Samsung introduced its Expert RAW app in beta at the end of 2021, initially for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. This powerful tool gives you manual control over exposure for all four rear cameras, but its standout feature is capturing multi-frame RAW files. As a seasoned mobile photography expert, I've tested it extensively—here's everything you need to know about what it is, why it matters, and how to use it effectively.
The short answer: it's RAW photography, supercharged. Traditional RAW files retain more data than JPEGs, offering superior flexibility for editing white balance, exposure, and more in software like Lightroom. JPEGs are compact and shareable but bake in processing decisions, limiting post-edits.
Most smartphones' standard RAW mode captures a single frame, missing the multi-frame computational magic that enhances JPEGs—like wider dynamic range for backlit scenes without excessive noise.
Smartphone sensors are tiny compared to DSLRs, so they rely on these tricks. Plain RAW on phones often underperforms JPEGs as a result. Multi-frame RAW, now from Samsung and others like Apple, combines multiple rapid captures into one editable DNG file—the best of both worlds.
Photo by Allison Johnson / I/O Means
The Galaxy S22 series (S22, S22+, S22 Ultra) gained full support from February 25. Samsung is rolling it out to select older flagships with the necessary hardware:
Expert RAW is a separate app—download it from the Galaxy Store, grant camera and mic permissions, and you're set. Its interface mirrors the Camera app's Pro mode, with 0.6x, 1x, and 3x lens toggles.
Hold steady when shooting; it captures multiple frames quickly. Not ideal for motion. Files are hefty (30-40MB each in my tests); enable high-efficiency RAW in settings to trim a bit. Use sparingly unless storage is no issue.
These are standard DNG files, compatible with Lightroom, Snapseed, or desktop apps. The app includes a Lightroom shortcut (Galaxy Store download required; 2-month free trial, then $119/year Adobe sub).
Share to free apps or cloud for editing. Multi-frame data shines in high-contrast scenes—in my comparisons, recovering +100 shadows yields cleaner results without banding, unlike single-frame RAW.
Perfect for dynamic range challenges, but mind your storage.
