I have been a long-time fan of Pixel telephones, however Google made a serious change to the digital camera expertise on the newest Pixel 8 Professional that successfully broke one in every of its most handy options; and whereas I’ve patiently waited for a repair, it seems to be like Google has dedicated to leaving customers within the lurch, reasonably than undoing its mistake.
I’ve reviewed not less than one entry of each era of the most effective Pixel telephones since Google debuted the collection again in 2016, and the digital camera is what retains me coming again; a lot in order that I’ve mainlined one in every of Google’s smartphones for the reason that Pixel 4 XL. My expertise with the Pixel 8 Professional, nonetheless, is soured each time a easy digital camera UI tweak that Google has made stops me from getting the shot I need.
The Pixel 7 Professional has confirmed to be one of many firm’s most succesful telephones but, and whereas the bounce to the Pixel 8 Professional introduced higher efficiency, an aesthetic refinement, extra AI performance and extra spectacular imaging {hardware}, I wasn’t enamored with the digital camera expertise in comparison with that of its predecessor proper out the gate.
If it ain’t broke… break it?
That is partly all the way down to the revised picture processing pipeline, which produces distinctly totally different pictures in comparison with the Pixel 7 Professional. This can be a results of the Pixel imaging workforce having to regulate to the 8 Professional’s new sensor {hardware} – however that does not absolve them of the latest mannequin’s added ‘Professional Controls’, which consolidate administration over ISO, shutter pace, focus, white stability, shadows, and brightness.
Whereas bringing this performance beneath a single menu may appear to be a refinement between generations, the transfer truly leads to extra steps being required in the case of the vital second of seize. With the Pixel 7 Professional, a faucet in your topic whereas framing up was all it took to deliver up sliders for white stability, shadows, and brightness; you might then alter every worth on the fly from throughout the viewfinder, immediately.
By incorporating these changes into the Professional Controls alongside the underside of the Pixel 8 Professional’s digital camera UI, the brand new format requires extra faucets and swipes, to not point out the necessity to change out and in of every slider individually. If all you are making an attempt to shoot is a static panorama this transformation does not actually matter all that a lot, however for these events when you’ve just a few fleeting moments to seize your shot – most definitely of a transferring topic – neglect it.
Google payments the Pixel 8 Professional’s Professional Controls as a premium improve, however those that had been acquainted with the Pixel 7 Professional’s interface will possible contemplate the change something however that. So as to add to the sting, within the pursuit of consistency throughout generations the following Android 14 replace to the Pixel 7 Professional’s digital camera app has hidden these white stability, shadows, and brightness sliders beneath the same UI change (ISO, focus and shutter pace controls aren’t out there on the 7 Professional), which means that now no person can get pleasure from what was among the best options of the current Pixel digital camera expertise.
Extra sad clients
Whereas it’d appear to be I am blowing this seemingly small change out of proportion, a fast scout round on-line brings up quite a few testimonies that echo my sentiment; change for change’s sake is the improper solution to implement an improve, particularly if it is on the consumer’s expense.
Android Authority’s Rita El Khoury seems to have related emotions, whereas quite a few customers on the r/GooglePixel subreddit have additionally famous Google’s unhealthy name right here. Authentic poster andrewhahalee mentioned, “now you want 4 faucets to activate guide mode, scroll the underside, faucet the choice after which alter,” whereas consumer 465468 mentioned, “Main step within the improper course…I feel it is a rattling disgrace and actually cannot perceive how they’d give you that change.”
As such, whereas each the Pixel 7 Professional and Pixel 8 Professional stay amongst a few of the finest digital camera telephones out there proper now, it might seem that it isn’t opponents Pixel images followers want to concentrate on – it is Google.
