3 hidden Pixel Camera features that completely change how I take night shots
Android Police 2026-06-22 15:15:12
Context: The article discusses three hidden camera features in Google Pixel smartphones that can significantly improve nighttime photography. These features, which are not enabled by default or prominently displayed, can help users take better low-light photos without requiring extensive photography experience. The features have been found to be particularly useful for capturing cityscapes, landmarks, and other scenes in low-light conditions.
Key Facts
- The Google Pixel smartphone has an Astrophotography mode that can be used to take photos of stationary scenes at night, such as city skylines or landmarks, by taking a longer exposure and combining multiple exposures into a single image.
- Astrophotography mode can be activated automatically when the phone is stable on a tripod or flat surface, and it detects a sufficiently dark environment, allowing for more detail to be captured than with a regular handheld photograph.
- Long Exposure mode is another feature that can be used to create more creatively interesting and artistic nighttime photos by capturing motion and turning it into a part of the image, such as light trails from car headlights or taillights.
- The Pixel camera also includes separate brightness and shadow controls that can be accessed by tapping the screen, allowing users to adjust how bright the image looks and how much detail is preserved in the darker areas.
- These features, including Astrophotography mode, Long Exposure mode, and manual brightness and shadow controls, can be used to take better nighttime photos with a Google Pixel smartphone, even in challenging lighting conditions.