Updated

Updated · Tom's Guide · Aug 8

Galaxy S26 Ultra Beats Z Fold 8 Ultra in 5 Camera Tests as 200MP Sensors Tie Once

Updated

Updated · Tom's Guide · Aug 8

Galaxy S26 Ultra Beats Z Fold 8 Ultra in 5 Camera Tests as 200MP Sensors Tie Once

Q: With a $2,100 price tag, does Samsung's Fold 8 Ultra truly earn its name without matching the S26 Ultra's camera mastery?

Not fully—unless “Ultra” is meant to describe the foldable experience, not Samsung’s absolute best camera phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra does earn part of the label. It is Samsung’s most refined foldable yet, with a thinner 4.1mm design, an 8-inch main display, improved hinge and crease control, a larger 5,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, faster 45W charging, flagship Snapdragon performance, and a much stronger camera setup than earlier Folds. In daylight, its 200MP main camera and 50MP ultrawide come very close to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and in at least one high-resolution scene it even preserved slightly sharper detail. But at $2,100, the “Ultra” name carries expectations beyond being the best Fold so far. In the areas premium buyers usually care about most, the S26 Ultra still leads. Its wider f/1.4 main lens delivers brighter, cleaner low-light images with better shadow detail and less noise. It also handles dynamic range more effectively. The clearest shortfall is zoom: the S26 Ultra’s dual-telephoto system, led by a 50MP 5x periscope lens, is markedly sharper at 5x, 10x and 30x, while the Fold 8 Ultra’s single 10MP 3x telephoto softens quickly. That leaves the Fold 8 Ultra as an “Ultra” foldable, but not Samsung’s true camera king. Buyers paying this price are really funding the folding form factor, large-screen multitasking and premium engineering. If the priority is the best Samsung photography, the S26 Ultra remains the stronger buy.

3 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Aug 8

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra won 5 of 8 camera categories in a side-by-side test, beating the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra on low light, dynamic range, portrait, ultrawide and telephoto performance.
The biggest gap came at zoom: the S26 Ultra’s dual telephoto system with a 50MP 5x lens and up to 100x Space Zoom outclassed the foldable’s single 10MP 3x telephoto and 30x limit.
Low-light results also favored the S26 Ultra, whose wider f/1.4 main aperture produced brighter scenes, cleaner detail and less noise than the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s f/1.7 camera.
The Z Fold 8 Ultra did edge the 200MP detail test, while color and selfie comparisons ended in ties, showing Samsung’s first foldable carrying the Ultra badge comes close in several everyday shots.
The verdict leaves the S26 Ultra as Samsung’s camera leader, while the pricier Z Fold 8 Ultra still falls short in the areas most tied to an 'Ultra' phone.