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Samsung details Galaxy S25 Ultra camera upgrades including RAW features, Virtual Aperture and AI enhancements

The Galaxy S25 Ultra hasn't received big camera upgrades, but new software-based improvements (Image source: Samsung)
The Galaxy S25 Ultra hasn't received big camera upgrades, but new software-based improvements (Image source: Samsung)
The Samsung Galaxy S25 series has barely received any notable hardware camera upgrades. Instead, Samsung is advertising numerous software innovations that are intended to result in better image quality and more flexibility. The South Korean company has now explained these camera improvements in detail.

While promotional videos for the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra primarily focus on new AI features and One UI 7, Samsung’s brand-new Android flagships also offer several new camera features. In a blog post, Samsung has now listed and described these innovations in detail, which range from the ability to record 8K video with the ultra-wide camera to six new filters and a smoother video zoom.

Thanks to 10-bit HDR and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), photos and videos supposedly have more vibrant colors than ever before. Furthermore, the Galaxy S25 series automatically records a 1.5-second video clip before and after taking a photo. Subsequently, photos can be viewed in motion and facial expressions of up to five people can be changed after the picture was taken.

Meanwhile, "Virtual Aperture" is intended to simulate the aperture of a lens. In layman's terms, this is a portrait mode that is now also available in the Expert RAW app, which means that users can apparently save RAW data with a simulated bokeh effect. Additionally, Samsung has introduced simulated ND filters, which make this mode usable in direct sunlight.

Samsung has further improved the gallery app and photo editing tools of the Galaxy S25 Ultra and other S25 phones. Photos can now be found by describing their content, and a remaster function uses artificial intelligence to rework images and generate a sharper, more accurately exposed version of a photo that has already been taken.

Moreover, Samsung now offers a RAW image editor with far more features, which is particularly practical for photographers. This means that DNG files recorded by the Expert RAW app can now be processed directly on the smartphone in order to adjust exposure, saturation, contrast, color temperature and reduce image noise. Samsung also mentions its Magic Eraser, which can automatically remove unwanted objects in pictures. Last but not least, AI-powered image editing has been improved, as removing shadows or replacing objects should now yield better results.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra can be pre-ordered starting at $1,299 on Amazon

RAW files contain considerably more detailed data for shadows and bright highlights compared to compressed JPEGs
RAW files contain considerably more detailed data for shadows and bright highlights compared to compressed JPEGs

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2025 01 > Samsung details Galaxy S25 Ultra camera upgrades including RAW features, Virtual Aperture and AI enhancements
Hannes Brecher, 2025-01-23 (Update: 2025-01-23)