Dear Samsung, It’s Time to Give Non-Ultra Phones the Cameras They Deserve

I’ve been a Samsung user for almost as long as I’ve owned smartphones. Over the years, I’ve tried devices from other brands as secondary phones, but Galaxy phones have always remained my daily drivers. I admire Samsung’s stunning displays, its increasingly seamless ecosystem, and the raw performance its devices deliver. Yet there’s one recurring frustration I just can’t ignore: Samsung’s overly restrictive approach to camera tech.

I’m not talking about the camera performance — that’s a discussion for another day. What bothers me is how Samsung continues to lock its best camera technology behind the Ultra models. If you want the ultimate Galaxy photography experience, you have no choice but to buy the big, heavy, and expensive S Ultra. It’s time Samsung figured out how to bring top-tier camera hardware to smaller, more accessible phones, too.

Not everyone wants a big phone, Samsung

Look at the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This beast packs not one but two telephoto cameras: a 3x unit for medium zoom and a 5x unit for long-range zoom (it used to be a 10x camera earlier). That’s alongside a high-resolution 200MP main sensor and an improved 50MP ultrawide module. It’s one of the most versatile camera arrays in the Android world, though there’s still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to real-world performance.

But if you look outside of the Ultra model, Samsung’s camera choice leaves a lot more to be desired. The rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup doesn’t have a 5x zoom camera, while the main camera is also a 50MP unit (the S25 Edge has a 200MP main sensor but entirely lacks a telephoto lens). The same goes for the ultrawide unit. This feels like a deliberate cage — a way to force customers into paying for the top model, even if the base or Plus mode is more your type.

Samsung’s rivals show a better way when it comes to cameras

Historically, Samsung isn’t the only company to play this restrictive game. Many of you may have guessed it right: Apple used to do the same. However, it has changed in recent years. You get the exact same camera setup on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL also keep the same camera hardware. Vivo flagships, which are emerging as one of the best camera phones, do it too.

This makes Samsung’s Ultra-line exclusivity feel archaic. But what stings more is how Samsung treats its Galaxy Z Fold line. Those are the most expensive, ambitious devices it sells, yet the cameras aren’t at the same level as the S Ultras. The latest Fold 7 doesn’t have a 5x zoom camera, which is baffling.

The pattern continues with the upcoming flagships

Sadly, leaks around the upcoming Galaxy S26 line aren’t giving me hope that Samsung plans to change its ways. Once again, the Ultra model will walk away with the best camera hardware (probably not the best globally, but in the Galaxy family), while the rest of the lineup falls short.

You might say, “But if I want the best zoom, just buy an Ultra.” But look at the sheer size of the Ultra. Rumors suggest Samsung may discontinue the Plus model because nobody’s buying it. The replacement is an ultra-slim Edge model that doesn’t have a zoom camera. As other brands have shown, there’s space for a compact or more flagship with the best cameras in the market. But does Samsung care? We shall find out in the coming years.