• Installing Google camera on Xiaomi. Installing Google Camera How to install an application with an hdr camera

    Have you purchased a budget phone where the camera is not at all pleasing? Want advanced photo editing capabilities while shooting? Don't know how to create a bokeh effect? Don't despair, there is no need to immediately save up for an expensive flagship. There is a solution and it is - third-party camera from Google. But few people know how to install Google Camera on Xiaomi themselves.

    What are the benefits of the Google Camera app?

    Unfortunately, not all smartphones can boast of third-party camera support, and this is especially true for cheap models. But budget Xiaomi phones are lucky: devices with 4xx, 6xx and 8xx versions of the Snapdragon processor are installed without any problems recognizing Google Camera. What advantages does it have over an ordinary camera?

    The most important thing is support for the HDR+ mode, which is absent in Xiaomi and is available only in the Google application.

    Using HDR+ mode, you can create brighter photos in daylight and noticeably improve the quality of photos at night. After all, even mid-price smartphones suffer from the appearance of “noise” in night images.

    There is also an option improves shooting of moving subjects. Blurring is practically not noticeable, clarity and contrast appear. The detail is well done, even tiny details are visible if we photograph one specific object.

    Also, Google Camera is a must-have for lovers of portrait shots whose smartphones have a single module, because using it it is impossible to create a real “bokeh” mode. Google's Camera eliminates this problem. creating professional background blur.

    Do you love shooting videos on the go, but always forget your handheld stabilizer? Google developers took care of this . Camera HDR+ has built-in stabilization, thanks to which movements become smooth, beautiful and not sharp.

    Examples of HDR+ and HDR photos on Redmi Note 5

    On the left is Google Camera HGR+, on the right is the Redmi Note 5 camera in HDR mode.

    As you can see, the differences are very noticeable. Photos taken with Google Camera turn out juicy, saturated, there is no “blue” or “green”. It is impossible to find a faded photo, even if the shooting took place in low light. All details are worked out, shadows and natural reflections of light are noticeable.

    Don't forget that in the settings you can adjust the contrast, brightness, sharpness and white balance, which will make the photo look even better.

    Let's now see in what ways it is possible to install Google Camera HDR on Xiaomi smartphones. In fact, many users only know the method with , but it turns out that You can do without the “Superuser” mode, but only for the Mi A1 model.

    To do this, you need to install a special utility on your phone, which will automatically, temporarily, and at the end of the operation. Thanks to these steps, Google Camera will be installed in two clicks. Let's start:

    1. Let's go to “Settings”, disable screen lock;
    2. Now let's activate "Developer Mode" by clicking several times on the device build number.
    3. As soon as it turns on – move the slider towards “ON” opposite the factory unlock.
    4. Next, use a USB cable and install the necessary drivers.
    5. Download the zip archive with Google Camera by following this link: goo.gl/JkBsC3
    6. Installing the program while the phone is in ADB mode.

    If you have any difficulties, use the additional video instructions, which, unfortunately, are presented in Spanish, but with Russian subtitles it is quite possible to understand each action.

    Pay attention! No one guarantees that after the operation the phone will not enter the “ ” mode. There may be crashes, slowdowns and freezes in the camera application itself.

    Also, many users have further problems with over-the-air updates. Be careful!

    This is already a more common and basic option, which is practically safe for the phone. Certainly, You can't do without root rights here, since changes to system files will occur. Let's start:

    1. Download the Google Camera application from the 4pda forum in APK format. Please note that it is impossible to find this program on Google Play, and downloading from unknown sources is fraught with viruses.
    2. Unlocking the bootloader, if it has been deactivated up to this point.
    3. Be sure to get root rights.
    4. And the last decisive action: you need to edit a system file called "BuildProp", stored in the folder "system". It will not be possible to get there with help, so Let's use the special program ROOT Explorer, which can be installed from Google Play.
    5. We find this file and drive it into the very end "camera.HAL3.enabled = 1". No quotes or spaces.
    6. And now just install the camera like a regular application.

      7. Google Camera HDR+ on Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

      Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has an excellent built-in camera, but Google Camera is the ideal solution for this model for professional photography. You can install a third-party “camera” using the two methods described above. The second option is, of course, preferable and safer..
      Please note that different patches are required, and Google Camera must be downloaded specifically for your firmware and version. A huge number of files for almost all Xiaomi devices can be found on the 4PDA forum.

