[Interview] Make Each Second Cinematic: How Cinematic LUT Transforms Video on the Galaxy S26 Collection


Past excessive decision, video tendencies are shifting towards temper and emotional storytelling. Samsung Electronics debuted the Superior Skilled Video (APV) codec on Galaxy S26 Extremely, laying the groundwork for cellular video manufacturing whereas sustaining picture high quality and minimizing loss throughout enhancing.

In response, Samsung requested a easy query — can anybody create Hollywood-style movies on a Galaxy cell phone? The reply is the Cinematic Look-Up Desk (Cine LUT) characteristic on the Galaxy S26 collection. Whereas the APV codec gives the inspiration for cinema-quality video, Cine LUT brings a definite coloration model to the footage.

Cine LUT makes professional-level coloration grading — as soon as reserved for specialists — accessible to anybody. Samsung collaborated with inside groups and exterior specialists to deliver the characteristic to life. The Cellular eXperience (MX) Enterprise led last digital camera implementation, Samsung Analysis developed core video processing applied sciences and U5K Imageworks — a colorist studio behind globally acknowledged productions — helped form its visible aesthetic.

Following the introduction of the APV codec, which delivers a visually lossless degree of picture high quality, Samsung Newsroom spoke with three key builders behind Cine LUT — Sugon Baek of the Digital camera Picture High quality R&D Group on the MX Enterprise, Bomi Kim of the Actuality Media Lab at Samsung Analysis and Taesik Eom, CEO of U5K Imageworks — to listen to the story of its creation.

▲ (From left) Taesik Eom, Bomi Kim and Sugon Baek
▲ (From left) Taesik Eom, Bomi Kim and Sugon Baek

Q. What’s a LUT? What units Cine LUT on the Galaxy S26 collection aside?

Baek: A LUT is actually a “map” that transforms one set of colours right into a desired look. In contrast to typical filters that merely overlay coloration, Cine LUT reinterprets Samsung Log1 footage to ship the depth and look {of professional} filmmaking.

Kim: It’s optimized for Log video. By leveraging its vast gradation,2 the characteristic exactly reconstructs coloration and brightness to protect refined tonal particulars usually misplaced with typical filters for richer, extra pure depth.

Q. What led to the event of Cine LUT?

Kim: Whereas Galaxy gadgets supported Log video for high-quality seize, coloration grading remained difficult for customers. We aimed to make professional-looking outcomes accessible with out superior enhancing expertise.

Baek: We needed to create an expertise that lets customers preview cinematic footage for the time being of seize, then apply a LUT and share the video with a single faucet within the Gallery.

▲ (From left) Bomi Kim of the Actuality Media Lab at Samsung Analysis and Sugon Baek of the Digital camera Picture High quality R&D Group at MX Enterprise

Q. How did the collaboration with U5K Imageworks start? How was Cine LUT developed?

Eom: Our collaboration started two years in the past with Rec. 709 LUT advisory work for Samsung Log video, the place we refined robust colours into extra pure tones — an expertise that led to Cine LUT. For this mission, we developed a number of variations throughout three depth ranges — impartial, tender and powerful — and examined them in various scenes, finally deciding on 4 core types.

Kim: Constructing on U5K’s coloration path, we validated the ideas in opposition to quantitative standards to make sure constant efficiency in several environments, refining them via testing till inventive intent and technical high quality aligned.

▲ Taesik Eom, CEO of U5K Imageworks
▲ Taesik Eom, CEO of U5K Imageworks

Q. What challenges did you face throughout improvement?

Kim: We wanted a big dataset to validate efficiency throughout various circumstances. Testing in real-world environments — from pure and indoor lighting to day and evening — and shut collaboration have been key to capturing the nuances of coloration.

Baek: Sustaining constant, undistorted coloration in several environments was difficult. By way of steady testing, we developed a LUT that balances subjective desire with goal high quality.

Q. What was the important thing consideration in creating appears to be like optimized for cellphones?

Eom: Guaranteeing dependable efficiency in real-world circumstances was key. Since lighting, publicity and white stability continuously fluctuate, we targeted on creating appears to be like that stay pure in any scenario.

Kim: High quality was our high precedence. We analyzed every body and validated efficiency utilizing instruments like coloration charts, grey stability and vector scopes.

Q. Why have been these 4 types chosen for the Galaxy S26 collection?

Baek: We analyzed the visible language of fashionable movie genres and recognized 4 consultant types. From the high-contrast Blockbuster to the contemporary Coming-of-age, heat Romance and moody Thriller, every coloration palette was designed to offer on a regular basis scenes an on the spot cinematic look.

Q. Which Cine LUT types do you advocate for various conditions?

Eom: There’s no mounted reply — it is determined by the scenario. Blockbuster fits high-contrast environments like outside and concrete scenes; Coming-of-age suits tender, fashionable settings like cafes or vlogs; Romance provides heat to character-driven scenes; and Thriller creates a extra hanging impression.

Q. What stood out to you in person suggestions?

Baek: We anticipated it is perhaps seen as simply one other video impact, however the response exceeded expectations. Customers shortly acknowledged that combining Log taking pictures with Cine LUTs expands inventive prospects past easy filters. We’re additionally seeing extra customers select types primarily based on the scene, with high-quality movies broadly shared on social media — and even inspiring new methods to create content material.

Q. What are your plans for the longer term?

Baek: We purpose to additional set up the Galaxy S26 collection as a professional-grade digital camera. We hope to see extra content material that resonates with each creators and viewers and can proceed to set new requirements in video creation.

Kim: Because the world adjustments quickly, our aim is to establish next-generation applied sciences. By way of shut collaboration with enterprise divisions, we’ll work to deliver them into merchandise and ship revolutionary experiences to customers all over the world.

▲ Baek, Eom and Kim watch a video with Cine LUT applied.
▲ Baek, Eom and Kim watch a video with Cine LUT utilized.

Born from shut collaboration, Cine LUT on the Galaxy S26 collection transforms on a regular basis moments into cinematic visuals. Past its technical achievements, the characteristic marks an vital step towards making video creation extra accessible — reducing obstacles as soon as reserved for professionals and enabling anybody to precise themselves.

Heesub Han, a industrial and documentary director, shot a collection of brief movies on Galaxy S26 Extremely utilizing the APV codec and Samsung Log. Discover the movies under to find the probabilities of Cine LUT via the making-of and brief movies.