Galaxy S27 series might not feature a camera with variable aperture

It was rumored that Samsung could introduce a variable aperture camera in the Galaxy S27 series, and reports claimed that the company was already testing related components. However, a new report claims that no device in the Galaxy S27 lineup will feature a variable aperture lens.

According to a report from ETNews, Samsung has decided against bringing variable aperture cameras to the Galaxy S27 series. The company reportedly tested variable-aperture camera modules made by MCNEX and Samsung Electro-Mechanics but ultimately decided not to use them in the Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27+, Galaxy S27 Pro, or Galaxy S27 Ultra.

The decision was taken after considering higher costs, a thicker camera module, and limited performance benefits. Based on internal testing, Samsung concluded that image quality improvements are minor and do not justify the higher manufacturing costs and thicker design.

This news comes as a disappointment to Samsung fans hoping for a major hardware upgrade.

Samsung was the first to introduce a dual-aperture camera on the Galaxy S9 series in 2018. It retained the feature on the Galaxy S10 series in 2019 before ditching it with the Galaxy S20 series in 2020 in favor of software-based processing.

Meanwhile, Apple is expected to introduce a variable aperture camera on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max later this year.

The Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra will reportedly feature a 200MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera with autofocus, and a 16MP front-facing camera. The Galaxy S27 Pro is said to rely on a 12MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, while the Galaxy S27 Ultra reportedly uses a 50MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom.

Samsung could continue using the same 50MP + 12MP + 10MP triple-camera setup on the Galaxy S27 and the Galaxy S27+. Both devices reportedly use a 12MP front-facing camera.