The Galaxy S27 Ultra might ditch its 3x telephoto lens for a 200MP sensor and a 5x zoom. However, a more relevant feature for diving could be the return of landscape orientation thanks to foldable phones.
Every year, the same pattern repeats around a future Galaxy Ultra. Sources in South Korea leak a detail, a specialized media outlet confirms it, and the rest of the press picks it up even before Samsung has said anything. This week, it's the sensor configuration of the S27 that is circulating. There's a technical aspect to consider, and a fundamental question behind it, which goes far beyond simply choosing a lens.
Several South Korean sources, relayed in particular by ETNews and picked up by Sammy Fans and Android Headlines, agree on a significant change. The 3x telephoto lens, present on Galaxy S Ultra models for six generations, would disappear on the S27 Ultra. Instead, a trio would form: a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP 5x telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide angle lens. Samsung would rely more on computational photography to fill the intermediate zoom range rather than on a dedicated physical lens.
For its part, the S27 Pro would receive a new 12MP telephoto module, a first for this version of the range.Nothing about this has been confirmed by Samsung, and the launch is expected at best sometime in 2027, likely during a January or February Unpacked event. One key aspect to watch closely if these specifications prove accurate is that, for underwater photography of marine life- sharks and rays included- a dedicated optical zoom is generally preferable to digital zoom. The loss of the 3x optical zoom is not a minor detail for this type of subject matter.
What interests me more about this news is what it says about the market in which foldable smartphones are starting to establish themselves. We just saw the vivo X Fold6 become the first truly submersible foldable phone thanks to DiveVolk. And this leads me to a question that we don't ask often enough.
For years, we have been filming almost everything in portrait mode. It is the format of scrolling, the one we naturally hold in one hand, and the one that social networks have shaped into a reflex. As a result, most divers frame their underwater videos vertically out of habit, without considering whether it is the right choice for the subject being filmed.Foldable smartphones are changing the game. When unfolded, their screen is significantly wider than a standard phone, and this format naturally lends itself to landscape orientation rather than portrait. If you want to stay on the cutting edge of what these devices can do, filming exclusively in vertical mode isn't necessarily the right approach anymore. The landscape format, which we had somewhat neglected, is becoming relevant again, driven by a hardware change rather than just an aesthetic trend.
In practice, for an entire reef, a school of fish crossing the frame, or a shipwreck that you want to show in its entirety, landscape captures more information and ages better over time. This isn't a rejection of vertical format, which still has its place for short clips, but rather a rebalancing that is worth anticipating, even on Galaxy photoshoots while we wait to learn more about the S27.
No purchase reviews are possible for the S27 Ultra at this time, as the specifications are not yet official. This topic will be revisited closer to the Unpacked 2027 event. In the meantime, our real recommendation is not about a specific device. It's about getting back into the habit of filming some of your underwater scenes in landscape mode, on your current Galaxy or any other smartphone, even before the next model is released.
---To learn how to master landscape and portrait compositions in underwater photography, discover the AquaExposure underwater photography course.
No, the device does not officially exist yet. The launch is expected in early 2027, likely during an "Unpacked" event in January or February. It is not possible to pre-order before the official announcement of its specifications.
According to several consistent sources in South Korea, the dedicated 3x telephoto lens is expected to be discontinued after six generations. It will reportedly be replaced by a main camera with 200 megapixels, a 5x telephoto lens with 50 megapixels, and an ultra-wide-angle lens with 50 megapixels. Samsung plans to use computational photography to cover the intermediate zoom range.
Foldable smartphones, when unfolded, offer a significantly larger screen than traditional phones. This format is naturally suited for landscape framing, while years of scrolling in portrait mode had accustomed most divers to filming only vertically.
It depends on the intended final use of the image. A portrait orientation is still suitable for shorter formats viewed on smartphones. However, for a wide scene- such as a reef, a school of fish, or an entire shipwreck- a landscape format captures more information and tends to age better over time.
The AquaExposure training covers framing choices based on the subject and the intended final use of the image, in addition to equipment selection and camera settings.