    Refuting the well-known postulate that you need to talk with a phone and take pictures exclusively with a camera, the well-known Google corporation has released specialized software for creating high-quality shots using a smartphone.

    The peculiarity of this application is that it maximizes the hardware capabilities of the built-in camera and allows you to take photographs that differ minimally from those taken with a professional camera. But today the Google camera is not installed on a Xiaomi smartphone using the standard method.

    Unfortunately, using all the capabilities of a 13 Mpixel camera, getting the result of shooting in raw format or an HDR quality photograph on your Redmi, is only possible after certain manipulations with the smartphone.

    Preparing your smartphone

    The amazing capabilities of the Google Camera application are provided by the Camera2 API software module, which actually needs to be activated. But you won’t be able to activate it using the phone’s standard software. To do this you need to do the following.

    Step one

    Unlock Android bootloader. The Internet stores enough examples with descriptions of different software versions of Xiaomi phones, and this procedure is beyond the scope of this article.

    So, in order to install advanced Camera on your phone, you first need to unlock the bootloader.

    At the same time, it will be possible to operate a smartphone operating system

    Step two

    Installing a modified or, in other words, custom recovery - TWRP, on a phone with an already unlocked bootloader. In short, this is how it is done:

    • Switch the device (with an unlocked bootloader) to FastBoot mode by simultaneously pressing the “Volume -” and “Power” keys;

    • Connect the phone (with a charged battery) to the computer with a USB cable;
    • Using programs prepared in advance, we install Recovery on the phone.

    If everything was done correctly and TWRP was successfully installed, you have the opportunity to install specialized software on your smartphone. We wrote more about this process.

    Step three

    The time has come to install exactly that specialized software that is not contained in any Market. Therefore, according to the third point of our plan, we transfer the smartphone to Recovery mode.

    It’s like fastboot, only differently: press the “Volume +” and “Power” keys while the device is turned off and get into the previously installed TWRP (if, of course, the second step was completed correctly).

    Software installation

    Camera2 API activation

    To activate the Camera2 API software module, you need to find and download two zip archives: Camera_2API_addon.zip, no-verity-opt-encrypt-6.0.zip. When you request any of these files, the search service will provide a sufficient number of valid links. The 4pda resource also contains a lot of information on this topic. These files are constantly updated, so it is better to find and download the latest version specifically for your model.

    An alternative way to activate the API is to edit the build.prop file in the system folder of the phone's main memory using Root Explorer. In this case, a prerequisite is the presence of root rights in the phone.

    After downloading the necessary files, you need to write them to the smartphone’s memory. According to the previous step of these instructions, the smartphone must be in recovery mode, and it is in this mode that the device must be connected to the computer. When the computer recognizes it as an additional flash drive, write two files to the TWRP folder.

    On the device screen (still in the same recovery mode), select the Install item and, using the “+” “-”, “power” keys, install specialized software.

    Installing Google Camera

    The final stage is to install the application’s apk file directly. It can also be found either using Google (Google camera apk), or thanks to the thematic thread of the 4pda forum. We start the standard procedure for installing the software on a smartphone, and then use all the capabilities of the application and the camera sensor pixels at your disposal.

    Bonus

    What does the owner of a Xiaomi smartphone get with a smart camera from Google?

    • Extended color range mode for HDR plus images;
    • Electronic image stabilization, which reduces the risk of getting “blurred” frames;
    • The background blur effect is “bokeh”. A mode previously available only to owners of DSLR cameras or smartphones with a dual main camera;
    • Advanced video camera functions.

    Good luck with your shots!

    The Google Camera HDR+ app is a very simple and, most importantly, affordable way to significantly improve the quality of shooting from your smartphone camera.

    Below we give a couple of examples. All photos were taken from the Xiaomi Mi A1 camera. The difference, as we see, is obvious and can be easily detected by the level of detail in the image.

    But before we talk about how to install Google Camera HDR+ on the Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone, there are a few technical details. As they say, for the sake of completeness.

    about Xiaomi Mi A1

    This, as you know, is a device with a very attractive specification for its price. The model is equipped with:

    • Snapdragon 625 processor with Adreno 506 graphics;
    • 64GB of internal memory and 4GB of RAM;
    • 5.5-inch display with IPS matrix;
    • and a 3000 mAh battery (in economy mode it lasts for almost 2 days, but if you use it actively, you need to charge it every day).

