Samsung’s Cine LUT on Galaxy S26 series enhances cinematic video creation
Samsung’s Cine LUT feature on the Galaxy S26 series offers professional-level color grading, making cinematic video creation accessible to everyone. This development marks a significant step in mobile video production.
The trend in video production is evolving beyond high resolution towards mood-driven and emotionally engaging storytelling. Samsung Electronics has introduced the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, establishing a foundation for mobile video production that preserves image quality and reduces editing loss.
Samsung posed a question to itself: could anyone create Hollywood-style videos using a Galaxy mobile phone? The solution is the Cinematic Look-Up Table (Cine LUT) feature on the Galaxy S26 series. While the APV codec offers cinema-quality video, Cine LUT adds a unique color style to the footage, making professional color grading accessible to everyone.
Samsung collaborated with internal teams and external experts to develop this feature. The Mobile eXperience (MX) Business led the camera implementation, Samsung Research developed core video processing technologies, and U5K Imageworks, a colorist studio known for its work on globally recognized productions, helped shape its visual aesthetic.
Following the introduction of the APV codec, Samsung Newsroom interviewed three key developers behind Cine LUT: Sugon Baek from the Camera Image Quality R&D Group at MX Business, Bomi Kim from the Reality Media Lab at Samsung Research, and Taesik Eom, CEO of U5K Imageworks, to discuss its creation.
Understanding Cine LUT and its uniqueness
A LUT, or Look-Up Table, functions as a “map” that converts one set of colors into a desired look. Unlike conventional filters that merely overlay color, Cine LUT reinterprets Samsung Log1 footage to deliver the depth and aesthetic of professional filmmaking. It is optimized for Log video, leveraging its wide gradation to precisely reconstruct color and brightness, preserving subtle tonal details often lost with conventional filters.
The development journey of Cine LUT
The need to make professional-looking results accessible without advanced editing skills led to the development of Cine LUT. The aim was to allow users to preview cinematic footage at capture, apply a LUT, and share the video with a single tap in the Gallery.
Collaboration with U5K Imageworks began two years ago. They refined strong colors into more natural tones for Samsung Log video, an experience that contributed to Cine LUT. The project developed multiple versions across three intensity levels and tested them in diverse scenes, selecting four core styles in the end.
Challenges and considerations
Developing Cine LUT required testing in real-world environments to capture color nuances. Maintaining consistent, undistorted color across different environments was challenging, but continuous testing resulted in a LUT that balances subjective preference with objective quality.
Ensuring reliable performance in real-world conditions was crucial. With lighting, exposure, and white balance constantly varying, creating looks that remain natural in any situation was a key focus. Quality was prioritized, with each frame analyzed and performance validated using tools like color charts and vector scopes.
Future plans
The goal is to further establish the Galaxy S26 series as a professional-grade camera, with more content resonating with creators and viewers. Samsung aims to continue setting new standards in video creation and bring next-generation technologies to users worldwide through close collaboration with business divisions.