In 2020, Google eliminated the capability to capture astrophotography using the ultra-wide camera on the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5. Users of Pixel criticized the tech giant for the quality of these shots. Nevertheless, Google did not provide an explanation for discontinuing this camera feature. Now, with the Pixel 8 Pro, the ability to capture ultra-wide astrophotography photos has been reinstated. As per a report by PhoneArena, this feature might be exclusive to the Pro variant and may not be extended to the standard Pixel 8 and older models.
What is astrophotography, and how does it function on the Pixel 8 Pro?
Utilizing astrophotography, users of the Pixel 8 Pro can capture images of the night sky by directing their phone’s rear camera upward while maintaining complete stability, whether through a tripod or another method. Enabling this feature facilitates the capture of impressive photographs of the nighttime celestial display.
The ultra-wide camera of the Pixel 8 Pro incorporates 4:1 pixel binning, merging data from four neighboring pixels into a single larger pixel. This enhancement enhances the quality of low-light images and concurrently reduces noise.
The Pixel 8 Pro will provide the choice to capture night sky photos at 1x (standard), 2x, and 0.5x (ultra-wide). The company has additionally revised its Google Camera support page, stating, “Important: On Pixel 4a (5G) and later, astrophotography only functions on zoom settings equal to or greater than 1x.”
The capability might be limited to the Pixel 8 Pro, possibly owing to the pixel-binning 48MP ultra-wide image sensor present in the pricier model. In contrast, the standard Pixel 8 features a 12MP ultra-image sensor. Additionally, since the ultra-wide shoots at 0.5x, which is lower than 1x, it suggests that ultra-wide astrophotography might be exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro.
According to the report, Google might have chosen to introduce the feature solely to the Pixel 8 Pro to incentivize users to opt for the pricier model. Similar to the Pixel 8, both the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro have a 12MP ultra-wide sensor. This uniformity in the ultra-wide sensor’s specifications suggests that astrophotography may not be retroactively compatible. Consequently, this feature might be reserved for the new Pro model each year moving forward.
