Google removes Astrophotography support from Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G's ultra wide camera

29 December 2020
Users complained that the ultra wide camera produced poor-looking photos and Google found a quick and simple solution to the issue.

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Samath N8 808 owner, 30 Dec 2020Looking at Google's response, it seems it was activate... moreActually astrophotography is done much easier on something like the Pixel compared to DSLR. That is the power of computational photography.
Tiny sensor doesn't matter as the shots on cellphone will have long exposure in that mode anyways.

    Samath N8 808 owner, 30 Dec 2020Looking at Google's response, it seems it was activate... moreThe only reason to use the smartphone over a DSLR is because that's the camera you have at hand. One night I saw the SpaceX satellites and managed to snap a photo of the train with my Pixel and send it to my friends. And there are similar scenarios.
    If I'm going backpacking, I'd rather save weight and not carry the DSLR if a phone can take decent pictures that can be printed on an A4. I don't do posters and am not experienced enough to do proper DSLR astro. I've tried, am not a complete noob. Hopefully the DSLR manufacturers will learn something from the phone industry and add computational photography as an option, there are a LOT of things they can improve.

      Samath N8 808 owner, 30 Dec 2020Looking at Google's response, it seems it was activate... moreTrue about leaving astrophotography to DSLR. Current smartphone sensors aren't just big enough to do the job properly.

        X User, 30 Dec 2020Those are not real manual modes as the cameras on mobile ph... moreI believe all high end phones apart from iPhone and Pixel are capable of doing that.

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          • Anonymous
          • j%t
          • 30 Dec 2020

          X User, 30 Dec 2020Those are not real manual modes as the cameras on mobile ph... morePretty sure my Galaxy Note 9 can.

            Looking at Google's response, it seems it was activated on ultra-wide-cam by mistake.
            The positive solutions in my opinion are:

            1. Enable the mode again with EIS... (Now I know, Jello effect)
            2. Enable it with long shutter and low ISO... it can be used while the phone is kept on ground/ tripod.
            3. Make it a separate app. Let people decide if they want it.

            Although Honestly, astrophotography is at worst in such low quality sensors, leave them to DSLR's please.
            Its better to download a sky pic from internet and convince yourself you took it. After all, sky is almost the same everywhere, no faces, nothing.

              Anonymous, 29 Dec 2020Apple's iPhone 12 ultra wide angle camera can capture ... moreAstrophotography from Google is much better than any long exposure trash from Apple's Ultrawide. Their deep fusion gimmick isn't as good as Google HDR. The Pixel series consistently produces better images than the entire iPhone 12 lineup.

                If you can't fix it remove it.

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                  • Anonymous
                  • KZK
                  • 30 Dec 2020

                  They remove the Astrophotography to substitute with Astronomia ringtone... Haha 😂 😂

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                    • lisc
                    • T1w
                    • 30 Dec 2020

                    Anonymous, 29 Dec 2020Google smartphones don't have a manual mode. Another s... moreit’s a smartphone, not a camera!!!

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                      • AnonD-966113
                      • Dkq
                      • 30 Dec 2020

                      Is google high on something?
                      Wtf? Why are we taking steps backward?
                      Like? First the chipset now the most appreciated feature of Google phones?
                      🤦🏽🤦🏽

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                        • Anonymous
                        • KZK
                        • 30 Dec 2020

                        Definitely the hardware is not capable...


                        Also google fault for using cheap sensor/lens for uwa... All they want just to make maximum profit.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • 8js
                          • 30 Dec 2020

                          This could due to the departure of Marc Levoy guy behind the Pixel camera back in March, now at Adobe. Still, Google's talent pool should be able to pick-up and fix it, but as usual their internal issue screw it all.... I've never liked any of the Pixel phones when Google stop the Nexus phones, with each Pixel a major compromise somewhere, yet selling at premium unlike the Nexus.

                          Class action suit?

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                            • AnonD-973296
                            • GYi
                            • 30 Dec 2020

                            Anonymous, 29 Dec 2020Google smartphones don't have a manual mode. Another s... moretell that to sony xperia 1 II with its camera pro and cinema pro

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                              • anon
                              • tDP
                              • 30 Dec 2020

                              just use another phone.lol

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                                • Love the Community
                                • Fv4
                                • 30 Dec 2020

                                Looks like Astrophotography now belongs to the Google Graveyard.

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                                  • AnonD-940827
                                  • 8pQ
                                  • 30 Dec 2020

                                  X User, 30 Dec 2020Those are not real manual modes as the cameras on mobile ph... moreSay what? I surely hope you meant aperture.!

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                                    • X User
                                    • fxR
                                    • 30 Dec 2020

                                    AnonD-940827, 29 Dec 2020They do, through 3rd party camera apps. Those are not real manual modes as the cameras on mobile phones are not able to adjust the "shutter speed"

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                                      • Anonymous
                                      • mE0
                                      • 29 Dec 2020

                                      Anonymous, 29 Dec 2020Apple's iPhone 12 ultra wide angle camera can capture ... moreNo, astrophotography mode is different to night mode, the pixel has both modes....only the astro mode is affected.

                                      iphone night mode makes the pixel look like a full frame dslr :-)

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • mE0
                                        • 29 Dec 2020

                                        AnonD-940827, 29 Dec 2020They do, through 3rd party camera apps. yeah I use a mixture of the stock google camera, adobe lightroom and open camera...I only have them installed because I like to experiment to be honest...but even when I had my iphone 11 pro and 7 , I installed several different camera apps...I don't do games I do crap quality photos instead :-)