TL;DR
- Pixel Pro phones feature a manual photography mode that provides advanced control over key settings, including focus, ISO, shutter speed, and more.
- A little-known tool in Pro mode — a toggleable zoomed-in viewfinder during manual focusing — enables greater precision with focus peaking visual cues.
- Pro controls are available on the Pixel Fold, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro series, and Pixel 10 Pro series.
Pixel phones pack a great camera setup, even though many would agree that there are even better Android camera phones out there. While Pixels remain great for point-and-shoot use cases, the manual camera mode on the Pixel Pros is a great jumping point for anyone interested in becoming a better photographer. The mode is surprisingly well-equipped, and to this day, people are discovering features that they previously hadn’t noticed.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?
Reddit user YouBugged just noticed that their Pixel 10 Pro has a zoomed-in viewfinder window available whenever they use manual focus.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
When users switch to manual focus, Pro Pixels provide focus peaking visual cues, which many have already noticed and used.
However, many users may have missed the small overlay button that appears in manual focus mode. Tapping this button presents an additional zoomed-in viewfinder in the top right. The focus peaking visual cues are displayed in the smaller viewfinder, allowing you to achieve a much more precise focus. You can tap anywhere on the main viewfinder to re-centre the view visible inside the smaller viewfinder.
Did you know about the focus peaking viewfinder on your Pixel Pro?
286 votes
Yes, and I use it often.
13%
Yes, but I barely use it.
16%
No, I had no idea it existed.
71%
Pro controls are present in the Pixel Camera app on the Pixel Fold, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. You can use Pro mode to gain granular control over key settings, such as Focus, Shutter Speed, ISO, White Balance, Exposure, and Shadows, while also adjusting other key settings, including lens, resolution, and format.
To access Pro controls/Manual mode on your supported Pixel, open the Pixel Camera app, and click on the settings slider button on the bottom right.
Did you know about the focus peaking viewfinder on your Pixel Pro? Do you have any other lesser-known Pixel camera tips to share? Let us know in the comments below!
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.
