| Pro race zoom results are not all terrible. This image was taken in 52.7x zoom. Photo: AB Ferguson |
When Google Google Pixel 10 Series announced Last month, it highlighted the ‘Pro Race Zoom’ feature. While these abilities definitely look good on paper, and Google has shown some impressive results, we have put us in the test to see what it is really able to do.
What is Pro Race Zoom?
Traditionally, the phone has used the process of harvesting and increasing an image when the user chooses to zoom its maximum optical settings in the past. However, digital zoom usually results in images that are very low, which is very less than detailed. This is especially the case when trying to take some photos from some distance, because the more crop (and low of the sensor you use), the poor the quality is as bad.
Google’s latest pro race zoom tool also uses cropping and expansion, but combines it with generative AI; The first use of technology in the company’s camera app. Google says that the Pro Race will maintain detail by generating information to fill the zoom interval.
The standard Pixel 10 Pro provides up to 20X to the Race Zoom, while 10 Pro and 10 Pro allows up to XL 100X. On two Pro models, Pro Race Zoom does not kick up to 30x. Below uses anything more traditional method of digital zoom, while anything above 30x receives AI treatment.
Real-World Pro Race Zoom Test
We all have seen bottled AI image generation a lot at this point. So when Google said that Pixel 10 models would be using generative AI for the Pro Race Zoom feature and enabled the 100x zoom, I was a little reluctant. I have tested some time convenience, and it can be a bit of a mixed bag.
When you take a photography using a Pro Race Zoom, Google gives you an impossible file with AI processed image. You will look at both versions in the examples below, showing what AI is making changes.
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| This image was taken with 32x zoom, so the bird was not far away from me. On the left is an imageous image, and on the right is Pro Race Zoom Processed Image. Photo: AB Ferguson |
I tried a Pro Race Zoom on a few birds, as it seems like a natural use case for the feature. This corrected things at the level of the lower zoom, such as in the example above. The details remained quite natural looking, and it actually appears to be high quality than the version that was not processed with AI. However, as I zoomed more, things started separating.
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| Original, impossible image, 100x zoom. | The first attempt in Pro Race Zoom at 100x. |
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| Second attempt in Pro Race Zoom at 100x. | You can see the bird as a small white imagination in this image taken with the main camera in this image. |
In the above examples, I zoom in 100x. As you can see, the results leave a lot to be desired. The top right image is the result of my struggle to keep the phone stable while zoom so far, which can cause acute ghosts and three legs. The left image below was still another attempt in holding, and it turned out to be at least better, although the expansion still has a lack of the bird’s body.
Sometimes, I found that Pro Race Zoom results in some classic generative AI results, including missing animals or missing parts. For example, in the picture of the duck below, the duck now has wings on its beak now. Pro Race Zoom handled the rest of the image quite well, but was struggling with that area.
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| The image on the left side, and pro Race zoom image on the right. Photo: AB Ferguson |
When Google presented the Pro Race Zoom, it was clarified that it is for landscapes and sites. However, Google said that special tuning applies when people are in the frame to prevent odd images. Naturally, I tried it at a person at 100x, to see what would happen, and at least the result was entertaining.
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| The left image on the left, and pro race zoom processed image on the right. Photo: AB Ferguson |
Creating accurate lessons in images has been a difficult task for historically generative AI, so I prepared to take some images of signals even during my test. On the text, which was relatively readable when zoom was zoom without processing, Pro Race Zoom did a good job of keeping things in this way. However, if the lesson was challenging to read in advance, AI processing did not improve things.
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| The left image on the left, and pro race zoom processed image on the right. Photo: AB Ferguson |
final thoughts
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| When an image is created with a pro race zoom, the material would specify credentials that the AI tool was used. |
Overall, the lower the zoom level, the better the Pro Race Zoom Results. This is not surprising, given that the same is true of basic digital zoom; The higher the crop, the lower the actual image will work with the data. But regardless of quality, here are some additional factors to consider. First, it is challenging to take a picture when zoom is done on 20x, and is remarkably difficult on 100x. Successfully preparing a shot on such magnification is not an easy task, and possibly not practical for most situations.
Perhaps more importantly, in many images above, it is very clear that generic AI was used. Google adds content credentials For Pixel 10 phones, so processed images with Pro Race Zoom are tagged as using AI tools, but it still sounds less than a picture as more graphic because the image produces how much expansion arises, instead of that it is captured. Of course, everyone will have their own views on that front, but it is worth considering.
