What One UI 8.5 Changes for Galaxy Camera Controls
One UI 8.5 is Samsung’s latest software update that expands professional-grade Galaxy camera controls, including the Camera Assistant app, from flagship phones to mid-range Galaxy A and M-series devices and premium tablets, giving more users access to advanced photography tools previously locked to top-tier models. For years, buyers of mid-range phone camera setups had to accept the default processing and minimal tuning. With this update, Samsung is reframing that split, shifting from a hardware-only hierarchy to a more level software experience. Camera Assistant, installed via Good Lock or the Galaxy Store, now sits on top of the stock Camera app as a powerful tuning layer. It does not replace the main viewfinder but adds switches and sliders that govern lens behavior, autofocus, image softening, HDR, and more, turning a previously fixed experience into a customizable one.
Camera Assistant Reaches Far Beyond Flagships
The headline change is how widely Camera Assistant support is expanding under the One UI 8.5 update. According to SamMobile, the app will soon support 19 additional Galaxy devices, covering several Galaxy A and Galaxy M models plus a full spread of Galaxy Tab S tablets, including FE and Ultra variants. Android Authority notes that support now stretches beyond the familiar Galaxy A5x line to the Galaxy A37, A36, A35, and A34, as well as the Galaxy M36, M35, and M34. On tablets, the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S9, Tab S10, and Tab S11 series all join in, including Plus, Ultra, and FE models. This widens the pool of users who can fine-tune their mid-range phone camera behavior without upgrading to a flagship, signaling a clear move to democratize Samsung’s top camera software.
Flagship-Style Tweaks on Mid-Range Phone Cameras
For owners of Galaxy A and M-series phones, Camera Assistant brings a set of hands-on controls that were once the preserve of premium devices. Users can enable or disable automatic lens switching to avoid unwanted jumps between cameras, manage picture and video softening, and even add extra zoom shortcuts for quicker framing. Autofocus behavior is no longer a black box: the app lets you adjust AF speed and sensitivity in both photo and video modes, and choose whether to prioritize focus accuracy or capture speed. Auto HDR and HDR10+ video recording can be toggled if supported, aligning mid-range phone camera flexibility with that of flagship models. Android Authority highlights that you can also define how many frames are captured when using the timer, giving more precise control over group shots and action scenes.
Why Some Features Still Stay Exclusive to Flagships
Despite the wider rollout, Samsung is clear that not every new Galaxy camera control will appear on every supported device. Android Authority reports that hardware limitations remain a deciding factor, so some advanced processing or sensor-based capabilities will stay tied to high-end phones. Lower-end models may lack the processing power or camera modules needed for the most demanding features, even with One UI 8.5 in place. That said, mid-range users still gain many meaningful tweaks, such as lens switching controls, autofocus tuning, softening levels, and HDR settings. The net effect is a more consistent experience across the lineup: the same Camera Assistant app, tailored to each device’s hardware ceiling, replaces a rigid flagship-only approach with a scaled but shared toolbox of Galaxy camera controls.
Samsung Refocuses the Camera App on Core Photography
Alongside the spread of Camera Assistant, Samsung is trimming back some stock Camera app extras to sharpen its focus. While the sources highlight new customization options, they also indicate a broader shift toward core functionality rather than decorative add-ons such as built-in video filters. Moving cosmetic effects out of the default camera and into separate apps, while centralizing serious tuning in Camera Assistant, makes the experience more coherent: the Camera app handles capture, Camera Assistant manages behavior, and optional tools handle fun filters. For mid-range and tablet users, this separation is significant. It means the default camera stays simple and reliable, yet enthusiasts can still fine-tune shutter behavior, HDR, autofocus, and zoom. In effect, Samsung is treating budget and mid-range devices as capable platforms for serious photography, not only casual snapshots.
