Expert RAW vs Pro Mode on Samsung

Which Galaxy camera mode should you choose: Pro mode or Expert RAW? Both shooting modes can capture RAW photos on select Galaxy phones, but each mode handles the capture process differently, which may help you decide which is best for your needs. Use Pro mode in Samsung’s Camera app when you want manual control or need to grab a quick DNG photo. Choose Expert RAW if you want to get the most dynamic range possible out of a particular scene or use some of the app’s handy Labs features. Here’s how Samsung’s Pro and Expert RAW compare. For setting each one up, see our Expert RAW guide and the RAW vs JPEG guide.

The two side by side

Multi-frame or single-frame RAW

That’s the most important difference. Expert RAW takes and combines multiple shots before saving a DNG, and when the app launched in 2021, GSMArena said this meant images would have the HDR benefits Samsung applies to its JPEGs with the flexibility of 16-bit RAW. Samsung claims this 16-bit linear DNG format has a greater dynamic range than standard RAW images.

Pro mode is more akin to using a conventional camera, and each click of the shutter button takes a single exposure (and according to Samsung’s camera FAQ, HDR isn’t available in Pro mode). This makes images more predictable, as the DNGs should be pretty much exactly as you’ve set them to be, but skies and shadows will need more attention as a result.

Multi-frame Expert RAW DNGs take marginally longer to capture and have different noise and exposure characteristics than single-shot Pro mode DNGs at similar settings, Android Authority’s Robert Triggs reports.

Choose Expert RAW when HDR would be advantageous, such as for shots of sunsets over city streets; and Pro mode when shooting anything moving, or for long exposures on a tripod, since single-frame images won’t suffer any combination artefacts, and you’ll get exactly the shutter speed you’ve selected.

The controls on One UI 9

The Expert RAW and Pro modes are similar, with Expert RAW 6.0.02.8 having a single row of the five controls (from Virtual Aperture to white balance), along with an AF button and the four buttons for the different lenses underneath. Pro mode also has focus in that same row of exposure controls, and a histogram/exposure monitor above it.

A few details differ. In Pro mode, the exposure value indicator is only a read-out if you’ve manually selected both the shutter speed and ISO, and manual focus is shown with a scale from 0.00 to 1.00 (1.00 being focus as far away as possible).

The options to enable Presets in Pro mode and Focus peaking in Pro modes (both under Camera Assistant) apply only to Pro mode. Just remember that although Expert RAW does have an option for image formats at the top, on the Galaxy S25 Ultra with One UI 9 that we checked in November 2026 this was set to JPEG (and hence wasn’t creating a DNG at all), so it’s worth checking that before important shoots.

Which Galaxy phones have each

According to Samsung’s Expert RAW support page (last updated on 14 October 2026), Expert RAW is available on Galaxy S20 to S26 series and Galaxy Z Fold/Flip series as well as on select models of Galaxy A series (models with advanced camera systems), without naming any. The models compatible with Expert RAW were previously limited, and didn’t include Galaxy S20/S20+/S21/S21+ and Note20, while according to SamMobile, Galaxy S25 FE is reported not to be able to install Expert RAW from Galaxy Store.

To check if your Galaxy smartphone supports Expert RAW, visit the Galaxy Store app on your phone and search for Expert RAW.

Meanwhile, Pro mode can be used on more Galaxy smartphone models, although the available settings vary by model. For example, Samsung’s Galaxy A57 support page lists ISO, exposure value, white balance and colour tone settings for Pro mode but says nothing about shutter speed or focus control (and there’s no mention of RAW capture either). Depending on the model (some Galaxy A/M series), the maximum shutter speed may be limited to 10 seconds (or not available at all), while newer Galaxy flagship models offer up to 30 seconds.

What Expert RAW's Labs add

Expert RAW’s Labs section (accessed from the flask button) contains seven tools in Expert RAW version 6.0.02.8 (in this order).

