Samsung Galaxy S25 rumoured camera upgrade sounds worth waiting for

Panasonic Lumix S5 2 review sample image

(Image credit: Future)

published 20 September 2023

Samsung has always been responsible for some of the best cameras on Android phones, but rumours about what's coming in the pipeline have us wondering if we can just skip 2024 entirely. Perhaps we can fast-forward through it?

In a blog post, the South Korean Giant outlined the capabilities of its new flagship camera chips, the ISOCELL HP2 and ISOCELL HP3. These 200MP sensors are designed to be used in a telephoto lens. That's right, the telephoto lens, not the main camera. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra may have a 200MP main camera but its telephoto lens is only 10MP while the iPhone 15 Pro Max's new periscope telephoto lens is only 12MP. 200MP is a big step up.

Why is this such a big deal? Well, Telephoto cameras are popular in flagship-level smartphones to offer improved image quality at a distance. Samsung estimates that on a 200MP telephoto sensor, cameras can achieve 'lossless' (distortion-free) zoom at up to 12x magnification. Samsung is also championing its new telephoto lenses as the go-to for portrait shots with less 'extension distortion' that comes with shooting close-ups on a camera designed with wide shots. See below for a direct comparison, with the left image taken at 1x zoom on a 24mm lens and the right image taken at 3x with an 85mm telephoto lens.

The video capabilities of these new sensors are also impressive too with Samsung claiming 480FPS in FHD resolution, 120FPS in 4K resolution and 30FPS at 8K! That's a serious video package.

There is no specific mention of the Galaxy S25 in the post outlining the potential of these cameras but Samsung has made these flagship sensors to be used, so why shouldn't we see them in its flagship phones? It's almost certainly too soon for the Galaxy S24 range which is why we reckon they are lined up for the S25 Ultra.

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Andy was T3's Tech Staff Writer, covering all things technology, including his biggest passions such as gaming. If he had to save one possession from a fire it would be his PlayStation 5. He previously worked for Tom’s Guide – where he got paid to play with ChatGPT everyday. When it comes to streaming, Andy will have his headphones glued in whilst watching something that will make him laugh. He studied Creative Writing at university, but also enjoys supporting his favourite football team (Liverpool), watching F1, teaching himself guitar, and spending time with his dog.