Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro launch with next-level camera features

Today, at the Made by Google event, Google announced the next generation of its Pixel smartphone line — the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Going back to the roots that put the Pixel devices on the map as being the “best smartphone camera” since the Pixel 3 launch, Google is once again using its computational photography prowess, enhanced by the new Tensor G2 chip, to give everyone something more to talk about. Just when we thought that smartphone cameras couldn’t possibly get any better, out comes the Pixel with the following:

The Camera Specs

The Pixel 7 includes a dual rear camera assembly with a 50 MP wide lens and a 12 MP ultra-wide shooter, which can record 4K video at 30 or 60 fps and 1080p video also at 30 and 60 fps. In the front, it includes a single 10.8 MP camera that can also record 4K video at 30/60 fps and slow motion video at up to 240 fps.

By comparison, the Pixel 7 Pro has a triple rear camera assembly comprised of a 50 MP wide lens, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and a 48 mp telephoto lens. The ultra-wide lens on the Pro has a wider field of view and includes autofocus. Meanwhile, the telephoto lens has 5x optical zoom and Super Res Zoom of up to 30x. Electronic image stabilization is available on both wide and telephoto lenses, not to mention slow-mo video at 240 fps, as well as 4K and 1080p recording at 30 and 60 fps.

New Camera Features

The cameras on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro bring back the familiar camera features that we already know and love. Features like Real Tone, Night Sight, and Magic Eraser set these devices apart from the rest. However, there were features announced today that are new to the Pixel 7 series, such as:

• Cinematic Blur: Get that buttery smooth shallow depth of field on your videos
• Super Res Zoom – up to 8x on the Pixel 7 and 30x on the 7 Pro rear cameras: Allows you to extend your range and capture sharper images from afar. Google states this next-generation zoom can replicate quality similar to a dedicated 2x telephoto lens on the Pixel 7 and a 10x telephoto lens for the Pixel 7 Pro.
• Macro Focus: Allows you to take macro shots from up close in HDR+ photo quality.
• Photo Unblur: It’s a Google Photos feature exclusive to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro that uses machine learning to remove blur and visual noise from your photos.
• Guided Frame: A game-changing feature for those who are blind or with low vision that guides you on how to properly frame yourself for the shot using a combination of audio, high-contrast visual animations, and haptic feedback.
• 10-bit HDR: Allows you to record brighter and higher contrast videos.

With all these new and existing video and photography features combined, I believe the Pixel line is ready to once again claim the “camera king” title it once held for many of its generations and will give DSLR and mirrorless cameras a run for their money. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a smartphone camera can completely replace a professional camera. Still, for most use cases, the Pixel camera, with all its features, might even be overkill.