The arrival of new Google Pixel phones is always an important moment to snap and take pictures – and it’s proven once again with the launch of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
While the new flagships aren’t enjoying a major moment like the Pixel 3’s introduction of “Night Sight,” they do provide a mix of exciting hardware and software upgrades that could unlock the upper echelons of our company. The best camera phones Instructs.
The basic hardware recipes for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are not fundamentally different from their predecessors. Both have the same 50MP main and 12MP ultra-wide cameras, the Pixel 7 Pro offers an additional 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom powers.
But under the hood, Google’s new Tensor G2 processor powers some great computing imaging features, including The image is not blur And a new Cinematic Blur mode suspiciously similar to Apple’s Cinema Mode.
So what are the most exciting photography features of the two phones? We’ve rated the things we’re most looking forward to experiencing here – from this cheat mode to all our surprising bugs, Photo Unblur…
1. Photo Unblur (Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro)
Fortunately, each of our photos is crystal clear and never contains any bugs (okay, that’s a lie), but if your library is full of dull bugs, Google’s Photo Unblur trick might be a godsend.
Photo Unblur is initially only available in the Google Photos app on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro (although we suspect it’ll make it to other phones soon), Photo Unblur is a development of Google’s existing blurring and sharpening tools and should complement Google’s existing blurring and sharpening tools. Good for the face is the Unblur trick that appeared last year in the Pixel 6 series.
Unlike Face Unblur, Photo Unblur is designed to be used retroactively on existing photos rather than the moment they were taken. While it can’t work miracles in catastrophic snapshots, early demos show a remarkable ability to salvage shots that have been smeared by slow shutter speeds, focus problems, or mild hand shake. It will work on photos taken with any camera as well.
2. Macro focus (Pixel 7 Pro)
It’s far from the first phone to have a dedicated macro mode, but adding autofocus to the Pixel 7 Pro’s upgraded ultra-wide lens is a big deal for fans of Google smartphones.
US Cell Phone Editor Philip Byrne explained Why was macro the Pixel 7 Pro feature he was most excited about before launching the phone. And Google granted its wish with a mode that had to match the close-ups possible on competitors like iPhone 14 Pro.
It is not yet clear what software trick Google has brought into this mode, but it promises to allow you to focus on objects as close as 3cm. Macro Focus will also turn on automatically when you get close to a subject, and switch from the main camera to the ultra wide camera.
It’s one pose that we very much look forward to doing on a tour (watch out, spiders). In the meantime, you can check out some of the picks in this Google photo gallery. (Opens in a new tab)
3. Enhanced Ultra HD Zoom (Pixel 7 Pro)
Zoom promises to be one of the biggest improvements over the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The Pro model now has a 5x optical zoom (instead of the Pixel 6 Pro’s 4x zoom), but the most interesting improvement is the software trick available on both models.
Just like the iPhone 14 Pro, both phones can get as close to 50MP for an effective 2x 12.5MP zoom, thanks to some added noise processing. But probably the most useful improvement is the processing between the Pixel 7 Pro’s original focal lengths.
Previously, 3x or 4x optical zoom points were covered by a somewhat rudimentary digital zoom. But Google claims the Pixel 7 Pro can fill in some extra detail with the 5x telephoto camera, which should create more consistent results across that zoom range (in theory at least). This is definitely something we are looking forward to trying.
4. Cinematic Blur Mode (Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro)
An apple Cinema Mode Bring simulated background blur, like the kind you’ll find in portrait mode photos, to video last year on iPhone 13 Pro. The technology is still early days, but Google has now jumped into the computing pool party by taking it on dummy video bokeh.
The problem these modes try to solve is that smartphone cameras have too much depth of field to deliver the kind of blur that makes videos taken with dedicated cameras look cinematic.
It’s hard to break because every frame needs processing to look like it was shot with a bright main lens — and based on Google’s demo above, the Pixel 7 series didn’t make any huge leaps forward.
Falling off the subject into the background still looks a bit artificial and heavy on the hand, but it could certainly be a useful pose for a single cut scene. We will commit to Best Vlog Cams For some time now.
5. Improve Night Vision (Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro)
Google’s “Night Sight” mode was a discovery when it hit the Pixel 3 back in 2018. Instead of using the traditional long-exposure method to expose dark scenes, it lets you shoot them manually thanks to its amazing ability to instantly reassemble the best parts of the series of tires.
The situation has steadily improved over the years, but its problem has always been the motion blur that creates if anything in your scene dares to move an inch during the burst sequence. Well, Google promises that this issue has been improved, if not resolved, at least on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
This is because its machine learning techniques allow for noise reduction, which in turn means that each frame can use a shutter speed of half the previous duration. Results? In theory, there are far fewer issues with motion blur ruining cityscapes and night portraits.
6. Guide Frame (Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro)
Guided Frame is a great example of AI accessibility, designed to help blind or visually impaired people take selfies more easily on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
When you open the front camera and hold it to your face, the feature’s voice will tell you where to put the phone to compose the shot, nudging you in the right direction before telling you when you get the money.
You’ll get prompts like “Move your phone a little right and up,” while a countdown lets you know when the photo was taken. Hopefully it will incentivize other manufacturers to create equivalent modes.
Google has also enhanced its Real Tone feature on the new pixels to make sure the skin tone of each subject is accurate and well-exposed in your photos. With the feature tested on over 10,000 selfies and refined in collaboration with Diversify Photo, it should now be much improved.
7. Enhanced Selfie Camera (Pixel 7)
The selfie camera may be scoffed at by photographers, but it is one of the most used lenses on smartphones. The Pixel 7 now has an improved version that should be a good step up from its predecessor.
The Pixel 7 now has the same 10.8MP sensor (with f/2.2 aperture) that you’ll find on the Pixel 7 Pro and 6 Pro. This means that it has an extremely wide focal length of 20mm, which is useful for pressing multiple people into the frame. You can also use it to shoot 4K/60p video.
It still only has a consistent focus, but it should be a more useful tool when you need a social media shot or a quick video for your YouTube channel.
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