Permanently Turn Off 'Picture Refining' in S23? It's Ruining All of My Photos

[Kira99]

Does anyone know the trick to getting rid of the post-processing picturing refining in the camera app on S23+ right now? Besides the workaround of taking a screenshot before the picture is ruined...  At this point I'm ready to make my next phone a dumbphone and just spend the extra money on a real professional camera.

After reading some other posts, the fixes haven't worked for me. I've tried changing the settings under 'Intelligent Optimization' to minimum, and turning off 'Scene Optimizer.' But, it still does this awful post-processing thing. I don't see anything in the Samsung gallery, camera app, or Samsung store to give me more choices here. I wish there was a straightforward 'TURN OFF AI POST PROCESSING' but, no. Apparently, we're not allowed to opt out of this.

The only time it seems to turn off is when my phone battery is almost dead.

Supposedly some people have fixed this on S23 Pro? Unfortunately, I don't seem to have the same options as others in the camera app as I have the S23+.

I also tried downloading the 'Expert RAW' Samsung camera app, and even turning off ALL of the optimization and HDR settings, it STILL does this picture ruining 'optimization.'

My pictures look great for 5 seconds! And then become awful and blurry, and whatever I caught in the photo is gone. For example: If someone in smiling in the photo at first, then the AI changes it to them with their eyes closed and mouth closed. Why?! This is absolutely the worst feature of the camera and it was so much better when this AI enhancement didn't exist. It seems everyone is also complaining about this, so I'm wondering why this was ever added.

Anyone who takes photos of a subject in motion knows that capturing at the perfect second is key for a great photo, and the app is ruining that. I already take GREAT and WELL-TIMED pictures without any AI assistance. I bought this phone for the great camera, and it has gotten worse with every update. Unfortunately I don't know of any other brands, either, that haven't added stupid enhanced AI stuff.

For the most part I am forced to quickly take a screenshot of the photo before it gets ruined. This is awful, I can't describe how annoying it is. And it's an insult that Samsung doesn't even allow us to revert the photo to pre-processing. Desperately hoping that Samsung gets rid of this utterly broken garbage, the camera was so much better when this didn't exist.  (p.s., HEY, SAMSUNG, REMOVE THIS FORCED AI POST PROCESSING FEATURE! IT'S A TOTAL FAILURE!)

If anyone has any ideas, please help.

[Patcat9]

Having the same issue and I found no solution either.... Why would samsung put in this absolutely awful feature. I have tried every single thing posted. Nothing works, so don't make yourself crazy trying things..... Maybe I will simply give samsung a call

[Cemark]

Samsung sucks big time when it comes to cameras. I moved from Iphone Xs and i cant believe 5 year old phone can compete with S23. 

I switched to S23 for the sake of customization and to be able to use Huawei smartwatch. I knew that camera is not gonna be as good as Iphone but i wasnt expecting this. While i was pointing at something with the camera it looks fine on the screen and after i take the picture there must be whole lot of processing because end results SUCKS big time. Taking a proper picture of a documents or a lot of writing is impossible. How the heck bananagate issue still exist? 

[anarchylane]

The Samsung S24 Ultra is terrible for this very reason! My photos look like *****. Nothing I tried improves this, and believe me, I've tried everything, the photos still look like bad AI paintings instead of captured reality. The details morph into some weird blurry, painterly fake approximation of reality. I honestly DO NOT see the point of this technology, I thought having a camera meant you could capture memories, instead, Samsung is morphing your memories into some godawful cartoon. Soooo disappointed.  I'm on a payment plan for my phone through Bell and I am angry, I want to cancel. This phone is NOT worth the money. 

[Patcat9]

I find I have to turn off my 50MP When taking a photo and switch to the 12mp.  This seems to stop this awful update from happening. And I hate this. Because I think the 50 takes better pictures

[Rahul_3D]

For this stupid annoying issue of post photo processing I have banged my head for 3 days and found there is only one situation when you can switched this off completely. Following are the points you can keep in mind while taking photos.

For 12 MP camera.
     1. This is the primary camera and try to stick to this camera while taking the photos of human and animals.
     2. Keep "Intelligent Optimization" minimum if you do not want any type of post processing for 12 MP
         camera shoots.
     3. If you keep "Intelligent Optimization" medium or maximum then it is not 100% guarantee that post
         processing will work. It is totally depend on camera software Intelligence if it has to apply that post
         processing or not.

For 50 MP & 200 MP
        1. It does no matter what changes you do in setting 99% it will do that post processing on photo.
        2. I only suggest to use 50MP & 200MP for taking landscape, building etc. (I know it is pure nonsense.)

Conclusion.
       * Samsung S series camera sucks. Better take entry level Mirrorless camera for full control of your photos. As I was DSLR user I can see the difference. I learned the lesson that no one can beat DSLR cameras. Next time will buy some basic phone and go for Compact DSLR phone.

Solution to this issue (Suggestion to Samsung)
   : Remove this post processing stupidity on photos in next update or give user a control to stop it instate of
     forcing it to use it.  

[JohnnyEuphoric]

Totally agree - I recently changed from an S21 which took amazing photos. You would expect the S23 to be an improvement but it is truly awful! Took a fantastic picture of a Pelican taking off - after about 5 seconds, the Pelican was gone from the picture - I almost cried!  Samsung, please please please allow us to switch off the rubbish post production! 

[Kenex]

Hello I have this problem to on my Samsung S23. 50mp foto's make picture's ugly yellow cause post-processing picturing refining.  That can't to be fully turned off? This all would be easy solved if we get the option turn off Intelligent Optimization. Please fix this!

[Rahul_3D]

There is no way you can fix AI processing while taking photo with 50 MP or 200 MP. You can only turned OFF AI processing while taking photo with 12MP by turning off Intelligent Optimization.

[Kenex]

That's why I ask that Samsung make a turn off switch for 50mp Intelligent Optimization. The funny thing is S23 has no switch off for Intelligent Optimization 12mp niether. Maybe S23 ultra do? And the natural colors are great at 12mp with maximum Intelligent Optimization with Scene optimisation off.