The update to Pixel Camera 10.2, which we first told you about more than two weeks ago, is bringing a new Panorama mode with it to the Pixel 8 series. This feature debuted on the Pixel 9 line and is based on the Photo Sphere feature, which was removed by Google starting with the Pixel 8 series in 2023. Photo Sphere captured 360-degree, immersive panoramas essentially turning your Pixel into a Street View camera that captured everything above and below you, and all around you in a single image.
Google backports the new Panorama mode to the Pixel 8
With the updated Panorama mode that was added to the Pixel 8 series, while moving a compatible Pixel model, a small preview will show up above the viewfinder. A series of on-screen dots helps guide the user showing him where to move the camera to next. Under the viewfinder, contextual text appears, giving instructions to the user. A built-in level makes sure that the phone is aligned correctly while photos are taken.
Tapping the Settings gear icon in the bottom left of the screen allows users to decide which direction to pan. Instead of being forced to pan from left to right, the white arrow in the center of the viewfinder (or the preview bar at the top) will reverse the pan from right to left. If the camera is moved to landscape mode, the UI follows suit allowing users to pan vertically up or down. This is perfect for taking vertical panoramas that lude tall buildings or a waterfall.
The new Pixel Panorama mode has yet to surface on Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 lines
As the user pans across different parts of the scene, a live preview showing the stitched panorama appears above the viewfinder allowing for instant feedback on how well the photography is looking. And the new Panorama works with Night Sight allowing panoramic photographs to be taken even in low-light environments keeping the brightness and image detail and quality seen on panoramas snapped in the sunlight. With Night Sight, those taking a panorama will be able to turn it Off, set it to Auto, or keep it On.
Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 show the old and new Panorama modes for the Pixel Camera app. | Image credit-9to5Google
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Instead of using video to capture panoramas, Google notes that the new Panorama mode employs "the Pixel’s HDR+ pipeline and its photo pipeline to create stitched photo panoramas." In other words, the new Panorama mode uses photographs rather than video to create the panorama image. Once again, Google backports a feature seen on the newest Pixel models (Pixel 10 series, Pixel 9 series) and adds it to the older Pixel 8 series. So far, the new Panorama mode has not been spotted on the Pixel 7 line, and I can only hope that it shows up on my Pixel 6 Pro
Pixel development team photographer offers advice for those shooting a panorama.
Tristan Greszko is a photographer on the Pixel development team. He has specific advice for those shooting a panoramic shot. "Rather than rotating your whole body when taking a panorama, just rotate the camera as much as you can while standing in place, Tristan says. This will eliminate what is known as perspective shift, which is what happens when each transition doesn’t line up creating a jagged edge instead of a smooth stitch.
Will Google add this to Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 models?
Yes. No one backports like Google.
100%
No. The older Tensor APs can't handle these features.
0%
Tristan says that when using the panorama mode with Night Sight, you should try to move as little as possible. He says, "The more still you are, the higher quality your image will be. Just be patient, pause on the dot, be as still as possible and then move to the next dot." When it is dark enough, Night Shift Panorama turns on automatically.
The Pixel Camera app is available for certain Pixel handsets from the Google Play Store. Simply tap on this link to install it on your Pixel handset.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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