#592 Pixel 3a, Android Pie, Visual Core HDR

[Anonymous]

Hello,

Last week I got a Google Pixel 3a and decided to compare OpenCamera to the Google Camera app. I've discovered that OpenCamera is not using the Visual Core HDR processing, although it seems from posts last year and the FAQ that it should. I think there are some differences though. The Pixel 3a is running Android Pie rather than Oreo and the Google Camera now has three modes - Off, HDR+, and HDR+ Enhanced.

The attached test photos shot in my back yard show Google Camera's three modes with distinct differences. The OpenCamera shot looks almost identical to the NoHDR Google photo and not at all like the other two Google photos. I did shoot six OpenCamera photos varying the Camera2API on or off and with each of the three HDR modes set in Google Camera. None of those things affected the results. All six OpenCamera photos look like the one I attached.

Before the test shots I reset OpenCamera to the default settings and turned off the flash. Other than turning the Camera2API off and on there were no other setting changes.

It looks like OpenCamera use of the Visual Core HDR processing is not working with the Pixel 3a.

John

[Mark]

Thanks for the info. What results do you get for other third party camera applications?

I believe the Pixel 3a lacks the Pixel Visual Core chip, which the Pixel 2/3s use to enable HDR+ in third party applications. I can't find definite information on whether this means therefore it's not available on the 3a, or if it's available but done of the CPU. See https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/btayow/does_the_lack_of_a_pixel_visual_core_make_a/ for some discussion.

[Mark]

I'll update the FAQ too to warn people.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply Mark. I was not aware the 3a lacked the Visual Core but that certainly explains it. I'll just continue to use the HDR processing built into OpenCamera. Obviously you can close this ticket as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks agsin,
John