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Google has been a driving power of computational imaging for a very long time, so it is hardly a shock digicam efficiency and imaging options have been a precedence on its Pixel smartphone line since its inception. The newest Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional are not any exception and include many updates within the imaging division.
digicam {hardware}, the Pixel 8 Professional gives quicker apertures in all three digicam modules and a bigger sensor with increased decision within the ultra-wide digicam, when in comparison with final 12 months’s Pixel 7 Professional. The updates are rather less thrilling on the Pixel 8 which has the Professional mannequin’s important digicam however makes use of the identical ultra-wide {hardware} because the Pixel 7 era, and has to make do with out a devoted tele module, counting on digital cropping and mixing for zoom.
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On the software program facet, the brand new Professional Controls (on the Pixel 8 Professional solely) permit for higher management over taking pictures parameters comparable to shutter pace, ISO, white steadiness and focus. Professional Controls additionally gives DNG file output and JPG pictures at 50MP decision. The Pixel 8 would not acquire the Professional Controls possibility however can shoot 12.5MP DNGs created from mixed pictures, if you want.
‘Finest Take’ permits customers to pick out the very best facial features for portrait topics and in group pictures. For added perception into the Pixel 8 and eight Professional’s digicam updates be sure that to learn our Pixel 8 digicam deep dive.
Google’s newest Pixel telephones appear to be an attractive possibility for photograph and video-centric smartphone customers. Learn on to learn how properly they labored in the true world.
Index:
Key specs Google Pixel 8
- Tensor G3 chipset, 8GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB storage
- 6.2″ OLED Actua show (60-120 Hz, as much as 1400 nits HDR and 2000 nits peak brightness)
- Primary digicam: 50MP Sort 1/1.31 (9.8 x 7.4 mm) Octa PD sensor, 25mm equal, F1.68 aperture, OIS, EIS
- Extremely-wide: 12MP sensor (5.0 x 3.8mm), 11mm equal, F2.2 aperture, AF
- Tele: N/A
- Single-zone laser detect autofocus sensor
- Spectral and flicker sensor
- Colours: Obsidian, Hazel, Rose
Key specs Google Pixel 8 Professional
- Tensor G3 chipset, 12GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB storage
- 6.7″ OLED Actua show (1-120 Hz, as much as 1600 nits HDR and 2400 nits peak brightness)
- Primary digicam: 50MP Sort 1/1.31 (9.8 x 7.4 mm) Octa PD sensor, 25mm equal, F1.68 aperture, OIS, EIS
- Extremely-wide: 48MP (6.4 x 4.8mm) Quad PD sensor, 11mm equal, F1.95 aperture
- Tele: 48MP (5.6 x 4.2mm) Quad PD sensor, 112mm equal, F2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS
- Multi-zone laser detect autofocus sensor
- Spectral and flicker sensor
- Colours: Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay
{Hardware}
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| The Pixel 8 Professional’s Tremendous Actua Show measures 6.7 inches. The Pixel 8 comes with a smaller 6.2-inch variant. Photograph: Lars Rehm |
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional include the heft and strong construct high quality you’d anticipate from a premium smartphone. The Pixel 8 includes a glass rear plate with a matte aluminum body, whereas the Professional mannequin makes use of a ceramic-like materials with a sophisticated body. Each gadgets deal with properly usually use, and when taking pictures or modifying pictures.
The extra apparent distinction between the 2 gadgets is dimension. The smaller 8 has a 6.2-inch Actua OLED show with 1080 x 2400 and a variable 60-120Hz body price. The Professional’s bigger 6.7-inch display gives a bigger 1344 x 2992 decision and 1-120Hz variable body price. Show pixel density and peak brightness are barely increased on the Professional mannequin however in use the distinction is small and each shows ship nice sharpness and element with loads of brightness.
Vivid colours, good distinction and glorious dynamic vary make for snug studying of texts and nice viewing of movies or pictures. If you happen to desire the scale of the smaller Pixel 8 or the bigger 8 Professional is just about a matter of non-public style and the dimensions of your pockets.
