The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will very possibly be the best camera phone you can buy when it likely launches on January 17. After all, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra currently tops our list of the best camera phones, and logic dictates that the S24 Ultra will probably be an improvement.
We have more than just logic to go on though, because the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has also been extensively leaked, and so we have a good idea of all the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs – including its cameras.
Below then, we've detailed the most likely camera hardware and features, based on leaks and rumors. Just be aware that until Samsung confirms the specs on January 17, there’s a chance any of this could be wrong.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra cameras: rumored specs at a glance
Before we take a deep dive into the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s likely camera specs, here’s an overview of what we’re expecting. These details are mostly taken from one massive Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs leak (which largely lines up with previous leaks).
What cameras will the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra likely have?
While early leaks were in disagreement about what cameras the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra would have, all recent camera leaks point in the same direction. So it’s this direction that we’re going to focus on here (and in the chart above) as these are almost certainly the camera specs this phone will have – more or less anyway.
We’re expecting a quad rear-camera array, just like on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but with some differences. The majority of sources point to a 200MP main camera, just like the S23 Ultra, and this will probably use the same sensor and lens as that phone.
It’s reportedly going to be joined by a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, which again will probably be the same hardware as on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, complete with a 120-degree field of view.
For telephoto shots you’ll likely have two lenses, one of which is said to be a 10MP f/2.4 one with 3x optical zoom. This again sounds the same as what the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has.
The main hardware difference from the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the final rear camera, which for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is reportedly a 50MP f/3.4 periscope camera with 5x optical zoom. That’s in place of a 10MP f/4.9 periscope with 10x optical zoom on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
So you’re likely to get more megapixels but shorter distance zoom here on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. However despite reportedly topping out at 5x optical zoom, a leaked specs list suggests the Galaxy S24 Ultra will also be capable of a 10x optical quality crop.
In fact, according to leaker @UniverseIce, the 10x zoom on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is actually better than on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. So there’s probably not much to worry about there. Reportedly the S24 Ultra will also be capable of a ‘100x Space Zoom’, which is in line with the current model, and will presumably be digital – and therefore theoretically have a notable drop in quality.
Other leaked camera hardware includes optical image stabilization for all of these lenses other than the ultra-wide one, a 12MP front-facing camera (just like last year), and the ability to record videos in up to 8K quality at up to 30fps.
Other than that 50MP periscope camera, this overall camera arrangement looks to be the same as the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But one other likely difference is the heavy presence of AI in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung has substantially teased AI as being a big feature of the Galaxy S24 line, and leaks have given us an idea of what to expect.
Most notably, a big Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra AI leak points to the phone allowing you to move people, pets, and objects from one position to another in photos, as well as being able to expand a photo beyond its borders, and move a subject from one image to another. This sounds very similar to the Google Pixel 8's Magic Editor.
Another AI leak added that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra might be able to use AI to improve the quality of recorded videos by reducing the graininess and improving the stabilization, and that you might even be able to erase unwanted objects from clips.
More about the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra colors: every rumored shade
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs rumors: everything we know so far
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra design – expect fresh colors and titanium sides
