Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 have tons of camera improvements under the hood

Except for a wider field of view employed by the Galaxy Z Flip 5's 10MP selfie camera, there's barely any difference between the imaging hardware used by the Galaxy Z Flip 5 / Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the 2022 models. However, the software underlying the camera (and even the Gallery app) went through significant changes, and the mobile photography experience enabled by the 2023 foldable phones should be superior. Here's how it changed.

Samsung published a new table of contents for CamCyclopedia on the official community forums (via @theonecid), explaining how the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 improved the photo, video, gallery, and editing experiences.

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Improved photo and video shooting experiences

The improvements listed in this updated CamCyclopedia table of content are a perfect example of what TM Roh told us at Galaxy Unpacked about Samsung's new strategy to focus on software and AI optimization. So without further ado, let's dive right into it. Here's how Samsung enhanced photo and video shooting on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5.

FlexCam – Basic Picture Enhancements

Samsung enhanced the basic picture quality through better image processing and software algorithms. Contrast adjusts adaptively based on areas, and photos generate more natural and detailed skin expressions with a higher texture accuracy.

Furthermore, Samsung implemented a Video Ultra Low Light solution and a single frame-based noise reduction process to improve noise handling in low-light environments.

In addition, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera exclusively takes advantage of improvements to skin color tones. When capturing selfies, users can select between Natural and Warm color tone options.

Natural tones express a clearer three-dimensional picture, whereas the Warm tone option generates softer (and warmer) selfies.

Selfies and AI Object Aware Engine

A new AI Object Aware Engine separates images into groups and selectively applies advanced image processing techniques to specific groups without affecting others.

In other words, when taking selfies with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 or Z Flip 5, this clever AI can optimize individual elements such as hair, eyes, skin tones, definition, brightness, etc.

As seen in the examples above, the AI Object Aware Engine can express brighter faces without affecting other areas of the image. It can also sharpen details like hair, eyebrows, and eyes while maintaining clean skin expressions and tones.

AI-based zoom quality improvements

Samsung added a high-resolution image generation (Super-Resolution) technology to its AI model to improve digital zoom.

As you may know, the higher the magnification of digital zoom, the lower the image quality. Samsung worked on reducing image quality degradation for digital zoom by inputting the image into an AI model through multi-frame synthesis. The AI then suppresses noise and enhances texture detail through a pre-trained method.

This digital zoom quality improvement is available only for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 cameras. However, Samsung says it will bring this feature to the Galaxy S23 series through the next One UI update.

Night photography

Nightography gained some processing speed thanks to improved CPU and NPU performance.

Furthermore, Samsung says photos captured in extreme low-light conditions by the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 have less noise and improved brightness.

The tech giant explains that, first, the uniformity of sensor input data is improved by referencing neighboring pixels through multi-frame processing. Second, the training method of the AI ISP has changed to reduce noise while maintaining details.

Natural Portrait Mode

The next item on the list is an improved Portrait Mode for photos captured with the primary camera. The latest flagships (including the new foldables and the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra) boast enhanced depth map accuracy through phase difference information.

Essentially, the latest Galaxy flagships utilize data obtained by the Dual Pixel sensor to estimate distances with higher accuracy. In addition, an AI model leverages the phase difference information obtained from the DP sensor to deliver additional improvements to distance prediction, thus resulting in a more natural portrait mode blur effect.

Improved Galaxy Z Fold 5 Pro Modes

The Pro Mode and Pro Video Modes for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 camera offer a wide range of parameters. With the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung changed the UI layout for easier access to ISO, Shutter speed, and EV controls.

And now, in the camera capture view screen available exclusively for the Galaxy Z Fold series, Samsung enhanced the process of sharing and deleting photos by allowing users to select multiple images at once instead of doing it one by one.

Improved Galaxy Z Fold 5 UDC image quality and sharpness

Even though the Galaxy Z Fold 5's Under-Display Camera (UDC) hasn't been improved through a higher resolution, Samsung has indeed worked on bettering the UDC technology through better processing and software.

The 2023 foldable flagship phone uses UDC-exclusive high Dynamic Range multi-frame composition technology to address the oversaturation of bright areas, as well as noise and blur caused by low transmittance.

Even though the HDR multi-frame composing technology used by the Galaxy Z Fold 5's UDC lengthens the shooting and processing time, Samsung says it is essential for improving UDC image quality.

Once again, the resolution of the UDC is unchanged, but Samsung improves image quality through AI-based solutions. The AI offers resolution correction, which leads to less blur and image degradation caused by the pixel structure.

Thanks to HDR multi-frame synthesis and AI-based resolution improvements, Samsung says the image quality reproduced by the Galaxy Z Fold 5 UDC is much closer to standard cameras.

Document Scanning improvements (Sharpen Text & Erase Distractions)

Document scanning on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 has improved through better blur processing and the addition of an object eraser function that can erase fingers from photos. If you capture your finger when photographing a document, you can later remove your finger from the shot.

First, Samsung enhanced its AI-based text blur algorithm to provide sharper text when capturing shaky photos. Thanks to this, you may no longer need to retake a shot when it comes out blurry.

Second, Samsung added a clever new function to the object eraser algorithm that allows users to remove obstructions (such as fingers) from document photos.

Samsung says these features will come to the Galaxy S23 series and later models through the One UI 6.0 update.

Improved Gallery and photo editing experience

In addition to the enhanced mobile photography and videography experience enabled by these latest upgrades to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera software and AI suite, Samsung also brought a couple of new tricks to the Gallery app for photo editing.

Copy and paste editing effects

Listening to the community, Samsung implemented a new feature that lets users copy filters and tonal effects from one photo and paste them onto a different image.

In fact, users can copy effects from any photo (except GIFs) and can apply them to multiple images at once — even entire albums.

Photo Remaster is a lot faster

The photo remaster feature embedded in the Gallery app for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 can now process images faster.

Samsung says the latest foldable phones boast a 30-50% speed improvement compared to the Galaxy S23 series when remastering photos.

Image credit: Samsung