and 30x zoom levels highlights the clear advantage of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s setup. At 5x zoom, both phones capture solid shots of the ice cream truck menu, but the S26 Ultra renders crisper text across the menu labels with less digital noise.

The divide widens significantly at 10x: the S26 Ultra retains sharp edges, vibrant contrast, and legible text on the menu options. To capture the same framing, the Z Fold 8 Ultra relies on digital cropping from its single 10MP 3x telephoto lens, leaving the 10x image noticeably softer with smoother, watercolor-like textures.

Finally, at 30x zoom, the S26 Ultra’s superior optical hardware gives its image processing far better detail to work with. The text labels under each ice cream cone remain surprisingly readable, whereas the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s 30x crop produces blurred text and blob-like details.

Winner: Galaxy S26 Ultra

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Verdict

While the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra proves that foldable cameras are no longer scaled-down afterthoughts, I wouldn’t say it has completely earned the "Ultra" crown across the board. For a phone bearing Samsung’s most prestigious naming convention, it can’t afford to come up short in any category — yet it still does.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra remains the undisputed camera king of Samsung's lineup. Thanks to the wider f/1.4 aperture of its main camera and its dedicated 50MP 5x periscope lens, the S26 Ultra consistently pulls ahead in the areas that separate the good from the great: low-light environments, dynamic range handling, and long-range telephoto zoom. If you want the absolute best camera results, the S26 Ultra is still the phone to get.

However, if you want the versatility of a foldable, the Z Fold 8 Ultra gets dangerously close in several areas. Still, falling short in low-light and telephoto performance is a tough pill to swallow considering the staggering price tag attached to Samsung's newest foldable.

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