    And the main camera (dual, 12Mpix + 12Mpix, wide-angle + telephoto lens with 2x zoom) against this generally pleasant background is somehow especially pleasing (well, the price, again...). Hence the question:

    Why Google Camera HDR+ then?

    Firstly , taking advantage of the opportunity (and compatibility with Snapdragon), we decided to test the capabilities of the application. Secondly , there is something to test: RAW support, Full HDR+, Zero Shutter Lag function, etc.

    However, after installing the application, it turned out that Google Camera HDR+ functionality is no different. For example, you can adjust stabilization, resolution and panorama, but settings for OSD (on-screen display menu of the camera) and FSP are not provided.



    That is, you actually have to shoot in automatic mode, which, of course, may not appeal to those who prefer complete control. . But for users who take photos without delving into the subtleties, opportunities Google Camera HDR+ should be enough for the head.

    HDR+ works continuously, recording image data, so there is always a slight delay noticeable when a frame is captured. During image processing, HDR+ automatically selects several frames from which the final image is created. As a result, you get a photo in which both light and dark fragments are much better detailed. And this thirdly .

    how to install Google Camera HDR+ on Xiaomi Mi A1

    Achtung:

    #1. will be needed , otherwise you simply won’t be able to install the application. Therefore, if you don’t know what root is or have never configured a smartphone before, then this time it’s better not to risk it and first read a little about what root rights are and why it’s all needed.

    #2. If you already have other photography apps installed on your Mi A1, you should uninstall them before installing Google Camera HDR+. Otherwise, any custom settings will interfere with the application.

    #3. Before installing Google Camera HDR+, you also need to make a number of changes to the system files of Xiaomi Mi A1.

    We do the following:

    • In order for the smartphone operating system files to work, you need a file manager (Root Explorer is ideal) with open Superuser rights;
    • Using the file manager, open the folder “ system "and change the permissions in it from read-only (r/o) on read-write (r/w) — the button for this “ Mount R/W » on the dispatcher panel at the top;
    • then in the folder we find the file “ build.prop " and open it in a text editor (tap on it and hold down until a menu appears in which we select the appropriate option);
    • Now at the very end of the file we insert (or enter manually) two lines of code:
    persist.camera.eis.enable=1 persist.camera.HAL3.enable=1
    • save file " build.prop» with all changes made and reboot the smartphone .

    Budget phones from China have a lot of positive aspects, and therefore they are slowly capturing the market in their segment more and more quickly. But the quality of the cameras on such devices has always left much to be desired, so now we’ll figure out how to install a Google camera on Xiaomi to improve the quality of shooting, especially at night.

    It’s worth noting right away that to improve your Xiaomi device you will have to spend a little time and effort, and also make sure that it has an operating system of at least Android 7.0 installed, and that the device also has 4xx, 6xx and 8xx versions of the Snapdragon processor. Otherwise, Google Camera will not be recognized. The main advantage of this camera is that it has HDR+, which allows you to take brighter pictures even at night. The big advantage of HDR+ is that it improves shooting of moving objects, and it also has internal stabilization.

    Camera Installation

    But let's get down to business. If we describe this process briefly, then everything would fit into a few lines of a formatted list:

    • download the application for your version of Android, on the 4PDA website or any other website;
    • unlock bootloader;
    • update the firmware to the latest;
    • activate developer mode;
    • get Root rights;
    • install the program.

    In appearance, everything is really simple, but in fact, each item contains a separate series of operations.

    Download and unlock

    Surely no one will have any problems downloading the program itself, which we will then install. If you already have difficulties at this stage, then think twice about whether to continue the process. As for unlocking the bootloader, to do this you will have to log into your Mi account on the official website, switch to its English version and find the desired item.

    If it becomes possible to download the unlocker right away, great, but if you need to fill out a form, then enter the appropriate data. It is best to indicate the need to install a Russian version of firmware on the device as the reason for unlocking. When the application is received, you should perform the login operation again and press one button to unlock.

    Developer Mode

    Go to the “Settings” - “About the system” tab to activate the required mode. It happens when you click on the “MIUI Version” line seven times. Next you need to enable “USB Debugging” in the corresponding section “Advanced Settings” - “For Developers”.

