Android 16 Beta 2 gets professional settings for photographers

Google has released the second public beta of Android 16, and it will delight photographers who want more control over their photo and video shooting. Updates include enhanced manual exposure settings, fine-tuning of white balance, and support for Ultra HDR images in HEIC format.

Previously, the Android camera either gave full manual control over exposure or offered full automation. Now, Android 16 introduces hybrid modes. You can manually set the ISO or shutter speed, and the camera will adjust the other parameters automatically. This is useful for those who want to reduce noise in dark environments without overly raising the ISO.

White balance settings are currently limited to a list of modes, including cloudy, incandescent, and twilight. In Android 16, they are expanded with precise control over color temperature and hue. This will allow photographers to compensate for difficult lighting conditions and ensure that they capture photos and videos with accurate color, without having to apply color correction later. It also allows for more creativity in the appearance of images right out of the camera.

The new public beta also adds support for Ultra HDR images in the HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) file format, which are higher quality than JPEGs. At the same time, they take up less space thanks to improved compression techniques. Like Ultra HDR JPEGs, Ultra HDR HEIC files will have a «gain map» embedded in their metadata so that they can be viewed correctly on older devices with standard dynamic range screens. On newer devices with HDR screens, additional color, brightness, and contrast details will be visible.

The public beta of Android 16 is available for Google Pixel smartphones starting with the Pixel 6, as well as for the Pixel Tablet. To access it, you need to register here using the device you want to test it on.

After this release, two more public beta releases of Android 16 are expected before the full release of the new version of the OS sometime in the second quarter.

Source: The Verge