TL; DR
- The 200 MP main camera stays with the ISOCELL HP2 but moves to an f/1.4 aperture for significantly better low-light performance.
- The 3X telephoto upgrades to a 12 MP S5K3LD at f/2.4, with rumors pointing to a larger sensor (around 1/3.06-inch) instead of the current 1/3.52-inch.
- The 5X periscope remains 50 MP but gets a brighter f/2.9 aperture, up from f/3.4, while the ultra-wide is said to stay the same.
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra looks like the company’s most focused camera refresh in years, based on leaks from reliable tipster Ice Universe. The biggest changes target apertures and sensor tweaks across the main, 3X, and 5X modules, with the goal of boosting real-world image quality through aperture and sensor size upgrades.
The main camera keeps the old 200 MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor but pairs it with a wider f/1.4 aperture versus f/1.7 on the S25 Ultra. That is a meaningful 47% jump in light intake and should directly improve night shots and detail retention in low light. Ice Universe called this “the most obvious upgrade since the Galaxy S20 Ultra” and confirmed the f/1.4 detail in recent posts.
The 3X optical zoom module sees the largest spec change (hopefully). Samsung is reportedly moving from the older 10 MP unit to a 12 MP S5K3LD sensor at f/2.4.
Some early claims pushed for an enormous 1/1.765-inch figure, but Ice Universe explicitly dismissed that, saying, “Obviously it can’t be 1/1.765.”
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This is because the 1/1.765-inch size belongs to the S5K2LD, not the S5K3LD. Nonetheless, a new sensor suggests the sensor size will grow compared to the tiny 1/3.52-inch sensor used previously, maybe around 1/3-inch.
That’s a really small upgrade and is nothing compared to the sensors used on the telephotos of the Chinese flagships from OPPO, vivo, and OnePlus.
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The 5X periscope keeps the 50 MP sensor but gets an aperture upgrade to f/2.9 from f/3.4. This adjustment increases light intake by 38%, which should help with better zoomed shots and low-light performance.
The ultra-wide camera is expected to remain unchanged.
| Camera | Sensor | Aperture | Sensor size |
| Main | 200 MP ISOCELL HP2 | f/1.4 | 1/1.3-inch |
| Ultra-wide | 50 MP ISOCELL JN3 | f/1.9 | 1/2.4-inch |
| 3X telephoto | 12 MP S5K3LD | f/2.4 | Rumored ~1/3.06-inch (current was 1/3.52-inch) |
| 5X telephoto | Sony IMX854 | f/2.9 | 1/2.52-inch |
If these leaks prove accurate, the S26 Ultra could bring some meaningful upgrades, although not as meaningful as those from the Chinese flagships. The phone is expected to be revealed in January 2026, and more confirmations or refinements should surface as we approach that timeframe.
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