IT IT The development of the Galaxy S25 Series Camera System

A few years ago, DSLR cameras were frequently spotted in tourist locations; today, they are hardly ever seen. This is due to the fact that a smartphone in the user’s hand may now effortlessly handle every step of taking the ideal picture, from capturing the occasion to editing the outcome.

Three development tenets have guided Samsung Electronics’ advancement of the Galaxy camera:

Providing the highest quality images to everyone, wherever, at any time

Supplying features that even experts will find satisfactory
Enabling the creation of content with straightforward editing

The result of these advancements is the Galaxy S25 series, which offers a photographic experience that pushes the boundaries of smartphones with strong AI models, high-pixel sensors, and high-performance APs.

So how did the groundbreaking camera experience of the Galaxy S25 series come to be? To get the news straight from the source, Samsung Newsroom sat down with camera developers from the Visual Solution Team of Samsung’s MX Business.

A 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera, the first in the Galaxy series, is included on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. “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.”

Additionally, the ProVisual Engine has changed, utilizing AI-powered technologies to improve the camera experience. “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 optimize each area to bring out the finer details, such as hair texture and even the subject’s pupils.”

Additionally, the Nightography function for taking pictures in low light has been enhanced. “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.

Can a smartphone camera provide images that are comparable to those of a DSLR? By simulating DSLR camera depths of field and aperture effects, the Expert RAW app’s new Virtual Aperture tool produces high-quality images that appear to have been taken by a pro. “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.

It was difficult to create the bokeh and depth-of-focus effects that are exclusive to DSLR cameras. Over 200,000 images captured concurrently with both DSLR and Galaxy cameras were used to create the training picture database. “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.”

Videos may now be recorded in Log Video mode, which is often available in professional digital cameras, although images still retain DSLR-like clarity. A recording method called log video facilitates color correction in post-production and produces recordings of superior quality. The Galaxy S25 series also has the Color Correction tool, which enables users to quickly and simply adjust their video footage in the Gallery app with a one-button click, making log movies accessible to the typical user.

Generative Edit, which was first offered in the Galaxy S24 series, has advanced significantly 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.”

Through ongoing cooperation with Google, the AI models utilized for Generative Edit and other generative AI capabilities were created. “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.”

During development, generative AI’s nature—which yields unique outputs every time—often presented difficulties. “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.

The Best Face function is new to the Galaxy S25 series and the Galaxy portfolio overall. Up to five people’s greatest facial expressions are chosen from several Motion Photos by this function, which then combines them into a single, flawless group photo. “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.

“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.”

With filters, users may select a photo they like, and AI will assess the image’s color and style to create a custom 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.

“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.