Google Camera port (ZGcam) for Samsung Galaxy phones (Exynos models)

Do you have a Samsung mobile with an Exynos processor, and would you like to try a Google camera that works on your device? ZGcam is a project that brings the Gcam to the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, S20, Galaxy A and other Samsung phones: the app works in most sections and has a constant development.

The Google camera is one of those apps that is worth having installed even though it is officially only compatible with Pixels. The ports created by multitudes of developers has brought the enormous potential of support to an endless number of Android phones. Sometimes working almost identically to the original application and others with port problems due to the processors, as with the Samsung Exynos: this SoC makes it very difficult to adapt the Gcam. Although not impossible, we have verified it.

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Zgcam Exynos, a fairly functional port

Samsung’s own SoC poses a notable difficulty in porting Google camera because that software is not developed to be compatible with the requirements of Exynos. In general, developers have achieved very good ‘ports’ on most of Snapdragon, especially for those processors that also mount the Google Pixel.

In reference to the subject at hand, the Gcam for mobiles with Samsung Exynos, this has a development that offers versions suitable for a good number of smartphones. They usually work without too much complication with the main rear camera, it also allows the activation of the secondary cameras in some models.

The Zgcam can be configured in-depth, is based on the GCam 7.4 and has compatibility with many of the original functions of the Google Pixel, such as night mode, portrait mode or astrophotography. Although yes, it has a very important drawback: the front camera cannot be activated. This is due to an incompatibility with Samsung libraries; That can be solved if the device is rooted using utilities like Magisk.

Zgcam does not work with the front cameras of the Samsung Galaxy: to be compatible, you have to install new libraries, an action that is only possible with rooted devices.

Zgcam has an official website where the developer uploads their ports. User can download them directly and utilize the app. It also has a Telegram group where you can check the latest versions and download the libraries to use the front camera (on rooted devices).

Under our tests, the Gcam works satisfactorily beyond the inconvenience of not being able to activate the front camera. We have not seen any errors in the capture, the processing is as expected, the results are good (they will always depend on the hardware of the phone).

We have not run into forced closures (with the latest version of Zgcam). Of course, it must be borne in mind that the correct operation will depend on the Samsung Galaxy model.