Samsung reveals the secret to taking "incredible" photos with a Galaxy S10 phone
Samsung revealed today more information about the AI-powered camera system on the Galaxy S10 line. According to the company, it is the Ultra Wide lens that is the secret to taking "incredible" pictures with its new top-shelf models. The Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ all are equipped with a rear-facing 16MP camera sporting an Ultra Wide lens. All three phones also feature a 12MP primary camera with variable aperture, and the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ carry a 12MP camera with 2x optical zoom. The Ultra Wide cameras on the Galaxy S10 line can be used with the Live Focus and Panorama features; the former allows users to adjust the level of the bokeh (blur) effect on portraits.
Photo taken with Samsung Galaxy S10 Ultra Wide lens
Samsung improved the stability of videos recorded using one of the Galaxy S10 phones thanks to its new Super Steady feature. A technology known as VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilization predicts how the subjects in a video will move just before and during the actual recording. By predicting these movements in advance, the camera can make the necessary adjustments to reduce any shakiness in recorded videos. Samsung credits the Ultra Wide lens for allowing them to introduce Super Steady. A member of the team that developed the Galaxy S10 cameras, Wonseok Song, said that the best video stabilization technology used to require a drop in the camera's angle of view. A regular wide-angle lens was not enough to make up for this loss in range. He says, "But thanks to the Ultra Wide lens, the S10 is able to support a natural viewing angle while also offering stability and quality." He also suggests that users stick to normal mode for scenes with less action that are recorded in low light. "For brighter scenes that feature more movement, Super Steady is best," Song adds.
"From the Ultra Wide lens, to Super Steady, to the NPU – and to other features, like Instagram mode, new filters, enhanced Bixby Vision, and easy shifting between lenses – the Galaxy S10 helps users do more with their camera than they ever could before. For all of those users who say a great camera is the top feature they’re looking for in a smartphone, Samsung has planted the flag."-Samsung
Samsung uses AI to optimize users' photographs
Of course, today's smartphone cameras have to have Artificial Intelligence (AI). That is why the Galaxy S10 models sport a neural processing unit (NPU) that works at speeds faster than a phone's central processing unit (CPU), helping the phone with machine learning algorithms. The NPU in the new Galaxy S10 devices will optimize the camera settings for 30 different categories. Team member Seoyoung Lee noted that the company added 10 new categories for AI optimization including Dog, Drink, and Shoe. Lee says that the optimization allows more focus on small details, such as the strands of fur on a dog. Pictures of shoes or clothes focus more on the color of these objects.
AI optimization was used on these photos
AI is also used for Samsung's Shot Suggestion feature. Looking at a database containing more than 100 million pictures from users of Samsung phones, Shot Suggestion gives out tips on how to improve the composition of a picture. This is done by suggesting how to position people, animals, and vehicles. "The AI-based suggestions have been developed not just to prioritize putting the subject at the center of a photo," states Lee. "That way, no matter how you want to set up your shot, the Galaxy S10 will help you do it in the most striking way possible."
Members of the team that developed the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S10 line
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