Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Camera Upgrades vs iPhone 17 Pro

Key Takeaways

1. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra retains the same camera setup as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with four rear cameras including a 50 MP ultra-wide and a 10 MP telephoto lens.
2. The main camera has been upgraded to 200 MP with a faster f/1.4 lens that allows 47% more light, improving low-light performance.
3. The 50 MP periscope telephoto camera features a quicker f/2.9 lens, enhancing background highlights.
4. Camera performance shows improvements in detail and low-light noise, with better skin tone accuracy compared to the S25 Ultra, but still lags behind the iPhone 17 Pro.
5. Areas needing improvement include the autofocus system’s face detection and the quality of bokeh simulation, which can produce artifacts.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, priced at $1,299 on Amazon, mirrors its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with four rear cameras. It features a 50 MP f/1.9 ultra-wide camera with a 1/2.5 inch sensor and a 10 MP f/2.4 telephoto camera equipped with a 3x optical zoom and a small 1/3.94 inch sensor. These specifications remain unchanged from the earlier version.

Enhanced Main Camera

The standout feature is the 200 MP main camera, now sporting a faster f/1.4 lens, which, according to Samsung, allows 47% more light to hit the sensor compared to the last model. The 50 MP periscope telephoto camera also benefits from a quicker f/2.9 lens and incorporates a smaller ALoP module. This upgrade modifies the appearance of highlights in the background, making them round instead of square. However, it’s worth noting that the minimum focus distance has increased to 52 centimeters.

Camera Performance Insights

DxOMark tested the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s camera and observed notable enhancements in two specific areas. First, the 200 MP main camera captures more detailed images with reduced noise in low light, confirming that the faster lens indeed makes a difference. Second, the device records skin tones more accurately in dim conditions compared to the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Nevertheless, DxOMark points out that the Apple iPhone 17 Pro’s main camera outshines the Galaxy S26 Ultra by capturing even more detail and exhibiting less noise.

Areas for Improvement

Despite these advancements, DxOMark criticizes the autofocus system for not consistently detecting faces precisely, and notes that the bokeh simulation is not always perfect, leading to noticeable artifacts in some images.

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