When you’re looking for the best camera on Android, there’s one app that stands out by its own name: Google Camera. And it’s one of the pillars of the Pixel, These always stand out for their photographs; either in the most accessible mobile phones or in those with the highest features, such as the Google Pixel 8 Pro. Precisely, this phone has taken a big step forward in capture possibilities, exactly what I expected.
Taking photos is the main task of a camera, and also ensuring that these photos are automatically processed in the most correct way possible, but there are other aspects that I consider essential in a media capture application . AND manual controls seem basic to me: The best photo will not always come out, it’s the mobile that decides. This is why I always had a thorn in my side with the Google Pixel, I missed advanced mobile options like the Samsung Galaxy or the Xiaomi. Until the Google Pixel 8 Pro fell into my hands.
Finally a Google Camera with manual capture settings
It’s true that the Pixel included some options, like exposure compensation, but I always missed manual focus and shutter speed adjustment, For example. With these two manual controls the photographic experience changes completely, because with them the mobile phone allows you to adjust the shot in a much more creative way. And Google finally includes them in the Pixel 8 Pro; apart from the other options.
The Google Pixels were already excellent camera phones, the capture and computer processing that the company applies to its smartphones is excellent. Even on cheap phones, you only need to install a suitable GCam to take better photos. And with the additional controls the Pixel 8 Pro has This mobile assimilates manual possibilities to automatic possibilitiesa balance I’ve been asking from the Google camera for years.
Besides the fact that the photographic hardware of the phone is of the highest level, with a periscopic telephoto lens that I fell in love with, the software has seen the differences in possibilities with competing brands reduced to satisfy even professionals. Always save distancessince the Google Pixel 8 Pro is still a smartphone.
Adjust the focus precisely when the autofocus continues to malfunction (very useful in low light), increase the exposure speed to capture the movement path of an athlete, increase the ISO to more correct values than those automatically applied by the application. or do something that was previously impossible on a Google Pixel: take a photo with the original size of the sensorwithout using Pixel Binning.
Google finally allows you to take photos at the maximum size supported by the sensor: the Pixel 8 Pro records 50 megapixel photos, even in RAW
Currently, on my Google Pixel 8 Pro, I recorded in RAW with a marked 50 megapixel shot. I get much sharper images with more detail, always at the cost of a disadvantage: a longer processing time. And I can decide how I want to take the photo: with this shutter speed, focus on this small point in the scene and increase the ISO to save the underexposure. Wonderful.
Good for the Pixel 8 Pro, bad for its exclusivity
From left to right: manual focus adjustment, shutter speed and 50 megapixel backup
Besides the Google Pixel 8 Pro, I also have the Google Pixel 8; and a few other older models, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a. And I don’t understand why Google decided to limit manual settings to the highest feature model when the others are perfectly capable of having these settings. Well, the truth is that I understand: to make the Pixel 8 Pro more attractive (in addition to including a larger screen, battery and telephoto lens). With something as basic as manual settings in a camera app, these should be reflected across all pixels.
Although the Google Pixel 8 Pro app offers exclusive settings, there are ways to take advantage of these controls on other models, even on non-Pixel Androids: the latest versions of GCam have them enabled. And it’s perfect for the Pixel 8, for example: with GCam on this mobile the distance between the two most recent models is reduced. And, in return, you get a much more complete and customizable photography experience, which I like.
I’m glad that Google decided to open its app to users who prefer to personally adjust capture settings: even though Google’s camera has been excellent at automatic shooting for years, it still had this little step to climb to get closer to perfection. What no mobile application is, for this you will still need a dedicated camera. However, Google came very close.
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