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| The Pixel 8 show is smaller and fewer vibrant than the 8 Professional’s however nonetheless gives glorious readability and brightness. Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Regardless of dimension variations, on each telephones, the most recent model of Google’s Android OS is powered by the in-house Tensor G3 chipset together with a Titan M2 safety coprocessor. The Pixel 8 has 8GB of RAM and is available in 128 and 256GB storage variations. The Professional mannequin has 12GB of RAM and storage choices vary from 128GB as much as 1TB. That is greater than sufficient sources for very snappy operation – switching between digicam modules or parameter adjustments within the digicam app is just about on the spot. Much more complicated modifying duties within the Pictures app are processed swiftly as properly.
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| Pixel 8 Professional digicam module with ultra-wide, important digicam, tele, LED-flash and temperature sensor. Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Other than gadget dimensions, show dimension and RAM, the main variations between the 2 Pixel telephones will be discovered within the digicam modules which, in typical Pixel trend, are positioned in a protruding horizontal ‘block’ on the again. Whereas this design appears to be like fairly distinctive, it additionally attracts fingerprints on the digicam glass and will probably be susceptible to scratches if the gadget is laid down on its digicam facet.
By way of digicam {hardware}, each fashions use the identical important digicam, with a 50MP Sort 1/1.31 (9.8 x 7.4 mm) Octa PD sensor, a lens with F1.68 aperture and 25mm equal focal size, in addition to optical and digital picture stabilization.
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| The Pixel 8 digicam lacks the Professional mannequin’s devoted tele lens and has an inferior ultrawide digicam as properly. Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Nonetheless, whereas the Pixel 8’s ultra-wide gives the identical 11mm equal focal size because the Professional’s, it makes use of a barely smaller, decrease decision (12 vs 48MP) sensor and comes with a slower (F2.2 vs F1.95) aperture, providing much less mild assortment functionality.
When zooming in, the Pixel 8 depends on cropped and computationally enhanced pictures captured by the primary digicam. On prime of this methodology, the 8 Professional comes with a devoted stabilized 48MP tele digicam with F2.8 aperture and an equal focal size of 112, giving it a bonus at medium and long-range tele settings. For the front-facing “selfie” digicam, the specs between Professional and non-Professional are an identical besides that the Professional has autofocus as an alternative of fastened focus.
Lastly, the Pixel 8 Professional solely includes a temperature sensor in its digicam array permits you to learn the temperature of objects like drinks and cookware by scanning them.
Software program
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional include Google’s newest Android model 14. Google Digicam and Google Pictures are the preinstalled default apps for picture seize and viewing/modifying respectively. Google continues to be predominantly a software program firm, so it is logical that each apps are full of options. On this part, we now have a better take a look at those that we thought have been most attention-grabbing to severe photographers.
Extremely HDR
Following within the wake of Apple, Google has lastly adopted a real HDR workflow to benefit from the HDR-capable screens in its telephones. The excellent news is that it makes use of a variation of the JPEG format, which means there’s backwards compatibility, the dangerous information is that this turns into yet one more HDR photograph format.
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| That little word, subsequent to the decision determine, dangers being the one indication that you’ve got taken a real excessive dynamic vary picture. |
The Pixels shoot JPEGs with an accompanying brightness map that tells HDR shows tips on how to render brighter highlights that standard shows cannot present. The implementation is much from clear: there isn’t any actual indication that you’ve got taken an ‘Extremely HDR’ picture until you swipe up within the Pictures app and spot the ‘Extremely HDR’ indication subsequent to the listed decision.
You’ll be able to see the impact should you swap from one other app to the Pictures app: about half a second after the app opens the highlights look extra reasonable and the mid-tones all of the sudden acquire an added glow. However out first impressions are considerably underwhelming (the Pixel’s pictures can nonetheless look pretty closely tone-mapped, even while you’re wanting on the Extremely HDR model).
We’ll be wanting extra carefully at this function, and the present HDR photograph panorama, within the coming months.
Professional Controls (Pixel 8 Professional solely)
The Pixel’s default digicam interface is a fairly commonplace affair. You’ll be able to faucet to change zoom elements, change photograph modes or enter video mode. On the Pixel 8 Professional tapping the settings icon within the backside proper will get you entry to the Professional mode settings which give handbook management over a variety of fundamental taking pictures parameters, comparable to shutter pace, ISO and white steadiness, providing you comparable inventive potentialities because the M-mode on any severe digicam, minus the aperture management (the aperture on all Pixel digicam modules is fastened). Present settings are displayed on the prime of the display and parameters will be modified through a digital slider, making for simple operation.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional digicam UI: Default UI, Professional handbook controls, Professional picture dimension and RAW settings |
Excessive-resolution pictures and Uncooked recordsdata
On the Professional mannequin, the settings icon within the backside left opens up the Professional mode picture settings. Right here you possibly can swap between the usual 12MP picture dimension and 50MP recordsdata that make use of the picture sensors’ full pixel depend. If Uncooked + JPEG is activated, a DNG file is saved with every JPG.
