The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is shaping up to be a refinement year rather than a radical redesign, if the latest leak is on the money. Multiple reports point to a late February 2026 debut and, intriguingly, suggest Samsung will prioritize tuning over wholesale hardware swaps. 
That aligns with the new tip: the S26 Ultra is expected to keep a familiar camera stack while introducing a smarter 3x telephoto and fresh video options.
Rumored camera setup at a glance
- 200MP Samsung HP2 main wide camera
- 50MP Samsung JN3 ultrawide camera
- 50MP Sony IMX854 periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom
- New 12MP Samsung S5K3LD sensor for the 3x telephoto
- 12MP Sony IMX874 selfie camera
On paper, that looks almost identical to the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s arrangement, with one notable twist: the 3x lens. Replacing the previous 10MP module with a 12MP Samsung S5K3LD should bring cleaner detail and better texture rendition at mid-range zoom, the sweet spot for portraits and travel shots. Even a modest bump in pixel count can help reduce sharpening artifacts and improve low-light clarity when paired with modern multi-frame processing.
Why a “small” change could matter
Samsung’s flagship imaging has leaned heavily on computational photography in recent years. If the hardware foundation stays steady – HP2 for the main, JN3 for ultrawide, IMX854 for the 5x – expect the real leap to come from algorithms. A sharper 3x sensor gives those algorithms more raw information, which can translate into steadier focus, finer facial detail, and smoother transitions between 1x, 3x, and 5x without that jarring switch look.
APV video codec: what the leak hints at
The tip also mentions a new APV video codec option. Details remain scarce, but a new codec typically targets better efficiency, higher quality at the same bitrate, or improved HDR handling. If APV arrives alongside refinements to stabilization and autofocus, the S26 Ultra’s video story could be less about headline resolutions and more about fewer compression artifacts, richer color, and lower file sizes – useful wins for creators and casual shooters alike.
How it compares to Galaxy S25 Ultra
Based on the leak, the S26 Ultra’s camera philosophy mirrors the S25 Ultra’s: a 200MP main sensor for daylight punch and crop flexibility; a high-quality 5x periscope for true optical reach; and a competent ultrawide. The 3x upgrade is the hinge point. In everyday use, 3x is where most users live, so improving that lens can make photos look better more often than a splashy new spec that seldom gets used.
Release timing and reality check
The launch window is tipped for late February 2026. As always with early leaks, plans can shift before production hardware is finalized. Still, if this roadmap holds, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be a classic Samsung iteration: steady sensors, smarter processing, and one targeted hardware upgrade where it counts.
2 comments
APV codec? Sounds cool but will it save storage or what lol
S25U owner here – might skip unless 3x and video are noticeably better