After weeks of utilizing the Pixel 9 and its digicam, it’s clear that Google has just about preserved a number of the options which makes its telephones terrific for point-and-shoot images. I’d be mendacity if I mentioned that the Pixel 9 felt completely different from older fashions, though this sense of familiarity does work each methods, each for higher and for worse.
Do take observe that we’re not performing some deep-dive digicam check right here, however somewhat key factors that should be talked about particularly for folk who want to get the Pixel 9 particularly for its digicam. (You possibly can click on on the video under for a extra hands-on comparability and samples)
Let’s have a look at the good things first – so far as picture high quality goes, customers who’re trying ahead to getting the identical color science in previous Pixel telephones will really feel proper at residence with the Pixel 9. There’s the standard method to distinction and saturation, with pictures leaning in direction of hotter tones with out going overboard. Dynamic vary is likewise spectacular, with only a few overblown highlights.
With that mentioned, there are some issues that do trouble me a bit in regards to the Pixel 9’s digicam. As an illustration, I’ve seen an amazing quantity of background blur when taking pictures zoomed-out portrait pictures on the entrance digicam, a problem that I didn’t actually face with earlier Pixel fashions. This tends to make pictures look unnatural at instances, as if topics had been standing in entrance of a backdrop.
After all, one workaround can be to fine-tune the bokeh in submit, though this simply provides one other step which might’ve been in any other case unneeded.
Edge detection remains to be hit or miss, with particulars similar to hair and eyeglass frames nonetheless blurring out at instances. There have been additionally situations the place pictures with a number of topics ended up with one of many topics blurred within the photograph, one thing I didn’t count on to occur particularly contemplating that the Pixel 9 now has autofocus on its entrance digicam.
Pixels have by no means been recognized for excellent video high quality, and whereas footage shot on the Pixel 9 isn’t horrible per se, it nonetheless displays some minor points discovered on its predecessors. Much less-than-ideal lighting conditions nonetheless end in appreciable grain and pixelation on darkish scenes, and foliage nonetheless seems muddy in some situations (see the screenshot under).
As for the digicam consumer expertise, one subject I’ve seen is that the shutter button tends to freeze at instances particularly when constantly taking pictures a number of portrait pictures, one thing that was additionally current on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, for instance. The digicam app additionally stutters at instances, though this may very well be as a consequence of a buggy software program replace.
After all it’s essential to keep in mind that no smartphone digicam is ideal, and every gadget may have its personal shortcomings. With the Pixel 9 nonetheless, it might’ve been good to see such points ironed out, particularly since Google has had a number of years to work on its smartphone cameras at this level. It ought to be attention-grabbing to see if the corporate will be capable of work out the Pixel 9 digicam’s inefficiencies particularly given its promise of long-term software program assist.
In any case, we’re hoping for some enhancements sooner or later.