Samsung is taking night photography to the next level by updating the Galaxy S22 camera with a new astrophotography function plus the ability to merge shots into one.
Other smartphones have a kind of “night mode” that allows the device to take better photos in low light environments. But there has never really been a concerted push toward astrophotography.
you have to use certain tricks and equipment to take good quality pictures of the night sky. Samsung is addressing these shortcomings with new features designed to make night photography easier to do. (opens in a new tab) and more fun through the aforementioned Astrofoto. The company even claims you’ll have “top-tier professional” quality images without the additional equipment.
New beta features
Astrofoto will be available through Expert RAW, an app in the Galaxy S22 line which allows people to take high-quality RAW photos, as well as configure the camera’s Pro settings. Samsung didn’t offer many details, but did mention the use of the device’s “advanced AI segmentation and multi-frame processing technology” to take photos over a period of time. From the sound of things, you need to hold your phone still for a while while shooting.
there will be a SkyGuide in the app (opens in a new tab) pinpoint the locations of constellations, solar systems, and even nebulae in the night sky by drawing them on the screen.
As for the image mesh feature alluded to earlier, it will come in the form of multiple exposures. The tool allows the S22 to take multiple images and overlay them like a filter to create some attractive abstract paintings (opens in a new tab).
In addition to Astrophoto, Samsung provided some preview images and videos for the upcoming Camera Assistant Update an app that seeks to take the guesswork out of smartphone photography. We can see the differences between having Auto HDR on or off plus the faster shutter speed tool (opens in a new tab).
Assistant camera
Both Astrophoto and Multiple Exposures are currently in beta and are only available on S22 phones running One UI 5, which is currently only available through Verizon. A company representative told us that they recommend upgrading to One UI 5 first before downloading the beta. If you’re one of the lucky few with access, you can join the beta by opening the Settings menu in Expert RAW and then selecting the Special Photo option.
For everyone else, the rep also said that One UI 5 will be rolling out to more carriers in the coming days, so be sure to keep an eye out for the update when it arrives. We also asked if there are plans to release the beta on older devices and if people will see Astrophoto on the future Galaxy S23but were unable to comment.
So it’s quite possible that an official release won’t be the last we see of Astrophoto. Improving night photography could be the future of smartphone cameras. It will be interesting to see if that is the case.
If you’re looking for a smartphone with a really good camera, be sure to check out TechRadar’s Best Camera Phone List for 2022.