With Uncooked mode activated, it takes the digicam a second or so to prepare for the following shot, so it isn’t preferrred for capturing pictures in fast succession. We additionally discovered it tough to enhance on the default JPG processing in Uncooked conversion. The potential for spotlight restoration is kind of restricted and it is tough to enhance element and textures with out introducing artifacts and noise. Nonetheless, it is an important choice to have on a smartphone.
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Google Pixel 8 Professional, 50MP out-of-camera |
Google Pixel 8 Professional, 50MP Uncooked conversion (Adobe Digicam Uncooked) |
| Outside scene | Outside scene |
| Indoor scene | Indoor scene |
Evening Sight
Evening Sight is Google’s model of an evening mode that captures a number of frames and combines the picture info into one body for higher publicity, dynamic vary and element. It may be configured to kick in routinely beneath a sure mild stage or will be triggered manually. Picture outcomes are fairly gorgeous, with nightscapes displaying brighter publicity, and higher dynamic vary than commonplace pictures. Coloration is vivid and textures are rendered properly, making for glorious evening pictures – so long as there may be not an excessive amount of motion within the body.
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Google Pixel 8 Professional, commonplace mode |
Google Pixel 8 Professional, Evening Sight |
Transferring topics within the body will be blurred or trigger artifacts, however movement blur is usually noticeable on commonplace mode evening pictures. So total, it is wise to maintain Evening Sight energetic by default, particularly as a normal model of the picture is saved together with the Evening Sight seize.
Magic Eraser and Finest Take
Magic Eraser and Finest Take are AI-powered modifying capabilities obtainable within the Google Pictures app. Magic Eraser can take away undesirable objects within the composition. Finest Take can substitute faces in portraits and group pictures with higher variations from different pictures. When viewing a picture in Pictures, the app typically suggests objects to take away or faces to swap, however each capabilities can be triggered manually.
As with many issues AI, Magic Eraser and Finest Take usually work moderately properly, but in addition depart fairly a little bit of room for enchancment. In most situations, the edited picture will present fairly noticeable artifacts. Each capabilities are helpful for a fast repair and work properly as a celebration trick, however should you want some high quality modifying it is nonetheless greatest to fireplace up Photoshop in your desktop pc – a minimum of for now.
On this pattern Magic Eraser efficiently eliminated the blurry individual from the body however forgot to take away a lot of the shadow, making for an eerie impact.
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| Magic Eraser – unique picture | Magic Eraser – edited picture |
On this scene, Magic Eraser instructed eradicating all folks within the background and did an inexpensive job at it. On nearer inspection modifying artifacts stay seen, although.
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| Magic Eraser – unique picture | Magic Eraser – edited picture |
On this scene, Finest Take instructed swapping the topic’s face. It did certainly discover a picture with a greater facial features in one other picture however the digital transplantation left very noticeable artifacts behind on her shoulder.
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| Finest Take – unique picture | Finest Take – edited picture |
Nonetheless cameras
Broad
Each Pixel telephones use the identical 50MP important digicam with a (in smartphone phrases) giant Sort 1/1.31 (9.8 x 7.4 mm) picture sensor. There are not any discernible variations when it comes to picture high quality between the 2 gadgets when utilizing the primary digicam.
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| Google Pixel 8, important digicam Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Together with Google’s glorious picture processing pipeline, the primary digicam {hardware} is able to producing picture output that’s among the many perfect we now have seen from smartphones, with good publicity throughout all kinds of scenes and lightweight situations, in addition to glorious element throughout the body. Undesirable artifacts, comparable to chromatic aberrations or oversharpening aren’t a difficulty and whereas some shadow noise is noticeable in daylight pictures, total the Pixel 8 / 8 Professional important digicam output could be very clear.
“The Pixel 8’s important digicam {hardware} is able to producing picture output that’s among the many perfect we now have seen from smartphones.”
