A new leak hints that Samsung’s incoming Ultra flagship will sneakily retract one of its most valuable lenses. It’s said the Galaxy S26 Ultra will use a smaller 3x telephoto sensor than its predecessor, which would affect image quality in the place where its users rely on it most: portraits and mid-range zoom.
There are whispers of a smaller 3x sensor
Renowned tipster Ice Universe believes the S26 Ultra is coming with a 12MP 3x-and-then-some camera that snaps 10MP effectively-shot photos using in-sensor crop. That part lines up with what’s been reported for the S25 Ultra. The difference is, at least, silicon: the S26 Ultra’s 3x sensor is apparently around 1/3.94-inch across with 1.0μm pixels, besting the assumed 1/3.52-inch sensor and 1.12μm pixels of the S25 Ultra’s 3x module.
Simply put, you’d also stare at a smaller light-gathering area, and smaller pixels/photosites. All else being equal, that might mean weaker signal-to-noise ratio, more dependence on aggressive noise reduction and less dynamic range, particularly in dim scenes where telephoto cameras already break down.
Why sensor size is still a big deal at 3x
Three-times optical zoom is the “everyday tele” for most smartphone shooters. It’s good for portraits and leaves room on perspective and avoids the distortion that sneaks in at 1x or the compression of 5x. A larger sensor at this focal length can keep fine hair, fabric, and skin detail while controlling for noise in indoor lighting—meaning restaurants, classrooms, or offices, where people are using their phones most.
Good processing aside, physics is the starting point. A nearly 12-percent reduction in pixel pitch (1.12μm to 1.0μm) compounded with a smaller die can lead to visibly grainier textures, more aggressive sharpening, or slower shutter speeds to compensate — all of which come with trade-offs. That’s why rivals hired to be upmarket have been in a race to expand their telephoto sensors; Apple, Google, and Xiaomi all relied upon larger chips or brighter optics in their devices to make tele performance more stable.
Can it now, can software save a smaller sensor?
It’s possible. Multi-frame fusion, AI denoising and better image signal processors have all moved on leaps and bounds in two generations. Methods such as semantic segmentation can be used to retain facial detail and remove background noise in a selective manner. Super-resolution pipelines can upscale even 10MP crops convincingly when given sufficient clean frames.
Samsung has shown a tendency to lean on computational photography to compensate for hardware trade-offs — just look at the gains it has made in night portraits and zoom clarity across successive Ultras. If the company combines the rumored sensor with a wider aperture, faster OIS, or improved tone mapping, the real-world blow may be softened. But there’s a limited quality ceiling here before low-lighting, indoor conditions reveal the hardware deficit.
Why Samsung could opt for a smaller module
Telephoto modules are also some of the largest components in a phone. By making the sensor smaller, the lens stack height can be shrunk, assembly tolerances can be relaxed, and space can be available for thermal solutions or larger actuators. Stabilization is also typically easier with a smaller sensor, which could lead to steadier video even at 3x.”From time to time designs make these sacrifices in size in order to maintain overall device thickness or to even out production yield and consistency over large production runs.
There’s also the strategic aspect: play up the main and long periscope cameras, were marketing messages are made to land, while making the 3x good enough for everyday use. Recent industry chatter has indicated wider apertures on the main and 5x lenses for Samsung’s next generation, and broader system-wide upgrades like faster wired charging and new privacy-focused display tech. If so, however, those gains should offset consumer perception, even if the mid-tele isn’t a spec-sheet stunner.
Wet yourself with measured caution
Early component rumors tend to changed as suppliers finalize their parts. Interestingly, the very same leaker had previously put forward a separate 3x spec before retracting the assertion. Supply chain sources, including analysts who monitor camera module orders, frequently point to late-cycle changes prompted either by yield, cost or software tuning results.
Still, the details here—sensor class (around 1/3.94-inch), pixel size (1.0μm) and the 12MP-to-10MP crop—all add up to a distinct picture of a conservative, perhaps cost- or packaging-driven decision. For photographers who like the look of 70–75mm-equivalent primes for portraits and street candids, that’s the lens to keep an eye on when hands-on reviews begin to appear.
Bottom line
Assuming the leak pans out, it would mean that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 3x camera would be a step down in raw performance over the immediate predecessor, especially in low light. Whether you feel it or not is going to be determined by how well Samsung’s computational pipeline and a complex optical design fight the actual physics between the lens and sensor. Until final devices land, it’s a reminder that not every generation advances every spec — and that the most important camera may be the one you use most at 3x.