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the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra He is one of Best phones You can buy it in 2026, and if you already own one, I have some positive news for you: Your phone can take better photos than it does now.
Samsung It added a larger aperture (on two sensors) and upgraded its camera processing to be better compared to Apple’s devices iPhone 17 Pro this year. However, if you don’t fiddle with the settings, you’re not making the most of Samsung’s new upgrades.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a versatile camera system, but the default settings may not suit everyone. They didn’t do it for me. So I delved into the buried menus and found ways to improve shutter speed, reduce compression, and turn on the 24MP processing line, among other things. If you’re not satisfied with the image quality on your Samsung phone right now, I recommend taking a look at these options in Samsung Camera Assistant.
Locate Camera Assistant Settings
Change these Camera Assistant settings to get the most out of the Galaxy S26 Ultra cameras.
The Camera Assistant on Galaxy smartphones is a Good Lock module (essentially a plug-in). Adds additional settings to the default camera app. For a long time, Samsung did not preload these settings on its flagship phones, but things have changed with One UI 8.5 on the latest Samsung flagship phones. You can now find the Camera Assistant settings within the Camera app.
To find these additional settings:
- Open camera program.
- Click on the four dots icon to get the menu.
- Click on Settings.
- Scroll to Camera assistant. Click on it.
- It will take you to the Samsung Galaxy Store through a Camera Assistant pop-up. Click on Steady.
However, if it’s not here, you’ll need to install the Good Lock app through the Galaxy Store. Search for Camera Assistant and download the module from there.
Once you’ve determined your location, you’re now ready to control processing and camera performance. Many of these options aren’t objectively better than others, but here’s what I recommend changing and which setup can fit any scenario.
Use all those megapixels
Changing to 24MP mode will give you better photos in all scenarios.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200MP main camera, but it takes 12MP photos by default out of the box. Although these images are small in size, you won’t get the same amount of detail and clarity as you would in the higher resolution modes. I wouldn’t recommend capturing everything in 200MP mode either, it’s slow and will eat up your storage space faster than anything else.
I found the 24MP mode to be the best of both worlds. It can take quick shots and get sharp results simultaneously without requiring a large file size.
Best of all, Samsung has upgraded its processing to capture 24MP images even at digital zoom.
24MP image with 9.2x zoom (213mm).
As a result, you can get 24MP shots on three camera sensors, including these zoom ranges: 0.6x to 0.9x for the ultra-wide camera, 1x to 1.9x for the main camera, and 5x to 9.9x for the periscope telephoto camera.
The 10MP 3x tele sensor misses this feature due to its lower resolution and the main camera defaults to everything from 2x to 2.9x at 12MP, though a higher resolution mode is used.
24MP vs 50MP shot: The 50MP image (right) is about 900k larger, but doesn’t give you more detail or clarity objectively.
I suggest you change the default resolution to 24MP mode as it is sufficient for almost all scenarios. The only time I noticed a difference was while shooting the neon lights in each mode. The former artificially lights the entire frame, while the 50MP mode at 9.2x zoom exposes signs, resulting in more natural-looking images like the example below.
24MP vs. 50MP shots at 9.2x zoom: In both images, I tapped the Star Wars sign to focus. The 50MP mode handles it better than the 24MP mode.
For most other scenarios, 24MP mode is still the sweet spot and here’s how to make it the default resolution for Galaxy S26 Ultra photos:
- Go to Camera Assistant.
- Scroll down to find Photo settings.
- Click on 24MP resolution
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You’ll see two settings: 24MP in photo mode and maintain 24MP resolution. Turn on both.
While you’re doing this, these are the settings to change under Camera Assistant settings if:
You want complete control over your lenses
Disabling automatic lens switching gives you more control over the cameras on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
You need to disable automatic lens switching. By default, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s camera system automatically switches between the four rear cameras based on lighting, the phone’s distance from the subject, and zoom range.
It’s not the smartest decision to rely on your phone’s intelligence. For example, when you hold the phone close to the subject to take a close-up shot, it takes a few seconds to reach a usable lens depending on your distance. At this time, this moment could be lost.
Alternatively you can select the lens you want to use, get close to the subject and take the photo, without any automatic lens switching. All you have to do is turn it off Automatic lens switching Switch under Lens and zoom option.
You need more accurate skin tones
Image Smoothing is turned off (left) versus Image Smoothing is set to High (right).
Samsung phones can sharpen skin tones, especially under artificial lighting conditions. If you are not a fan of the processed look, you can opt for soft skin tones by going for Soften the image option under the photo menu and set it to Mediation or High.
In the two shots above, you can see how the left image (with image smoothing turned off) has a black spot and stronger shadows. In comparison, the shot on the right (with Photo Softening converted to High) has a more natural feel to it. My skin and beard still had similar detail in both shots, but I prefer the softer, less processed image on the right.
What’s next?
Adaptive Pixel and Upscale Digital Zoom are off (left) versus both settings on (right). Note the complication on the watch – the left watch has a sparkle that is not visible in the left photo.
By default, Samsung reserves Distortion correction Run and Adaptive pixels and high-end digital zoom It has been stopped. But you should try these settings according to your photos. Turning it on may result in a better looking shot. For example, when picking up my watch, the default settings couldn’t get the sparkle on the ground phase complication (on the left with Snoopy). However, once I turned on the Adaptive Pixel and Upscale Digital Zoom, it was able to give me more details about the dial.
Distortion correction, on the other hand, fixes bending lines in the image, which may be caused by lens distortion. So turning it on results in better looking photos, especially those that include buildings.
Other than these two settings, I’d recommend turning on Rapid click shutter Until last year. However, I didn’t notice a noticeable difference in photos with this setting turned on or off on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung has improved the shutter speed on its flagship this year, but moving subjects can still get a halo effect at default settings. You can improve this a bit by enabling Prioritize focus on speed Toggle (in focus).
Playing around with these settings has helped me get the most out of the camera in my pocket. I hope they improve your photo taking experience on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as well. I also suggest exploring the filters in the viewfinder and Trying to create your ownaccording to your taste. It’s fun!
Watch this: Which phone takes better photos? Comparison between iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra
