Smartphone photographers using a Google Pixel device will soon be able to quickly adjust white balance and brightness without having to dig through menus – again. In update 9.7 to Pixel Camera, Google is reinstating the controls that previously enabled users to adjust the white balance and brightness directly from the camera’s main screen.
While the app never completely removed the ability to adjust color temperature and brightness, an earlier update pushed those controls into the submenus in an effort to clean up the interface. Some users took to complaining over the change on online forums, saying that they now had to dig through menus in order to make the adjustments they could previously have accessed with a quick tap.
With the update, users can now opt to have three different sliders appear on the viewfinder by just tapping the screen. After tapping the screen, Pixel photographers will have a slider on the left for color temperature, with two separate sliders on the right for brightness and shadows.
The Google Pixel Camera app 9.7 has already begun to roll out, though not all users have access to the download yet. The update is part of Google’s December round of Pixel updates.
The Pixel Camera app previously had the sliders on the main screen by default. According to Tom’s Guide, Google removed the on-screen guides in version 9.1 in an effort to clean up the user interface. While the update didn’t remove the ability to adjust white balance, brightness and shadows completely, it buried those controls into menus, making them take longer to access.
After downloading version 9.7 Pixel users will have quick access to those settings once again. However, those shortcut sliders do need to be enabled in the settings menu first. Inside the settings menu of the Pixel Camera app, users need to enable the quick access controls. Once enabled, tapping on the viewfinder will bring up those three sliders on the sides of the screen.
You might also like…
Take a look at the best Google Pixel phones available right now, as well as the best camera phones from all manufacturers – including the best iPhones for photography, if you're considering joining the dark side!
