My time utilizing the Pixel 9 Professional’s underwater digital camera mode in Hawaii

Within the newest Pixel Drop (previously often known as Pixel Function Drops) from October, Google launched a brand new underwater digital camera mode for the newest telephones in the Pixel 9 sequence. This characteristic makes use of software program optimizations to boost pictures and movies captured underwater to make them look pretty much as good as doable.

To be clear, Pixels supported underwater enhancements way back to the Pixel 7 sequence. Right here’s an official weblog publish about how Googler José Ricardo Lima used a Pixel 7 Professional to seize some underwater pictures in Maui, Hawaii, for instance. The latest Pixel Drop, although, permits the underwater mode to work on the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Professional, Pixel 9 Professional XL, and Pixel 9 Professional Fold with any underwater case, not simply particular circumstances Google has vetted. This makes the characteristic far more accessible to individuals, as you don’t want an costly diver-quality case to see these optimizations (the one Lima used for that weblog publish prices many tons of of {dollars}).

The massive query, although, is how good this new characteristic is. I used to be in Maui just lately for the launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. I had my Pixel 9 Professional with me, so I made a decision to slap it into a cheap underwater telephone case ($21.59 from Amazon) and see what this new digital camera mode was all about.

Earlier than you bounce into the ocean to check this characteristic out, know that you could flip it on. As a result of this characteristic not requires a selected case to work correctly, your Pixel received’t be capable of decide if you wish to use the underwater mode robotically. This looks as if one thing Gemini Nano may ultimately remedy by merely trying by means of your viewfinder and figuring out, “Yep, this telephone just isn’t on dry land,” however that’s not the case as we speak. For now, earlier than you begin capturing, you could open the Digital camera app in your Pixel, faucet the Settings icon within the decrease left, after which go to Extra Settings > Superior > Underwater images and video, and toggle it on.

It’s necessary to notice that this prompts the characteristic indefinitely. Fortunately, Google provides you a everlasting alert within the viewfinder to remind you it’s on, so that you don’t neglect to show it off when your underwater journey is over.

When you activate the characteristic and are in a physique of water, you are able to do just about something you’d usually do together with your Pixel digital camera. That features common pictures and movies, Night time Sight, Panorama pictures, Cinematic Blur, and many others. That is good because it doesn’t restrict your creativity when you’re splashing and diving.

The trick, although, is that you would be able to’t use the touchscreen if you end up submerged. You’ll have to depend on digital camera shortcuts utilizing the telephone’s bodily buttons. For reference, this contains launching the digital camera app (even when the telephone is locked) by double-tapping the ability button after which utilizing both of the quantity keys to activate the shutter. Sadly, with out utilizing the touchscreen, there’s no technique to change modes, zoom in or out, swap lenses, and many others.. This implies you could convey the telephone out of the water to make these changes after which submerge your self once more to get the specified shot. However should you simply need to seize fast snaps, you are able to do what you want whereas really within the water.

To my embarrassment, I didn’t work this all out on the seaside — I used to be really snorkeling whereas making an attempt to determine all of it out. Heed my phrases: Get this all sorted earlier than you place in your swimsuit. You’ll have a significantly better time.

I attempted to get pictures with the underwater mode on and off to get a good suggestion of what it does. Due to the beforehand mentioned touchscreen limitations — and the pure buoyancy of the human physique — this was not straightforward to do. As such, please forgive me for not getting completely aligned pictures to indicate side-by-side comparisons.

First, take a look at these two pictures to see should you can spot what the underwater digital camera mode enhances:

These pictures are compressed, however by trying on the originals, I see that readability is barely greater with the underwater mode activated. The water additionally appears to be like extra blue general.

Right here’s one other instance:

As soon as once more, we see a extra blueish hue general and barely extra readability. For these examples, the pictures captured with the underwater mode activated look higher than those with the mode left unactivated, in my view.

Nonetheless, I took many pictures, and never all have been so lower and dry. Take a look at the instance under, which reveals two pictures captured inside seconds of each other, each with the underwater mode activated:

I’m undecided what occurred right here. Did the algorithm go hog wild and overcompensate to make all the pieces as blue as doable? What was completely different in regards to the first shot and the second shot captured only some seconds later? I’m not certain, however the overly blue picture just isn’t so good.

Right here’s a gallery of some different pictures, each with and with out the underwater mode activated:

Pixel 9 Professional underwater movies

If you’re underwater, you’re not restricted to solely capturing pictures. You will get some fairly great-looking movies with the brand new underwater mode, too.

First, right here’s a easy, customary video clip:

Whereas this clip doesn’t look horrible or something, you’ll be able to inform the spots the place the underwater algorithm goes a bit haywire and excessively “blues” the footage. It’s not a deal-breaker or something, however it’s noticeable and a bit annoying.

Fortunately, not all clips got here out that method. Right here’s one that appears a lot smoother:

This one is actually cool: a selfie video shot in Cinematic Mode. The water motion performed at a diminished velocity however at a excessive body fee provides the footage a extremely cool look:

Total, my associate and I ended up capturing much more video clips than nonetheless pictures throughout our snorkeling adventures simply because the motion actually captured the marvel of being underwater, which the pictures didn’t actually do. Listed here are just a few extra:

Pixel digital camera underwater mode: Price a shot!

Primarily based on the choice of pictures and movies I grabbed in Maui, I believe this underwater mode is a enjoyable characteristic. I’m not assured I might have been much less pleased with the pictures if the mode didn’t exist — in spite of everything, simply having an underwater digital camera that may seize midway first rate pictures and movies is fairly cool in and of itself. However just a few of the pictures and clips look noticeably higher due to the underwater mode tweaking the colours and readability, so I’m glad it was there.

Clearly, Google has much more work to do. It must make the impact extra constant, forestall it from going overboard with the coloring, and work on a method for the mode to robotically activate or off, relying on the place you’re. Nonetheless, I can solely assume that this isn’t going to be a closely used characteristic, so who is aware of how a lot emphasis Google goes to placed on it. It may be some time earlier than we see any important enhancements (if any in any respect).

Nonetheless, if you end up in a spot the place getting underwater pictures and movies could be cool, you don’t want to purchase a elaborate underwater digital camera. Simply throw your Pixel into a water-resistant case and use it to get all the pieces you want!