AP’s favorite photo after 6 months.

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Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launched in October 2023, and this week marks their six-month anniversary. After six months, these phones are halfway through their role as Google’s flagship products. There’s a lot to like about the Pixel 8 series, from refinements to Google’s design language to useful software features you can’t get anywhere else. But for many people, the biggest reason to buy a Pixel smartphone is for photography.

You may not be surprised to hear that many of us here at AP carry Pixel smartphones on a regular basis, at least part-time. Considering there are six months left until the Pixel 9’s scheduled release, we thought it would be fun to collect some of his thoughts and favorite photos from his first six months with the Pixel 8 camera.

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AP’s favorite Pixel 8 photos

Conor Nolan, review writer

I took a break from driving a Pixel every day for years, but I returned to it because I missed its low-light performance. Although the lighting in my home is less than ideal, I love how the Pixel 8 Pro consistently delivers usable photos with minimal lighting. Most of the time I’m just taking quick photos to send to friends and family, so I don’t have to stop work to fix the lighting or do much more than walk nearby to get a decent photo. It’s great to be able to take pictures. Displayed in a window, resulting in a detailed image with great colors.

Dallas Thomas, News Editor

The main reason I use Pixel is because it has a fast shutter speed and allows me to take clear pictures of moving subjects. 99% of the pictures I take of him are children. With its telephoto lens and 5x optical zoom, the 8 Pro is perfect for that purpose. However, none of the photos I have shared here are of my child. Because that would be the wrong kind of parenting. Still, I easily found 5 photos of her that I really liked. These photos highlight the camera’s capabilities in low light and bright environments with shadows, where HDR processing really shines. In my opinion, this is still far from being better than the Android camera.

Manuel Vonnau, Google Editor

Although there are many smartphones with great cameras these days, my favorite is still Google’s flagship smartphone, the Pixel. This comes down to fast and reliable shutter speeds, a versatile setup consisting of a high-performance zoom camera, a primary camera, and an ultra-wide camera, and a familiar look and feel for your finished photos. I’ve been a Google phone photographer since the Nexus 4. . The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the culmination of it all so far, and I think my favorite shots here demonstrate that.

Rajesh Pandey, News Writer

I’ve used dozens of Android phones, but there’s something special about the photos I take with Pixel phones. They capture the scene perfectly, nail the colors and contrast, and capture a lot of detail. The photos I’ve taken with my Pixel 8 Pro over the past few months are no different. Further enhancing the experience is the variety of camera settings, with 5x telephoto and ultra-wide shooters as functional as the primary 50MP camera.

Taylor Kearns, Gadgets Editor

I’ve reviewed a few other phones since October, but I usually carry the smaller Pixel 8 with me when I’m not obligated to use anything else. I like Google’s Android version and think the rose colorway is killer, but really, it’s the camera that always reminds me of it. I’m pretty demanding of my phone’s camera, and the Pixel 8 does a great job of capturing the types of photos I want to take. I think Google’s camera captures more natural colors and contrast than Samsung’s camera. The Pixel 8’s camera is also great for taking photos. Clear shots of moving subjects like my dog. Of all the cell phone cameras I’ve used, the Pixel 8 requires the least amount of fiddling to get good photos. No need to adjust settings beforehand or edit them afterwards (well, sometimes, but mostly just for fun).

Ted Kritsonis, Contributor

I’ve tested many phones and their cameras, and as a photographer myself, I’m always looking for nuances. Pixel 8 Pro delivers the best of both worlds. It can act as a quick point-and-shoot, or provide manual control and full-resolution capture for later image editing. My photos reflect both examples and show that the Pixel has a wide range of modes and settings, even if it doesn’t have as wide a range as the others. This is rare to see on many phones available in the North American market.

Will Sattelberg, Phone Editor

To be honest, when I’m not actively reviewing smartphones, I’m not much of a photographer. Sure, I take a lot of pictures of cats, but when I go out to dinner or a bar, I never have it in mind to take pictures of what’s going on around me. That said, of the various smartphones that fit in my back pocket, the Pixel 8 Pro is by far the most reliable. From the aforementioned pet photos to concerts and even cat photos, both the main and telephoto sensors always satisfy me.

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Has it already been half a year?

It’s a little hard to believe that October 2023 was six months ago, but we’re now exactly halfway between the release of Pixel 8 and Pixel 9. This year’s Pixel will definitely take better photos than last year (that’s what it’s all about), but even today, it’s hard to beat Google when it comes to smartphone photography. We’re excited to see what companies like OnePlus, Apple, and Samsung can do with their next phones. We hope to see photos of next year’s Galaxy S25 and be impressed.

google pixel 8

$499 $699 Save $200

The Google Pixel 8 is Google’s best phone yet, and the most obvious regular model when compared to the Pro version. It has a nice form factor that fits well in your hand and has the usual software features you’d expect from a Pixel.
google pixel 8 pro

$749 $999 Save $250

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the company’s latest flagship, featuring a new Tensor G3 chip, a brighter screen, and a new camera array that can capture even more light. As always, the real power lies in Google’s Tensor chip, which offers even more photo enhancement and image editing features.