6 Google Pixel 8 Camera Settings You Need to Change

Google's flagship smartphones of 2023, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, have excellent cameras. While you can click some great pictures and shoot great videos with them right out of the box, you should tweak the camera settings below to get even better results.

1. Enable Palm Timer feature

The Pixel 8's 10.5MP front-facing camera can take great selfies. While you can use the volume button as a shutter button in the Pixel Camera app, there's a better way to take photos from the Pixel's front-facing camera.

You can show your palm to start the timer and automatically take a selfie. This feature makes taking group selfies easy, especially if you prop your phone up on a tripod or against a surface for better framing.

1. Open the Pixel Camera app on your Pixel 8.
2. Tap the Settings icon in the lower left corner.
3. Select More settings from the menu that opens.
4. Tap the Palm Timer option . You can always enable the remote activation option or only when a 3 or 10 second timer is set.

Then, hold your palm up to the camera before taking the selfie. You have to hold your hand for a few seconds to make sure the camera app detects it. Once you do, it will start a 3-second timer before taking the photo.

2. Shoot in macro mode

The ultrawide camera on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro can act as a macro camera, letting you get close to your subject and capture a photo from a different perspective. You can even shoot highly detailed macro videos.

Enabling Macro Focus on the Pixel 8's camera app is easy. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Pixel camera app.
2. Click the Settings button located in the lower left corner.
3. Set Macro Focus to Auto from the settings menu.

Using the automatic option is best because your Pixel 8 will turn it on when you get close to your subject. A flower icon will appear in the viewfinder to indicate this. This works in both photo and video modes. You can also tap the icon to quickly turn it off.

Note that macro videos will be noisy unless you shoot in good lighting, but this is the best option if you want to get close to your subject while shooting with the Pixel 8.

3. HDR video recording

Google ’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro can shoot significantly better video than their predecessors. And if you want better dynamic range, color, and contrast in your videos, consider recording them in HDR. The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro can shoot 10-bit HDR video from all four cameras, including the 10.5-megapixel front-facing camera, in 4K at up to 30fps. Here’s how to enable it:

1. Open the Pixel camera app.
2. Switch to Video mode from the Photo/Video switch at the bottom.
3. Open the Settings menu by tapping the gear icon in the lower left corner.
4. Toggle the HDR button next to 10-bit HDR . Keep in mind that switching to 60FPS will automatically disable this option.

You can now shoot HDR video on Pixel with more brightness and lifelike colors.

HDR videos may appear washed out when shared in unsupported apps or incompatible platforms. They are recorded using the H.265 codec and may not play on older devices.

4. Video Boost

If you have a Pixel 8 Pro, you can take even better video with Video Boost. Think of it as Night Sight for video. It will increase the brightness and sharpness of your recorded videos to make them pop. While Video Boost also works for footage shot during the day, its benefits are more apparent when shooting in low-light and challenging conditions.

There are a few limitations to be aware of when recording video with Video Boost:

• The length of each video is limited to 10 minutes.
• Video Boost works with the main 50MP sensor, not the other cameras on the Pixel 8 Pro. You're also limited to 2x zoom in this mode.
• The videos you shoot must be uploaded to Google Photos for Video Boost to be processed, which typically takes a few hours. This doesn't happen on your device, so you can watch your final video a few hours after it's backed up to the cloud.
• Boost Video clips take up significantly more space than regular videos.

Despite these limitations, Video Boost can help you shoot better videos with the Pixel 8 Pro, especially when shooting low-light scenes. Follow these steps to enable it:

1. Open the Pixel Camera app on your Pixel 8 Pro.
2. Switch to Video mode from the Photo/Video switch at the bottom.
3. Tap the gear icon in the lower left corner to bring up the Settings menu .
4. Enable the Video Boost option .

Now you can enjoy superior color, brightness, and sharpness on your recorded videos. Due to various limitations of Video Boost, you should use this mode to record videos only in specific situations.

5. Night Sight in Time Lapse

Do you shoot time-lapse videos with your Pixel 8? You can turn on Night Sight for time-lapse videos to capture even better footage in low light. Once enabled, it's easy to use; just place your Pixel on a stable surface.

1. Open the Pixel Camera app on your Pixel 8 and switch to Video mode .
2. Select the Time Lapse option from the bottom mode selector.
3. Tap the gear icon in the lower left corner to open the Settings menu.
4. Enable the Night Sight option.

Your Pixel 8 will now shoot time-lapse videos with more detail and better lighting when Night Sight is on. The ability to shoot time-lapse videos in Night Sight is an underrated feature on the Pixel 8 that you have to try.

Note that time-lapse videos with Night Sight enabled will take up more storage space than regular time-lapse clips. To create a 10-second clip, you'll need to shoot 5 minutes of video in 1080p or 20 minutes in 4K.

6. Save to Locked Folder

Google Photos has a handy Locked Folder feature where you can store your private photos and videos away from prying eyes. You don't have to move the media around later; instead, you can use the Pixel Camera app on your Pixel 8 to save photos and videos directly to this secure folder.

1. Open the Pixel Camera app on your Pixel 8.
2. Switch to Photo or Video mode , depending on what you want to capture.
3. Press and hold the last photo/video preview you see to the left of the shutter button.
4. A Save to pop-up menu will appear, from which you can select Locked Folder to save your capture to.

You may be prompted to set up a Locked Folder in Google Photos if you haven't already. Any photos or videos you move to this folder won't appear in your Google Photos library. To access the Locked Folder, you'll need to enter your Pixel 8's PIN or pattern.

Changing these settings on your Pixel 8 will further enhance your photo and video experience. You can take photos from a new perspective, enjoy better video quality in low light, easily take selfies with the Palm Timer, and quickly hide your private photos.