    Ruth is right

    We go to the twrp website, look for your device and download the required image in the appropriate “Download Links” category. Next, be sure to download the important utility for installing the twrp image. We extract the files from the archive and the image downloaded from the twrp website into one folder, giving the image the name “kenzo-recovery.img”. Run the flash.bat file. After that, we put the device into fastboot mode using a USB cable. At the command line, press any key. The twrp firmware is installed.

    To obtain root rights, you will have to download a special archive with the installer and transfer the files in it to the root of the memory card. Next, we turn off the device and hold down all the keys, that is, volume and power, after which the Mi logo should appear on the display. In the recovery menu, click on the inscription “Install”, indicate the path to the archive that you just downloaded. To confirm your intentions, drag the slider to the right side.

    Installation

    Now all that remains is to transfer the previously downloaded files to the phone’s memory (if you downloaded them on a computer), install them and reboot the device. That's it, the camera is ready to use. Now all that remains is to take high-quality pictures and notice the difference in different conditions of its use. The effects that will appear thanks to this application are invisible to an inexperienced user, so the difference is worth noticing in the quality of the images.

    For those who try to perform the installation operation for the first time, we advise you to save all information on the phone on any medium, since there is a possibility of losing it. In general, we recommend experimenting with your phone for operations that are a little simpler. Happy owners of Mi A1 have the opportunity to install a camera without root access, but we will write a separate article about this another time.

    It's no secret that the standard camera app that comes with stock Android doesn't work very well, frankly. Therefore, smartphone manufacturers are forced to independently develop software that would cope with this task at least a little better. As we know, the result of such work is far from ideal. This is understandable, because programmers already have something to work on: implementing new functions, fixing errors in the proprietary shell, optimizing firmware, implementing security updates, preparing updates to the latest versions of Android for all their devices, etc. And since the camera, by and large, works without errors, improving the quality of its work is far from the highest priority task compared to other real problems.

    Or the huge and richest corporation Google, which is professionally engaged precisely in honing the existing functions of its products to perfection. After that, most of the changes made are distributed free of charge to all devices along with the new version of Android, but the good corporation reserves the most successful developments exclusively for itself and its line of Pixel smartphones. This is what happened with the Google Camera app, which can fully unleash the full potential of almost any mobile camera, but Google does not allow other manufacturers to pre-install it on their devices.

    Thanks to the craftsmen of the popular developer forum “XDA Developers”, the Google Camera application (in the future - Gcam) was successfully ported to OnePlus smartphones, and a little later the rest of the world joined the process of adapting it to other devices, thanks to which we now have special Gcam versions for almost all smartphones.

    But there are many nuances and pitfalls that you should know about before you get involved in this adventure. No one can guarantee you that the installation procedure will go “smoothly”. Moreover, in the process quite often you have to, as they say, “dance with a tambourine,” and for this you need to be a fairly experienced PC user.

    Possible problems

    List of possible side effects:

      there is a certain risk that the camera will stop working altogether.

      In rare cases, you will no longer be able to receive official updates over the air.

      If you do receive an Android update over the air, Gcam may stop working after that. You will need to repeat the entire installation procedure again.

      There is a possibility that the Google Pay app will stop working for you.

      Some Gcam features may be unstable or not work at all. The most common issues that cause problems are the slow motion and portrait mode functions on the front camera.

      If you have Android Oreo installed, be prepared for the fact that slow motion will almost certainly not work.

      and finally: your phone may stop turning on altogether. Yes, this also happens.

    If you are determined and all of the above does not scare you, then go into battle! On my own behalf, I would like to note that if you are attentive and careful enough, then even in case of failure, you will almost certainly be able to return everything to its original state. However, we remind you that the Andro-News resource is not responsible for any possible damage to your device. You perform any actions with your smartphone solely at your own peril and risk. We are simply sharing with you a method that we have already used dozens of times ourselves, installing Gcam on a variety of devices of almost any brand and price segment.

    Useful links

    Where to start?

    So, to begin with, upload several installation files in apk format from different versions of Gсam into the memory of your smartphone. Try installing and checking the functionality of each of them one by one. An important nuance: you do not need to install all versions of the application at once. Before installing each new version of the application, be sure to uninstall the old one. Sometimes it happens that already at this stage Gcam is installed and works fine. In this case, no further “dancing with a tambourine” will be required, and you are lucky.