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional important digicam. Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Dynamic vary is fairly large, with each spotlight and shadow element properly protected in daylight pictures. We solely noticed some extra severe spotlight clipping in evening pictures. On the plus facet, this may be mitigated by activating Evening Sight mode. Colours have been vivid however pure, with nice-looking pores and skin tones throughout all mild situations.
Extremely-wide
The Pixel 8 telephones use totally different ultra-wide digicam modules. Each provide a really large 11mm equal focal size and autofocus, however the Professional mannequin makes use of a better decision sensor and quicker aperture than the 8 (48MP / F1.95 vs 12MP / F2.2). Regardless of the {hardware} variations, in good mild you may should zoom in carefully to identify the distinction in picture high quality. Each cameras provide good publicity, good colours and a reasonably large dynamic vary. Artifacts, comparable to chromatic aberrations are properly underneath management.
In evening pictures in commonplace mode, you are most probably to note a distinction between the Pixel ultra-wide cameras. In these tougher situations, the Professional mannequin’s bigger sensor can preserve higher element and decrease noise ranges. Particularly the coloured chroma noise is usually a little intrusive on the Pixel 8. General, the Pixel 8 Professional ultra-wide delivers a number of the greatest low-light outcomes we now have seen on a smartphone. The vanilla 8 drops considerably off however captures pictures which might be nonetheless greater than usable at smaller viewing sizes.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional, ultra-wide | Google Pixel 8, ultra-wide |
The variations when it comes to noise and element are nonetheless hardly discernible on this indoor scene however depth-of-field is noticeably narrower on the 8 Professional. Noise discount has a barely unfavorable influence on element in each pictures however total picture high quality continues to be glorious for smartphone ultra-wide cameras, making each Pixel telephones excellent choices for smartphone photographers with a knack for wide-angle images.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional, ultra-wide | Google Pixel 8, ultra-wide |
When examined at a pixel stage, the Professional mannequin additionally captures barely higher element and manages decrease ranges of noise and fewer “mushy” textures than the 8 within the shadow areas of the body. Nook sharpness can be a contact higher on the Professional. This mentioned, you’d be hard-pressed to identify a distinction at typical internet or social media picture sizes.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional, ultra-wide | Google Pixel 8, ultra-wide |
Tele
Each the Pixel 8 Professional and Pixel 8 are able to first rate “zoomed-in” pictures. Nonetheless, with out a devoted telephoto digicam module, the common Pixel 8 is of course extra restricted on this respect because it purely depends on digital cropping and enhancing – it’s a must to improve to the Professional to get a separate 5x telephoto digicam.
At a 2x tele issue (49mm equiv.) each cameras use the primary digicam’s high-resolution sensor for digital zooming and produce excellent picture high quality that’s tough to tell apart from 1x captures.
From a 3x tele zoom issue (75mm equiv.) onwards, the 8 Professional seems to be utilizing picture fusion strategies to mix picture info from its important and tele digicam modules, capturing pictures with higher element and decrease noise ranges than the usual Pixel 8. This hole will increase with longer tele settings however even at an approximate 5x zoom issue (112mm equiv.) it’s a must to view the photographs at a reasonably large dimension to see the distinction as each gadgets produce good publicity and pure colours. Pictures captured underneath indoor lighting and even dimmer situations are nonetheless usable on social media.
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| Google Pixel 8 | ||||
| 2x | 5x | 8x | — | — |
| Google Pixel 8 Professional | ||||
| 2x | 5x | 8x | 10x | 30x |
The Pixel 8 gives a most tele zoom issue of 8x and at this setting the distinction to the Professional mannequin, which nonetheless gives excellent picture rendering and texture at a 10x issue (250mm equiv.) , is way more noticeable. Even the Professional’s 30x (750mm equiv.) pictures are nonetheless usable at small viewing sizes.
“Even the Pixel 8 Professional’s 30x (750mm equiv.) pictures are nonetheless usable at small viewing sizes.”
General, each telephones provide excellent telephoto zoom efficiency when contemplating the {hardware} variations, but when telephoto zoom is excessive up your checklist of priorities, the 8 Professional is clearly the higher selection. It is probably the greatest smartphones on this respect, not solely with good outcomes at pretty excessive zoom elements but in addition fairly constant outcomes throughout all the zoom vary.
