[Edaily Reporter Han Kwangbeom ] No matter how advanced smartphone camera performance becomes, it’s not easy to capture a scene exactly as the eye sees it in a photograph. In particular, portrait photography under complex indoor lighting conditions, as well as portraits and food photos—which are prone to awkward compositions—are common challenges for beginners.
SamsungElectronics(005930)During a briefing on the Galaxy camera held on the 3rd at a café in Jung-gu, Seoul, experts encountered at the photo shoot that day agreed, saying, “You don’t need to memorize all the features—just understanding ‘3x zoom’ and the ‘AI sensor’ is enough to capture the perfect shot.” The camera technologies and photography tips introduced this time apply not only to the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra but also to the entire latest Galaxy premium lineup, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra released earlier this year.
The clearest tip for “escaping the ‘clumsy photographer’ trap,” as identified by camera developers and professionals on location, is using the 3x zoom in Portrait Mode. Due to the wide-angle nature of a smartphone’s default 1x lens, subjects close to the camera are prone to distortion, making them appear bloated. This is why taking selfies or portraits with the 1x lens can make your nose look prominent or distort the proportions of your facial features.
Photographer Ahn Tae-young, who participated in the event, explained, “When you shoot with the 1x lens, distortion makes your nose appear the highest and pushes your face back, but portraits taken with 3x zoom most closely resemble how others actually see you.” “If you set the zoom to 3x and step back to frame the shot, distortion of the subject disappears, and a compression effect occurs where the background appears to be right up against the subject, resulting in professional-quality photos,” he explained. This same principle applies to food photography as well; using 3x zoom allows you to capture a clean composition without distortion of the plate’s shape.
◇The Eiffel Tower in the background appears right up against the subject… From bokeh in Portrait Mode to professional-grade RAW options
The 3x zoom’s spatial compression effect really shines when capturing both the background and the subject together while traveling abroad. For example, when taking a portrait with the Eiffel Tower in Paris as the background, using a 1x lens makes the tower appear small and distant. However, if you switch to 3x zoom and step back to frame the shot, the Eiffel Tower—which was far away—is pulled closer right behind the subject, maximizing visual density.
The sophistication of Portrait Mode has also been significantly enhanced. The virtual aperture engine previously available in Expert RAW has been expanded to Portrait Mode, calculating not only the distance between the subject and the background and the focal plane but also the way light spreads. The depth range has been significantly expanded to precisely render bokeh (light blur) based on distance, and by utilizing Expert RAW, users can easily access professional-grade features such as virtual reflector effects, underwater shooting corrections, an ND filter for long-exposure effects even in broad daylight, Milky Way and star trail photography, and multiple exposures.
The combination of hardware and AI has enhanced the shooting experience. The 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, the 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and AI powered by the ProVisual Engine analyze light and distance. The 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera supports not only wide-angle landscape shots but also ultra-precise macro photography that captures intricate textures when you get up close to your subject; it automatically switches to macro mode as soon as you hold the camera steady. It also includes a 24MP shooting option for everyday moments, 200-megapixel HDR that preserves details in both bright skies and dark buildings, and a front-facing AI ISP (Image Signal Processing) that improves skin tone reproduction by 30% even under indoor lighting.
Night and video recording capabilities have also been enhanced. The AP-based “Nightography” reduces noise in low-light environments to capture crisp night scenes, while video recording features include “My Fan Cam,” where AI tracks the subject; “Horizontal Lock Super Steady,” which maintains a level horizon even during 360-degree rotations; and “Dual Recording,” which allows simultaneous front and rear camera recording. The device also features “Samsung Log” for cinematic effects, four types of “Cine LUTs,” and the “APV” codec to support high-resolution, high-quality editing.
◇“The Language of the User’s Life”… Expanded Convenience in AI Editing and Scanning
Ko Byung-kwon, a professional with Samsung MX’s Visual Solutions Team, stated, “Our Galaxy cameras are crafted one by one based on the fundamental philosophy that every shot we create becomes the language of our users’ lives,” adding, “Our goal is to help users capture the best shots whenever and wherever they take photos.” Ko continued, “You don’t need to worry about which camera to use—just shoot comfortably, and the optimal sensor and ProVisual Engine will deliver the best results.”
The post-capture editing algorithms have also evolved. Through the generative AI-based “Photo Assist,” the feature supports “Erase” for removing unwanted subjects, “Move” for adjusting composition, “Create” for styling images using text commands, and “Style” for adding distinctive touches to photos. “Document Scan,” which is useful for business purposes, automatically removes fingerprints, creases, and moiré patterns during scanning and converts the scanned documents into PDFs after continuous scanning.
