Modded Google Camera with HDR+ on Nokia 8

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Since there is no such thread here yet, I wanted to start discussion about using modded Google Camera from this thread on Nokia 8 (mostly what's best configuration and version).

What doesn't work:
- Slow Motion in 6.1.x
- HDR+ in 6.1.x when number of shots is set higher than 20

What works:
- HDR+ (including auto HDR with ZSL on both front and rear cameras)
- Night Sight (only on 6.1.x ports and higher)
- Portrait mode on both front and rear cameras (replaces lens blur mode from older versions of Google Camera)
- Motion Pictures (only on Oreo and higher and only with rear camera set to 16:9 ratio and flash disabled)
- Slow Motion video recording (only on 5.x GCam, broken again on 6.1.x ports)
- Spherical photos
- Panorama
AR Playground (only with 6.1.x ports, you must also install ARCore first)

Recommended for Pie (based on GCam 6.1.x): MGC_6.1.021_BSG_Arnova-based_v.1.2_TlnNeun.apk

Recommended for Oreo (based on GCam 5.x): GoogleCamera-Pixel2Mod-Arnova8G2-V8.apk

Site with all APKs listed: https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/
 
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Main benefit is better HDR algorithm and thus better photos in low light conditions. I also think that auto focus in Google Camera works better (it's easier to get focus on the point you want and it stays there until you take a photo) or something else that makes photos from Google Camera less blurry than ones from Nokia Camera.

As for the versions - since they are mostly made for OnePlus, some version work better, some worse with other smartphones as they contain modifications for specific models.
 

leoni1980

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Dec 28, 2005
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Yes I noticed the colour artifacts are gone too. I have the BSC and Arnova apps both installed. I use the BSC app with high parameters for still or more detailed shots and the Arnova is my quicklaunch camera, set to 8mp with Motion Photos enabled and HDR parameters set to default. I also turn camera.faces and camera.shot_tracking on in developer settings.

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 AM ----------

I really miss the HDR from Nokia / Microsoft Lumia.. The pictures were always amazing compared to my wife's iPhone.
Will give Google camera a proper test and see how it goes.

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

HDR with the Google Camera app can yield spectacular results. A relative was out with me at a Christmas fayre yesterday evening and we both took a photo of a nice tree - him on his Samsung S8+ and me on my Nokia 8. Mine looked *loads* better.
 
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leoni1980

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Dec 28, 2005
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Samsung S8+ on the right, Nokia 8 with Arnova Pixel APK on the left. No modifications.
 

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CazeW

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Nov 14, 2008
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Yes I noticed the colour artifacts are gone too. I have the BSC and Arnova apps both installed. I use the BSC app with high parameters for still or more detailed shots and the Arnova is my quicklaunch camera, set to 8mp with Motion Photos enabled and HDR parameters set to default. I also turn camera.faces and camera.shot_tracking on in developer settings.

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 AM ----------



HDR with the Google Camera app can yield spectacular results. A relative was out with me at a Christmas fayre yesterday evening and we both took a photo of a nice tree - him on his Samsung S8+ and me on my Nokia 8. Mine looked *loads* better.

BSC? Arnova? Never heard of either apps. Unless with BSC you mean B-S-G. Never mind, just didn't look at the OP closely enough. :p
 
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leoni1980

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2005
1,489
133
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Ah good point.
This is frustrating for me but I will test the app a bit more to see if the image quality makes up for this.

Sent from my TA-1012 using Tapatalk

You do have 64GB or 128GB internal to play with, so at the very least you could just occasionally open Google's FilesGo app and tick the 'move to SD' option, or use Google Photos' delete from device option if you're happy to have them in the cloud.
 
Google Camera producing much better detailed photos compared to Nokia camera app. For sure, the images have more noise, less sharpness and bigger filesize. But at least it has more details, more smoothness and less jaggy pixels.

When I need better images, I use my 808PV.

Using GCam 5.1 Arnova v1.0 on Nokia Oreo.
 
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  • 18
    Since there is no such thread here yet, I wanted to start discussion about using modded Google Camera from this thread on Nokia 8 (mostly what's best configuration and version).

