C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Tl;
- Samsung is apparently thinking of 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 series.
- A variable aperture will provide greater control over focusing focus, light catch and depth of field.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is mostly step -by -step upgrade over the Galaxy S24 Ultra, although the new phone brings an upgraded Ultrawide camera. Now a reliable tipster has claimed that the S26 Ultra can get a camera machine feature that was first seen on older Galaxy flagships.
Leak Ice Universe claimed at Weibo that Samsung is considering a Variable aperture For the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s main camera. The user did not provide more details regarding this feature.
Samsung was the first smartphone mark to offer a variable aperture with the 2018 Galaxy S9 series. The Galaxy Note 9, the Galaxy S10 series and the Galaxy Note 10 series 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 (f/1.5 and f/2.4).
We have since seen phones from Huawei, Honor and Xiaomi with variable aperture cameras that allow users to switch between multiple aperture. So it is unclear whether Samsung would use a double opening design seen on its older phones or a truly variable aperture.
Nevertheless, a variable aperture will give users more control over focusing, light catch and depth of field Effects. A wide aperture interconnected 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 lighter image. However, the ability to switch to a narrow aperture users users to get closer to a subject before losing focus, a deep depth of field (ie everything in focus) and more control over the amount of incoming light.