Unleash your inner photographer: mastering phone camera modes.
Capture each moment perfectly with the range of
Let’s start with the fundamentals. Most phone cameras have a standard mode that provides you with several settings you can manually adjust until you’re happy with the look. On the other hand, auto mode, which is often the default setting for phones, aims to simplify the photography experience by automatically adjusting exposure, focus and white balance in an image to what it thinks works best.
Auto mode on Pixel phones is the default setting. It automatically adjusts camera settings, including flash, exposure and focus, to help you take the best photo possible considering the environment you are in. This phone camera mode is ideal for simplifying the process for those who can’t or don't want to manually adjust the settings.
Here are some situations where auto mode shines:
Everyday snapshots – capturing quick moments without needing to adjust settings.
Well-lit environments – when there is plenty of natural or artificial light.
When you need to capture a fast-moving subject – Auto Mode is quick and responsive.
When you want the phone to handle all the complexities of photography.
Standard photo mode on
Flash: you can choose whether this is on, off or set to automatic, so it adjusts the flash depending on light levels.
HDR+: (High Dynamic Range) combines multiple exposures for better detail in highlights and shadows.
White balance: adjusts the colour temperature for accurate colours.
Timer: sets a delay before the photo is taken.
Resolution: choose between different resolutions.
50MP high-resolution photos: available on select Pixel models. This feature allows you to capture more detail and offers greater flexibility when cropping photos.
Aspect ratio: choose the ratios of your photo, for example a 4.3 aspect ratio is commonly used on phones, but you could select 1:1 (square) or 16:9 (widescreen) depending on the use of your photo.
Pro controls: controls such as focus, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture are available on Pixel 9 models to offer you more manual control over your photos.
Focus: manual focus options allow you to adjust the lens’s focus point yourself instead of relying on auto focus. This provides more precise control, which is helpful in situations where auto focus struggles.
Shutter speed: how long the camera sensor is exposed to light. The speed of the shutter can greatly impact your photo, as a longer shutter speed will let in more light and create a brighter photo and a slow shutter speed can blur motion.
ISO: sensitivity to light. A higher ISO means the camera is more sensitive to light, so it needs less light to capture a photo, which is particularly helpful in low-light conditions.
There is no single ‘best’ phone camera mode or setting. It all depends on the specific situation and environment you’re in, plus what you’re trying to achieve.
If you simply want to take a great photo as quickly as possible, then auto mode might be the best option in the moment. If you prefer to adjust settings yourself to capture the perfect picture, the key is understanding what each setting does and how it affects your photos for the environment you’re in.
Portrait mode is designed to capture stunning photos of people with a blurred background, creating a professional look. The subject stands out, so you can truly capture their beauty with ease.
The beauty of Portrait mode is how it’s able to effortlessly blur the background (which is known as bokeh) to really focus on the subject. This phone camera mode creates a shallow depth of field, similar to what you’d achieve with a high-end camera, to create a professional-looking snap. Let’s break down how it works:
Depth mapping: the camera estimates the distance to different objects in the scene.
Computational processing: the software blurs the background based on the depth map, mimicking the effect of a professional lens.
Using Portrait mode helps you to capture your subject effortlessly, but there are still a few tips and tricks for getting the very best from this phone camera mode. Here are our top five tips to help you take stunning portrait photos with your phone:
Good lighting: natural light is best, but avoid harsh sunlight.
Clean background: choose a background that isn’t too busy or distracting.
Focus on the subject’s eyes: sharp focus on the eyes is crucial for a compelling portrait.
Experiment with angles: try different angles to find the most flattering perspective.
Use Real Tone: Real Tone feature accurately captures diverse skin tones.
Pixel devices benefit from Night Sight, a game-changer for low-light photography. It allows you to capture bright, detailed photos in dark environments without using the flash. So, whether you’re snapping stars in the night sky or taking a group shot after dark, it’s no sweat for the night mode on your phone camera.
Long exposure: the camera captures more light by using a longer exposure time.
Computational processing: multiple frames are merged and processed to reduce noise and increase detail.
There are many situations in which you may want to use your phone camera’s night mode, including:
Dark restaurants: capture clear photos without disturbing other diners.
Nighttime cityscapes: take stunning photos of illuminated buildings and streets.
Concerts: capture the atmosphere without relying on a harsh flash.
Any situation where a flash would be too harsh or ineffective: preserve the natural ambience of the scene.
For even more impressive results, try
Taking a stunning countryside snap? That’s a job for Panorama mode. This phone camera mode allows you to capture wide-angle landscapes and scenes by stitching together multiple photos into a single, seamless image.
Move the camera slowly and steadily: avoid jerky movements to ensure a smooth panorama.
Keep the camera level: maintaining a consistent vertical angle is crucial.
Avoid moving objects in the scene: moving objects can cause distortions in the final image.
Follow the on-screen guide: use the on-screen guide to help you keep the camera aligned.
Ensure good lighting conditions: even lighting is essential for a well-exposed panorama.
It’s not just photography that Pixel’s phone camera modes come in handy for. There are also several
Standard video recording mode on your phone camera is perfect for capturing everyday moments, family events and doing casual recordings. It provides a balanced approach to video quality and file size, so you can easily share cherished moments with friends and family via apps.
Slow Motion mode captures video at a higher frame rate than normal, allowing you to slow down the footage to emphasise action and detail. Here are some suitable use cases:
Recording sports activities.
Capturing close-up details of fast-moving objects (e.g., water droplets).
Creating dramatic and visually appealing videos.
Use Time-lapse mode on your phone camera to condense a long period of time into short videos. This allows you to capture moments like sunsets, cloud movement or busy cityscapes in a dynamic and engaging way.
Pro and Manual mode gives you complete control over your phone camera’s settings, allowing you to fine-tune parameters like shutter speed, ISO and focus. This mode is ideal for experienced photographers who want to achieve specific creative effects.
Shutter speed: the length of time the camera sensor is exposed to light. A faster shutter speed freezes motion, while a slower shutter speed allows more light in but can result in motion blur.
ISO: the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light. A lower ISO produces cleaner images in bright conditions, while a higher ISO is used in low light but can introduce noise.
Focus: the sharpness of the image. Manual focus allows you to precisely control the focus point, which can be useful for creative effects or challenging shooting situations.
Manual controls can be used to achieve creative effects in various scenarios, including:
Long exposure: creating light trails from moving cars or blurring water.
Adjusting white balance: correcting colour casts in different lighting conditions.
Manual focus: achieving creative depth of field effects.
Locking focus: keeping a subject in sharp focus while recomposing the shot.
Controlling motion blur: some Pixel models offer Action Pan and Long Exposure features to create motion blur effects.
By understanding the different phone camera and video modes, plus their functions, you can unlock your phone’s full photographic potential. Scroll-stopping snaps are incoming.