Galaxy S27 Ultra Could Ditch 3x Zoom Camera, Tipster Claims

Samsung may be preparing one of its most significant camera shake-ups in years. According to a well-known tipster, the company is considering dropping the dedicated 3x telephoto lens from its next Ultra flagship, the Galaxy S27 Ultra. It’s unclear if the rest of the lineup will see any changes.

Samsung could drop the 3x zoom camera from the Galaxy S27 Ultra

For years, Samsung’s Ultra phones have relied on a dual-zoom setup. The devices come with a 3x telephoto lens for mid-range zoom and a higher-magnification periscope lens (5x or 10x) for long-range shots. This combination has offered flexibility, but it also adds complexity and cost. Now, that approach may be changing.

According to Ice Universe, Samsung is confident enough in its 200MP main camera to handle 3x zoom digitally without noticeable quality loss. We’ve already seen this work at 2x zoom on current devices, where results can appear nearly “lossless.” The next step would be pushing that quality up to 3x. Samsung could make that happen with improved image processing algorithms, more advanced AI-based enhancement, and sensor upgrades.

If the company can pull this off, it may remove the dedicated 3x lens entirely and simplify the camera system on the Galaxy S27 Ultra. The 5x lens would handle true optical zoom for distant subjects, while the main sensor fills the gap at lower magnifications.

Unfortunately, the tipster didn’t specify if this change will impact the rest of the S27 lineup. There are early whispers of a possible “Pro” model joining the series, potentially with camera upgrades. It remains to be seen if Samsung introduces a new 3x camera on the smaller models next year. The current Galaxy S26 and S26+ still rely on aging 3x telephoto sensors, which lag behind the competition in both hardware and processing.

Of course, this is still early information, and plans could change before launch. But if Samsung does move forward with this idea, the Galaxy S27 Ultra could mark a turning point in flagship camera design. More details are awaited.