The S25 Ultra has a periscope lens, which uses a prism to bend the light 90°. This is pretty common especially at a focal length in this range (111mm). However, the new S26 Ultra uses a traditional lens design, the kind where the lens elements and the sensor are parallel with the phone.
The new camera features, on the other hand, are neither of those things. They're something worse. Something scarier. On this episode of The Vergecast, Nilay and David discuss the new phones, then dive into the ways in which the S26's AI camera features seem to be clearly designed to change the whole idea of what happens when you try to take a picture.
Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra wasn't the first phone to feature a periscopic telephoto lens - both Huawei and Oppo beat the Korean company to it - but it was the first in the US to make such a big deal about it. Almost all of Samsung's marketing for the S20 Ultra centered on its so-called Space Zoom, its 5x optical folded periscope lens, capable of digitally zooming much further.
In recent years, smartphone photography has become increasingly dominated by software. Computational imaging, AI processing, and post-capture optimisation now play a central role in how images are produced. Yet as these techniques become more widespread, camera hardware is once again emerging as a key differentiator. The REDMI Note 15 Pro 5G Series reflects this shift clearly, placing renewed emphasis on sensor capability and optical fundamentals rather than relying solely on software to define image quality.
The Xiaomi 18 series is expected to debut later this year and will likely comprise a standard model alongside the Xiaomi 18 Pro. While details about the lineup remain scarce, a new leak suggests that the devices could feature a dual 200MP camera setup. According to tipster Digital Chat Station, an upcoming compact flagship with a 6.3-inch display is tipped to feature dual 200MP rear cameras.
The teaser is all about "vibrant night even in low light", and while Samsung doesn't explicitly mention which device it's talking about, we assume it's the Galaxy S26 Ultra, since that one will have the best cameras of the trio. Of course, Samsung's competitors from China may rightly point out that you need big sensors for nighttime photography, since they can take in more light,
Virtual Aperture already works on the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra via the Expert RAW app, but only for the main camera. Having it available for the telephoto as well would obviously improve its usability.
The kit consists of nearly 10 individual pieces. At the center of it is a case for the Magic8 Pro. Not only does it serve its photography duties, but it has built-in Qi2 magnets and what Honor calls a radiator grille design, which helps with heat dissipation.
The GT 9 Pro would keep that, presumably, while also employing a 200MP main camera. Two 200MP cameras on one phone will be a massive trend in China later this year, with the Oppo Find X9s, Oppo Find X9 Ultra, and vivo X300 Ultra all expected to have such a setup.
Honor revealed that its upcoming flagship will feature a 50MP main cam armed with a 1/1.3 sensor. It will be paired with a 64MP periscope telephoto lens. Tipster UniverseIce chimed in with more details, claiming the main cam will feature an f/1.6 aperture and 23mm equivalent focal length. The periscope telephoto will apparently get an f/2.6 aperture and 74mm equivalent focal range. The module will also offer 3.2x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom.
The Huawei Pura 90 Ultra is expected to launch in the coming months as the successor to the Pura 80 Ultra. Although Huawei hasn't confirmed details about the Pura 90 lineup, a new leak reveals the Ultra variant's camera specifications and rear design. According to a tipster on Weibo, the Pura 90 Ultra may feature a redesigned rear camera module.