    What doesn't work:
    - Slow Motion in 6.1.x
    - HDR+ in 6.1.x when number of shots is set higher than 20

    What works:
    - HDR+ (including auto HDR with ZSL on both front and rear cameras)
    - Night Sight (only on 6.1.x ports and higher)
    - Portrait mode on both front and rear cameras (replaces lens blur mode from older versions of Google Camera)
    - Motion Pictures (only on Oreo and higher and only with rear camera set to 16:9 ratio and flash disabled)
    - Slow Motion video recording (only on 5.x GCam, broken again on 6.1.x ports)
    - Spherical photos
    - Panorama
    AR Playground (only with 6.1.x ports, you must also install ARCore first)

    Recommended for Pie (based on GCam 6.1.x): MGC_6.1.021_BSG_Arnova-based_v.1.2_TlnNeun.apk

    Recommended for Oreo (based on GCam 5.x): GoogleCamera-Pixel2Mod-Arnova8G2-V8.apk

    Site with all APKs listed: https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/
    5
    pics taken with Tolyan009's 0.2b build of v6.2 Google Cam:
    The quality of the photo is messed up a bit by the imgur upload
    4KTQHYJ.jpg

    IvEMM4X.jpg
    4
    New version released by Aranova8g2
    https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/#apk228
    Based on new google camera 5.2x
    Now slow motion works too.

    Sent from my TA-1004 using Tapatalk
    4
    This is taken in total dark, literally
    How can there be shadows on the floor if it was in total darkness? Come on man
    4
    I would say the best version is actually by BSG/tolyan MGC_5.3.015_B-S-G-based_v.1.0.14_final_TlnNeun

    Cstark 3.5 can nail the colour pretty well but tend to blur out the noises. It would be ideal to do that providing the Nokia can hit focus. However, under low light nokia's focus tend to be a bit whacky and there's always a bit of blurring, and double blurring makes the photo look a bit bad.

    The one by bsg/tolyan produces images that has sharpness, reminding me a bit of my Nexus 5x (the camera on that phone was a beast..). There is a bit more noise but the trade off is better in lower light, imo.

    However, occasionally you do get a photo with some whacky hdr/colour effect. Likewise on occasions with cstark.

    Hi, I followed your suggestion and installed the latest version by Tolyan009 which is based on 5.3 BSG porting. I also have on the phone the latest CStark stable with the wide/standard angle (based on 5.1).
    Unfortunately there's no "best version" at all, as you always have to put things in perspective:

    - Arnova's versions are, usually, the ones with more features: motion photos, slow motion, AR Stickers and so on, but there are a lot of downsides. His portings are unusable in low-light conditions as most of the shadows turns blue/violet. I tried almost everything to make them work, but nothing changed.

    - CStark's works best on LG phones, but, as of right now, it's clearly the winner on Nokia 8: colors are always natural, especially in shadows and low light conditions. The only downsides of this versions are: no motion photos, no slow motion and plus you can't sed a "maximum shutter speed". This means that in extremely low-light conditions you may shoot at 1/2 of sec, which you definitely can't handle without a tripod. I know you can change the shutter speed to "medium" instead of "super slow", but for some reasons this will make the app increase the ISO also in good light conditions.

    - Tolyan's latest version is good and I'm really surprised, I must say. It's very good for what concern all the options that it gives you and apparently has also a better dynamic range (noticeable only in portrait mode) than CStark. Plus it has all the "extra features" of Arnova's version (you can set a "safe shutted speed limit" at 1/10) and it seems to be pretty much stable. The only big downside of this version is: capabilities in low light. Even if I let the app to shoot at a very slow shutter speed (1/2) it's not able to merge all the shots in a decent photo and it will turn out totally black.

    Shot on Nokia 8 with CStark's version. Shutter speed 1/2. I used a tripod. The photo is retouched, but not very different from the original JPEG. Shutter speed was set to "super slow". Plus I also want to say that the original scene was completely dark. I'm going to add another picture of the same scene taken with another smartphone in minutes.

    You can click the image to enlarge it.



    Same scene: taken with a Nokia 6.1 without Google Camera installed: