Samsung is reportedly planning to downgrade the optical zoom capabilities of the periscope lens on the Galaxy S23 Ultra from 10x to 5x on the upcoming Galaxy S24 Ultra. This information comes from reliable tipster Ice Universe. However, despite the downgrade, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to retain its ability to deliver 100x digital zoom, according to tipster RGcloudS via Wccftech.

The decision to decrease the optical zoom may have been influenced by Apple's Vice President of camera software engineering, Jon McCormack. McCormack stated that Apple limited the optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max to 5x due to difficulties in stabilizing the camera at 10x zoom. He pointed out that achieving steady shots at 10x zoom without the assistance of a tripod is quite challenging. By eliminating the 10x optical zoom, Samsung aims to improve stabilization for users. With the use of software enhancements, Samsung will still be able to offer 100x digital zoom on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, although more of the zooming will be done digitally due to the downgraded optical zoom capabilities. It is not surprising that Samsung can still achieve 100x digital zoom with the new camera configuration. The Galaxy S20 Ultra, with only 4x optical zoom, was able to capture photos with 100x digital zoom, as did Huawei's P60 Pro with just 3.5x optical zoom. The effectiveness of achieving high zoom levels heavily relies on the software implementation. According to the same tipster, the rear camera setup on the Galaxy S24 Ultra will consist of a main 200MP HP2SX 1/1.3" sensor, an ultra-wide 12MP Sony IMX564 1/2.55" sensor, a 3x telephoto 10MP Sony IMX754+ 1/3.52" sensor, and a 5x telephoto 48MP GMU 1/2.25" sensor.

Regarding future devices, the tipster suggests that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will feature both 4x and 6x optical zoom. However, it is important to note that the focus now should be on the upcoming Galaxy S24 line, which is expected to be launched in January 2024 as Samsung aims for an early start with its next flagship series.