“Top 4 Samsung Camera Features That Should Be Included in the Pixel 8”

exposure and white balance, there’s not much you can do to tweak your shots. Samsung, on the other hand, offers a full suite of pro photo and video modes that allow users to adjust everything from shutter speed to ISO to focus. This level of control is invaluable for serious photographers and videographers, and it’s something that Google could definitely benefit from adding to the Pixel camera experience.

100x zoom

While the 100x zoom on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra might be a bit of a gimmick, there’s no denying that it’s an impressive feat of engineering. Even if you’re not using the full 100x zoom, having the ability to zoom in on distant objects without losing too much detail is incredibly useful. Google’s current zoom capabilities are decent, but they pale in comparison to what Samsung is offering. Adding a more powerful zoom to the Pixel camera would be a huge selling point for the device.

108MP sensor

The 108MP sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is another impressive feat of engineering. While it might not be necessary for most users, having that level of detail and resolution is incredibly useful for professional photographers and videographers. Google’s current camera sensor is good, but it’s not on the same level as what Samsung is offering. Adding a more powerful sensor to the Pixel camera would be a huge step forward for the device.

Improved night mode

Google’s Night Sight mode is already one of the best low-light camera modes on the market, but there’s always room for improvement. Samsung’s Night mode is also very good, and it offers a few extra features that Google could benefit from adding to the Pixel camera. For example, Samsung’s Night mode allows users to adjust the exposure time, which can be incredibly useful for capturing low-light scenes with more detail. Adding more advanced features like this to the Pixel camera would make it an even more compelling option for photographers.

Conclusion

While Google’s approach to smartphone photography is certainly different from Samsung’s, there’s no denying that there are some features that the Pixel camera could benefit from borrowing. Adding pro photo and video modes, a more powerful zoom, a better sensor, and improved night mode would make the Pixel camera an even more compelling option for photographers and videographers. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see what Google has in store for the Pixel 8, but we’re hoping that some of these features make an appearance.

Title: Samsung vs Google: Which Camera App Offers More Control?

When it comes to smartphone cameras, Samsung and Google are two of the biggest players in the game. While both companies offer impressive camera technology, there are some key differences in the level of control they give users over their photos and videos.

Google’s Pixel camera app is known for its impressive algorithms that automatically adjust settings like exposure and color temperature to produce great results. However, this means that users have limited control over the final image. The app does allow for RAW file output, but even this takes away from the user’s control during the action.

On the other hand, Samsung’s camera app provides extensive control over the hardware, allowing users to adjust settings like ISO, shutter speed, focus points, and color temperature for photos. For videos, users can adjust focus and shutter speed, enabling them to pull off tricks like rack focus. Samsung even offers a dedicated camera app called Expert RAW, which goes beyond the manual mode within the main camera app and allows for even further granularity and 16-bit RAW image output.

While Samsung’s manual mode approach provides an infinite ceiling for creativity and growth, it suffers from feature overload and could benefit from streamlining. This is where Google could shine by executing a streamlined manual mode that offers all the control an enthusiast would want without being daunting and overbearing.

In conclusion, while both Samsung and Google offer impressive camera technology, Samsung’s camera app provides more control over the final image. However, there is room for improvement in both approaches, and we look forward to seeing how these companies continue to innovate in the future.

Google Pixel Needs a Single Take Feature

Pixel users have been asking for a manual mode on their devices for quite some time now. It’s about time Google considers it seriously on the Pixel 8. But let’s talk about the opposite end of the spectrum: taking many shots effortlessly.

Samsung Galaxy phones come with a camera feature called Single Take. In a nutshell, Single Take aims to simplify photography even further. It’s a very One UI-esque solution to the feature overload problem on Samsung phones. Got too many modes and creative ways to click a photo or take a video? Why not shoot in all of them with the single click of a button? That’s Single Take.

Just frame your shot, then click the shutter button, and watch as your phone takes up to 10 seconds to get you everything from a still photo to a boomerang video and everything else in between. You can get up to 10 different kinds of photos and four different kinds of videos with a single shutter click. It takes patience, as a Single Take shot can take anywhere between three and 10 seconds. But the end result is unmatched versatility.

Where Single Take falters is actually overdoing the versatility and settling with mediocrity. While Samsung touts AI prowess in selecting the best moments and shots, the end result is a diverse set of results that don’t actually wow you in any way.

In my personal experience with Single Take, I’ve found myself just gravitating to the basic photo, as the results from the other modes did not feel tuned to the occasion. If I wanted a specific result like, for example, a sped-up timelapse-style video, I get better results when I am shooting in that specific mode only. I am more likely to optimize for that occasion in such a scenario by paying special attention to the angles and the lighting. Single Take is not a magic wand, after all, and it can only work with what your camera can see.

If there is one company that can make Single Take work like a magic wand, it’s Google.

We’d love to see what Google’s take on Single Take would be, putting all those computational photography skills to good use. For instance, Single Take as a feature could become the default shooting mode. So when the average user clicks a photo of their pet, the Pixel camera could perhaps additionally suggest a boomerang and a slow-mo video that they would like as well.

Google could also merge the concept into Google Photos, decluttering the output field: No need to show 14 different outputs, just show a single memory that expands when selected to display the 14 other captures. This is similar to how Google Photos already handles Portrait mode and Motion photo — all outputs are saved but are not surfaced unless you look for them. Combine all of this with the other AI-based auto-editing that Google does, and maybe we’re onto a winner.

Google has the potential to make Single Take work like a magic wand with computational photography. It’s time for Google to consider adding this feature to the Pixel 8.

Google One to Offer Premium Features

Google One is reportedly working on introducing premium features for its users. While the details of these features are not yet known, it is expected that they will be aimed at enhancing the user experience and providing more value to Google One subscribers.

“Sky Guide” Constellation Overlay for Astrophotography

Samsung Expert RAW app has a hidden camera feature that allows users to pinpoint nearby stars and celestial bodies. By tapping on the constellation icon in the upper right corner of the app, users can enable Sky Guide, which overlays the constellation onto the viewfinder. The app then takes a long exposure shot, perfect for astrophotography.

While astrophotography is a niche use case, Samsung’s approach of adding this feature to the Expert RAW app instead of the stock camera app is rather strange. Most users will not be aware of it, and even if they did, they would never remember it enough to use it. Google could consider including something similar in the Pixel camera experience and actively prompting users to take a look at celestial bodies through their camera viewfinders, by leveraging the power of Google Search and Assistant.

Whenever a significant celestial event is taking place, Google could deliver a notification at the right time to the user to go out and witness the spectacle. There are definitely ways in which Google could integrate this feature and execute it better than Samsung.

Directors View

Directors View is a niche tool that comes in very handy for anyone serious about vlogging their day. With Directors View on Samsung Galaxy phones, users can preview the output of the different camera lenses in the viewfinder and easily transition between them during a video recording. Users can also choose to enable the front-facing camera in this mode to simultaneously look at footage from all sensors. The only catch is that all the rear cameras aren’t simultaneously recording — the preview is just a cropped feed from the wide sensor — but your actual recording is through the respective lens.

Samsung’s execution of Directors View is actually pretty good, and we can’t find any immediate faults with it. However, we’d still love to see what Google can do with this if it decides to implement something similar on the Pixels. Doing so will gain favor from social media vloggers, and it might just help Google win some small market share.

Which Samsung Camera Features Do You Want to See on the Pixel 8?

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Bonus: Some Flex Mode Magic for the Upcoming Pixel Fold

Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming Pixel Fold and its features.