Samsung May Offer Continuous Zoom on Future Galaxy Flagships

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEM), a subsidiary of Samsung, is reportedly developing a continuous zoom system for the telephoto camera. This will allow users to zoom smoothly across a wider magnification range without losing image quality. Xiaomi phones could initially adopt this new tech, followed by other smartphone makers, including Samsung itself.

Continuous zoom lets telephoto cameras offer optical flexibility

According to a report from TheElec, Samsung Electro-Mechanics is developing a continuous zoom for Xiaomi and others. The company is targeting Xiaomi first because Chinese smartphone brands often embrace new, untested camera technologies faster than Samsung or Apple. If successful, the tech could eventually appear on Galaxy phones.

For the uninitiated, continuous zoom tech splits the lenses in a telephoto camera into two or more groups. Some of these lens groups move to change the focal length smoothly, so you can get sharp photos at any zoom level. On the other hand, regular zoom cameras have fixed lenses to provide optical zoom at certain steps, such as 5x or 10x. If you zoom in between these steps, the camera uses digital zoom, meaning you get a lower quality image.

However, since lenses need to move a longer distance, making continuous zoom is a complex process. It requires careful optical axis alignment between lens groups and module thickness. Furthermore, it can also make the camera module thicker, which most brands may not want. For years, Samsung has used the folded zoom on its smartphones to support high-end telephoto cameras while keeping the modules slim.

While continuous zoom could bring a revolution to smartphone cameras, Samsung’s MX division will unlikely adopt it in its present form. The company’s current goal is to make slimmer smartphones while offering powerful features. If they opt for a continuous zoom system for the telephoto camera, it could make the module thicker, affecting the phone’s slim design. We should learn more about it in the coming months.