Google Pixel Camera Settings Guide

Google Pixel 9 Pro Camera Settings

Seven quick steps to photos and video that look like they came from a real camera. Each one shows the exact screen to match.

Start the guide

Where you'll end up

RAW + JPEG on

Framing hints on

1× as your default lens

Photo qualityRAW + JPEG and Ultra HDR, 50 MP on demand
Open it fasterDouble press, Palm timer, and Frequent Faces
CompositionFraming hints and a 3 × 3 grid
In the viewfinderRAW, a brightness nudge, and the 1× lens
Video4K 60 for social, 24 fps for film
The lookExposure and grading, side by side
The lensesFive zoom stops, from 0.5× to 10×

Step 01

Let HDR+ work. Add RAW when it counts.

Camera Settings Pro

Pixel photos come out of the camera well processed. These rows add the headroom to edit.

RAW/JPEG control: On; In More settings, Advanced. It adds a RAW + JPEG choice to the camera.
RAW/JPEG: RAW + JPEG; Saves a DNG beside every JPEG, for the shots you plan to edit.
Resolution: 12 MP; The everyday default: faster and cleaner in low light. Switch to 50 MP for landscapes you'll crop.
Ultra HDR: On; Keeps extra highlight detail for HDR screens, with a normal JPEG everywhere else.

Pro

Resolution: 12 MP
RAW/JPEG: RAW + JPEG
Lens selection: Auto

Advanced

RAW/JPEG control: On
Ultra HDR: On

What one photo costs. Approximate sizes. RAW and 50 MP are for the shots you'll edit or crop.

RAW + JPEG DNG and JPEG pair: ~25 MB
50 MP Full-resolution JPEG: ~12 MB
12 MP JPEG, recommended: ~3.5 MB

Step 02

Open it in a second.

Camera Settings More settings

Pixel remembers your camera settings on its own. What's left is getting to the shot faster.

Quickly open camera: On; Press the power button twice from any screen. It lives in the Settings app, under System, Gestures.
Palm timer: On; Raise your palm to start a short timer. Useful on a tripod.
Frequent Faces: On; Pixel learns the faces you photograph most and picks sharper frames of them.
Save location: Your call; Adds GPS to each photo. Leave it off if you share a lot.

Save location: Off
Camera sounds: On
Palm timer: On
Guided Frame: Off
Frequent Faces: On

Step 03

Frame it before you tap.

Camera Settings More settings

Two composition aids and a couple of switches that decide how the camera behaves.

Framing hints: On; Two lines meet when the phone is level, with an up or down cue for overhead shots.
Grid type: 3 × 3; Thirds for placing your subject. Golden ratio is there if you prefer it.
Save selfie as previewed: Off; Selfies save unmirrored, the way others see you.
Macro Focus: Auto; Switches to the Ultra Wide for close-ups on its own.

Composition

Framing hints: On
Grid type: 3 × 3

Selfie

Save selfie as previewed: Off

Step 04

Take control in the viewfinder.

Camera app

Pro controls put shutter, ISO, and focus a tap away. Most of the time, a small brightness nudge is all you need.

Brightness: −0.3; Pull it down when bright skies clip. HDR+ handles the rest.
Lens: 1×; The 50 MP main camera has the biggest sensor. Save 5× and beyond for good light.
Night Sight: Auto; Kicks in on its own in the dark. Brace the phone and hold still.
Top Shot: Auto; Keeps a few frames around each shot and suggests a better one.

Step 05

4K 60 for social. 24 fps for film.

Camera Video settings

Frame rate sets the feel. The rest keeps color and motion steady from one shot to the next.

Resolution and frame rate: 4K at 60 fps; Smooth and sharp on social. Switch to 24 fps when it should feel like a film.
10-bit HDR: On; More color depth and brighter highlights on HDR screens.
Stabilization: Standard; Steady handheld clips without the extra crop of Active or Locked.
Video Boost: Off; Sends clips to Google for extra processing. Turn it on for low light.

Resolution: 4K
Frame rate: 60 FPS
Stabilization: Standard
10-bit HDR: On
Video Boost: Off

The 180° rule. Aim for a shutter about double the frame rate, like 1/50 s at 24 fps. Pixel Camera picks the shutter itself, so in daylight add an ND filter to slow it down.

24 fps at 1/50 s

A little motion blur in every frame. Movement reads as film.
60 fps at 1/120 s

Crisper frames and smooth motion. Right for social.
24 fps at 1/2000 s

Typical of auto exposure in bright sun. Each frame is frozen, so motion stutters.

Step 06

See the difference.

Two of the changes above, side by side. Both frames come from the same photo and are simulated, so the setting is the only variable.

The portrait with exposure lowered about 0.3 stops

The portrait at the camera's default exposure

Exposure −0.3 holds the highlights and deepens the blacks.

A light grade: a little more contrast, a little less saturation.

RAW: For big edits; The DNG holds up when you lift shadows or change the color, where the JPEG starts to break.
Editing: Preset first; Start from a preset, then adjust only exposure, highlights, shadows, and temperature.

Step 07

Five zoom stops, from 0.5× to 10×.

