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 latest telephones in the Pixel 9 collection. This function makes use of software program optimizations to boost images and movies captured underwater to make them look pretty much as good as attainable.

To be clear, Pixels supported underwater enhancements way back to the Pixel 7 collection. Right here’s an official weblog submit 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 function 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 submit prices many a whole lot of {dollars}).

The large query, although, is how good this new function is. I used to be in Maui not too long ago 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 reasonable underwater cellphone case ($21.59 from Amazon) and see what this new digital camera mode was all about.

Earlier than you soar into the ocean to check this function out, know that you could flip it on. As a result of this function not requires a particular case to work correctly, your Pixel received’t be capable to decide if you wish to use the underwater mode routinely. This looks like one thing Gemini Nano may finally resolve by merely trying by your viewfinder and figuring out, “Yep, this cellphone just isn’t on dry land,” however that’s not the case in the present day. For now, earlier than you begin taking pictures, 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 function indefinitely. Fortunately, Google provides you a everlasting alert within the viewfinder to remind you it’s on, so that you don’t overlook to show it off when your underwater journey is over.

When you activate the function and are in a physique of water, you are able to do just about something you’ll sometimes do together with your Pixel digital camera. That features common images 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 you could’t use the touchscreen if you end up submerged. You’ll must depend on digital camera shortcuts utilizing the cellphone’s bodily buttons. For reference, this contains launching the digital camera app (even when the cellphone is locked) by double-tapping the ability button after which utilizing both of the amount keys to activate the shutter. Sadly, with out utilizing the touchscreen, there’s no method to change modes, zoom in or out, swap lenses, and many others.. This implies you could convey the cellphone out of the water to make these changes after which submerge your self once more to get the specified shot. However when you simply need to seize fast snaps, you are able to do what you want whereas truly within the water.

To my embarrassment, I didn’t work this all out on the seashore — I used to be truly 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 images 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 point out side-by-side comparisons.

First, take a look at these two images to see when 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 larger with the underwater mode activated. The water additionally seems 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, for my part.

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

I’m unsure what occurred right here. Did the algorithm go hog wild and overcompensate to make every little thing as blue as attainable? What was completely different in regards to the first shot and the second shot captured just a few seconds later? I’m not positive, however the overly blue photograph 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

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

First, right here’s a easy, commonplace 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 slightly annoying.

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

This one is admittedly cool: a selfie video shot in Cinematic Mode. The water motion performed at a diminished pace however at a excessive body charge provides the footage a very cool look:

General, my companion and I ended up taking pictures much more video clips than nonetheless pictures throughout our snorkeling adventures simply because the motion actually captured the surprise of being underwater, which the images didn’t actually do. Listed here are a couple of extra:

Pixel digital camera underwater mode: Value a shot!

Based mostly on the choice of images and movies I grabbed in Maui, I feel this underwater mode is a enjoyable function. I’m not assured I might have been much less proud of the pictures if the mode didn’t exist — in spite of everything, simply having an underwater digital camera that may seize midway first rate images and movies is fairly cool in and of itself. However a couple of of the pictures and clips look noticeably higher because of 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, stop it from going overboard with the coloring, and work on a means for the mode to routinely activate or off, relying on the place you might be. Nevertheless, I can solely assume that this isn’t going to be a closely used function, so who is aware of how a lot emphasis Google goes to placed on it. It could be some time earlier than we see any vital enhancements (if any in any respect).

Nonetheless, if you end up in a spot the place getting underwater images and movies can 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 every little thing you want!