Galaxy S27 Ultra leak: no 3x zoom camera, warmer photos
If you take a lot of portraits or mid-distance shots, the Galaxy S27 Ultra may handle them differently. Insider Ice Universe says Samsung is removing the 3x telephoto camera. Only a 5x periscope lens (a camera with folded optics for long zoom) would remain. That leaves a gap between the main camera and 5x, on a phone that launched its predecessor at $1,299.
Galaxy S27 Ultra vs. S26 Ultra: How Samsung’s Camera Style Has Changed https://t.co/cTu7lzD2ap
— Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) September 29, 2026
The camera change
The main camera stays at 200MP but reportedly moves to a new sensor, the ISOCELL HP6. Ice Universe describes it as a Galaxy-tailored version of Samsung's HPC sensor.
The 5x periscope is said to be unchanged from the Galaxy S26 Ultra: a 1/2.52-inch sensor with an f/2.9 aperture. An earlier rumor of a larger 4x sensor appears to be dead. Ice Universe has since reaffirmed the 5x-only setup.
Without a 3x lens, mid-range zoom will probably rely on cropping into the 200MP sensor. That is an inference, not something the leak confirms. Cropping usually gives softer results than a dedicated lens.
The processing
Software is where Samsung seems to be putting its effort. Photos should look warmer, a shift from the cooler tone of the S26 Ultra. Small bright objects, such as street lamps, should keep more detail in the highlights.
Low-light shots are also getting attention. The algorithms should reduce noise in dark areas and make shadow transitions smoother. All of this comes from one insider's account, so it's worth waiting for real-world samples.
Price and timing
Samsung hasn't announced anything. Expect a launch in the first quarter of 2027. SamMobile expects a starting price of around $1,300 for the 256GB model. It also expects pre-orders on announcement day and retail sales about two weeks later. UK pricing is unconfirmed. The S26 Ultra sits at roughly £1,279 there.
If the price holds or climbs, losing a camera will be harder to justify. Better processing may not make up for it.
The S27 Ultra is also expected to bring its first real battery upgrade in six years. Other leaks point to 12GB of RAM across the range. The trade-off may look better once the full spec sheet is out.
