Huge Galaxy S11 camera upgrades could include 5x optical zoom

by Joshua Swingle / Sep 25, 2019, 11:07 AM

Huge Galaxy S11 camera upgrades could include 5x optical zoom

The Samsung Galaxy S11 may still be five months away but it’s never too early for some juicy leaks. Recently, information about the in-display fingerprint scanner, range of colors, and even the software has appeared online and now a new report (via SamMobile) published by The Elec details the Galaxy S11’s all-important camera setup.

Before proceeding, do note that everything below is simply a rumor at this stage. Because of that, it’s worth taking all of the information with a pinch of salt.

Not 12MP, not 48MP, but 108MP for the main camera

Samsung settled for single and dual-camera setups on its 2018 flagships but ultimately chose to switch things up this year after feeling the heat from Huawei. The Galaxy S10 boasts a triple-camera setup as standard while the Galaxy Note 10+ features an impressive four sensors. Next year’s Galaxy S11, according to The Elec, will take things to an entirely new level with some huge improvements.

Replacing the aging 12-megapixel sensor that Samsung has used on its flagships since 2016’s Galaxy S7 is reportedly going to be an all-new 108-megapixel alternative. The latter will be supplied by Samsung itself and was recently featured on the Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha concept phone. This particular sensor is much larger than usual smartphone implementations and can, therefore, capture a significant amount of extra light. All of this, in turn, should result in better low-light photography. Samsung may also use pixel binning technology to produce superior 27-megapixel shots.

Expect four cameras

Joining the primary camera will apparently be a Time-of-Flight sensor much like the one found on the Galaxy Note 10+. This should help with AR content and portrait photography because it gathers highly accurate depth data. Also expected is an ultra-wide-angle camera. However, at this stage, there’s no information about the sensor or the accompanying lens.

Forget 2x optical zoom; 5x is the way to go

The Samsung Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11 Pro both feature support for 2x optical zoom, something that’s now considered pretty standard across the industry. The OnePlus 7 Pro takes things a little further with 3x optical zoom but, ultimately, it’s the Huawei P30 Pro that sets the benchmark.

This phone was first announced back in March and includes support for an incredible 5x optical zoom. Accompanying this is an impressive 10x hybrid zoom and an even crazier 50x digital zoom. The only phone that has been able to replicate this since is the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom but it seems next year’s Galaxy S11 could eventually join the list. According to today’s report, the Galaxy S11 will feature a 5x optical zoom camera supplied by sister company Samsung Electro-Mechanics. The latter already manufacturers Oppo’s telephoto module so impressive results are to be expected.

5x optical zoom just like the Huawei P30 Pro

It’s unclear at this stage what sensor will be used alongside the periscope-like lens but Samsung will undoubtedly combine everything to provide an impressive hybrid zoom that may go beyond the Huawei P30 Pro’s 10x. After all, the extra data gathered by the 108-megapixel main camera could help the company achieve previously unseen levels of zoom on a smartphone.

In addition to the upgraded sensors, Samsung is reportedly planning a new feature that’s quite similar to Apple’s Deep Fusion which is coming to the iPhone 11 Pro later this year. This quickly analyzes a regular photo, four that were taken with a fast exposure, and an additional four that were taken before the shutter button was pressed and then fuses them together. The objective of this is to achieve the best possible photo in the easiest way.

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23 Comments

1. User123456789

Posts: 996; Member since: Feb 22, 2019

People forget that with 5x zoom, hardware gets worse because of the space. All with periscope use crap 1/4" .

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 11:14 AM 3

10. vincelongman

Posts: 5717; Member since: Feb 10, 2013

Also it will have a slower lens like the P30 Pro is only f/3.4 I hope it's 4 cameras, so there's still a f/2 telephoto 2-3x zoom

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 2:38 PM 1

14. User123456789

Lens aperture size is according to sensor size. So it will depend on the sensor. The f2.0 in front of a 1/2.3" is smaller than f2.0 paired with 1" ..

