Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 25x zoom wows fans in BTS concert clips

Samsung Electronics’ latest flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra is drawing buzz after users shared surprisingly clear footage of a recent live performance by BTS at Gwanghwamun Square, filmed on the device, according to online communities Thursday.

Photos and videos taken with the Galaxy S26 Ultra have been flooding social media, showing the stage where BTS held a comeback show for the first time in about four years on March 21.

Most of them were taken from a distance or from the rooftops of nearby buildings, filmed by people without tickets or those unable to approach the venue due to tight security.

A video titled “What happens if you film a dark BTS Gwanghwamun concert with 25x zoom using the Galaxy S26 Ultra,” shared on the concert day by digital creator Kim Young-min, has surpassed 2.09 million views on Thursday afternoon. Kim has about 134,000 followers and specializes in travel photos and videos.

Though the outdoor concert began at 8 p.m. in near darkness, the video, filmed from the rooftop of Koreana Hotel about 700 to 800 meters away, captures the members’ choreography with striking clarity, leaving many surprised by the smartphone’s features.

Gradually zooming out, the video reveals tens of thousands in the audience and the statue of King Sejong, until the stage eventually appears as a small white dot.

“The concert venue and surrounding area were so dark that even a professional mirrorless camera would produce significant image distortion, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra preserved more detail than expected. I was surprised by the 25x zoom performance. I can see why it’s called a concert camera," Kim wrote.

Industry sources said the so-called “nightography” feature, which automatically brightens images in low light, played a key role in capturing the dimly lit stage clearly. It was first introduced with the Galaxy S22 series.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, released March 11, also features a quad camera system with top-tier specifications, including a 200-megapixel wide lens, a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens. It supports up to 25x zoom for video and up to 100x zoom for photos, officials said.