Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may not get upgraded camera hardware — but this one change may improve photos anyway

One of the most pressing questions when it comes to the Galaxy S26 Ultra is whether Samsung will finally offer some noticeable camera upgrades. And we just got a mix of good and bad news about this new flagship.

To say that camera improvements for the Ultra series have been lacking in the past would certainly be fair. Unfortunately, a recent post on X from user @chunvn8888 indicates that the Galaxy S26 Ultra might continue this trend. According to the post, leaked firmware indicates that Samsung will continue to use many of the same sensors that it used on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

However, it appears that Samsung could upgrade the 3x telephoto lens in the phone with the newer 12MP S5K3LD sensor. While this would allow for an upgrade in quality, it should be noted that the S5K3LD sensor is the same size as the 10MP sensor included in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. As such, the difference might not be all that drastic.

On the plus side, tipster IceUniverse recently leaked that Samsung could include a larger aperture on the 200MP main camera. This could help boost the image quality compared to the older model by allowing more light to enter the sensor. However, Samsung reportedly has another means to improve the images from the phone.

The Exynos chip could be a difference maker

While the hardware for the cameras may not change significantly, Samsung’s Exynos 2600 chip could have a substantial impact on camera performance. This information comes from a post on X from user @SPYGO19726, who claims the source is from internal documentation and conversations with engineers.

Supposedly, the Exynos 2600’s image signal processor will be capable of handling a single 320MP main camera or three 108MP cameras at the same time. On top of that, the chip is also tipped to feature an HDR engine that is capable of combining five frames at once, while also being able to process 14-bit RAW images.

However, there's no indication that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature a 320MP main camera. Instead, this chip could mean vastly improved performance in low light, with images offering improved quality and better color accuracy.

The chip also offers some improvements for recording video, as it’s stated to be capable of 8K recording with HDR10+ support at 60fps, as well as 4K at 120fps. Not only that, the chip reportedly also uses optical image stabilization and AI-based electronic image stabilization.

Finally, the Exynos 2600 could help to improve power efficiency, with the leak claiming that the chip’s ISP draws 30% less power than the older Exynos 2400. Considering that the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a place in our best phone battery life list, this could be a big change for the overall battery life.

Just keep in mind that the U.S. version of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is tipped to feature a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, though that promises several upgrades of its own.

As with any leak or rumor, we can't take anything for certain until we have a chance to test the phones ourselves. Unfortunately, we could have to wait a little longer for that chance, as Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is rumored to be taking place in late February, meaning the Galaxy S26 series likely won't be available until the middle of March.

Until then, let us know what you think about the Galaxy S26 Ultra's rumored upgrades and what you want to see.

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