Samsung Galaxy S24 cameras: what to expect based on the leaks and rumors

The Samsung Galaxy S24 line – including the Galaxy S24 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – is fast approaching, with all signs pointing to a January launch. 

As such, we’ve also heard plenty about these phones, because while nothing is official just yet, they’ve been extensively leaked over the past few months, giving us a good idea of many of the likely specs and features.

That includes the cameras, which based on past form might be among the highlights of the Samsung Galaxy S24 line. After all, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra currently sits at the top of our list of the best camera phones.

So, will the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra unseat it? We can’t say for sure just yet, but below you’ll find a rundown of what the various leaks and rumors say about the cameras of each Galaxy S24 model.

What cameras will the Samsung Galaxy S24 likely have?

So far, it’s not sounding like the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S24 will be much of an upgrade on the Samsung Galaxy S23’s – or maybe an upgrade at all.

According to a detailed Samsung Galaxy S24 specs leak, the phone will have a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and a 10MP telephoto one with 3x optical zoom, which makes for the same specs as the Galaxy S23’s cameras.

Like that phone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 will also apparently have a 12MP front-facing camera.

This is the most detailed camera leak we’ve heard so far for the base Galaxy S24 model. But a previous leak from @Tech_Reve similarly pointed to it having the same 50MP main camera as its predecessor (an ISOCELL GN3).

If these leaks are accurate then, there might be no changes to the camera hardware for the Samsung Galaxy S24 – though it’s possible that the sensors for the ultra-wide, telephoto or selfie cameras will be different, just with the same megapixel counts as before. A different sensor could still be beneficial, as it might for example be larger and therefore let more light in for better low light performance.

We also are expecting some new camera capabilities thanks to AI, with leaks pointing to the ability to move objects, people, and pets around in Galaxy S24 photos that you’ve taken, among other AI editing tools.

What cameras will the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus likely have?

Based on past form, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus will almost certainly have the same cameras as the standard Samsung Galaxy S24, and leaks are pointing in that direction too.

The sources above in the Galaxy S24 section also mentioned the Galaxy S24 Plus, and said it has the same cameras. So, it will probably have a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide one, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and 12MP front-facing camera, just like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus.

The main sensor (and quite possibly the others) will also probably be the same again, but we might see upgrades thanks to new AI editing tools.

What cameras will the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra likely have?

Unlike its siblings, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra probably will get some camera changes, with a Galaxy S24 Ultra specs leak pointing to a 200MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP selfie camera.

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 200MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 10MP telephoto with 10x optical zoom, a 10x telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP front-facing camera. 

So, the rumored change on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is swapping a 10MP 10x telephoto for a 50MP 5x telephoto. That sounds like both an upgrade and a downgrade, with more megapixels offered but a shorter optical zoom distance.

We’ve heard these exact Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera specs from multiple sources, so it’s likely that these claims are accurate. 

It’s worth noting that some earlier leaks pointed in different directions, suggesting that there might be little or no change to the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s cameras, or that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra might have a variable optical zoom, letting it shift between multiple zoom levels with one lens. We also previously heard that the Galaxy S24 Ultra might have a larger 1-inch main sensor.

However, we haven’t heard any of these claims recently. In some cases the sources of those leaks have since stated that plans for the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera have changed, and it will instead therefore likely have the camera specs above (meaning that 50MP telephoto being likely the only major change). 

However, even if that is the case, it’s still possible that some of the other sensors will be changing, while keeping the same megapixel counts.

Plus, as with its siblings, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will almost certainly have some new AI camera tricks, with leaks pointing to the ability to move people and objects around in photos, extend the background of images, and more.

More about the Samsung Galaxy S24

• Samsung Galaxy S24 colors: every rumored shade, including those for the S24 Plus and Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Google Pixel 8: the rumored key differences
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra design – expect fresh colors and titanium sides