XDA recently ran a piece on the underestimated features tucked inside the stock Samsung Camera app, and it is a fair reminder that pro mode ships with more than most owners ever touch. The problem is that those settings live behind One UI’s guardrails, and once we started chasing the best apps for Samsung camera pro mode, it became clear the real jump in control comes from third-party camera apps that treat the Galaxy sensor as an actual camera. Expert RAW covers the Samsung side of the pitch by adding 16-bit linear DNG, astrophotography, and multi-exposure to newer S and Note models. We wanted to see what happens after that, so we tested seven third-party apps against Camera2 API depth, RAW output, focus peaking, and video log support on a Galaxy S24 Ultra and a Galaxy S22.
What to look for in a Samsung pro-mode camera app
Camera2 API depth is the first filter. Every Galaxy phone from the S10 onward passes Google’s Camera2 compliance tests, but individual apps still vary in how much of that surface they expose, and it is what unlocks per-lens control, manual focus, and RAW.
RAW output should mean DNG, not a proprietary container. Focus peaking and zebras belong on the list because they save shots the touch-to-focus loop cannot. Exposure bracketing and interval timers matter for landscape and time-lapse work, and video log (or a flat profile) is the dividing line between an app you use for photos and one that also handles motion.
Price is the last filter. A one-time purchase in the four-to-eight dollar range is normal for the deeper apps, and we would rather pay once than rent a camera app by the month.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | RAW | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Lightroom | RAW capture with edit in one place | Yes, Creative Cloud tier unlocks more | DNG | Direct pipeline from capture to develop |
| ProShot | Deep manual plus video log | No, one-time paid | DNG, RAW+JPEG, HEIC | Log/flat video profiles and 8K record |
| Camera FV-5 | Long exposures and DSLR feel | Lite tier is free | DNG | Bulb mode and shutter priority |
| Open Camera | Free open-source workhorse | Yes | DNG | HDR with alignment, no tracking |
| Manual Camera DSLR (Lite) | Compact manual entry | Yes with caps | DNG | Small footprint on older Galaxies |
| ProCam X | 4K manual video | Lite tier is free | DNG | Focus peaking and zebra together |
| Footej Camera 2 | Fast manual for daily use | Yes | DNG | Burst-to-GIF and quick histogram |
1. Adobe Lightroom, best for RAW capture with edit in one place
Lightroom’s in-app camera exposes DNG capture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and manual focus, and drops the file straight into the develop module. On our S24 Ultra it unlocked the 200 MP main sensor for a full-resolution linear DNG that opened in the desktop version without any conversion. The high dynamic range capture mode uses multi-frame stacking before writing the DNG, which we found close to what Expert RAW does but without leaving the editor.
Where it falls short: the deeper edit surface, presets, and cloud sync are gated behind a Creative Cloud plan.
Pricing: free download, Lightroom mobile plan starts around eight dollars a month when we checked.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the fastest way from a Galaxy sensor to a finished RAW edit, and the best pick if editing is the point.
2. ProShot, best for deep manual plus video log
ProShot is the closest thing on Android to a DSLR menu system, and on our Galaxy S22 it exposed every Camera2 knob the sensor advertised. RAW plus JPEG, focus peaking, light painting, bulb, an intervalometer, and a dual-dial exposure system that is genuinely faster than the stock Samsung dial. Video runs up to 8K on supported Galaxies with LOG and flat profiles, high bitrate, and 24 to 240 fps clips, which is the feature we could not find anywhere else at this price.
Where it falls short: the interface is dense on smaller screens, and the developer sells it once so there is no trial through the main listing.
Pricing: one-time purchase around eight dollars.
Platforms: Android, iOS, iPadOS.
Download: Google Play
Bottom line: the pick for anyone who wants photo and video pro control in the same app.
3. Camera FV-5, best for long exposures and DSLR feel
Camera FV-5 was one of the first apps to ship real Camera2 support, and the metaphor has always been a mirrorless body dropped onto a phone. Program, shutter priority, and full manual modes, DNG capture, a viewfinder with grid and level, and exposure bracketing up to seven frames. Bulb mode on our S24 Ultra held the shutter open long enough for real light trails without any of the safety cutoffs Samsung applies in pro mode.
Where it falls short: the visual design is dated, and video is basic compared to ProShot or ProCam X.
Pricing: Lite version is free with resolution and burst caps, paid version is a one-time purchase around four dollars.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the app for anyone who cares about long exposure and bracketing more than about video.
