Future Samsung Galaxy cameras may see significant improvements over even the top rated cameras on current smartphones. If rumors are accurate, the manufacturer may equip smartphones with the same technology found on its NX line of professional cameras, in particular, larger megapixels, aperture and lens size.
According to camera blog Photo Rumors , Samsung plans to double down on its mobile camera development in coming smartphone iterations. The manufacturer is focused on bringing devices to market that have cameras not only more megapixels, but also smaller lenses and larger apertures. Consumers may see mobile cameras with 18 to 24 megapixels, 1/2.3” and 1/1.7” lenses and an f/1.4 aperture. These are characteristics found on many standalone high-end cameras on the market today.
Samsung is reportedly is in the process of moving key people from its NX camera department, its mobile division and there appears to be little to no NX camera development in the pipeline, according to Photo Rumors.
Samsung has put considerable effort into improving the quality of its mobile cameras in recent years. In 2015, the Samsung Galaxy S6 featured a camera with a f/1.9 aperture, for sharper imaging and improved low-light photography. The recently released Galaxy S7 features a f/1.7 aperture, further improving image quality. DXOmark rates the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, in particular, as one of the top mobile cameras (it is currently tied with the HTC 10 for top spot).
While no rumors can be confirmed at this time, Samsung’s current commitment to mobile photography makes these reports interesting and plausible. Perhaps consumers will see some of these plans come to fruition on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 6. At this time there are no rumors circulating about the device's camera.
