October is the month of new Google Pixel phones, and this year, we got the
Moving on to the ultra-wide, which has a wider FoV than the Pixel 7 and offers a Macro mode, now takes sharper and more detailed images. The Macro mode is quite good, if you’re into macro photography. The mode turns on automatically when you get very close to a subject. Google has also added auto-focus to the ultra-wide camera, making it more reliable for landscape photos. Overall, I found the ultra-wide photos from the Pixel 8 to be better than the Pixel 7.
(Top) Macro mode on Pixel 8 (Bottom) You can get really close to the object
One of my favourite modes on the Pixel phones is Night Sight and Astrophotography. Things are slightly better with the Pixel 8 this year, but mostly, it’s the same excellent low-light shots that I was used to with the Pixel 7. Thanks to the new Tensor G3 chip, though, the processing times are now faster. I didn’t really get to test the Astrophotography mode, but I doubt there have been any major changes, as Google didn’t really speak much about it during the launch.
The Pixel 8 offers several photo modes, including Action Pan, Long Exposure, Portrait, and Panorama. All these were already available on the Pixel 7 and performed pretty much the same. Again, I did notice some improvement in the photo process times, especially in Portrait mode and Long Exposure. You get 1.5x and 2x zoom in Portrait mode, with the default being 2x. Portrait shots are well-detailed, with good exposure and skin tones.
Pixel 8 takes portrait shots in 2x and 1.5x (cropped in from main camera)
Coming to the selfie camera, the Pixel 8 features a 10.5-megapixel sensor that offers 1x and 0.7x options. The 0.7x is the ultra-wide native FoV of the camera, whereas 1x is cropped in. Selfies come out great in daylight, and you can also get some good shots in low light, thanks to Night Sight. It would’ve been nice if Google added auto-focus to the front camera, which is available on the Pro model.
Pixel 8 offers 0.7x and 1x modes for selfies, with the 0.7x being its native FoV
In the video department, the Pixel 8 can record up to 4K 60fps on all cameras, but the best output is obviously from the primary rear camera. There’s 24fps and 30fps video recording, and all video is stabilised. You can get some really good footage from the rear primary camera in daylight, especially if you have 10-bit HDR enabled. The footage has plenty of detail, excellent stabilisation, great dynamic range, and the colours are well-balanced with a hint of saturation. Even in low light, the Pixel 8 can record good-looking footage with great dynamic range and colours, although you will notice some downgrade in quality. The ultra-wide camera, on the other hand, doesn’t perform that well, although you do still get excellent stabilisation. However, I’d recommend avoiding shooting videos with the ultra-wide as much as possible.
Pixel 8 Review: Verdict
The Pixel 8 is a big upgrade over the Pixel 7 thanks to Google rounding off a lot of things. You get a brighter and flagship-level display, a super comfortable and compact design, improved cameras, and plenty of improvements. Then there’s the new AI camera features, such as Best Take, Magic Editor, and Audio Eraser, that make life easier. The new Tensor G3 chipset, which, although isn’t a huge improvement, is plenty for all kinds of tasks. Battery life is good too, but nothing to write home about.
However, all of these improvements also come with a big price hike. Is it worth the price hike? Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend the phone for anyone looking to buy a flagship Android all-rounder, but if you’re a Pixel fan and are coming from an older Pixel phone, then you should definitely upgrade. Pixel 7 users, I’d say best to wait for the next Pixel.
