The Pixel 8 is a protracted methods off, however some snippets of digicam app code identified by developer Kuba Wojciechowski are giving us an early glimpse into what Google is likely to be planning. The code in query refers to “staggered HDR,” which isn’t a method that Google’s Pixel digicam presently makes use of. The corporate was one of many first to refine mobile HDR and computational photography, taking them mainstream. Now, it seems to be evolving its tech for the subsequent era in a big approach.
Staggered HDR is a technique of capturing quick and lengthy exposures of scenes practically concurrently. Google presently employs HDR Plus Bracketing, which takes particular person pictures in fast succession and makes use of them to create a ultimate picture with a large dynamic vary — which means there’s element in each shadows and in spotlight areas.
It really works nicely, nevertheless it additionally signifies that the system has a more durable time coping with transferring topics because it’s utilizing separate frames. With staggered HDR, a brief publicity follows proper on the heels of a protracted publicity — earlier than the lengthy publicity has even completed.
This rolling shutter impact scans the sensor from high to backside and signifies that there’s no look forward to one publicity to complete earlier than beginning one other one. This implies there are fewer movement artifacts to take care of, and fewer energy is consumed within the course of — Samsung says it reduces power consumption by 24 p.c in comparison with a way utilizing separate frames.
If Google does plan so as to add assist for staggered HDR, then a brand new digicam sensor is on the best way, too. Kuba says that the Pixel 7 and seven Professional use a Samsung Isocell GN1 for his or her major digicam sensor, which doesn’t assist staggered HDR. The Isocell GN2 does assist the characteristic, so it appears to be a possible candidate for the Pixel 8. The GN2 would additionally present some autofocus enhancements due to a tweaked phase-detection array that’s extra delicate to horizontal motion.
We’re a good distance from discovering out if any of that is within the playing cards for the Pixel 8 — Google hasn’t confirmed the gadget but, and we count on to launch within the fall of 2023. But it surely appears seemingly that Google will hold iterating on the HDR characteristic it made popularly, and this early trace offers us a glimpse of what that may appear to be.