From intimate dinners to bustling bars and clubs, so much of life happens after dark, yet it’s so hard to capture. Low light is one of the biggest frustrations in photography – so much so that many people give up on taking photos once the sun goes down.
Traditionally, taking photos at night requires a tripod to keep the camera steady during long exposures, but there can still be problems with motion blur or image noise. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra changes things with a combination of light-grabbing camera hardware and Galaxy AI’s intelligent processing1.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra makes it easy for even beginners to create incredible low-light photos and videos. Its main 200MP f/1.4 camera captures 47% more light than the S25 Ultra, while dedicated 5x and 10x optical zooms maintain clarity for distant subjects without the grain of digital zoom, and enhanced Nightography processing stabilizes shots and removes noise in real-time for crisp and clear images.
1. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s wide lenses capture more light
Hardware provides the foundations of the S26 Ultra's night photography performance. The main 200MP camera has a large F/1.4 aperture for a dramatic increase in physical light intake.
The main camera captures 47% more light than the f/1.7 lens on last year’s Galaxy S25 Ultra. This lens also provides a wide enough angle to capture concerts or cityscapes at nights, with the 200MP sensor capturing incredible detail.
For getting closer, you have the 50MP telephoto, which is also now brighter with its f/2.9 aperture. An over-reliance on digital zoom is often one of the causes of poor photos after dark, but the S26 Ultra has both a 5x and 10x optical zoom, providing the flexibility to capture portraits or shots of performers on stage while maintaining clarity.
2. AI-enhanced Nightography eliminates the need for a tripod
Beyond hardware, Galaxy AI adds to the S26 Ultra’s low-light performance with its Nightography processing2. This stabilises the image, reduces noise and increases clarity, letting you create vivid photos at night without using a tripod.
Noise is the nemesis of night photography. The grainy texture of electrical interference used to be inevitable when a camera's sensor didn't get enough light. But the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s advanced Image Signal Processing has been programmed to detect the specific noise patterns characteristic of each of the camera’s sensors. It’s able to then remove the noise in real-time.
When it comes to scenes with a lot of contrast between dark areas and bright lighting, like night cityscapes and nightclubs, exposing for dark areas often leads to blown out highlights. Samsung's Nightography tech helps avoid this by identifying the different elements in an image, easing highlights, applying targeted noise reduction and preserving natural skin tones for stunning night shots that you’ll want to share.
Bonus: Galaxy AI’s Nightography tech now also applies to video and to the front camera. By analysing motion vectors, it distinguishes between camera shake and subject movement, so the person you’re filming stays sharp while the background remains free of noise. The tech specialist TechRadar found notably less grain in videos captured in dark environments.
3. Automatic scene detection makes night photography easy
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s automatic scene detection means you don’t have to worry about hunting through camera settings when night comes. The phone will automatically detect the level of light and use Night Mode when needed.
Pros might want the flexibility to choose their own settings, but scene detection is a game-changer for beginners. It’s the ideal way to get started with night photography because it allows you to concentrate on composition – the real key to great photos – rather than worrying about technical aspects (if you want to turn Night Mode on or off manually, just look for the crescent moon icon in the bottom right corner of the screen).
Tip: Tap on your subject to focus before capturing to ensure the camera prioritises the right area of the scene.’
4. Flexible controls when you need them
There are times when you might not want to give your phone total free rein to decide the settings for night shots. The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces the ability to set manual limits in Auto mode, which can help eliminate motion blur if you’re taking photos of moving subjects, from cars to pets.
You can set a minimum shutter speed and maximum ISO limit in the Camera Assistant app without switching to the fully manual Pro mode. This lets you carry on taking advantage of automatic controls for most technical parameters, while ensuring a fast enough shutter to freeze movement (1/120s is a good starting point if you want to keep a moving subject crisp).
Tip: To reduce the chances of blur in longer exposures, you can use the included S Pen as a remote shutter for hands-free shooting).
5. Virtual Reflector to enhance portraits
Samsung’s Expert RAW app now provides a Virtual Reflector in beta, allowing you to mimic the look of a professional shoot without having to carry a physical reflector dish around.
You can adjust the position and angle of the Galaxy AI-powered Virtual Reflector like you would a physical reflector, and you can also choose between gold or silver. Silver gives you a brighter, cleaner light, while Gold provides a natural, warm lighting, which is great for pushing a glow into your subject’s face in backlit portraits at a warmly lit bar, or against amber street lamps, and adding a level of professionalism to your photography while reducing harsh shadows.
You’ll need to download the Expert Raw app from the Galaxy Store, and then press the beaker icon on the right labelled ‘Expert Raw Labs’.
How can I do astrophotography on the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
Astrophotography is totally possible on the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the Expert RAW app, letting you capture stunning starry skies.
The app’s Astrophotography mode lets you choose the longer exposure times needed to capture light from the stars while also controlling the focus and white balance. Even with longer exposures, it eliminates unwanted star trails by intelligently stacking multiple images rather than taking a single long shot (you’ll still want to use a tripod or other support to keep the camera steady).
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is designed to make low-light photography simple. By combining advanced camera hardware with intelligent AI processing, the Galaxy S26 Ultra sets a new standard for night photography on a smartphone, meaning your creativity doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down. Visit the Samsung website to find out more.
1 Samsung account login is required for certain AI features. Galaxy AI features are provided for free. Future releases may include additional advanced features that are offered as part of a paid subscription plan. Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties. 2 Results may vary depending on light condition, subject and/or shooting conditions.