Entrance going through digicam
We additionally had a fast take a look at the brand new Pixel entrance cameras which share the identical sensor (10.5MP Twin PD at 4.6 x 3.4mm) and F2.2 aperture. There’s one essential distinction although: The Pixel 8 Professional entrance digicam comes with an autofocus system, the Pixel 8 doesn’t.
In follow which means that the Professional mannequin is extra able to adapting to totally different taking pictures distances. On this pattern the 8 Professional resolves noticeably higher element at shut distance, because the Pixel 8’s fastened focus lens has been optimized for an extended taking pictures distance. This may be seen on the background which is sharper within the Pixel 8 picture.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional, entrance digicam | Google Pixel 8, entrance digicam |
This pattern has been shot at an arm’s size. At this taking pictures distance the 2 cameras seize just about the identical stage of element which, within the focus airplane, is excellent. Each cameras additionally do a superb job when it comes to face and background publicity, in addition to shade and pores and skin tone rendering.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional, entrance digicam | Google Pixel 8, entrance digicam |
Video
The Pixel 8 era can document video footage as much as 4K decision and 60 frames per second. By default HDR10 recording kicks in when required, limiting the body price to 30fps.
General, video high quality is nice, making each Pixel telephones glorious choices for video-centric smartphone customers. Publicity is nice, even in low mild, colours are vivid however pure and the 4K clips present glorious ranges of element.
The 60fps body price makes for very clean movement and panning pictures in most scenes, however on some events, we skilled a slight stutter impact, seemingly attributable to the picture stabilization misinterpreting the panning movement as digicam shake. Moreover that, video stabilization is among the many greatest we now have seen, producing tripod-like pictures when the digicam continues to be, protecting it clean when in movement. Audio high quality can be fairly spectacular, with clear sound and little or no distortion, even when recording loud occasions.
Please word {that a} suitable HDR show is required to see the total potential of HDR10 clips. If watched on a normal definition show, YouTube will play a compressed SDR video as an alternative.
Conclusion
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| Google Pixel 8 Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Even after utilizing the brand new Google Pixel 8 telephones for just a few days, it is clear that they’ve loads to supply not solely to telephone customers usually, however particularly to cell photographers. They’re well-built gadgets with good shows, and have greater than sufficient processing energy for even probably the most demanding duties; Google’s “pure” Android OS is a pleasure to make use of when in comparison with the bloatware-loaded variations of most different manufacturers that construct their gadgets across the Android OS.
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| Even the common Pixel 8 has a terrific important digicam, shared with the Pixel 8 Professional. Photograph: Lars Rehm |
Basic operation is snappy, with apps launching immediately and all UI components in the suitable locations. That is additionally true for the digicam app which could be very easy to make use of when sticking to the default settings and makes it straightforward to search out handbook parameters or particular capabilities for many who desire a customized digicam expertise.
The Pixel telephones particularly shine when it comes to picture high quality. The Pixel digicam {hardware} specs are on no account dangerous however different flagship telephones include larger sensors, quicker apertures and longer tele lenses. Google’s excellent picture processing and digicam tuning make the distinction, although. Each nonetheless pictures and movies are among the many greatest we now have seen, with pure colours, good publicity right down to low mild, nice element and a large dynamic vary for excellent outcomes even in high-contrast scenes.
“The Pixel 8 Professional is definitely up there with the easiest, together with the iPhone 15 Professional Max and Huawei P60 Professional.”
As well as, Evening Sight is able to gorgeous ends in very low mild and glorious video stabilization. There’s not a lot between the present top-end digicam telephones however the Pixel 8 Professional is definitely up there with the easiest, together with the iPhone 15 Professional Max and Huawei P60 Professional. The Pixel 8 Professional competes at a barely cheaper price level however arguably gives the very best digicam expertise in its class.
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| Google Pixel 8 Professional |
Whereas some customers may desire the smaller dimensions and decrease weight of the Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Professional gives higher telephoto zoom efficiency, making it the best possibility for these customers who need the absolute best high quality when zooming in, and we expect that is well worth the Professional mannequin’s increased worth. The high-resolution mode and high-res DNG seize, that are additionally unique to the Professional mannequin, will seemingly solely enchantment to a distinct segment viewers however are positively nice-to-haves.
| What we like | What we do not like |
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Pixel 8 rating: 4.5 stars
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Pixel 8 Professional rating: 4.5 stars
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Pattern galleries
Google Pixel 8 pattern gallery
Google Pixel 8 Professional pattern gallery
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