Pixel 5 new camera software coming?

Last I'm aware of is Google Camera 7.4 and some ports to other phones. Further searching that version or others here may tell you more about it. Compatibility is always an issue, and a third-party malware scan recommended for any APK from anyplace. (7.4 not there for my Moto phone, and I'm pretty new to GCam but I do have a good working port of GCam 7.3.)

They did add some tweaks to the GCam apparently.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/3125482767/google-announces-its-new-budget-friendly-pixel-4a-5g-flagship-pixel-5-smartphones

It was a surprise they released "5" so soon after the top of the camera development team left earlier this year - looks to be more an incremental "Pixel 4S" than a serious rethink of the hardware / software configuration (which may be happening).

Im a Pixel owner, but one thing that annoys me about some Pixel owners who are not photographers is they state it is the best camera in any smart phone, which is straight up rubbish.
The IMX363 has been in use for too long now, asking a ridiculous price for the Pixel 5 when the OP Nord is half the price and near identical hardware with an imx586, which runs GCam perfectly (one of the best ports Ive seen).
Im waiting for the p6 to upgrade. Pixel have been milking sub standard hardware for price premiums for far too long and rubbish battery optimisation. Its embarrassing, worse yet people see the AI which bins the worst photo of a set and think its the camera then they see HDR+ and think over saturated HDR bordering on puke levels with over sharpening is amazing. I can understand that given they do not understand photography. But Google are preying on these people. Yes its easy to use software, but the IQ vs either the imx586, 686. 700 or any of the Samsung Bright 5 sensors is just TERRIBLE. 
The phone should be good though. Hopefully Google being a software company actually put some effort into optimising the battery and not just letting the 4100mah battery and the 765 SoC which is not much better power wise than the 730 but has 20% better battery optimisation.
Id sum it up as, Google stop being lazy, producing the same phones and milking them for all they are worth.

"which runs GCam perfectly (one of the best ports Ive seen)"

problem is many gcam port and one can never be sure is really the same as pixel phone (most likely isn't, different in color for example)

buy pixel is paying for real google software and not just hardware

Jefftan wrote:

"which runs GCam perfectly (one of the best ports Ive seen)"

problem is many gcam port and one can never be sure is really the same as pixel phone (most likely isn't, different in color for example)

buy pixel is paying for real google software and not just hardware

Yes I understand the preference for native Android. But there needs to be a better sensor, this is the 6th mobile they have used the 2014 imx363 on. IMO it just shows they are lazy with the software and not prepared to improve it or the IQ. Keep in mind this is purely a photography forum.

But on vanilla android. Before I bought a Nord, I did my homework. Oxygen OS has a LOT of the vanilla droid functions, but it also improves on it. I thought the xiaomi.eu was the best UI skin, but now I think it is OP OxygenOS as the best UI including vanilla android.

I agree the Gcam Ports are very often only functioning on certain aspects. BUT even if it is just the main sensor, something like the Sammy s20fe appears great value running GCam on the main sensor.

For me the native OP camera software is actually very good for the main sensor which is the last gen IMX586. Actually that technically is 2 gens ago. So I made sure everything functioned with Gcam port. For half the price of the Pixel 5, it shows how much Google is running well in the back of the pack. So you have the option to use gcam for casual shooting, although the OP is fine too, Id use the Gcam at night. BUT I would use its native cam at night for astro photography on a tripod or taking manual HDR which comes out much nicer than the Gcam HDR+ software. That is for planned photography.

Ive run the current Gcam on my Pixel and on my Nord and the Nord is slightly better and gives more flexibility. The portrait lens is pretty rubbish, the macro while not great is fine for non moving objects.

This is how the OP Nord runs with the Gcam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLx4ItET_c8&ab_channel=Phandroid

"Sammy s20fe appears great value running GCam on the main sensor"

i plan to buy pixel 5 but if i did buy Samsung, I must use gcam port. I can't tolerate Samsung oversaturate fake color. iphone have the same problem. right now only pixel and sony have more natural color

to a photographer like myself, those fake green color is real ugly. I am not sure if gcam port on s20fe will have the more natural pixel color. So gcam on Nord get u real pixel color?

Jefftan wrote:

I can't tolerate Samsung oversaturate fake color. iphone have the same problem. right now only pixel and sony have more natural color

If you do not like iPhone you will not like Pixel. IMO pixel is the most fake look of them all. It is extreme HDR and extreme over sharpening with HDR, id be very careful there. Also it uses a sensor 3 generations old and is small. It squeezes the last possible drop out of it with the software.

I have a Pixel, Iphone, Nord, Samsung, Xiaomi

The Nord imo (this is just an opinion) uses fairly natural tones, and compared to the pixel its native jpg's are not far behind, when i use the Gcam port on the Nord (which is one of the best ports Ive used of Gcam), the Nord imo is slightly better than the Pixel. This might be due to the larger newer sensor (imx586, pixel imx363)with bigger pixels (after applying quad bayer type system).

Here is a good video test that will show you the difference on the Nord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLx4ItET_c8&ab_channel=Phandroid

The benefit you get with using other phones is you have a manual mode, you do not get this on the Pixel, at all.

However the s20fe uses one of Samsungs weaker sensors, the Samsung S5K2LD,

The Sensor in the s20 series, 20+ etc, and what the class leading Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro are using is the much better 108mp (converts to 12mp jpgs) Samsung Bright S5KHM1. It uses a quad bayer type algorithim, so I believe the 0.8um pixels convert to 3.2um pixels (somebody correct me if Im wrong), it uses a much bigger 1/1.33" sensor (pixel is 1/2.55") and f1.8. So bigger sensor, bigger pixels = much more light in, more light = much better IQ.
So the Pixel should produce in theory even better results on the samsung (snap dragon version, not the exynos model, USA,China, South Kor only).
Colours are just the software and can be corrected in post processing, but for me, just personal opinion, the Pixel software produces a very fake looking image (but is impressive for people who are not photographers, or enjoy surrealism).
Just my opinion.

Brian Mosley wrote:

Portraits with night sight will be nice, but otherwise we'll need to see an upgrade in hardware for a future pixel to be worth an upgrade.

Hope that helps.

100% agree, see my above post.

It is sad that Google released yet another phone with the old sony imx363.
I can live with a major downgrade in processor, the 765 instead of an 865, because the price is much lower than before. But there are too many competitors at half the price with the 765 and much better sensors who can use the gcam 7 and even 8 software. 
IMO Oyxgen OS on my Nord is even better than native android on my Pixel, so that doesnt justify twice the price either.
One thing they did with the 5 is increase the screen refresh to 90hz, but that is the same on the Nord, in fact I enjoy its screen the most of any screen so far.
I cannot wait to try the iPhone Mini, as I enjoy small screen phones. The apple camera software is better than Gcam imo. And it is priced the same as the Pixel, so I can see the Pixel yet again failing. Google to a HORRIBLE job at optimising batteries, luckily this is the main feature of the 765 SoC, but I bet there is no effort from a software perspective by google. Google I guess can afford to keep making mediocre phones for premium prices, but I wish they would try to make something decent for the price.
This is SURELY the last we will see of the IMX363 and as you said they will use a newer, bigger sensor like the imx700 used in the P40 Pro.