Samsung is working on a 5x optical zoom camera

Samsung subsidiary Samsung Electro-Mechanics announced today that it developed a 5x optical zoom camera module (via ETNews). The company also announced it has begun mass production of the camera module.

On paper, a 5x zoom module takes up more space than the 2x zoom module in the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus. However, Samsung produced a 5x zoom module that’s only 5mm thick. That compares favorably to the 2x zoom module, which is 6mm thick.

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According to the report, Samsung uses a periscope method to refract light at right angles and horizontally arrange sensors and lenses. The result is a thinner camera module that features over double the focal length of the 2x zoom module.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Huawei developed a similar method for the 5x zoom module in the P30 Pro. The report also notes that Oppo — the company was first on the scene with 5x zoom cameras — supplies Samsung’s module.

As for when the 5x zoom module will debut, we could see it in the upcoming Galaxy Note 10. The phone reportedly features a quad rear camera setup in a vertical arrangement, which would give it the space to feature a camera that sits horizontally.

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