Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Samsung has apparently started testing a 200MP periscope camera.
- If the Galaxy maker offered a phone with a 200-megapixel zoom camera, it would follow in the footsteps of vivo and HONOR.
- Our own experience with these phones suggests that you should expect better long-range zoom.
Last year, the first phones with 200-megapixel telephoto cameras hit the market, providing a huge leap in resolution and allowing for better long-term zoom. Now it seems that Samsung is testing this technology as well.
Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station Samsung has reportedly started testing a 200MP periscope camera. The user also said he tested the 1/1.5-inch 200MP sensor, making it slightly smaller than the 1/1.4-inch 200MP sensor seen on HONOR and vivo phones.
The leaker didn’t provide any other details, but we’re guessing that the feature could be on the Galaxy S26 Ultra or S27 Ultra if Samsung chooses to accept it. However, previous phones show that this is not a silver bullet for great zoom.
200MP zoom cameras: Mainly a hit
I pitted vivo X100 Ultra vs S24 Ultra last year and found that the Chinese phone can usually take better zoom shots with its 200MP 3.7x camera. However, when using this lens I also criticized over-processed low-light snaps and sometimes inconsistent sharpness across the frame. Meanwhile, colleague Rob Triggs praised the images from the Magic 7 Pro’s 200MP 3x camera, saying you can get fairly detailed 12x shots during the day. But it generally lamented somewhat soft detail and a very disappointing telephoto enhancement option for 30x and higher shots.
Still, it’s clear that all those megapixels translate into improved long-range zoom. But if Samsung chooses to adopt a 200MP periscope camera, the camera software will obviously play a big role in unlocking that potential. The general theme of image softness also suggests that there are some hardware limitations for this type of camera system.
Finally, we have some reservations about Samsung embracing this technology amid its struggles Shutter lag on the 200MP main camera. Periscope cameras already offer narrower apertures than conventional cameras, allowing for longer shutter speeds in some scenarios. So don’t be surprised if this 200MP zoom camera also has shutter lag.
You may not have to wait until 2026 or 2027 for more phones with 200MP periscope cameras. Previous leaks hint at this Xiaomi 15 Ultra While getting a 200MP zoom camera, the vivo X200 Ultra will retain the 200MP lens. However, it seems that the upcoming SSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra the camera will be more of the same when it comes to zoom.
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