nullThe S26 Ultra can zoom up to 100x. But let's talk about what that actually means.
The optical zoom:
You have two telephoto lenses. A 3x telephoto gives true optical zoom—no quality loss. A 5x periscope lens does the same at 5x. These are the money spots for zoom photography.
Samsung claims "10x optical-quality zoom." That's using the 50MP 5x sensor and cropping. Not true optical, but there's enough resolution that the crop looks excellent.
The digital zoom:
Beyond 10x, you're in digital zoom territory. The phone crops, enlarges, and uses AI to fill in detail.
From 10x to 30x, results are pretty decent. Usable for social media.
From 30x to 100x, quality drops. Images get soft. AI artifacts can appear. The 100x "Space Zoom" is more party trick than practical tool.
The moon controversy:
Samsung's AI processing at high zoom has been controversial. Some tests suggest the phone adds moon detail that isn't really captured. Recognizable as a moon, but some detail comes from AI, not your photo.
What improved from S25 Ultra:
The 5x lens has a wider aperture—f/2.9 instead of f/3.4. That's 37% more light, making a real difference for zoom in dim conditions.
Practical advice:
For sharp, high-quality zoom photos, stick to 10x or below. Use 30x-100x when curious about something far away, but don't expect to print those shots.
The 3x and 5x optical zoom are genuinely excellent. Use those.
Compare Galaxy S26 Ultra camera specs and pricing.
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