Imagine shelling out $999 for a cutting-edge smartphone, only to discover that its high-end telephoto camera produces shaky, jerky videos. That’s the reality for some Google Pixel 10 Pro users, who’ve found themselves grappling with a frustrating software glitch. But here’s the silver lining: it’s not a hardware defect, and there’s a surprisingly simple fix—though it’s not what you’d expect.
TL;DR
- A software bug tied to Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) is causing jittery video recordings on the Pixel 10 series’ telephoto camera.
- The issue isn’t limited to Google’s native camera app; it affects third-party apps that rely on Google’s EIS API as well.
- Ironically, disabling video stabilization in the Pixel Camera app completely resolves the stuttering—a counterintuitive but effective solution.
Google’s Pixel 10 series is undoubtedly packed with impressive features, but it’s no stranger to bugs. From fuzzy displays to software quirks, Pixel users often find themselves troubleshooting issues that shouldn’t exist on a premium device. This latest hiccup involves the telephoto camera, which, when used for video recording, produces noticeable stuttering—especially during panning or movement. One Reddit user, No_Particular7571, first highlighted this issue, sparking a wave of investigations across the Pixel community.
And this is the part most people miss: The problem isn’t isolated to Google’s camera app. Third-party apps like Blackmagic Camera and ProShot, which leverage Google’s EIS implementation, exhibit the same jittery behavior. However, the free and open-source Open Camera app offers a workaround. By using its own EIS API instead of Google’s, users can record smooth, stutter-free telephoto videos. This discovery not only confirms the issue as software-related but also raises questions about the reliability of Google’s EIS implementation.
Controversial Take: Could this be a sign of rushed software optimization in Google’s flagship devices? While the Pixel series is celebrated for its camera capabilities, recurring bugs like this one might make users wonder if the software is truly up to par with the hardware. What do you think? Is this a minor oversight, or a symptom of a larger issue?
To fix the stuttering, Pixel 10 users can follow these steps:
- Open the Pixel Camera app.
- Tap the Settings icon in the bottom left corner.
- Navigate to More settings to access all camera options.
- Disable Video stabilization. This turns off EIS but leaves Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) intact, ensuring you still get some stabilization.
Alternatively, download the Open Camera app and use its in-house EIS for telephoto video recording. This way, you can keep using the Pixel Camera app for regular photos and videos while relying on Open Camera for telephoto footage.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment on this EIS bug and will update this article with any response. In the meantime, here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Should premium smartphones like the Pixel 10 Pro be held to a higher standard when it comes to software reliability? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
