10 Best Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Camera Tips and Tricks

Google’s flagships have generally excelled at cameras and the Pixel 7 series is no different. The computational photography you get with the Google Pixel 7 series is what makes it one of the best camera phones out there. If you’re planning to get the phone for yourself or you already have one, here are some of the best Pixel 7 camera tips and tricks to get the best out of it.

Super-res Zoom

While the Pixel 7 Pro gets a zoom lens, it goes straight to 5X so it’s useful only for faraway objects. The standard Pixel 7, on the other hand, does not have a dedicated zoom lens at all. To address this issue, Google has come with Super-res zoom.

Super-res zoom uses the extra pixels from the 50MP primary camera to crop into the frame and then uses software algorithms to extract details from it. So, for example, if you wish to take a 2X shot, the phone crops into the center of the 50MP image which means you’re still getting a high-res output.

You don’t have to enable Super-res zoom or go to a specific section to toggle it. Just zoom past the standard focal length and it should automatically get triggered.

Cinematic Mode

Apple introduced the cinematic mode for video recording with the iPhone 13 series which resembled portrait mode for videos. Well, Google has borrowed the feature along with the same name for the Pixel 7 series of devices. You can now record videos with a blurred background and completely focus on your subject using your Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

To do so, open the Camera app on your phone, and swipe left on the bottom bar twice. This will take you to Cinematic Mode.

Now, tap on the subject you wish to focus on. Then, start recording. Easy!

Cinematic Pan

The improved video recording capabilities of the Pixel 7 series extends to the Cinematic Pan mode as well. With it, you can shoot smooth, cinematic footage. The phone records the video at 60fps and then slows it down to 24fps to create that cinematic look.

So, if you wish to record short clips that are pleasing to the eye, go to the Video mode and tap on the stabilization icon and choose Cinematic Pan

You can use this mode while recording professional footage or if you’re trying to record a video for a product showcase.

Active Stabilization

Here’s yet another super-cool mode for all you videographers out there. If you wish to record some sporty action i.e when you’re running, racing, or just enjoying a ride on a jet ski, this is the mode to use. It adds a layer of stabilization to your shots to cut down on the hand movement that you would encounter when you’re active.

To do so, open the camera on the Video mode and tap on the stabilization icon. Now, choose Active.

Next time you want to capture your POV when biking or surfing, you know which mode of stabilization to select!

Action Pan

Pixel 7’s Action Pan creates a unique effect when capturing moving objects. If you want to capture a car that’s driving past or a train that is zooming past you, Action Pan will create a professional look by blurring the background creatively. It’s fun to use, so feel free to experiment with it by following these steps.

On the camera app, swipe to the right twice on the bottom bar to see the Motion mode. Here, select the Action Pan button to switch to the relevant mode.

Now, whenever you see a moving subject, hit the shutter button and move your phone slowly in the direction of your subject. The image will be captured with a creative blur. Cool, right?

Long Exposure

Just like Action Pan, Long Exposure is yet another Motion mode that gives your photos a creative look. It’s good for capturing light trails in traffic or moving subjects like waterfalls. In short, while Action Pan created a blur effect for the background, Long Exposure keeps the background intact and creates a motion blur effect on the subject.

To click some great long exposure shots, go to the Action mode of your Pixel 7 smartphone. Select the Long Exposure button to switch to the relevant mode

Now, hit the shutter button whenever you see a moving subject. Keep your hands steady till the shot is captured.

Astrophotography

While Long Exposure can capture light trails on roads, the Pixel 7 can also capture star trails in the night sky. All you need is a tripod or a surface to rest your Pixel 7 against for a couple of minutes. Once you have that ready, here’s what you need to do.

Open the Night Sight mode and tap on the Settings button in the top-left corner of the screen. Next, set Astrophotography to Auto.

If your phone is sitting still, the shutter button will automatically change to one with stars on it. Once this happens, tap on the shutter to start clicking the picture.

Depending on the scenario and the amount of available light, your Pixel 7 will start capturing an image for a set time period. During this period, do not disturb the position of the phone as it will ruin the final output.

Once the timer has finished counting down, the image will be captured. If you allowed the phone to capture for more than 2.5 minutes, you will also be able to see a short timelapse of the movement of heavenly bodies during that tenure.

Macro Mode

This one’s limited to the Pixel 7 Pro. The ultra-wide camera on the Pixel 7 Pro has autofocus which means it can also act as a macro camera. Given the 12MP resolution, the macro camera captures some impressive images when you get close to a subject.

So, if you wish to click close-up images, point the camera close to the subject you wish to capture. You will automatically see a macro toggle appear in the viewfinder.

Next, tap on the macro toggle to switch to the corresponding lens. Now, you will be able to go closer to the subject and capture a macro shot.

Speech Enhancement

A good video is only complete when you pair it with good audio, and that’s where speech enhancement feature comes into play. It amplifies your voice while you’re speaking in a video and simultaneously cuts down the background noise to emphasize the vocals. Here’s how to enable Speech Enhancement.

Switch the mode to Video, and tap on the Settings button in the top-left corner of the screen. Next, set the video resolution to whatever you wish. However, the frame rate must be 30fps only for the feature to work

Now, enable the Speech Enhancement toggle.

You can record a video with and without Speech Enhancement to see the difference yourself.

Unblur

This is a bonus feature that’s not necessarily a part of the camera app but is related to the pictures you capture so we decided to throw it into this list. The new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have a cool feature called Unblur baked into the Photos app. As the name would suggest, it unblurs and tries to fix blurry images that you may have clicked from the device or even an older picture.

To use this feature, open the Google Photos app and open the blurry image you wish to unblur. Tap on the Edit option at the bottom. Next, swipe to the Tools section. Here, tap on Unblur.

Wait for the process to complete. You can now adjust the slider to vary the intensity of the edit. Once you’re satisfied, hit the Done button to save changes.

Finally, select Save copy to save the image.