Exclusive: Google's Top Secret Camera Lab Is Like an Ikea for Pixel Testing

🌈 Abstract

The article provides an exclusive look into Google's secret camera lab, where the company rigorously tests the cameras on its Pixel smartphones. The lab is designed to recreate real-world scenarios, such as dimly lit cafes and living rooms, to ensure the Pixel cameras deliver consistent and high-quality video and photo results.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Google's Real World Testing Lab

1. What is the purpose of Google's Real World Testing Lab?

• The lab is used to test the cameras on Google's Pixel smartphones in realistic environments, such as living rooms and cafes, to ensure the cameras deliver consistent and high-quality results in real-world conditions.
• The lab allows the Pixel camera team to test new features and improvements repeatedly under controlled lighting conditions, which would not be possible in their own living rooms or offices.

2. How does the lab's environment differ from a typical testing facility?

• Instead of large calibration charts, industrial machines, and employees in white lab coats, the lab has living room sets, a cafe, and employees wearing casual attire like retro Jordan sneakers.
• The lab looks more like a cluster of Ikea displays than a traditional testing room, with a lighting grid above the cafe that allows engineers to adjust the color temperature and intensity to recreate various lighting scenarios.

3. What is the team's approach to testing the Pixel's camera performance?

• The team focuses on not just technical accuracy, but also on how the photos and videos reflect the way a user remembers a moment.
• They aim to balance clinical precision with human subjectivity, as smartphone cameras have become a window into the world around us.

[02] Video Boost and Night Sight

1. What is the challenge with bringing Night Sight to video on Pixel phones?

• Processing a one-minute low-light video is the equivalent of processing 1,800 photos (60 seconds x 30 frames per second), which is a much larger scale than the 12-megapixel photos used for Night Sight.

2. How does Video Boost address this challenge?

• Video Boost uploads a copy of the video to Google Photos, where the processing is done in the cloud using the same HDR Plus algorithm used for photos.
• This allows Video Boost to adjust the exposure, brighten shadows, and improve color and detail in low-light video, similar to how Night Sight works for photos.

3. What are the tradeoffs with Video Boost?

• The processing is done off-device, so it can take a while before the user sees the results, unlike the instant processing of Night Sight photos.
• Video Boost is currently only available on the Pixel 8 Pro, so it will be interesting to see how Google handles the feature on future Pixel phones and whether the processing will ever be done on-device.

[03] Autofocus, Exposure, and Audio

1. How does the lab help the team address issues with autofocus and exposure in video?

• The controlled environment allows the team to test how the Pixel's camera handles autofocus and exposure as the lighting and subject movement change, ensuring a consistent and stable experience.
• They can specifically test how the camera deals with challenging lighting conditions, such as the flickering of a candle, to ensure the exposure doesn't waver.

2. How does the team approach improving audio quality in Pixel videos?

• Instead of relying on frequency tuning, which can negatively impact speech quality, the team has trained an AI model to identify speech and preserve it while reducing background noise.
• This allows the Pixel to deliver clearer audio in videos, even in noisy environments like windy outdoor settings.

[04] Balancing Precision and Subjectivity

1. What is the team's approach to balancing technical accuracy and human subjectivity in Pixel camera performance?

• The team recognizes that just producing the "correct" image or video based on technical measurements doesn't always match how a user remembers or wants to remember a moment.
• They aim to find a balance between clinical precision and the subjective, human experience of capturing a scene, as smartphone cameras have become a window into the world around us.

2. How does this approach differ from a more traditional, scientific approach to camera testing?

• Instead of solely focusing on technical metrics and calibration charts, the team places equal emphasis on how the photos and videos reflect the way a user remembers a moment.
• This more subjective, human-centric approach is important as smartphone cameras have become integral to documenting personal and historical moments.