Samsung is testing a prototype smartphone Galaxy S25 Ultra with three cameras on the back

It's been a while since the launch of the Galaxy S24 series, and leaks about the Galaxy S25 series have already started appearing on the internet. According to previous rumors, the S25 series may not have the alleged multi-layer battery for higher energy density. Instead, the series will use AI to save power and potentially offer better battery life.

One ​​less camera along with variable zoom

Latest rumors from whistleblower @ISAQUES81 talks about three new aspects of the Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera system. Samsung is reportedly testing an early prototype of its upcoming Ultra flagship.

According to him, the S25 Ultra prototype has only three cameras on the back instead of the four that were offered in predecessors. Three cameras: main, ultrawide and one periscope telephoto. It is reported that Samsung abandoned the "weak" 3x telephoto module and tries to compensate for this with digital zoom.

The company has already experimented with zoom cameras since at least the predecessor, where they abandoned the "weak" 10-megapixel 10x telephoto to 50-megapixel 5x. And the phone really does a great job at long-range zooming thanks to its 5x high-resolution camera and AI capabilities. Using something like that in the 3x range is theoretically impossible for sure.

The main camera keeps the same sensor size and resolution. However, the sensor will capture more light, possibly with a larger aperture. More light for the sensor is generally good for the provider and in turn provides a better end result.

Periscope telephoto uses a larger sensor than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which can improve detail in zoomed-in shots. But the most noticeable change is the addition of variable zoom, which is important for image quality in zoomed-in shots. Variable zoom means using certain mechanisms, similar to special cameras, that create a larger image on the sensor. No cropping means less or no loss of detail when zooming.

However, unlike the Xperia 1 V (which boasts a continuous optical zoom of 3.5x – 5.2x), the S25 Ultra will offer two fixed focal lengths – the first will be from 4 to 5x, and the second – from 6 to 7x. It is similar to combining two different zoom cameras (like now) into one module. The phone will still use digital zoom for values ​​between the two focal lengths. However, the two fixed focal lengths are close enough to each other that the loss should not be noticeable.