In the world of smartphones, photography is a crucial element that continues to drive innovation. In 2023, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also made headlines thanks to its impressive 10x optical zoom, as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra had done before it. The latest rumors suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S24 UltraInstead, it may come without this key feature.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra convinced critics and users with its quad rear camera system, which included a 200MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom and a 10MP unit with periscope with 10x optical zoom. This smartphone was praised for its long-distance zoom capabilitiesbecoming one of the best smartphones for photography.
However, rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra suggest a significant change. It was previously speculated that the new model might feature an optimized version of the 200MP sensor, the same 12MP ultrawide camera, a new 50MP camera with 3x zoom, and a 10MP periscope camera.
The most surprising news, which emerged from reliable sources including the well-known leaker Ice Universe, instead took everyone by surprise: the next “Ultra” may no longer have a periscope camera with 10x optical zoom. The question everyone is asking now is whether the smartphone will have a periscope camera with lower zoom capability or whether it will be absent altogether.
This move is somewhat unexpected, considering the periscope camera was one of the standout features of the latest Galaxy S Ultra. Furthermore, Apple has just announced its first iPhone 15 Pro Max with a 5x optical zoom camera, highlighting the importance of this technology. Samsung risks disappointing its fans completely abandoning this peculiarity.
However, there is a possible explanation as to how the Korean company can compensate for the lack of the 10x superzoom. There is talk of a 50MP sensor that could significantly improve the magnification performance of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a good level of detail at all zoom settings, image quality drops at longer distances. A high-resolution zoom camera could help solve this problem thanks tounion of optical zoom and sensor crop.
It remains to be seen how consumers will react and whether the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will manage to maintain its position in the list of best cameraphones in 2024.
