With the launch of the Pixel 9 series, Google introduced a completely renewed version of the Panorama mode, a function often overlooked by users but capable, if well exploited, to return photographic results of the highest level both during the day and night.
The novelty, made possible by a new interface and an advanced photographic processing, was born from an idea that for years seemed unattainable; To tell it is Tristan Greszko, photographer of the Pixel team and the quality of the images and videos.
Greszko, passionate about outdoor and panoramic photography, has tested the potential of the new mode on the field and provides us with some useful tips to make the most of it.
Here’s how to best use the panoramic mode of Google Pixel
The main innovation concerns the technological heart of the function: if first the panorama mode worked by registering a short video from which an extended image was then extrapolated (common technique in many smartphones), now Pixel 9 He fully uses the HDR+ pipeline and the photographic power of the system to combine real photos in high quality. The result? Clean, detailed and well balanced panoramic images, even in difficult light conditions.
According to Greszko, the transition from video images to the photographic ones allows to acquire many more visual data, guaranteeing a final yield much more faithful to the real scene; Just to make the most of this potential, the photographer shared four practical advice on how to get exceptional panoramic shots with Pixel 9, let’s discover them together.
Move the pixel, not yourself
One of the most common mistakes is to rotate the whole body during the capture of the panorama, in reality it is better to rotate the smartphone while keeping the body stopped; This approach reduces the risk of “perspective shift”, that is, those irregular artifacts and edges that appear when the transitions between one frame and the other are not perfectly aligned. It is also essential to follow the level indicator on the screen, which helps to keep the movement fluid and constant.
Stop is better, especially at night
In the case of panoramic nights at night, automatically managed by the Night Sight Panorama mode, the movement must be reduced to a minimum. In low brightness conditions, the system starts and processes each frame with greater attention, the advice is therefore to stop the phone at every point for a few moments before continuing; In essence, the more you remain still, the better the final result will be.
You don’t need to touch the screen
There are several users accustomed to touching the brightest point of the screen to regular exposure and focus, in panorama mode, however, it is not necessary, on the contrary, it is counterproductive. The software independently deals with the management of the exposure and balance, touching the screen in fact risks moving the device and compromising the stability of the shot, making the second advice vain.
Experience the panorama mode also vertically
Lastly, an invitation to creativity: the new Panorama mode lends itself particularly well to experiments outside the box, such as the creation of 360 ° or even vertical shots. The system is designed to adapt to unusual prospects, an excellent reason to get out of the box and try to tell a landscape from new points of view.
This evolution of the Panorama mode once again shows how Google is aiming not only to improve the photographic experience on pixels, but also to make the most of the hardware and software in synergy to offer advanced tools even to less experienced users.
