Is Samsung utilizing a more moderen periscope lens on the Galaxy S26 Extremely? Here is what we all know (Up to date)

Replace: March 6, 2026 (9:12 PM ET): Samsung has confirmed in an announcement to SammyGuru that the Galaxy S26 Extremely does certainly make the most of ALoP tech.

Authentic article: March 6, 2026 (05:25 AM ET): Samsung reserved a lot of the spotlight upgrades on the Galaxy S26 collection for the Galaxy S26 Extremely, together with a wider aperture on the first digicam and the 5x telephoto digicam. One change that flew underneath the radar is that the 5x digicam is not a periscope zoom lens. As an alternative, Samsung has switched to a special lens sort for the 5x zoom digicam.

Galaxy S26 Extremely has a special 5x optical zoom digicam setup

A report from GSMArena notes that the brand new Galaxy S26 Extremely makes use of a “conventional” lens design for its 5x optical zoom digicam, with the lens parts and the sensor parallel to the telephone. In distinction, the S25 Extremely makes use of a periscope lens design for its 5x optical zoom digicam, by which a prism bends mild 90°, so the lens parts and the sensor are perpendicular to the telephone.

Due to this modification, the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digicam has a poorer minimal focus distance of 52cm. In distinction, the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digicam might focus at 26cm and past.

For individuals who love utilizing the telephoto digicam for close-up photographs, this can be a noticeable downgrade — although it’s necessary to caveat that most individuals use the 5x zoom digicam for zoom photographs on far-away topics.

The report additional notes that the totally different lens assemblies create totally different bokeh. The Galaxy S25 Extremely produces a extra rectangular bokeh for out-of-focus lights, whereas the Galaxy S26 Extremely produces a extra oval/round bokeh.

Samsung’s specs and advertising and marketing for the Galaxy S26 Extremely make no point out of a “periscope,” whereas these for the Galaxy S25 Extremely do. The report alludes to a cause for the lens swap and says it’s probably not because of the wider aperture, however doesn’t but share the precise discovering.

Is Samsung utilizing ALoP on the Galaxy S26 Extremely?

There’s hypothesis that the Galaxy S26 Extremely makes use of Samsung’s ALoP (All Lenses on Prism) know-how for its zoom lens. In an ALoP answer, the sensor sits perpendicular to the telephone, however the lens parts sit on high of the prism (fairly than in between the prism and the sensor), parallel to the telephone.

This enables for a smaller digicam module whereas permitting for a quicker aperture. This also needs to clarify the round bokeh (because the rectangular prism isn’t the primary entry level for mild on this setup).

Nonetheless, an ALoP setup can’t be thought-about a “conventional” lens design, because it combines perpendicular and parallel parts, so we’re inquisitive about GSMArena‘s precise findings on the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digicam since they are saying it goes again to a “conventional” lens design.

Confusingly, whereas Samsung Semiconductor doesn’t publicly classify ALoP as a “periscope” zoom digicam, using a prism within the digicam module to bend mild by 90° does technically make it a “periscope” zoom digicam. ALoP merely reconfigures the structure of what’s known as a “standard folded zoom” digicam module — periscope zoom cameras with the visibly rectangular lens opening.

Thus, Samsung’s hesitation in assigning the phrase “periscope” to the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s digicam setup stays unexplained. Samsung’s Cell division typically neglects a deep dive into technical specs, so it’s not solely shocking that it doesn’t point out both ALoP or periscope zoom in any advertising and marketing supplies.

We’ve reached out to Samsung for clarification on the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s 5x optical zoom digicam: whether or not it makes use of the traditional folded-zoom design or the newer ALoP design, and whether or not it’s nonetheless categorized as a periscope zoom digicam. We’ll preserve you up to date once we hear again from the corporate.