Samsung Should Bring Back This Galaxy S23 Ultra Camera Feature

Not too long ago, Samsung was widely regarded as the “zoom king” of smartphone cameras. Its Ultra flagships proudly carried a dedicated 10x optical zoom lens that delivered crisp, detailed shots from incredible distances. But starting with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung shifted to a 5x telephoto instead, effectively cutting its optical reach in half. The 10x lens (10MP) was last seen on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it doesn’t seem to be making a comeback anytime soon, even though bringing it back wouldn’t be a bad move.

Samsung moved away from its strongest zoom hardware

When Samsung switched to a 5x zoom lens on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, it promised lossless zoom up to 10x. But in practice, digital cropping simply couldn’t match the optical clarity of a true 10x lens. The resolution bump from 10MP to 50MP helped preserve detail, but not enough. The S24 Ultra’s 5x telephoto still fell short of expectations. With the Galaxy S25 Ultra (review) carrying the exact same setup, the situation hasn’t improved this year either.

The result: Samsung no longer holds the crown for the best zoom camera on a smartphone. Rivals have pulled ahead in long-range image quality, even with less optical magnification. To make matters worse, early information suggests the Galaxy S26 Ultra will stick with the same 50MP 5x sensor. And while Samsung can squeeze out improvements through software tuning, do not expect it to match the true optical zoom clarity of a dedicated 10x lens.

Several factors may have influenced Samsung’s decision to effectively “downgrade” the zoom camera on its Ultra flagships. The company has been pushing for slimmer designs, and a full 10x periscope module likely didn’t align with that goal. On top of that, a 5x lens can still deliver solid results up to around 6-7x, which Samsung probably considers the real-world sweet spot for most users. Cost management might be another factor, especially in a world where component prices continue to rise.

However, after switching from the Galaxy S23 Ultra to the S24 Ultra and now the S25 Ultra, I’ve felt the absence of a 10x lens more than once. The S23 Ultra’s zoom capabilities genuinely delivered those “wow” moments during travel, events, zoo trips, and live sports. And that’s exactly why bringing back a true 10x optical lens in the Ultra series may not be a bad idea at all.

A missed opportunity, but not too late to fix

Reintroducing a 10x periscope lens would instantly set Samsung’s Ultra flagships apart from almost every competitor, giving the lineup a clear hardware advantage in long-range zoom. It would also boost the phones’ appeal among photography enthusiasts, an audience many rivals are actively targeting. More importantly, it would restore the Ultra’s identity as the “zoom king” and reinforce Samsung’s overall marketing narrative.

There’s a growing number of Chinese flagships pushing optical zoom innovations. Samsung can’t rely entirely on hybrid zoom to keep up. After all, camera capabilities are a major decision point for premium buyers, and brand loyalty won’t hold if the results fall short. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is already headed for mass production, so that ship has sailed. But whether Samsung can fix its zoom camera with the S27 Ultra remains to be seen.