Apple has introduced an innovative tetraprism telephoto lens assembly for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, featuring a 5x periscope telephoto capability. Although a 5x optical zoom is not new for Android devices, the tetraprism technology and its branding bring fresh advancements to the industry.
Samsung's Hexa Prism Lens
Recent developments reveal that Samsung Electro-Mechanics has filed a patent application for a potential competitor to Apple's periscope telephoto solution. This new technology, dubbed the 'hexa prism' lens, suggests an enhanced version of existing periscope zoom capabilities.
As implied by the name, this lens setup consists of six lenses that are designed to deliver superior periscope zoom functionality. Among these, three lenses are concave, causing light to bulge outward, while the remaining are convex. These lenses are positioned within a periscope, allowing the assembly to achieve an extended focal length, ranging from 180mm to 7000mm.
Details from Samsung's Patent
The patent abstract from Samsung offers a closer look at the proposed optical system that may be incorporated into future Ultra flagship models:
“An optical imaging system includes a first lens with negative refractive power, a convex object-side surface, and a concave image-side surface; a second lens with positive refractive power; a third lens with negative refractive power; a fourth lens with positive refractive power; a fifth lens with negative refractive power; and a sixth lens with positive refractive power and an image-side surface featuring an inflection point. The first through sixth lenses are arranged sequentially in ascending numerical order from the object side of the optical imaging system toward the imaging plane.”
Future Applications
While Samsung is expected to integrate this technology into one of its S Ultra flagship models, the specific model to first feature the 'hexa prism' lens remains uncertain. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is rumored to include a 5x periscope telephoto camera; however, given the focal length capabilities of the 'hexa prism' lens, it is unlikely to be the S25 Ultra. For reference, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 5x periscope telephoto has a focal length of 111mm. Therefore, the 'hexa prism' technology might debut in the S26 Ultra or another future model.
