The Google Pixel 9a’s camera isn’t the most feature-packed on the market, it doesn’t have four or more lenses on the back, and it doesn’t even have a telephoto camera either. Yet, here I am, thinking it may be all the smartphone camera I need. However, it only becomes this good after you spend some time editing your photos once you’ve taken them.
Why it may be all the camera I need
There’s something very special about the Pixel 9a’s camera app. It’s sensibly set out and fast to react, and does what I want when I want it. You can double press the phone’s power button to jump into the camera app, plus it’s possible to make small tweaks to the brightness and shadows in real time. It’s less complicated than a full Pro mode, and easily ignored if you don’t want to bother with any of it.
No-one buys a smartphone for the camera app though, and some may be put off by the relatively simple nature of the camera itself. It has a main camera, a wide-angle camera, and a software and AI-driven zoom mode. The app has a 2x shortcut, but you can zoom in to 8x if you really want. How could I, who has written at length about the brilliance of camera phones like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, be satisfied with the fairly simple Pixel 9a?
Simple is often best when you casually take photos, and it’s the little things, such as the lovely haptic feedback when you tap the shutter button or switch functions, that make the Pixel 9a’s camera so pleasant to use. The Pixel 9a’s secret isn’t the Camera app though, it’s Google Photos, where all your shots are stored ready to be viewed and edited. Unlike a lot of other phone cameras, the editing part is essential to get the most from the Pixel 9a.
Photos aren’t great, at first
Left alone, the Pixel 9a’s camera washes photos out. I wasn’t sure if it was just me at first, but now I’m sure there’s something off about the camera’s dynamic range, and how the software processes colors and exposure. It doesn’t ruin anything, and the camera still packs in detail and keeps things neutral and natural, but photos appear muted and can lack life, and under normal circumstances this would turn me off. This is where Google Photos comes in, and it saves the Pixel 9a’s camera.
In almost all circumstances, and for as long as I can remember, all the photos I’ve shared in my phone reviews have been “off the camera,” meaning there’s no editing involved whatsoever. This is incredibly important, as a lot of problems can be fixed with a little time spent using an editing app, but it’s of no use to someone who wants to take photos and share them immediately. The best cameras impress without using an editing app, and the only way to show this is to leave the photos alone.
It’s how I’ll write my Pixel 9a review, coming soon, and the raw performance of the camera will dictate how favorably I look at it. But this is OuttaFocus, and I do things differently here. Within just a few moments of messing around with Google Photos’ editing tools, the Pixel 9a’s pictures are transformed from often a bit drab to delightful, with the eye-catching pop that was missing suddenly added in. The Pixel 9a’s impressive neutral camera performance actually helps it, because the edits don’t have to compensate for fundamental errors that can’t be fixed. They are blank slates begging to be livened up.
See what I mean
All the photos seen in this article were taken with the Pixel 9a and edited on the device using Google Photos. It’s such a great app to experiment with, and the Tensor G4 processor means all the edits happen instantly, even the ones using AI editing tools take just seconds. I changed the background in the 2x zoom photo of the cat, giving it the prompt of a “fluffy duvet,” and I think the result looks really natural. The photo of the Porsche badge was also taken at 2x zoom, and I don’t have any issues with the detail, and a filter change made the gold and red colors so much more vibrant than before.
The other photos have simply been given a beauty makeover. A few small tweaks here and there, or just tapping the Auto button and seeing how it looks, before saving it again. I understand this is normal for most keen photographers, but there will be some who don’t usually bother to edit at all. The Pixel 9a’s camera takes photos that need editing, which brings out the stunning colors and tone that’s missing until you do. It’s really important to understand if you’re contemplating buying the Pixel 9a. It’s why I haven’t shown the “before” photos here. I’ll save those for the review, and want you to see this as what the Pixel 9a’s camera is capable of with a little help from Google Photos.
Unless I’m on a photo mission, I just want a competent, reliable, and fun camera to use. The Google Pixel 9a meets these requirements, and although the 2x zoom isn’t optical it’s surprisingly capable, and even the wide-angle camera is decent. Google Photos completes the Pixel 9a’s camera in a way that’s not always necessary on other phones, and it turns it from being decent to being excellent.
The complete package
Some may see the requirement of Google Photos in the Pixel 9a’s camera arsenal as a downside and evidence of a poor camera experience on the Pixel 9a and there’s some truth to this. If you want a point-and-shoot and to never touch an editing app, it’s not the best choice. But I love messing around with photos to change the look, so there’s no real change to my workflow, and the Pixel 9a’s subdued images are transformed when you do.
Google Photos is so accessible and so capable I think everyone will be able to use it and have fun with it too. If the Pixel 9a is at the top of your shopping list, you’re going to need to get to grips with it. It’s worth it, because when you do, you could discover the Pixel 9a’s camera is all you really need, just like I have.
