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Pixel 8 Pro will have a markedly better camera system than Pixel 8, per new leak

By Anam Hamid

Published: Jun 10, 2023, 11:08 AM

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Pixel 8 Pro will have a markedly better camera system than Pixel 8, per new leak

Google's next phones - the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro - could feature a host of camera improvements, according to an Android Authority report penned by well-known leaker Kamila Wojciechowska.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are one of the best camera phones around and they both have the same 50MP main snapper (Samsung ISOCELL GN1). The Pixel 7 Pro has a 12MP 126˚ ultrawide camera which can also take macro shots and a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x zoom. The regular Pixel 7's primary camera is accompanied by a 12MP 114˚ ultrawide snapper.

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Pixel 7 Pro

Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will have a larger 50MP main camera

According to today's scoop, both Pixel 8 phones will swap out the ISOCELL GN1 for a larger ISOCELL GN2 50MP camera which can let in 35 percent more light than the current models for better low-light photography. It will also have faster shutter speeds and this should help reduce blur.

The new 50MP main sensor might support 8K video shooting at 30fps. The Tensor G3 which will power the Pixel 8 duo will allegedly also support 8K/30fps video recording but Wojciechowska is not sure if the feature will make it to the phones as the Pixel 7 gets very hot while shooting 4K/60fps clips.

Lastly, the sensor will also support Staggered HDR, meaning it will capture short and long exposures simultaneously. This should improve the quality of photos in which the subject is in motion and reduce ghosting.

Pixel 8 Pro will get a new 64MP ultrawide shooter

The Pixel 8 Pro will apparently use the Pixel 7a's 64MP Sony IMX787 sensor as an ultrawide camera. It's almost twice as large as the Pixel 7 Pro's 12MP Sony IMX386 camera and the lens will also be wider. It's possible that the phone might not have a macro mode.

The Pixel 8 will stick with the same 12MP Sony IMX386 ultrawide shooter but its lens might be slightly wider.

New time-of-flight (ToF) sensor for the Pixel 8 Pro

Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 have a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor to help with the autofocus. The phones currently use the STMicroelectronics VL53L1 sensor but the Pixel 8 Pro may feature a new 8×8 ToF VL53L8 sensor which should improve autofocus further.

The Pixel 8 Pro is expected to have the same telephoto camera as the Pixel 7 Pro and the series will likely also retain the 11MP front-facing camera. The Pixel 8 Pro may also have a thermometer sensor but it will just be used for non-contact temperature measurements and nothing else.

New software-based camera features

The Pixel 8 duo could come with a new "Adaptive torch" feature that will configure the flash intensity according to the scene and other inputs such as which capture mode is being used. This should help improve low-light images and prevent overexposed pictures.

The phones could also have a "Segmentation AWB" feature which would use AI to divide the scene into different parts and apply different processing to each segment. The Pixel 8 series might also get a video unblur feature.

The Pixel 8 series will likely be announced in October and is expected to have the same overall design as the current generation, though the Pro model might have a flat screen.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.