@JustJake thanks for asking. No one else has asked about it.
I shoot almost exclusively in “cinematic pan” mode on my Pixel 7 pro, which slows the video by 50%, which helps make it look smoother. One thing you can do right in Google photos, under edit is to add stabilization. Stabilization helps a lot, but it does crop in a little on the video.
For the montages and most any video I edit (which is all of them) I use Capcut on Android. There is a desktop version as well, but usually I use the version on my phone. It is the free version. Capcut tries to make you think you need to login or create an account, but you don’t have to.
Capcut is made by tik-tok which I’m not crazy about. Unfortunately, almost all of the tutorial videos are by tik-tokers and for me they are like listening to someone dragging their nails down a chalk board.
I’d be happy to give you some tips and if others are interested, work on some focused on what we do.
Most people don’t realize how much a little tweaking can greatly improve a video or photo.
The color correcting, saturation,contrast, exposure, etc tools are really very good and easy to use.
I’ve developed a little pattern of editing that I use over and over.
Ask me more questions and I’d be happy to write more.
Fantastic, thank you @Rednewt74 . I’m familiar with the correction tools on Pixel. I’ve got my new 8 Pro sitting on my desk waiting for me to have time to tinker and set it up. I used the stabilizing feature for my recent Challenge Post. I thought that may have had something to do with the quality being diminished once I posted, but I think Googs just hasn’t made Maps quite ready to accept the full UHD awesomeness of their own phones.
I’ve heard of but never used Capcut. I was under the impression it left a watermark based on my exposure to it on TikTok. I started working on learning Adobe Rush a while back but it was overkill for what I needed.
I will add ‘Post More Videos’ to my New Year’s Resolutions, and endeavor to look into Capcut. I appreciate you disclosing the secrets of your craft, man!
I thought it was you had a Pixel 8 on order. I had a 6a before. I love my 7 pro. Doing a lot of videos or photos eats right through the battery. If I’m going out for long, I carry a battery pack. I’ve also have a few occasions where overheating has been an issue. Please keep me posted on how the 8 is working for you.
If you have capcut upload directly to a site it will add a water mark. If you accidentally choose “add an ending” while editing it will add a “made with CapCut” tag at the end.
After you export (render) the video, you can upload it to Google photos and then add it to Maps as usual.
I too have found most other video editors to be over kill with a too steep learning curve.
As to resolution, I shoot in 4K. That way you aren’t loosing resolution due to the stabilization cropping and you crop in for better one framing. Capcut allows for key frames, so can get a zoom in effect. Capcut also has stabilization and sharpening.
I also will reverse clips if I panned in the wrong direction.
Yeah, I can hear the poor Pixel calling out to me from the box @Rednewt74 . I just got my update to Android 14 last night and was dumbfounded by the sudden relocation of the video option. I nearly missed a video I wanted to shoot because I couldn’t find it. It was a pretty low moment in my Xennial life to be fumbling with a phone . The 6a was solid. I set my mom and mother in law up with those, but I agree that the 7 Pro is just a great device.
Overheating has always been an issue. I’m in Arizona, so I can hardly take pictures at all between June and September. I had to get a mount that went over my car’s air conditioning vent just to cool it off quickly between photo-drives (we don’t walk much between June and Sept, either).
Alas, we’re on the Maps forum, not Pixel Superfans. We’ll have to take this fanclub chat offline!
Yes but this important info that we are making guides aware of before choosing a new “camera”.
The camera/video toggle has taken getting used to, but I do like it. Especially, because it takes you back to the previous setting you used. But switching the photo review and the self-camera? Really?
@JustJake Four weeks ago was the first time I ever discovered a phone camera could overheat. I was taking photos and videos outside the place where I intended to buy lunch on a very hot day, and the phone said it was too hot for the camera to work. It’s a Samsung Android A8 about 5 years old, so nothing special really. I’m old enough to use a phone for phoning, and consider the other features and functions to be incidental. So I’m happy with what I have.
Thanks for the mention. I’ve been trying to catch up from a big backlog of a 17 day trip, and am finally down to 920 photos to edit/submit. Although my oldest son does it the most (searches for good places to eat using Google Maps), since he does a lot of travelling, I’ve recognized that all 4 of us do it regularly (Wife and 2 boys). In fact, if you were to travel to a new location for a few days, what better tool provides reviews of better than average food, photos of business both inside and out, from those who have both frequented as well as visited that establishment? We’ve used a not mentioned but popular site for the reviews in the past, but then need to use another tool to navigate there. We HAVE learned that the Maps ratings are usually rated higher than at that site, but adjust our searches accordingly…in Las Vegas for instance, only look for 4.5 stars instead of 4.0.
Now that I’ve been roaming about the country this past 5 months as well as spending time in Florida, I’m finding that asking someone AT another business can be very subjective, and have mixed results. Although I’m an older guy, I prefer the tech. It’s easy to check the types of restaurants that those who have reviewed in the past, helping confirm they like the same type of food you do. Asking someone at the front desk of a hotel…no way to check what they really like, and will more likely lead to disappointment. What would you use for locating food when travelling to 5 different cities in 17 days with limited time to do so? Anyone else?? - Steve
@shunsader Thanks for following up. In the previous mention, I thought your son was searching for dinner in your own hometown.
I haven’t been faced with that exact same scenario when I travel so I’m uncertain how it would go. For certain reasons, I think the end result might still be different to yours.
Thank you @Rednewt74 for sharing your video experience. I’ve made very few videos so far and try to learn a lot about it. I like your album with the photo compositions best.
. The 6a was solid. I set my mom and mother in law up with those, but I agree that the 7 Pro is just a great device.