4. Open Camera, best free open-source workhorse
Open Camera is community maintained, has no ads, and on our test devices it exposed manual controls, DNG capture, HDR with alignment and ghost removal, focus peaking, an on-screen histogram, and focus bracketing. The vendor extensions surface Samsung’s own bokeh, HDR, and night modes when the phone reports them, so we could pick between Samsung’s processing and a straight sensor read on the same shot.
Where it falls short: the settings screen is a wall of toggles and there is no cloud or gallery layer.
Pricing: free with an optional donation build.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: if the goal is a serious manual camera without paying anything, this is the one.
5. Manual Camera DSLR (Lite), best compact manual entry
The Lite version of Manual Camera DSLR is intentionally small, and that is the whole pitch. Manual focus distance, manual ISO, exposure lock, DNG output, and 4K recording on supported Galaxies, packed into an install that stays under ten megabytes. On our older Galaxy S22 it launched faster than Samsung’s own pro mode and let us hop between manual and auto without menu diving.
Where it falls short: the Lite tier caps photo resolution at 8 megapixels and video at 1080p, and the paid upgrade is required to lift both.
Pricing: Lite is free, paid version is a one-time purchase.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: a low-friction way to try a real manual app before spending on ProShot or FV-5.
6. ProCam X, best for 4K manual video
ProCam X leans on the video side of Camera2. Full manual for stills and DNG capture, then 4K recording at up to 60 fps on supported Galaxies with focus peaking and zebra stripes drawn together on the preview. Ten frame-per-second burst and interval shooting round out the still side, and the interface stays out of the way while filming.
Where it falls short: log profile support was not exposed in our testing, so colourists will still lean on ProShot for grading headroom.
Pricing: free Lite version, paid version is a one-time purchase around five dollars.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the pick for a Galaxy owner who shoots more video than stills and wants the peaking and zebras visible at the same time.
7. Footej Camera 2, best for fast manual for daily use
Footej Camera 2 is the app we reach for when we want manual control without a menu to learn. It reads the Camera2 surface, exposes ISO, shutter, focus, white balance, and DNG on any Galaxy that reports them, and stays out of the way otherwise. Holding the shutter button captures a burst that can be turned straight into a GIF, and the histogram is a permanent overlay rather than a buried setting.
Where it falls short: it does not go as deep as ProShot on video, and there is no log profile.
Pricing: free with an optional premium unlock.
Platforms: Android.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: the daily driver for Galaxy owners who want manual control that never gets in the way.
How to pick the right one
Start with what already ships. Expert RAW is free on any S20 or later, saves a real 16-bit linear DNG, and handles astrophotography without a third-party install, so it should be the first thing installed from the Galaxy Store before anything else.
Then pick by output. If the plan is RAW to edit, Lightroom is the shortest path. If the plan is video with grading headroom, ProShot is the only Android pick with LOG and flat profiles at this price. If long exposures and bracketing matter most, Camera FV-5 still has the deepest still-photo controls, and if the budget is zero, Open Camera does more than most paid apps.
Try one of the free options first. Open Camera, ProCam X Lite, and Footej Camera 2 all read the same Camera2 surface a paid app would, so they are a safe way to check that a specific Galaxy exposes every knob before committing to ProShot or FV-5.
FAQ
Does Expert RAW work on older Galaxy phones? Samsung lists Expert RAW support back to the Galaxy S20 series, with the fuller feature set including astrophotography and multi-exposure limited to the S22 series and newer on One UI 5 or later.
Do these third-party apps replace Samsung’s stock camera? None of them replace the stock camera on the lock-screen shortcut without root, but Samsung does allow a third-party app to be set as the default handler for camera intents in system settings.
Which app captures the cleanest DNG on a Galaxy sensor? For a straight single-frame DNG, Camera FV-5, ProShot, and Open Camera all read the sensor directly with matching results. For a multi-frame stacked DNG with less noise, Expert RAW and Lightroom’s high dynamic range mode both pull ahead.
Can any of these apps shoot log video on a Samsung phone? ProShot exposes a LOG and a flat profile on Galaxy phones whose Camera2 implementation reports the required tone-mapping surface, and it was the only third-party pick in the round-up that did so in our testing.
Do manual camera apps use all the Galaxy lenses? Yes on Galaxy phones from the S10 onwards, because Samsung exposes each physical lens as its own Camera2 device. Older models may only surface the main sensor, and Open Camera and ProShot let us pick between them explicitly in settings.
