The Revolutionary Camera Technology Behind Samsung’s Galaxy Z Series Portrait Video

Unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked in July 2026, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z series introduces advanced computational photography features, including Portrait Video. Developed collaboratively by Samsung Research and the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, the feature leverages AI-powered video processing to recreate the optical depth, natural background blur, and large-aperture bokeh of professional camera lenses.

Deconstructing the Optics: AI Meets Physical Lens Characteristics

To fix this, Samsung Research analyzed the physical optical characteristics of actual camera lenses.

According to YoungGeol Kim of the Visual Technology Team at Samsung Research, the push for this feature started from a deeply personal place. Photography has been my hobby for 25 years, Kim noted when discussing the origins of the project. That long-standing interest in the visual character of physical lenses eventually sparked the R&D effort to push beyond standard smartphone video limitations.

When the research team first proposed the concept, the technology was still locked inside early-stage experimentation. Bridging the gap between raw research code and a consumer-ready mobile product required close engineering alignment. The MX Business stepped in to evaluate the underlying algorithms on real-world hardware architectures, turning a theoretical rendering pipeline into an on-device feature.

Under the Hood: How the Galaxy Z Series Handles Real-Time Depth

Activating Portrait Video on the Galaxy Z series requires a quick trip into the camera interface. Users simply open the Camera app, tap “More,” and select Portrait Video. Once engaged, the system calculates spatial depth across the frame in real time. The degree of blur dynamically shifts based on the physical distance separating the subject and the background.

Photo: samsungmobilepress.com

Sang-uk Park, responsible for camera development at the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, detailed the practical application of this depth rendering. On the Galaxy Z series, the degree of blur changes naturally based on the distance between the subject and background, Park explained. Small background point-sources of light transform into soft, rounded bokeh shapes, mimicking what an operator expects from high-end cinema glass.

Flexibility is built directly into the editing suite after capture. Users are not locked into the initial recording parameters. The system allows operators to dynamically shift the focus point to a completely different subject post-recording. Furthermore, users can manually adjust the intensity of the background blur on a graduated scale from 0 to 7.

Bridging Hardware and Software in the Foldable Ecosystem

Alongside Portrait Video, the Galaxy Z series launch also debuted My FanCam. This companion editing feature allows users to target their focus squarely on a specific individual of their choosing within crowded footage. Both features share a foundational engineering lineage, drawing on cross-disciplinary research spanning basic optical physics, machine learning feature development, and interface design.

The 30-Second Verdict

• Feature: Portrait Video and My FanCam on the Galaxy Z series.
• Core Technology: AI-driven video processing modeled after real-world large-aperture camera optics.
• User Controls: Post-filming focus shifting and adjustable blur levels ranging from 0 to 7.
• Development: A joint initiative between Samsung Research and the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business.

As computational videography continues to mature, features that once required heavy glass and dedicated camera bodies are increasingly executed directly on mobile silicon.