A 50 MP main camera, a 48 MP Ultra Wide, a 48 MP 5× telephoto, and sensor crops between them. The main camera has the biggest sensor, which is why 1× is home.

.5× 48 MP Ultra Wide, ƒ/1.7
1× 50 MP Main, ƒ/1.68
2× 12 MP Crop of Main
5× 48 MP Telephoto, ƒ/2.8
10× 12 MP Crop of Telephoto

Spaced by field of view. Solid dots are cameras, rings are 12 MP crops.

50MP Wide: 1×, with a 2× crop; ƒ/1.68; Optical image stabilization
48MP Ultra Wide: 0.5×, and Macro Focus; ƒ/1.7
48MP 5× Telephoto: 5× optical, with a 10× crop; ƒ/2.8; Optical image stabilization

Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 8 Pro

What changed for cameras between generations

Feature Pixel 8 Pro Pixel 9 Pro

Chip Tensor G3 Tensor G4

Ultra Wide 48MP ƒ/1.95 48MP ƒ/1.7 Brighter

Add Me — Yes New

Gemini AI Limited Full Integration New

Main Camera 50MP ƒ/1.68 50MP ƒ/1.68

Telephoto 48MP 5× ƒ/2.8 48MP 5× ƒ/2.8

Video Boost Yes Improved Better

Magic Eraser Yes Improved Better

Night Sight Yes Yes (enhanced)

Max Video 4K 60fps 4K 60fps

Display 6.7" 6.3"

Worth the upgrade? The Pixel 9 Pro brings a brighter ultrawide lens, Add Me, deeper Gemini AI integration, and improved computational features via Tensor G4. The main and telephoto cameras are essentially unchanged. If you rely on Google's AI-driven features, the upgrade is meaningful; for pure photography, the gains are incremental.

Presets and Storage

Which format to use for each kind of clip, and how much of it fits.

Video presets

Use Case	Resolution	FPS	Stabilization	Notes
Social Media Best	4K	30	Standard	HDR10+ enabled
Vlog / Talking Head	4K	30	Locked	Front camera 10.5MP
Travel / Run-and-gun	4K	30	Active	Slight crop for stabilization
Cinematic	4K	24	Standard	Film-like motion cadence
Action / Sports	4K	60	Active	Best motion clarity
Slow Motion	1080p	240	Standard	8× slowdown at 30fps playback

What a minute of video costs

HEVC 4K at 60 fps, for social: ~500 MB
HEVC 4K at 30 fps: ~350 MB
HEVC 1080p at 30 fps: ~130 MB

How much fits

Format	128 GB	256 GB	512 GB	1 TB
4K at 60 fps	~3.8 hr	~8 hr	~16 hr	~32 hr
4K at 30 fps	~5.5 hr	~11 hr	~23 hr	~46 hr

Times are approximate and leave room for Android. Video Boost clips are backed up to Google Photos for processing, so they need cloud space too. For a graded look, start with a LUT from Envato Elements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Best settings, key features, and what changed from the Pixel 8 Pro.

What are the best camera settings for the Pixel 9 Pro?

In Pixel Camera, turn on RAW/JPEG control under Settings, More settings, Advanced, then choose RAW + JPEG. Keep Resolution at 12 MP and switch to 50 MP on the Pro tab for landscapes. Turn on Framing hints and a 3 × 3 grid. For video, record 4K at 60 fps for social or 24 fps for a film look, with 10-bit HDR on and Video Boost off until the light drops.

Does the Pixel 9 Pro have a telephoto camera?

Yes. The Pixel 9 Pro features a dedicated 48MP 5× telephoto lens with a 112mm equivalent focal length, ƒ/2.8 aperture, and optical image stabilization. This is the same high-resolution telephoto introduced on the Pixel 8 Pro. Beyond the optical 5× zoom, Google's Super Res Zoom uses AI upscaling to reach up to 30× digital zoom, though quality degrades noticeably above 15×.

Can the Pixel 9 Pro shoot 4K video at 60fps?

Yes, the Pixel 9 Pro records 4K at up to 60fps. It does not support 4K at 120fps like some competing phones (e.g., iPhone 16 Pro). For slow motion, you can use 1080p at 240fps. Google compensates with Video Boost cloud processing, which significantly enhances video quality, particularly in low-light and challenging conditions.

How does Night Sight work on the Pixel 9 Pro?

Night Sight captures multiple frames at different exposures over 1–6 seconds (depending on light level) and merges them using the Tensor G4 chip's machine learning pipeline. The result is a single bright, detailed, low-noise image — even in near-darkness. Night Sight activates automatically when the camera detects low light, or you can select it manually in the camera mode carousel. When mounted on a tripod in very dark conditions, Astrophotography mode engages automatically for exposures up to 4 minutes, capturing stars and the Milky Way.

What is the Add Me feature on the Pixel 9 Pro?

Add Me is a new AI-powered feature that lets the photographer join a group photo. First, take the group shot. Then swap places with someone in the group, and they take a second shot of you in the same scene. The Pixel 9 Pro uses Tensor G4 AI to seamlessly merge both images, adding you to the original group photo. For best results, use a tripod or keep the phone as steady as possible between shots.