In the previous review, I reviewed one of the most interesting features of the Galaxy S26 Ultra – the almost lossless zoom window between 5x and 9.9x, where the camera maintains a full resolution of 24MP before switching to long-term AI. In itself, that already felt like a meaningful improvement in how Samsung handles telephoto details.
But the extended review raised a more important question. Was this behavior limited to the 5x telephoto camera, or was it part of a broader change to how the entire zoom system works? Once you step back and try to go through the entire focal length, the answer becomes clear.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra doesn’t rely on a single high-quality display. It works in a multi-domain format with high resolutions. Compared to the previous generation, this change is not subtle; reinvents the way zoom works.
Auto mode and Professional RAW ultimately behave the same way
One of the most important changes is also one that many users may overlook. On the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Auto mode and Expert RAW now follow the same resolution concept across all zoom ranges. Whether you’re shooting HEIF or JPEG with a standard camera tool, or shooting RAW in Expert RAW, the pipelines below work the same way.
This is a big change from the Galaxy S25 Ultra, where high performance was largely limited to Expert RAW. In Auto mode, the system remained locked to a 12MP output at most zoom levels, although more detail was available from the sensor.
With the S26 Ultra, Samsung combines the experience. The same structure works regardless of method, which removes a layer of unpredictability and makes the system more transparent in real-world use.
Three unique 24MP lossless cameras
Testing across the full range of motion reveals a clear and determined structure. Instead of gradual resolution changes, the S26 Ultra works with three separate 24MP areas, each connected to the home camera.
The Ultrawide camera maintains a full 24MP resolution from 13mm to 22mm. Within this network, the system relies on high throughput from the sensor, to store data without heavy computing interference. The result is the same level of clarity even when moving slightly away from the native 0.6x field of view.
The main camera continues this behavior from 23mm to about 45mm. Here, the 24MP camera provides a lot of natural detail, and the sensor works in its stable and predictable mode before moving on to heavy duty.
The most impressive area lies at 5x telephoto. From 115mm to 229mm, the camera maintains a full 24MP resolution in what behaves like a near lossless zoom window. Details are always clean, processing is minimal, and the image maintains a natural look that reflects real sensor data rather than reconstruction.
This is not just a quality improvement. It is a deliberate extension of where that value is.
Transition zones reveal system priorities
Between these high-resolution areas, the camera enters transition areas where the action takes over. This behavior is present in the S26 Ultra and the previous S25 Ultra. However, in the new design, it is more organized and easier to distinguish.
From 2x to 2.9x, the system continues to use the main camera, but the resolution drops to 12MP even when shooting in 24MP mode. This shows a shift in computing performance, where the system prioritizes stability over raw data.
From 3x to 4.9x, the camera switches to a dedicated 3x telephoto lens, and this is where the limit becomes physical rather than computational. The sensor itself works with an effective resolution of around 10MP, which means it won’t keep up with a true 24MP camera regardless of performance.
But beyond 10x, the system goes full AI-assisted zoom. The resolution remains fixed at 12MP, and computational optimization becomes the main factor in creating the final image. These transition points are not limitations. It is the boundaries where the system moves from natural data to controlled reconstruction.
The way the Galaxy S25 Ultra handled zoom was different
Looking back at the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the difference in proximity is immediately apparent. Instead of defined areas, the system performed with a gradual degradation as the zoom increased, especially in Expert RAW. Auto mode, in most cases, was always limited to 12MP output.
On wide-angle and large cameras, the resolution will gradually decrease as you move away from the focal length. The 5x phone showed a similar pattern, starting at 24MP but gradually dropping to lower resolutions as the zoom increased. This made it difficult to predict where the camera was delivering its best quality. Instead of clear boundaries, users were operating within a continuous rate of degradation.
What Samsung has really changed
With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung didn’t just improve image quality. It changed the way the feature was delivered. Instead of slowing down, the system now works in clear stages: high-resolution scenes, transition scenes, and AI-driven zoom. This makes for a more predictable shooting experience and really changes the way the camera feels in use.
Instead of behaving like a continuous digital zoom system, the system now works like three separate cameras, each with its own high-resolution window. Within those windows, the camera provides consistent, natural data. Outside of them, it changes in a controlled and deliberate way. This is not just a technical change. It’s a revolution in how the user interacts with zoom.
Smartphone photography has always been a balance between optical devices, sensor cropping, and computational photography. What sets the Galaxy S26 Ultra apart is not just how well it uses these features, but how well it organizes them.
There is no longer a need to guess where value drops or where performance takes over. The system explains those limits to you, and once you understand them, the behavior becomes clear. You are no longer just looking at endless digital models. You move between controlled areas, each with a different way of building the image. And that changes everything.
#Galaxy #S26 #Ultra #Adds #24MP #Lossless #Zoom #Fields #Whats #Changed #S25 #Ultra