• Ocean mode – this white balance mode, designed for shots taken underwater, debuted with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. According to SamMobile, it’s since made its way to the Galaxy S25 Ultra via an update in April 2026.
• Virtual reflector – as reported by SamMobile, Expert RAW 6.0.02.4 for the Galaxy S26 adds a virtual reflector feature, emulating the use of a reflector by a photographer to lighten shadows in an image. The Galaxy S25 Ultra running One UI 9 also lists Virtual reflector under Labs.
• Virtual aperture, a feature reported by SamMobile in connection with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, allows you to change the virtual aperture in Expert RAW. The range apparently goes from f/1.4 to f/16.
• GSMArena reported on the ND filter when it showed up. ND filters allow longer exposures in brighter conditions. In Expert RAW, you’ll find a virtual ND filter with strengths ranging from ND2 to ND1000.
• Astrophoto – this stacking mode for shooting the night sky requires the use of the 12MP image size and Special photo options to be turned on. In Expert RAW 6.0.02.8 there are three Astrophoto shooting times to choose from, Short, Medium and Long.
• Astroportrait – this mode is meant for capturing people against a night sky backdrop, and SamMobile first reported finding references to Astroportrait in Expert RAW’s code way back in April 2024.
• Multiple exposure – another 12MP-only mode, Multiple exposure lets you combine multiple shots into a single DNG image.

ND filters aren’t necessary in Expert RAW – long exposures can be made even in bright sunlight without additional filters (Pro mode has none of these tools, so it needs a physical ND filter). Our astrophotography guide covers Astrophoto in more depth.

File sizes and shooting speed

Shooting more than 10 high-res images in a row can take longer to process, Samsung notes on its Expert RAW support page (the company doesn’t specify file sizes for either Expert RAW or Pro mode DNGs, only that RAW images will be larger than JPEGs). Android Authority’s Robert Triggs pegged Expert RAW’s 16-bit DNG file sizes at between 10MB and 30MB back in July 2025, while 20MB-plus DNG files were cited as a con in SamMobile’s initial look at Expert RAW on the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

If you plan on shooting lots of images in a row, consider dropping Expert RAW’s resolution to 12MP. Meanwhile, Pro mode’s DNGs are created from a single image, so there’s no multi-frame processing to slow things down. RAW files are uncompressed, meaning they’ll take up more space on your phone, something Samsung warns about in the S26’s user guide, so a regular transfer to a computer is worth planning for either app.

Shoot the same scene both ways

The fastest way to decide is to compare images taken with your own phone in the same location.

1. 1

   Pick a contrasty scene

   Use a window with bright sky visible and the room in shade. Position the phone on a tripod or other stable surface so that each frame lines up as closely as possible.

2. 2

   Set Pro mode to save RAW

   In One UI 9 this is under Camera settings > Photos > Photo format > Pro mode picture format > RAW and JPEG (for other One UI versions, see the RAW vs JPEG guide).

3. 3

   Shoot in Pro mode

   Choose the 1x lens and set ISO 50. Adjust shutter speed until you just avoid clipping highlights (i.e. getting data at the far right of the histogram). Note down the shutter speed you have set.

4. 4

   Repeat in Expert RAW

   Open Expert RAW and select the RAW+JPEG file format from the top bar. Use the same lens. Set the same ISO and shutter speed, and shoot.

5. 5

   Push both files in an editor

   Open the DNGs in Lightroom or Snapseed and slide the Shadows slider to maximum and the Highlights slider to minimum. Zoom in on the sky and a shadow area to see which file retains the most detail. This will indicate which shooting mode is best suited to high-contrast scenes. Our Lightroom mobile guide shows how to import DNGs from a Galaxy.

Which to use when

Expert RAW suits stills (static objects/scenery), while Pro mode suits moving subjects and long exposures (camera on tripod). If you’re happy with just one app on your supported flagship phone, Expert RAW should be it. There are some starting values for commonly encountered scenes in our Pro mode guide, while the Camera Assistant guide has a breakdown of the different switches/options available in Pro mode. If you shoot the same scenes often, Pro mode presets keep your usual values for each scene so you can load them again from Pro mode.

Frequently asked questions