Samsung has always been in the forefront when it comes to smartphone photography and that applies not only to it’s flagship models like the Galaxy S22 Ultra (Review), but also any of the more affordable models from it’s best-selling Galaxy A series lineup such as the Galaxy A73 5G which I’ve been using over the past one month.
So what makes Samsung’s smartphone cameras so good? The answer lies in it’s advanced AI features and functionalities that play a significant role in optimizing and enhancing images without having the need for users to faff around with any complicated camera settings.
Thanks to a recent roundtable organized by Samsung, we were able to gain more insight into these powerful AI features that serve as the backbone of the Galaxy A series’ camera system, and how they actually improve the overall quality of the photos.
These features can be categorized into three broad categories dubbed as Real Time AI Processing, AI Segmentation Technology as well as AI Detail Enhancement.
Real Time AI Processing
In Real Time AI Processing, the image sensor processor (ISP) processes the data transferred from the image sensor in real time. This allows the camera system to offer features such as Scene Optimizer which automatically detects what’s in frame and adjusts image settings accordingly before hitting the shutter.
However, users have the ability to toggle off this feature even though it’s highly recommended to keep it active when taking photos. To help you better understand the effect of Scene Optimizer on actual photos, I’d taken a pair of photos with Scene Optimizer on and off so you can draw the differences between them.
Obviously, photos taken with Scene Optimizer on yield better dynamic range and contrast which make photos look more flattering without looking overly processed or unnatural.
Besides detecting what’s in the frame, the camera system is also able to detect lighting condition of the scene and make necessary adjustments to the image settings. In a low-light scene for instance, the camera will automatically activate Night Mode which not only improves the brightness and details of the scene, but also reduces image noise that’s particular common in photos taken under poor lighting condition.
Other than that, there’s also an intuitive feature known as Single Take which allows users to record up to ten seconds of ultra-wide/wide-angle footage, and uses advanced AI to recommend a variety of formats so users can pick their favorite takes. To be frank, this is perhaps the most innovative camera feature I’ve came across so far. Check out the video above to see it in action!
Last but not the last, the camera system is also able to tacks up to 5 subjects and automatically adjusts the preview to fit everyone perfectly within the frame. That means the camera will automatically zoom closer to the subject (when there’s only one people) or further away if you’re taking photo of a group of people.
AI Segmentation Technology
AI Segmentation is another core feature of the Galaxy A series’ camera system which is especially important for portrait photography as it helps to segregate the subject from the background accurately using advanced AI Detection Algorithms.
This allows the background of the image to be blurred so that the camera is able to focus solely on the subject itself. While most users tend to use portrait mode on human subjects, it’s actually a great feature to use on plants and animals too.
Once the photos are taken, the Galaxy A series’ smartphones also give you the ability to edit the background effect seamlessly within the Gallery app itself. As an example, I changed the background effect of the original photo from ”Blur” to ”Color Point” which turns the background into grayscale format.
Just in case you’re not a fan of this effect, you can still pick from several other effects such as ”Studio”, ”Artistic”, ”Spin” and ”Zoom”. Each of these effects have it’s own charm that offer the photos a brand new perspective.
AI Detail Enhancement
The last feature is an interesting one. AI Detail Enhancement, as it’s name suggests, is a set of built-in functionalities which allow users to improve the image quality without having to download (or pay for) any third-party app.
One of these available functionalities include the Remaster Picture tool which automatically upscale, improve HDR and reduce image noise of any existing photos within the Gallery. This result in photos with more amicable color profile and better details than the unedited ones.
Lastly, there’s also an Object Eraser feature which allows users to literally ”erase” off any objects in a photo, while keeping it naturally as if the objects were never inside the photo. Despite it’s name, this feature does work on human subjects as well.
