Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra drops the 3x telephoto camera
According to two independent sources, Samsung is currently considering removing the outdated 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x zoom from the Galaxy S27 Ultra. The sensor has been used since the Galaxy S21 Ultra and is expected to be permanently discontinued next year.
One source explicitly states that the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra will not have a replacement for the 3x telephoto camera. Only the 200MP main camera, the 50MP 5x telephoto camera, and the 50MP ultrawide camera will remain. Industry experts explain this as a cost-cutting measure. Furthermore, the sensor has reached its “technical saturation point.”
One could view this as a step backwards. In reality, however, the sensor, with its low resolution of 10 megapixels and its small sensor area of just 1/3.94 inches, is long overdue for an upgrade or even retirement. Even cropping the images from the 200-megapixel main camera should, in most cases, deliver better image quality, thus rendering the 10-megapixel 3x telephoto camera superfluous.
This would leave a gap between the 2x digital zoom of the main camera and the optical zoom of the 5x telephoto camera. Only a new 3x sensor could fill this gap.
Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra vs Galaxy S27 Pro
At the same time, users eyeing the upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro will be pleased to hear that the smartphone boasts a solid camera setup. It adopts the camera configuration of the S27 Ultra, but retains the 12 MP camera with 3x zoom instead of a 50 MP camera with a 5x telephoto lens.
Of course, this is all just speculation at the moment. Until the Galaxy S27 series launches in early 2027, much more information is likely to surface online, including the latest leaks regarding battery capacities and design.
