Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra shifts focus from megapixel counts to sensor-engineered speed and intelligence, delivering sharper zoom portraits, crisper action shots, better detail in challenging lighting, smoother 3x zoom video, and near-instant shutter response.

The true test will come at Samsung Unpacked 2026, where hands-on testing will determine whether the hype translates into real-world performance.

Although the 3x telephoto on the Galaxy S26 Ultra shows fewer megapixels, Samsung uses the central 10-megapixel area of a 12-megapixel sensor with multi-frame fusion to yield a final 12-megapixel image for higher quality.

A three-stack sensor with integrated DRAM memory directly in the sensor enables near-instant capture, reducing motion blur and rolling shutter, especially at zoom.

Pairing the camera with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and its AI ISP optimizes color, brightness, and sharpness in real time for more natural results.

The integrated design speeds data processing and stabilizes images without mechanical gimbals, improving zoom portraits, fast-moving subjects, and low-light zoom shots.