Enjoy the Pixel 3 Night Sight on your Pixel Device Right Away

Two years ago, Google’s release of the first Pixel smartphone raised the bar for the image quality we could expect from mobile cameras. Things have changes into better.

Now, we must all agree that the latest Pixel 3 takes brilliant photos that are detailed and clear. The colors are a tad more intense than you’d see on the iPhone XS, but not to a level that’s unrealistic.

As for the white-balance and skin tones, they are better than what you are getting from the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 high-end devices.

Improved low-light capabilities thanks to Night Sight

Google also improved the camera’s low-light capabilities, known as Night Sight, so users are pleased by the package. Are you still using your original Pixel handset? Well, Google is finally unveileing Night Sight to the new Google Pixel devices and to older models too.

The feature is currently being rolled out through the Camera app update on the Play Store. It works on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, but be sure that it’s for your original Pixel handset too. I can only hope that you are about to get it in the next few hours or days.

Get Ready for Download

If you hate waiting, let me tell you that you can enjoy Night Sight right away. All you need to do is to download a slightly-modified version of the Google Camera app. Keep though in mind that since this mod is based on a leaked version of the software, the results you get from Night Sight using this custom app could be different from the final version.

As you have heard, Night Sight is a new feature on the 2018 Pixel phones that improves low light performance. So, let me tell you a bit more about what you are about to get.

The implementation is similar to the Night mode on recent Huawei flagship phones and it functions perfectly. Night Sight works by taking multiple long exposure shots and stacking them together. The camera now detects hand motion and automatically adjusts the duration of the shutter speed and corrects for it while stacking. If it detects the camera is handheld, the Night Sight duration is shorter. So, if you were to mount the phone on a tripod, then your Pixel will allow for much longer exposures to reduce noise.

One case or another, Night Sight takes a bit longer than standard photos to capture, but the results are worth it.