TheGoogle Pixel 8andPixel 8 Prohave been out for a couple of weeks now, and most of us here at AP like them quite a bit. True to the Pixel lineage, Google’s newest phones are extremely competent pocket cameras, debuting the latest Pixel Camera app that introduces some sorely needed organization to Google’s myriad camera features. But the new Google camera experience also changes the way exposure controls work, and even after hundreds of photos, I’m still not on board.
Pixel Camera, formerly called Google Camera, makes some smart changes about how its various modes and features are organized, splitting photo modes and video modes into two interfaces that you swap between with a clearly labeled toggle. That’s a clear usability win. But Pixel Camera also tosses out the exposure control paradigm Google’s been usingsince 2019’s Pixel 4.
For the past few generations of Pixel, tapping to focus in the viewfinder also brought up a handful of sliders: two for exposure (highlights and shadows) and one for warmth (that one actually debuted later, on the Pixel 6). Having used these phones for years, I really came to appreciate that ease of access. I know most people don’t bother tapping to focus at all, but if you do, it’s because you’re trying to make your photo look different in some way, making it a natural time to show options for exposure and white balance.
Starting on the Pixel 8, though, these controls are accessed by tapping a nondescript slider icon in the bottom right corner of the camera UI. There’s also no way to surface all three sliders at once anymore; each lives behind its own icon, all of which are exposed when you tap that slider button.
Left:Exposure controls on Pixel 7.Right:More complicated controls on Pixel 8.
That there’s any button to access exposure controls now is better for discoverability, sure; under the old setup, there was no visual cue for accessing the sliders at all. But that’s how exposure controls on other popular phones work, including devices from Samsung and Apple: tap to focus, then dial in exposure. It’s a familiar workflow for mobile photography enthusiasts, and it was even better on Pixel. Easy access to tweak brightness, shadows, and white balance before taking a photo goes a long way to getting good photos without leaning too much on post-processing.
Squirreling these controls away under a menu button isn’t entirely a bad thing — there wasn’t anything to visually indicate how to adjust exposure before. With some more experience, I might get used to it yet. But after weeks of using the new Pixel Camera app, I still think the revamped exposure controls are considerably less convenient than the outgoing setup. Changing exposure and white balance in your photo requires more menu digging and more taps on the Pixel 8 than it did on the Pixel 7, and it’s hard to see that as anything but a small step back in usability. This setup will surely make its way to older Pixel devices eventually, too.
Even with less-than-positive changes like the new exposure control menu and theloss of the admittedly esoteric photo spheres feature, the Pixel 8 series still takes excellent photos, and on the whole, we think they’re among thebest phonesyou can get right now. The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro still offerplenty of features you can’t get anywhere else— it’s just a shame some of our favorites have fallen by the wayside this year.
Google Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 8 is Google’s best phone yet, and it’s the most distinct regular model when compared to the Pro version. It comes with a wonderful form factor that fits well in the hands and has the usual software prowess that you expect from a Pixel.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is still a good deal in 2025, with plenty of software support and a premium flagship experience. The Tensor G3 is powerful enough for most tasks, and you’ll enjoy plenty of Pixel extras on Android 15. If you’re in the market for a Pixel but don’t want to pay flagship prices, the Pixel 8 Pro is worth a look.
