DSLR cameras, once a common sight at tourist destinations just a few years ago, are now rarely seen. That’s because the entire process of creating the perfect shot — from capturing the moment to editing the result — can now be easily done with a smartphone in the palm of the user’s hand.
Samsung Electronics has led the evolution of the Galaxy camera under three development principles:
- Delivering the best picture quality for anyone, anywhere, anytime
- Offering features that satisfy even professional users
- Providing the ability to create content with easy and simple editing
The Galaxy S25 series is the culmination of these innovations, delivering a camera experience that pushes the limits of smartphones with high-pixel sensors, high-performance APs and powerful AI models.
So how did the Galaxy S25 series’ revolutionary camera experience come together? Samsung Newsroom sat down with camera developers from the Visual Solution Team of the MX Business at Samsung to hear the story directly from them.
▲ (From left) Jihye Kim, Pyojae Kim, Yunju Bae and Wonchul Choi from the MX Business’ Visual Solution Team
From Landscapes to Portraits, Every Moment Is Crystal Clear
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is equipped with a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera, the first in the Galaxy series. “This means that photos with a wide angle of view can be taken with greater clarity and detail,” said Wonchul Choi, who led the development of camera quality. “We optimized not only hardware upgrades such as high-pixel sensors and lenses, but also software technology by building a system that enables AI models to operate organically,” Choi explained. As a tip for getting the most out of the feature, he added, “The ultra-wide-angle camera is ideal for capturing vast landscapes, but it can also be used for close-up shots to create a unique sense of depth.”
▲ Wonchul Choi
The ProVisual Engine, which uses AI-powered technology to enhance the camera experience, has also evolved. “We analyzed a full range of skin tones and preferences, and worked to use AI technology to present options for a broader variety of users. For better results, developers of various age groups took portraits themselves in different environments,” said Choi, explaining the improved portrait experience compared to previous models. “AI recognition and processing technologies analyze elements such as the person, clothing and background in the photo and optimizes each area to bring out the finer details, such as hair texture and even the subject’s pupils.”
The Nightography feature for shooting in low-light conditions has been improved as well. “For the Galaxy S25 series’ Nightography, we focused a lot on video shooting,” said Choi. “We applied 10-bit HDR video as the default for videos to achieve more realistic and richer picture quality, and applied a solution that separates the subject from the background and analyzes movement to remove noise with precision,” he said.
Shooting and Editing With DSLR Quality Like a Pro
Is it possible to get DSLR-quality results with a smartphone camera? The new Virtual Aperture feature in the Expert RAW app does by creating depths of field and aperture effects similar to those of a DSLR camera, delivering high-quality results that look like they were shot by a professional.
“We applied an interface that recreates the effect of changing the aperture of a lens on a DSLR camera, allowing users to flexibly select deep or shallow depths of field,” said Pyojae Kim, who led the development of the Virtual Aperture feature, before proudly adding that the AI-powered innovation overcomes the physical limitations of smartphones.
▲ Pyojae Kim
Achieving the depths of field and bokeh effects unique to DSLR cameras was no easy task. The training image database was built using more than 200,000 photos taken simultaneously with both Galaxy and DSLR cameras. “We had to manually control both the focus and exposure of the DSLR camera, and there were some nerve-wracking moments of having to dispose of our hard work because the photos were out of focus or taken with the wrong exposure,” said Kim. “We learned how difficult of a task it is to obtain data.”
While photos have a DSLR-like quality, videos can now be filmed in Log Video mode, a feature normally found in digital cameras that professionals use. Log video is a recording format that makes it easier to color-correct in post-production and create high-quality videos. To make log videos accessible to the average user, the Galaxy S25 series also comes with the Color Correction feature, which allows users to easily correct their video footage in the Gallery app with the click of a button.
Fun and Easy AI Editing With Just a Few Taps
First introduced in the Galaxy S24 series, Generative Edit has evolved by leaps and bounds in the Galaxy S25 series. “We focused on enhancing the fun and useful features that only generative AI can deliver,” said Jihye Kim. “We’ve improved the AI models so that they can now accurately recognize areas of the photo with only a simple touch and seamlessly erase those areas or add onto them. We also made improvements to each of the component technologies involved in generative editing.”
