Samsung Galaxy S25 comes with LOG video: What is it and why is it important?

The new Samsung Galaxy S25 series arrives with a host of fancy features and AI capabilities, and with the trio of phones packing the same chipset and RAM, you get to experience flagship performance and tools across all three.

One of the new features you can enjoy no matter which of the Galaxy S25 series you pick is LOG video recording. It’s the first time Samsung has made this available on its smartphones, and while it’s accessible to anyone using one of the new handsets, it’s really aimed at professional videographers.

In fact, Samsung is keen for videographers to put away their mirrorless or DSLR for content capture, claiming that the Galaxy S25 series can provide the detailed video they’re after.

Samsung GalaxyS25: What is LOG video?

LOG video is a type of video format that captures a wider range of colours and tones than standard video. This gives filmmakers more flexibility when editing their footage, allowing the creation of more visually stunning and realistic images.

Think of it like this: standard video is like a quick snap with the default camera mode, capturing video that is good enough for instant sharing and uploading. LOG video, on the other hand, is processed in a specific way to make the most of the camera sensor’s dynamic range, but needs editing (or, more specifically, colour correction) before it can be published or shared.

LOG video achieves this by remapping the recorded clip’s gamma curve, so that there’s more information where the eye is most sensitive (shadows and darker areas) and less where it’s less sensitive (in brighter areas). The result is that it looks “flat” or desaturated straight out of the camera.

Unlike RAW video files which are huge in size, LOG video file sizes are similar to that of regular video, but they give filmmakers more flexibility in post-production, allowing more effective adjustment of colour balance, contrast and saturation.

How to shoot LOG video on the Samsung Galaxy S25 series

Start by opening the camera app, then slide across the shooting modes to “More” and tap to open up the additional modes available on the phone.

Here, you’ll want to select the Pro Video mode. A new set of icons will appear above, below and on the viewfinder. In the top corner there will be the LOG icon. If this is highlighted in yellow, LOG recording is enabled. If the icon is white, give it a tap to enable LOG video capture.

Now you’re ready to shoot video in the LOG format. Just tap the large, red record button on-screen and you’re away.

Note: When recording in the LOG video format – as noted above – footage will look washed out, with a lack of colour and clarity. LOG video needs to be processed by dedicated software to colour-correct the footage before it’s suitable to share. This can be done at a simple level on-device, but for those who want granular control across all settings, third-party software, such as DaVinci Resolve will be required.

What options does the Samsung Galaxy S25 series offer for LOG video recording?

For those not familiar with professional video capture, the range of features and tools in the Pro Video mode may be overwhelming. If you’re only looking to capture casual video on the Galaxy S25, stick to the standard video mode.

Videographers looking for a wide range of control over their video capture will be pleased with the options available to them on the Galaxy S25. You can adjust the resolution and fps (frames per second) of the recording, with up to 8K resolution and 120fps (although LOG video recording at 8K is limited to 24 or 30fps).

There’s support for multiple microphones (integrated, wired and wireless), and you can pick which mics to pull sound from when recording. There are left and right channel bars displayed in the corner of the screen, so you can check the balance.

The zoom-in mic is another clever feature, as the S25 reacts to when you zoom the camera and can focus the audio recording to the area of the scene you’ve moved closer to.

A separate bar on screen shows the current ISO, aperture, EV, AF and white balance settings, all of which are adjustable before and during filming. Just tap on the value you wish to change and then using the slider on-screen to fine-tune the setting.

Another handy set of tools are the Exposure Monitor settings. These allow you to use false colour and zebra patterns to help identify darker and brighter areas of your scene, allowing you to adjust exposure to the desired level – useful for professionals to get an in-depth understanding of their environment while shooting.

Should I shoot LOG video on the Samsung Galaxy S25?

LOG video is a powerful tool that can help you create more visually stunning and realistic videos. If you’re serious about filmmaking and you have access to post-production editing software, it’s worth considering shooting in LOG on the Samsung Galaxy S25.

Casual users who want to capture the odd video here and there – perhaps while on holiday, or a short clip to upload to social media – are best off sticking to the standard video mode.

For most casual shooting scenarios, the standard video mode is more than adequate with smooth, colorful footage which doesn’t require any post-production effort other than perhaps adding social stickers and text over the top. In these instances, LOG video is not worth the hassle, as it requires effort and know-how to get the right results.