The Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones launched todaybut when it comes to the most important cameras, the company relies on AI rather than making any meaningful changes. There is one welcome addition, however. Samsung has finally caught up with rivals like Honor by introducing log video to allow more accurate color grading. Other important updates include improved low-light capabilities on all models, the new “ProVisual engine,” a “virtual aperture” and a higher-resolution ultrawide camera in high -end Ultra.

Last year the big selling point of the Galaxy S24 Ultra was the 200MP camera, which made the 12MP ultrawide look weak in comparison. Samsung fixed it with the Galaxy S25 Ultra by more than four times the 50MP sensor. That also helps Samsung compete better against Google’s Pixel 9 Pro and its 48-megapixel ultrawide camera.

Along with that, the Ultra now has a formidable suite of cameras: a 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto and 50MP 5x tele. However, that makes the more mainstream Galaxy S25 and S25+ look a little weak in comparison. Those only come with 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide and 10MP 3x tele, like the last two models. All phones have a front-facing 12MP selfie camera with up to 4K 60p video.

Samsung also corrected a weak point that we pointed out in ours S24 reviews: sub-par low light performance. With Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, Samsung says the new cameras can analyze noise more effectively using a new “spatial-temporal filter, ” which can more accurately detect moving and static objects. That in turn allows for cleaner video, especially of moving objects in dark environments. The downside is that applying stronger noise reduction creates strange artifacts, something we’ll be testing more in future reviews. In fact, during Samsung’s presentation, I couldn’t help but notice a strange separation between the moving subject and background.

Other key new camera features are also available in the S25 line. Most important for content creators is Galaxy Log, which can finally log video to improve dynamic range and allow more accurate color grading. That’s one very demanding feature for Galaxy phones that was only available before third-party apps. It also records with 10-bit color like HDR mode. However, the new feature still lacks the ability to capture ProRes log video on the latest iPhones.

I tried logging on Honor’s Magic series smartphone and it can significantly improve the video by increasing the dynamic range in difficult lighting situations (a backlit subject or sunny day, for example). The problem is that converting the log to regular footage requires an editing app and some knowledge about things like LUTs – so whether users get it depends on how Samsung implements it.

Samsung also enables 10-bit HDR video capture by default, which allows you to shoot more colorful and detailed images. However, be aware that such content may not be displayed correctly on apps and devices that do not support HDR (other smartphones, PCs, TVs, etc.).

To treat photos after you take them, Samsung has improved Portrait Studio with new features such as personalized avatars with more true-to-life facial expressions. It also adds new analog filters for a more film-like aesthetic for photos and videos.

There are two other new tricks: Audio Eraser and Virtual Aperture. Although all cameras have a fixed aperture, the latter simulates having an adjustable one like mirrorless cameras. However, the achievement is achieved through computational tricks, so it tends to look a bit artificial.

Audio Eraser, on the other hand, is an AI-powered noise reduction system designed to cut background sounds in busy environments when shooting video, no doubt inspired by Apple’s Audio Mix and the Pixel’s Audio Magic Eraser device. During the demo, Samsung showed how it cuts out different types of noise such as wind, waves and nature.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s new camera is great if you can afford that $1,300 model, while improved low-light handling, Galaxy Log and AI should provide nice, but not spectacular, benefits. All told, Samsung doesn’t bring as much to the table as the iPhone 16 with its Camera Control button, or the Pixel 9 (Video Boost, Add Me, Auto Frame). For more on how the Galaxy S25 cameras work in the real world, check out our hands-on tests and stay tuned for full reviews.