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 3:54 PM 1

3. pooma

Posts: 96; Member since: Oct 01, 2015

MP game is gimmick.. my dream camera on a smartphone is 20.1 MP 1 inch sensor (the one used by RX 100 series)

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 11:36 AM 4

4. Cat97

Posts: 1920; Member since: Mar 02, 2017

A thin lens for an 1" sensor cannot be developed unless huge optical distortion that needs to be corrected in software.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 12:11 PM 2

13. vincelongman

Yea, anyways this 27/108MP sensor is still really impressive It's literally bigger than the sensor in Nokia Lumia 1020 I wonder how thick the S11 will be The Mi Mix Alpha looks pretty thick like the Lumia 1020

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 3:24 PM 3

15. User123456789

But smaller than one inside 808. With cam bulge Mix Alpha has 10,4 mm

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 3:55 PM 1

28. QuantumRazer

Posts: 147; Member since: Apr 27, 2019

Slightly smaller but still better due to difference in BSI technology, higher signal to noise ratio thanks to larger pixel size(when pixel binned), better dynamic range and so on.

posted on Sep 28, 2019, 9:58 PM 0

23. wesley.

Posts: 216; Member since: Aug 06, 2013

Panasonic managed that feat a few years back with no problem. It's probably even easier to do now.

posted on Sep 26, 2019, 3:00 PM 0

8. vessk0

Posts: 4; Member since: Feb 12, 2016

There is already such a phone, the old Panasonic CM1 which I had and wish Panasonic would have made an update to it...

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 1:29 PM 3

5. chris2k5

Posts: 281; Member since: Nov 17, 2012

Soon where’s the innovation? Everything here is just a copy of what Huawei Apple and Google have been doing.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 12:36 PM 1

18. jiangqiushi

Posts: 25; Member since: May 28, 2019

Can you please remove Apple from your list? Really.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 9:20 PM 2

6. pooma

can anybody tell me what would be the pixel size(in microns) at 27 MP?

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 12:56 PM 0

9. Loveneesh

Posts: 441; Member since: Jul 14, 2015

0.8microns at 108mp, 1.6 microns at 27mp.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 1:45 PM 1

11. pooma

how did you calculate?

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 2:53 PM 0

16. User123456789

After binning, pixels form a 2x2 square. Each side has twice the previous size.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 3:57 PM 2

7. Alcyone

Posts: 461; Member since: May 10, 2018

The end of the mp race will come sooner than later at this pace. Imo. Its all gonna be software when that point arrives. It'll be up to whoever can create the best software. I'd say copy is a stretch, since no OEM will wanna pay a licensing fee on a software patent.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 1:03 PM 0

12. CEDEOTB

Posts: 436; Member since: Nov 21, 2016

I just want to see a 90hz display on the S11

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 3:05 PM 1

17. Methlab

Posts: 23; Member since: Apr 19, 2019

Samsung is going crazy, but not crazy enough, they've been taking things too lightly lately. It'll be hard to catch up with Huawei in the smartphone camera game.

posted on Sep 25, 2019, 4:47 PM 0

19. kanagadeepan

Posts: 1264; Member since: Jan 24, 2012

Bring a phone with 216GigaPixel and 0.0001micron pixel size. /S _ _ (If it is not obvious enough)

posted on Sep 26, 2019, 1:24 AM 0

21. tokuzumi

Posts: 1918; Member since: Aug 27, 2009

Is it really optical zoom, meaning the lens extends/retracts? Or is it really just digital, because the 108mp will allow for detailed photos at 5x zoom, at 27mp?

posted on Sep 26, 2019, 7:16 AM 0

24. wesley.

Samsung better bring the goods with the S11. I'd probably upgrade to that after it gets cheaper 6 months from release date, but only if the camera is incredible.

posted on Sep 26, 2019, 3:08 PM 0

25. mikerosner

Posts: 1; Member since: Sep 26, 2019

Totally Agree; Been Slumming with This SGS7E since It's release!! Now, TRUE; I Have been Getting Insurance replacements, Regularly/ Maybe Annually!! Still it's an Old Phone!! Just so long as they...They Already Took the HP Jack, AND Micro-SD card away from the Note 10+, right?? Hey, 11, or oh; Zero!!? Heck Yes, What's The Following then gonna be Zero.1,2/.a,b?? With the Graphene Battery, Pfft; well then, I Guess That one Too!!!??!