    However, it's more likely that your camera app will either not launch or will take photos exactly the same as the standard camera app. Most often this means that the smartphone does not support the Camera 2 API, but you can try to fix this. For example, if you have already obtained ROOT rights, you can simply install the “Camera 2 API Enabler” application (link above). Otherwise, you won't be able to do without a computer.

    Algorithm of actions

    We will assume that Windows is installed on your PC.

    1). Download the “ADB and Fastboot” installation file to your PC (link above).
    2). Run it as Administrator, then confirm the installation of the drivers several times by entering the Latin letter “Y” into the command line and then pressing the “Enter” button.
    3). Download the latest version of TWRP for your smartphone (link above) to the “C:\adb” folder on your PC (created automatically after step 2). Rename the downloaded iso file to “twrp” (twrp.iso). Please note: the downloaded TWRP must be for your smartphone model. Options like “similar”, “almost the same”, and even “the same, but without the letter i/g/x...” are not suitable. If there is no official TWRP for your smartphone yet, you can try to find an amateur build, but we recommend just abandoning this whole idea.
    4). Charge your smartphone at least 50%, and preferably completely.
    5). Install the latest official firmware update.
    6). Go to the “Settings” - “About phone” menu. Click on the “Build number” line about 10 times in a row until a message appears stating that you have opened the developer menu


    7). Go to the “Settings” - “For Developers” menu. Enable the “USB Debugging” and “Factory Unlock” items.
    8). Go to the “Settings” - “Security” menu. Disable any screen lock.
    9). Turn off your smartphone. After turning off completely, press the “On” buttons. and “Volume -”. Keep them pressed until the picture appears on the smartphone display. “Bootloader” should appear.
    10). We connect the smartphone to the PC using a high-quality USB cable.
    11). On your computer, go to the “C:\adb” folder, hold down the Shift key and right-click on a free area. Select “Open PowerShell window here” from the drop-down menu.

    12). In the window that opens, run the command:

    fastboot devices
    If after executing this command you see some strange device with the word fastboot in front of it, then everything is fine, your smartphone is connected. Otherwise, you need to figure out what went wrong and only then proceed to the next steps.
    13). Run the commands one by one:
    fastboot oem unlock
    fastboot boot twrp.img
    14). Wait for TWRP to load on your smartphone. If any question appears when starting it, select “Keep read only”. In case you have not yet created a backup copy of your working firmware (ROM), be sure to do it now using the TWRP menu in order to roll back all changes in case something goes wrong.
    Attention: Do not disconnect the cable from the PC, so as not to cause an ADB connection error.
    15). After completing the ROM backup process on your smartphone, return to the PC and execute the following commands:
    adb shell
    setprop persist.camera.HAL3.enabled 1
    exit
    adb reboot bootloader
    16). We wait until Bootloader starts again on the smartphone, after which we execute the last two commands:
    fastboot oem lock
    fastboot reboot
    17). After rebooting your smartphone, disconnect the cable and try installing Gcam via apk again.

    Problem Solving

    If you see errors, uninstall the application and try installing a different version. If errors are observed with any version of Gcam, you should repeat steps 9 to 17, but in step No. 15, instead of the second command, run this one: setprop persist.camera.eis.enable 1

    If the smartphone stops turning on, follow steps 9 to 13, wait for TWRP to load and restore your backup.

    On many smartphones (Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.) to unlock the bootloader, you must submit a corresponding application on the official website.

    If you can't open photos from the camera app, go to the “Debugging and tools” menu, uncheck “camera.use_photos” and restart the app.

    If you get a black screen when you turn on the front camera, try installing one of the latest builds from our friend “Arnova8G2”. After that, in the settings you can select “Disable Front Camera HDR” (may also be called “Fix Black Screen”).

    If you have a fresh version of Android, older versions of Gcam may cause errors, and vice versa, if you have a slightly outdated version of Android, newer versions of Gcam may cause errors.

    Gcam only works on Android 7+. If you have Android 6 or older, Gcam will not work.

    If you are the owner of a Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone, you can also use our instructions at this link: https://goo.gl/isZLTp

    And don’t forget that all of the above manipulations can potentially brick your smartphone. You perform any actions with your device solely at your own peril and risk. If you are not sure that you are ready to risk your device, the editors of Andro-News recommend that you refrain from any actions described here.

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