Rumors have been circulating about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, with some suggesting that it will have one fewer rear camera than its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has four rear-facing cameras, including two telephoto cameras, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to have only three rear-facing cameras. The missing camera is believed to be the 3x telephoto camera.

However, a new report suggests that Samsung may have a different plan for the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera setup. According to tipster Ice Universe, Samsung could be using a continuous periscope zoom lens that can zoom from 3x to 10x, similar to the telephoto camera module that LG presented last year. This would allow the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s single telephoto camera to replace the dual zoom cameras of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

If this turns out to be true, the new camera setup may provide better image quality at intermediate zoom ranges than the previous setup. Another possibility is that Samsung is confident in its 200MP primary camera, which may allow for three times digital zoom, the same as three times optical zoom on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This could eliminate the need for a separate telephoto camera altogether.

While eliminating one camera could simplify the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s rear design and reduce clutter, plans are subject to change before the phone’s actual release. It remains to be seen which camera setup Samsung will ultimately choose for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is currently Samsung’s top camera phone, boasting four rear-facing cameras that can record 4K 60fps videos. With two of those cameras being telephoto cameras, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a superior zoom range compared to other competing phones. It will be interesting to see how the Galaxy S24 Ultra will compare in terms of camera capabilities with one less camera.