- Samsung is accused of cheating on the photos of the Moon produced by its Galaxy S23 Ultra
- The manufacturer explained the operation of the technology used to justify itself
- Smartphones are not professional cameras
Since the release of its latest Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung has had to respond to a controversy that is surprising to say the least. Like the Galaxy S22 Ultra last year, this model stands out for its rear camera with 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom, dubbed « Space Zoom ». With this feature, Samsung promises to be able to capture stunning images of the Moon, as seen in advertisements and examples shared by users on social media.
But are these photos really authentic? Several Internet users have questioned the quality and fidelity of the lunar shots obtained with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. They suspect Samsung of using an algorithm that artificially enhances the image by adding details that are not visible to the naked eye. Some even claimed that Samsung was just superimposing a pre-recorded photo of the Moon on the black background of the sky.
Faced with the controversy, Samsung released a statement to explain how the Space Zoom. According to the South Korean company, it is a technology based on artificial intelligence which analyzes the image captured by the sensor and applies corrections to it to reduce noise, increase sharpness and optimize colors. Samsung specifies that the Space Zoom does not use a pre-recorded photo of the Moonbut that it adapts to the subject photographed according to the context.
A sterile controversy?
Is Samsung cheating with its Moon photos? Yes and no. On the one hand, we can consider that Samsung deceives its customers into believing that they can take realistic photos of the Moon with their smartphone. On the other, we can salute the technological innovation which makes it possible to obtain impressive images with a simple mobile phone.
This debate is not new in the world of digital photography. For a long time, smartphone manufacturers have been using algorithms to improve their cameras. Night mode, portrait mode or even HDR mode are all examples of software processing that modifies the original image to make it more beautiful or more flattering in certain situations.
Moreover, during their product presentations, the manufacturers explain that the artificial intelligence has been “fed” with millions of shots shot in the same context so that it can then retouch the photos in real conditions. The question is therefore rather to know where to draw the line between improvement and falsification.
The laws of physics
Should we accept that smartphones offer us embellished photos or prefer photos that are more faithful to reality? The answer probably depends on individual tastes and expectations. The real question is: aren’t we asking too much of the engineers responsible for the development of smartphone cameras? Because physics is stubborn: photographing shots at very long distances requires the use of very large lenses.
Since it is not possible to integrate these objectives into devices that we carry in our pockets, we must accept that artificial intelligence intervenes, sometimes in a way that is perhaps a little too pronounced. So let’s not forget that we use smartphones and not professional cameras. We are not going to ask them to get the moon. Whether ?
