Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra is addressing a problem most people don’t realize has been slowing them down: shutter lag.
According to reliable leaker IceUniverse, the S26 Ultra will feature a new 24MP camera mode with zero latency when pressing the shutter. That means the moment you tap, the photo is captured instantly. No processing delay, no waiting, no missed shots.
This sounds minor until you’ve tried to photograph a toddler mid-laugh or a pet doing something ridiculous. Current flagship cameras, including Samsung’s own, introduce a split-second delay between pressing the shutter and actually capturing the image. That delay exists because the phone is processing computational photography tasks in real time.
The new 24MP mode bypasses that bottleneck. Press the shutter, and the sensor immediately locks in the moment. Processing happens after, reportedly taking about three seconds to finalize the image. But the critical part, the capture itself, is instantaneous.
This also doubles the resolution compared to the S25 Ultra’s default 12MP mode. Higher resolution means better detail retention and more flexibility for cropping without losing quality.
Samsung is essentially bringing Expert RAW functionality to the stock camera app. Expert RAW already offers a similar 24MP mode, but it’s buried in a separate app most users never open. Making it accessible in the default camera makes it actually useful.
The S26 Ultra launches next month, and this camera upgrade suggests Samsung is finally prioritizing user experience over spec sheet bragging rights. Zero-lag shooting matters more than megapixel counts or zoom ranges when you’re trying to capture real moments.
Interestingly, rumors about the Galaxy S27 Ultra are already circulating. Samsung is reportedly planning a new main camera sensor for next year’s model, along with other hardware upgrades. That means the S26 Ultra might be a transitional release. Meaningful improvements now, with bigger changes coming in 2027.
For anyone frustrated by missed shots on their current phone, the S26 Ultra‘s 24MP mode could be exactly what they’ve been waiting for.
