Is Samsung using a newer periscope lens on the Galaxy S26 Ultra? Here’s what we know (Updated)

Replace: March 6, 2026 (9:12 PM ET): Samsung has confirmed in an announcement to SammyGuru that the Galaxy S26 Extremely does certainly make the most of ALoP tech.

Authentic article: March 6, 2026 (05:25 AM ET): Samsung reserved many of the spotlight upgrades on the Galaxy S26 collection for the Galaxy S26 Extremely, together with a wider aperture on the first digital camera and the 5x telephoto digital camera. One change that flew beneath the radar is that the 5x digital camera is not a periscope zoom lens. As an alternative, Samsung has switched to a special lens kind for the 5x zoom digital camera.

Galaxy S26 Extremely has a special 5x optical zoom digital camera setup

A report from GSMArena notes that the brand new Galaxy S26 Extremely makes use of a “conventional” lens design for its 5x optical zoom digital camera, with the lens components and the sensor parallel to the telephone. In distinction, the S25 Extremely makes use of a periscope lens design for its 5x optical zoom digital camera, during which a prism bends gentle 90°, so the lens components and the sensor are perpendicular to the telephone.

Due to this modification, the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digital camera has a poorer minimal focus distance of 52cm. In distinction, the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digital camera might focus at 26cm and past.

For individuals who love utilizing the telephoto digital camera for close-up pictures, this can be a noticeable downgrade — although it’s essential to caveat that most individuals use the 5x zoom digital camera for zoom pictures on far-away topics.

The report additional notes that the totally different lens assemblies create totally different bokeh. The Galaxy S25 Extremely produces a extra rectangular bokeh for out-of-focus lights, whereas the Galaxy S26 Extremely produces a extra oval/round bokeh.

Samsung’s specs and advertising and marketing for the Galaxy S26 Extremely make no point out of a “periscope,” whereas these for the Galaxy S25 Extremely do. The report alludes to a cause for the lens swap and says it’s probably not because of the wider aperture, however doesn’t but share the precise discovering.

Is Samsung utilizing ALoP on the Galaxy S26 Extremely?

There’s hypothesis that the Galaxy S26 Extremely makes use of Samsung’s ALoP (All Lenses on Prism) expertise for its zoom lens. In an ALoP resolution, the sensor sits perpendicular to the telephone, however the lens components sit on prime of the prism (somewhat than in between the prism and the sensor), parallel to the telephone.

This enables for a smaller digital camera module whereas permitting for a quicker aperture. This must also clarify the round bokeh (because the rectangular prism isn’t the primary entry level for gentle on this setup).

Nevertheless, an ALoP setup can’t be thought-about a “conventional” lens design, because it combines perpendicular and parallel components, so we’re interested by GSMArena‘s precise findings on the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digital camera since they are saying it goes again to a “conventional” lens design.

Confusingly, whereas Samsung Semiconductor doesn’t publicly classify ALoP as a “periscope” zoom digital camera, using a prism within the digital camera module to bend gentle by 90° does technically make it a “periscope” zoom digital camera. ALoP merely reconfigures the structure of what’s known as a “typical folded zoom” digital camera module — periscope zoom cameras with the visibly rectangular lens opening.

Thus, Samsung’s hesitation in assigning the phrase “periscope” to the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s digital camera setup stays unexplained. Samsung’s Cell division typically neglects a deep dive into technical specs, so it’s not fully stunning that it doesn’t point out both ALoP or periscope zoom in any advertising and marketing supplies.

We’ve reached out to Samsung for clarification on the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digital camera: whether or not it makes use of the traditional folded-zoom design or the newer ALoP design, and whether or not it’s nonetheless labeled as a periscope zoom digital camera. We’ll preserve you up to date once we hear again from the corporate.