Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Boosts Concert Capture With 100x AI Zoom and 47% More Light

Q: With its pro video codec unsupported by major editors, is the Galaxy S26 Ultra's best feature currently useless?

No. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s APV codec is not useless, but its value is limited right now by weak desktop editing support. APV is arguably the phone’s most ambitious video feature. It records 4:2:2 color, supports APV Log, is designed to hold up better through repeated edits than HEVC, and can capture 8K/30fps with a workflow aimed at serious post-production. For creators who care about grading latitude, cleaner color and less generational loss, that is a real technical advantage. The problem is compatibility. Native APV import and grading support in major editors such as Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve has not yet been confirmed. That means many professional users cannot simply drop APV files into their normal workflow, which sharply reduces the codec’s immediate usefulness. A pro format is only as strong as the software ecosystem around it. Still, APV is not dead on arrival. The phone’s other video strengths—Nightography, strong stabilization, AI zoom, Samsung Log support, and Blackmagic Camera app features—remain useful regardless of APV adoption. MediaInfo has already added initial APV support, suggesting the ecosystem is beginning to form, even if it is early. So the best reading is this: APV is a forward-looking feature that currently outpaces the editing market. For most buyers today, the S26 Ultra’s practical strengths are its capture tools, not APV itself. For professionals, APV is promising but premature until major NLE support arrives.

Q: Does AI that removes crowd noise from concert videos risk erasing the authentic live event experience?

Yes. AI crowd-noise removal can improve clarity, but it also risks stripping out a core part of what makes a concert feel live. Samsung’s S26 Ultra is built to solve real recording problems at shows: low light, shaky handheld video, distance from the stage, and muddy audio. Its Audio Eraser can help when a phone recording is overwhelmed by random shouting, wind, or nearby chatter. In that sense, the tool is useful: it can make the performer and music easier to hear, especially in amateur recordings. But crowd sound is not always “noise.” Cheering, singalongs, and the swell of audience reaction are part of the event itself. They convey scale, energy, and the interaction between artist and audience. Removing too much of that can make a live recording feel more like a cleaned-up studio track than a document of a shared performance. The key issue is intent. If the goal is intelligibility or a personal keepsake, selective reduction of distracting sounds can improve the video. If the goal is to preserve the authentic atmosphere of the night, aggressive filtering can distort that reality. The searched material points to a broader concern with AI editing: polished output can come at the expense of “realness,” and audiences may value the imperfections that signal authenticity. The most defensible use is moderation and transparency. Reducing intrusive noise while preserving crowd presence keeps the benefits of AI without erasing the communal character that defines a live event.

3 articles · Updated · TechRadar · Jun 18

Samsung positioned the Galaxy S26 Ultra as a concert- and festival-focused camera phone, highlighting low-light shooting, stabilization, zoom and audio cleanup for difficult handheld conditions.
Nightography is the main imaging upgrade: Samsung says AI multi-frame processing combines 30 images, while the wide camera captures 47% more light and the 5x telephoto 37% more than the S25 Ultra.
Super Steady Horizontal Lock uses real-time gyro and accelerometer data to reduce shake, and AI scene recognition automatically adjusts exposure so users can shoot without manual setup.
Two telephoto lenses deliver 3x and 5x optical zoom, with 10x optical-quality and up to 100x AI-enhanced digital zoom aimed at pulling distant performers closer.
Audio Eraser can reduce crowd and background noise, while APV codec support preserves more video data through repeated edits and uses 10% less storage than comparable formats.