C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung is apparently thinking about a variable aperture for the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s main camera.
- The company first offered this feature on the Galaxy S9 series but dropped it with the Galaxy S20 range.
- A variable aperture would allow for greater control over focusing, light capture, and depth-of-field effects.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a mostly incremental upgrade over the Galaxy S24 Ultra, although the new phone does bring an upgraded ultrawide camera. Now, a reliable tipster has claimed that the S26 Ultra could gain a camera hardware feature first seen on older Galaxy flagships.
Leaker Ice Universe claimed on Weibo that Samsung is considering a variable aperture for the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s main camera. The user didn’t offer more details regarding this feature.
Samsung was the first smartphone brand to offer a variable aperture with 2018’s Galaxy S9 series. The Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S10 series, and Galaxy Note 10 range retained the feature before it was dropped with the arrival of the Galaxy S20 series. Samsung’s solution allowed users to switch between two aperture sizes (f/1.5 and f/2.4).
We’ve since seen phones from HUAWEI, HONOR, and Xiaomi with variable aperture main cameras that allow users to switch between multiple aperture sizes. So it’s unclear if Samsung would adopt a dual aperture design as seen on its older phones or a truly variable aperture approach.
Nevertheless, a variable aperture would give users more control over focusing, light capture, and depth-of-field effects. A wide aperture paired with a 200MP main camera like the S25 Ultra’s shooter would give users a shallow depth-of-field, more natural bokeh/portraits, and a brighter image. However, the ability to switch to a narrow aperture allows users to get closer to a subject before losing focus, a deep depth-of-field (i.e. everything in focus), and more control over the amount of incoming light.
