Google Cameras Get New 'Looks' Feature for More Authentic Photos

The Pixel camera team at Google is taking a new approach to smartphone photography by introducing Camera Looks, a feature that allows users to customize their camera's output. According to Isaac Reynolds, who leads the Pixel camera team, the traditional goal of computational photography has been to create technically perfect images.

However, this has led to a growing trend among some users who prefer more authentic or traditional-looking photos, which are often associated with older cameras from the early 2000s. To address this, Camera Looks introduces a new suite of processing tools that allow users to dial back the amount of processing done on their images.

The feature includes options like Minimal, which does not process the image at all, and Digi, which is inspired by digital cameras from the early 2000s. The Pixel team also included various film-inspired looks, such as Editorial, Classic, and Velvet, which are similar to Fujifilm's popular film simulations.

Google's Camera Looks feature allows users to have more control over their images, with six or more different levers available for each look. This is a major step change for Google, which has traditionally prioritized simplicity in its camera app.