[Interview] Make Every Moment Cinematic: How Cinematic LUT Transforms Video on the Galaxy S26 Series

Beyond high resolution, video trends are shifting toward mood and emotional storytelling. Samsung Electronics debuted the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec on Galaxy S26 Ultra, laying the groundwork for mobile video production while maintaining image quality and minimising loss during editing.

In response, Samsung asked a simple question — can anyone create Hollywood-style videos on a Galaxy mobile phone? The answer is the Cinematic Look-Up Table (Cine LUT) feature on the Galaxy S26 series. While the APV codec provides the foundation for cinema-quality video, Cine LUT brings a distinct colour style to the footage.

Cine LUT makes professional-level colour grading — once reserved for experts — accessible to anyone. Samsung collaborated with internal teams and external specialists to bring the feature to life. The Mobile eXperience (MX) Business led final camera implementation, Samsung Research developed core video processing technologies and U5K Imageworks — a colourist studio behind globally recognised productions — helped shape its visual aesthetic.

Following the introduction of the APV codec, which delivers a visually lossless level of image quality, Samsung Newsroom spoke with three key developers behind Cine LUT — Sugon Baek of the Camera Image Quality R&D Group at the MX Business, Bomi Kim of the Reality Media Lab at Samsung Research and Taesik Eom, CEO of U5K Imageworks — to hear the story of its creation.

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

Q. What is a LUT? What sets Cine LUT on the Galaxy S26 series apart?

Baek: A LUT is essentially a “map” that transforms one set of colours into a desired look. Unlike conventional filters that simply overlay colour, Cine LUT reinterprets Samsung Log^[1] footage to deliver the depth and look of professional filmmaking.

Kim: It’s optimised for Log video. By leveraging its wide gradation,^[2] the feature precisely reconstructs colour and brightness to preserve subtle tonal details often lost with conventional filters for richer, more natural depth.

▲ Comparison of Log footage in standard settings and with the Thriller LUT and Blockbuster LUT

▲ Taesik Eom, CEO of U5K Imageworks

Q. What challenges did you face during development?

Kim: We needed a large data set to validate performance across diverse conditions. Testing in real-world environments — from natural and indoor lighting to day and night — and close collaboration were key to capturing the nuances of colour.

Baek: Maintaining consistent, undistorted colour in different environments was challenging. Through continuous testing, we developed a LUT that balances subjective preference with objective quality.

Q. What was the key consideration in creating looks optimised for mobile phones?

Eom: Ensuring reliable performance in real-world conditions was key. Since lighting, exposure and white balance constantly vary, we focused on creating looks that remain natural in any situation.

Kim: Quality was our top priority. We analysed each frame and validated performance using tools like colour charts, gray balance and vector scopes.

Q. Why were these four styles chosen for the Galaxy S26 series?

Baek: We analysed the visual language of popular film genres and identified four representative styles. From the high-contrast Blockbuster to the fresh Coming-of-age, warm Romance and moody Thriller, each colour palette was designed to give everyday scenes an instant cinematic look.

▲ Comparison of Log footage in standard settings and with the Coming-of-age LUT and Romance LUT

Q. What led to the development of Cine LUT?

Kim: While Galaxy devices supported Log video for high-quality capture, colour grading remained challenging for users. We aimed to make professional-looking results accessible without advanced editing skills.

Baek: We wanted to create an experience that lets users preview cinematic footage at the moment of capture, then apply a LUT and share the video with a single tap in the Gallery.

▲ (From left) Bomi Kim of the Reality Media Lab at Samsung Research and Sugon Baek of the Camera Image Quality R&D Group, MX Business

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

Eom: Our collaboration began two years ago with Rec. 709 LUT advisory work for Samsung Log video, where we refined strong colours into more natural tones — an experience that led to Cine LUT. For this project, we developed multiple versions across three intensity levels — neutral, soft and strong — and tested them in diverse scenes, ultimately selecting four core styles.

Kim: Building on U5K’s colour direction, we validated the concepts against quantitative criteria to ensure consistent performance in different environments, refining them through testing until creative intent and technical quality aligned.

▲ Users can preview Cine LUTs when shooting in Log and easily apply them to recorded footage using editing tools.

Q. Which Cine LUT styles do you recommend for different situations?

Eom: There’s no fixed answer — it depends on the situation. Blockbuster suits high-contrast environments like outdoor and urban scenes; Coming-of-age fits soft, trendy settings like cafes or vlogs; Romance adds warmth to character-driven scenes; and Thriller creates a more striking impression.

Q. What stood out to you in user feedback?

Baek: We expected it might be seen as just another video effect, but the response exceeded expectations. Users quickly recognised that combining Log shooting with Cine LUTs expands creative possibilities beyond simple filters. We’re also seeing more users choose styles based on the scene, with high-quality videos widely shared on social media — and even inspiring new ways to create content.

Q. What are your plans for the future?

Baek: We aim to further establish the Galaxy S26 series as a professional-grade camera. We hope to see more content that resonates with both creators and viewers and will continue to set new standards in video creation.

Kim: As the world changes rapidly, our goal is to identify next-generation technologies. Through close collaboration with business divisions, we will work to bring them into products and deliver innovative experiences to users around the world.

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

Born from close collaboration, Cine LUT on the Galaxy S26 series transforms everyday moments into cinematic visuals. Beyond its technical achievements, the feature marks an important step toward making video creation more accessible — lowering barriers once reserved for professionals and enabling anyone to express themselves.

Heesub Han, a commercial and documentary director, shot a series of short films on Galaxy S26 Ultra using the APV codec and Samsung Log. Explore the videos below to discover the possibilities of Cine LUT through the making-of and short films.

[1] The Intel vPro® platform is only available for the 14-inch model of the Galaxy Book6 Enterprise Edition.

[2] UK specific business Service Centre for UK service requirements.