Google is rolling out a new version of the Pixel Camera app that lets users manually enable Astrophotography. Previously, Pixel Camera automatically switched to Astrophotography only when the Google Tensor processor (in Pixel phones) sensed a stationary camera and a dark area/setting free of city lights or light pollution.
The latest Pixel Camera update (v9.5.118) introduces the option to manually activate Astrophotography mode. This update eliminates the need to prop your Pixel phone on a steady surface like a tripod to take Astrophotos.
Switching to Night Sight mode in the latest Pixel Camera app displays a pop-up introducing manual Astrophotography. Setting the duration slider from “Auto” to “Astro” activates manual Astrophotography.
Pixel users can change settings like shutter timer and exposure timeframe in manual Astro mode. The default 5-second shutter timer can be adjusted to three or ten seconds, while the exposure timeframe can reach four minutes. Choosing a longer timeframe lets the Pixel Camera take high-quality Astrophotographs by capturing multiple pictures and merging them into one.
Google hasn’t officially released the Pixel Camera version with manual Astrophotography mode to the Play Store. However, the setup file is already available on third-party APK websites like APKMirror. Interested individuals with compatible Pixel phones can sideload the app on their devices.
The Pixel Camera currently supports only Pixel phones running Android 14 (or above). Ensure your Pixel phone is up-to-date before sideloading the Pixel Camera v9.5.118.
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