▲ Jihye Kim
The AI models used for Generative Edit and other generative AI features were developed through continuous collaboration with Google. “My team members and I took turns traveling to Google’s San Francisco Campus for a month at a time,” Jihye Kim said. “I remember staying up late at night, sharing ideas with the developers to improve the model.”
The nature of generative AI, which produces different results each time, often posed challenges during development. “We constantly mulled over how to quantitatively evaluate the results in a situation where they change every time. We also had to anticipate a wide range of edge cases to prevent the AI from producing inappropriate images,” she explained.
New to the Galaxy S25 series and the Galaxy lineup as a whole is the Best Face feature. This feature selects the best facial expressions of up to five people from multiple Motion Photos and composites them into a single picture-perfect group shot. “The Best Face feature can not only change a closed-eyed face to an open-eyed face, but can also turn a face from looking to the side to looking straight ahead,” Kim said. “My mom kept closing her eyes every time we took family photos, so we often had to retake them several times. It’s very useful in that kind of situation,” she added with a laugh.
An Unrivaled AI Filter Experience That Captures the User’s Unique Vibe
With Filters, the Galaxy S25 series also offers a variety of filters that intuitively capture each user’s unique aesthetic.
“We have enhanced the AI-powered feature to make it easier for anyone to capture the color or mood of their favorite photos while also improving the overall user experience to make it more user-friendly,” said Yunju Bae, who led the development of Filters. “We went through detailed tuning and repeated evaluations to balance technology and aesthetics to perfect filter quality.”
▲ Yunju Bae
Filters let users choose a photo they like and utilize AI to analyze the color and style of the photo to produce a personalized filter. “I often look at a photo and think, ‘I want to take a photo with this kind of vibe,’ so I wanted to make it easy to recreate the style I like without going through complicated editing,” Bae said as she explained the background behind the feature’s development.
Filters’ new film-style filters naturally capture the aesthetic unique to analog film. “The look and feel of analog film is a subjective area, so we went through a lot of trial and error to quantify it for digital reproduction,” Bae said. “We analyzed a lot of actual film, and through constant experiments and adjustments, we made meaningful progress in numerical representation to adequately reproduce the aesthetic of analog film,” she said. Bae also expressed her gratitude for the various experiments and analyses done in collaboration with Samsung Research, which played an integral role in enhancing the technical reliability of Filters.
The Future of the Galaxy Camera Visual Experience
The Galaxy S25 series has set a new standard for mobile cameras — but the Visual Solution Team is just getting started. The developers are already working on even bigger innovations to shape the future of smartphone imaging.
Asked about the team’s plans and ambitions for the future, Wonchul Choi replied, “Our goal is to further strengthen the camera’s picture quality fundamentals, all while maximizing convenience and accessibility so that it can perform at its best no matter where or when it’s used.”
“We plan to analyze the market’s response to Virtual Aperture and incorporate it into Portrait mode. By continuing to expand the features, we’ll ensure that the photo quality of the best DSLR cameras out there can be fully experienced on mobile devices,” added Pyojae Kim.
“We’ve put forth our best effort to continuously improve quality and introduce new generative AI features to users, but there’s always room to do better We’ll make these features more accessible so that users can more easily and comfortably utilize the powers of generative AI,” said Jihye Kim.
Sharing her bold aspirations, Yunju Bae concluded with, “We want to expand the shooting experience to the point where artistic sensibilities and technology naturally blend together through AI. We aim to deliver an experience that’s good enough to replace different types of hardware.”
Smartphone cameras are no longer just a technical feature. They’ve become iconic, indispensable items that capture and share life’s stories. The Galaxy camera is constantly evolving to make it easier for anyone to create high-quality photos and videos, and to personalize their content. As it evolves, so too will the ways users see, share and shape the moments that matter most.
