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

Within the newest Pixel Drop (previously referred to as Pixel Characteristic Drops) from October, Google launched a brand new underwater digicam mode for the latest telephones within the Pixel 9 sequence. This characteristic makes use of software program optimizations to boost photographs 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. Here’s an official blog post about how Googler José Ricardo Lima used a Pixel 7 Professional to seize some underwater photographs 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 instances Google has vetted. This makes the characteristic way 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 put up prices many a whole bunch of {dollars}).

The large query, although, is how good this new characteristic is. I used to be in Maui 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 an affordable underwater cellphone case ($21.59 from Amazon) and see what this new digicam mode was all about.

Earlier than you bounce into the ocean to check this characteristic out, know that it’s essential to flip it on. As a result of this characteristic now not requires a selected case to work correctly, your Pixel gained’t have the ability to decide if you wish to use the underwater mode robotically. This looks like one thing Gemini Nano may ultimately remedy by merely trying via your viewfinder and figuring out, “Yep, this cellphone isn’t on dry land,” however that’s not the case at the moment. For now, earlier than you begin taking pictures, it’s essential to open the Digicam 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 vital to notice that this prompts the characteristic indefinitely. Fortunately, Google offers 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 characteristic and are in a physique of water, you are able to do just about something you’ll sometimes do together with your Pixel digicam. That features common photographs and movies, Night time Sight, Panorama photographs, Cinematic Blur, and so on. That is good because it doesn’t restrict your creativity when you’re splashing and diving.

The trick, although, is that you may’t use the touchscreen if you end up submerged. You’ll have to depend on digicam shortcuts utilizing the cellphone’s bodily buttons. For reference, this consists of launching the digicam app (even when the cellphone is locked) by double-tapping the facility 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 so on.. This implies it’s essential to carry the cellphone out of the water to make these changes after which submerge your self once more to get the specified shot. However should you simply wish 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 set in your swimsuit. You’ll have a a lot better time.

I attempted to get photographs 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 simple to do. As such, please forgive me for not getting completely aligned photographs to indicate side-by-side comparisons.

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

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

Right here’s one other instance:

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

Nevertheless, I took many photographs, and never all had been so minimize and dry. Try the instance beneath, which reveals two photographs 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 all the pieces as blue as doable? What was totally different concerning the first shot and the second shot captured just a few seconds later? I’m not positive, however the overly blue picture isn’t so good.

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

Pixel 9 Professional underwater movies

If you’re underwater, you’re not restricted to solely taking pictures photographs. You may 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 a little bit annoying.

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

This one is de facto cool: a selfie video shot in Cinematic Mode. The water motion performed at a lowered pace however at a excessive body fee offers the footage a extremely cool look:

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

Pixel digicam underwater mode: Value a shot!

Primarily based on the choice of photographs and movies I grabbed in Maui, I feel this underwater mode is a enjoyable characteristic. I’m not assured I’d have been much less proud of the photographs if the mode didn’t exist — in any case, simply having an underwater digicam that may seize midway respectable photographs and movies is fairly cool in and of itself. However just a few 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, 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. Nevertheless, 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 could 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 photographs and movies can be cool, you don’t want to purchase a elaborate underwater digicam. Simply throw your Pixel into a water-resistant case and use it to get all the pieces you want!