Competition in mobile camera technology is reaching a new level. Samsung, at the request of some Chinese smartphone manufacturers, is developing a camera system capable of continuous zoom. According to recent reports, Samsung Electro-Mechanics is preparing to offer this new technology to a Chinese manufacturer.
Samsung will use continuous zoom technology
However, this system will not initially be available on Samsung’s own-brand Galaxy series phones. This news has been disappointing for Samsung users who had been expecting to see this feature in new models like the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Continuous optical zoom cameras, thanks to the movement of the lenses and internal components, enable zooming over a wide range and at a constant quality, similar to a camera.
The fixed telephoto cameras used in phones today, however, only offer optimal performance at a specific zoom level. For example, the Galaxy S25’s 3x telephoto camera only offers the best image at 3x. At intermediate values, such as 2.5x or 4x, digital zoom and software improvements are implemented, resulting in a loss of quality.
Sony is currently the only major manufacturer offering this technology. The Xperia 1 VII can seamlessly zoom from 3.5x to 7.1x, maintaining image quality even at intermediate zoom levels. However, this technology also has its drawbacks.
Because of its more complex and larger design, the sensor size is limited. For example, the 12MP sensor used in the Xperia 1 VII takes noisy photos in low light and has limited depth of field. Competing devices, however, can take sharper photos, especially at long ranges like 10x, thanks to higher-resolution telephoto cameras.
