Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could launch with a 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP2 main sensor, with a larger f/1.4 aperture, according to recent reports.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (pictured) offers a 12-megapixel Sony IMX754 telephoto sensor
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to launch with significant improvements over the current Galaxy S25 Ultra, according to recent reports, including Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon chip for flagship phones. However, the upcoming handset may also arrive with a downgrade, according to a tipster. The purported Galaxy S26 Ultra may be equipped with a telephoto camera that has a lower resolution than the existing model. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to launch with a slightly enhanced main camera and a thicker rear camera module as well, although it is tipped to be lighter on paper.
According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by tipster PhoneArt (@UniverseIce), the Galaxy S26 Ultra may come with a 12-megapixel 3x telephoto camera, cropped to 10-megapixel, featuring a 1/3.94-inch sensor and 1.0µm pixels. This is smaller than the camera on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which uses a 12-megapixel Sony IMX754 sensor, which is also cropped to 10-megapixel, with a 1/3.52-inch sensor and 1.12µm pixels.
While the difference may appear small, the size of the sensor and pixel dimensions affect its ability to capture light, which impacts both detail and low-light performance. The tipster also mentioned that no hardware changes are likely to be made at this point, as the Galaxy S26 Ultra is approaching the mass production stage.
An earlier leak claimed that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will keep the 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP2 primary sensor found in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it may come with a larger f/1.4 aperture, compared to the current model's f/1.7 aperture. The larger aperture should improve low-light photography, reduce noise, and capture more detail. It may also create a stronger bokeh effect for portraits and produce brighter, more detailed images.
A tipster recently revealed that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely feature a 4.5mm thick rear camera module, making it significantly thicker than the 2.4mm module on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. A large-aperture primary and telephoto lens on the back may explain the thickness. Despite the thickness of the camera island, the handset is expected to weigh 217g, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra weighs 218g.
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