Penguin Google Gcam port

J.B. Wood

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May 11, 2021, 1:26:33 AM5/11/21

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I don't have a Pixel but I wanted to try out the Google Gcam port.
https://www.xda-developers.com/google-camera-port-hub/

The camera inspector said the phone had only limited Camera 2 API support.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.airbeat.device.inspector

As a result most of the Gcam ports I tried only did video & panorama.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/pixel-camera-port.3863094/

But eventually I found the "Penguin" port which also works with snapshot.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/gcam-for-galaxy-a50-a51-tab-s6-and-more-penguingcam.4165437/

Both the 4.1 and 5.1 APKs worked with video, panorama, and snapshot.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v4-1-apk.5203857/
Name: PenguinGCam_v4.1.apk
Size: 34220283 bytes (32 MiB)
SHA256: 8647DF117F7E4B19945B601A32077E4CEC9E8B657F4E9A9089361A1F14266A80

https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v5-1-apk.5267035
Name: PenguinGCam_v5.1.apk
Size: 34217705 bytes (32 MiB)
SHA256: 2B63911A6D38CD5A8D08F81D515C2CF6071618549BEFE38BDEAD56CE2A1DB1F6
--
J. B. Wood e-mail: arl_1...@hotmail.com

The Real Bev

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May 11, 2021, 2:00:55 AM5/11/21

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On 05/10/2021 10:26 PM, J.B. Wood wrote:
> I don't have a Pixel but I wanted to try out the Google Gcam port.
> https://www.xda-developers.com/google-camera-port-hub/
>
> The camera inspector said the phone had only limited Camera 2 API support.
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.airbeat.device.inspector

I like the native camera app that came with the Pixel 2 -- with one
glaring exception: the mode slider (video/camera/portrait/night...
selector) is a slider across the bottom of the screen right below the
'shutter' button and which is REALLY easy to slide without knowing it --
until you start taking a video when you really just wanted to take a
picture. This is especially annoying in bright daylight when the screen
is pretty much invisible and you 'frame' by pointing the phone in the
general direction of what you want to shoot.

I'd like a few more controls, but the camera itself is really very good.

> As a result most of the Gcam ports I tried only did video & panorama.
> https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/pixel-camera-port.3863094/
>
> But eventually I found the "Penguin" port which also works with snapshot.
> https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/gcam-for-galaxy-a50-a51-tab-s6-and-more-penguingcam.4165437/
>
> Both the 4.1 and 5.1 APKs worked with video, panorama, and snapshot.
> https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v4-1-apk.5203857/
> Name: PenguinGCam_v4.1.apk
> Size: 34220283 bytes (32 MiB)
> SHA256: 8647DF117F7E4B19945B601A32077E4CEC9E8B657F4E9A9089361A1F14266A80
>
> https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v5-1-apk.5267035
> Name: PenguinGCam_v5.1.apk
> Size: 34217705 bytes (32 MiB)
> SHA256: 2B63911A6D38CD5A8D08F81D515C2CF6071618549BEFE38BDEAD56CE2A1DB1F6

--

Cheers, Bev
If he had any brains, he'd take them out and play with them.

J.B. Wood

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May 11, 2021, 11:54:53 AM5/11/21

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On 5/11/2021 8:00 AM, The Real Bev wrote:

> I like the native camera app that came with the Pixel 2 -- with one
> glaring exception: the mode slider (video/camera/portrait/night...
> selector) is a slider across the bottom of the screen right below the
> 'shutter' button and which is REALLY easy to slide without knowing it

Good news.

The Google Gcam camera mode selection slider is admittedly in the wrong
place but the good news is the Penguin GCam port removed that bottom slider.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/gcam-for-galaxy-a50-a51-tab-s6-and-more-penguingcam.4165437/

At least on the two Penguin ports that worked for me there is no slider.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v5-1-apk.5267035/
https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v4-1-apk.5203857/

Instead some camera controls are on the top (timer, grid, balance, flash).
(Why they don't just make the flash control tap-tap-tap I'll never know.)

At top left is a hamburger with what would have been in the bottom slider.
Bad news is not everything in the original Gcam is in that hamburger.

In the top left Penguin GCam port are just the following GCam options
Slow Motion
Panorama
PhotoSphere
LensBlur/Portrait Mode

Plus an additional "PenguinGCam Settings" option containing options for
Last updated 01/04/2021
Camera sounds
HDR +
Add Location
Dirty Lens warning
Dark Mode
Gestures
Back camera photo resolution
Front camera photo resolution
PhotoSphere & Panorama resolution

Advanced > Camera sounds(force)
Advanced > Video Stabilization(force)
AR Stuff > AR Stickers(Android 8+)
AR Stuff > Playground(Android 9+)
Compatible Photo Editors > Snapseed (tap to install)
Compatible Photo Editors > Google Photos Editor (tap to install)
Links > (various links to FAQ, help, and XDA-Developer support sites)

More good news for others is both Penguin ports I tried worked on my phone
which isn't even listed in that article (multiple other ports failed).

J.B. Wood

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May 12, 2021, 2:03:33 AM5/12/21

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On 5/11/2021 8:00 AM, The Real Bev wrote:
> I like the native camera app that came with the Pixel 2 -- with one
> glaring exception: the mode slider (video/camera/portrait/night...
> selector) is a slider across the bottom of the screen right below the
> 'shutter' button and which is REALLY easy to slide without knowing it

On 5/11/2021 5:54 PM, J.B. Wood wrote:
> The Google Gcam camera mode selection slider is admittedly in the wrong
> place but the good news is the Penguin GCam port removed that bottom slider.
> https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/gcam-for-galaxy-a50-a51-tab-s6-and-more-penguingcam.4165437/

To better see what the Real Bev was describing about bottom controls of GCam
I managed to install a second concurrent Google GCam port which works much
more along the lines of the original GCam app The Real Bev was lamenting.

Penguin GCam port (main controls are not on the bottom slider)

Name: PenguinGCam_v5.1.apk
Size: 34217705 bytes (32 MiB)
SHA256: 2B63911A6D38CD5A8D08F81D515C2CF6071618549BEFE38BDEAD56CE2A1DB1F6

https://forum.xda-developers.com/attachments/penguingcam_v5-1-apk.5267035/

Wichaya GCam port (main controls are just like they are with Google GCam)
Name: Camera_Go_1.8.3_Wichaya.apk
Size: 15629747 bytes (14 MiB)
SHA256: 32377240F5F66F6FE927B458E21B40FA44F60CEA7C0634B2586AECFFE2F22B41
https://devdrive.cloud/3ae36e5c867582a2/Camera_Go_1.8.3_Wichaya.apk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14wioruVDUHO7VW-Tg2dGjY4JyDbal5LY/view

The Wichaya GCam APK port works as The Real Bev described as it has along
the bottom "Portrait", "Photo", "Video" and "Translate" with a balance
slider above that set of easily brushed up against bottom controls.

At top left is a settings gear with "Night mode", "Flash", "Face Enhance",
"Timer" & "Storage" options. At top right is a repeat of the "on off
automatic" flash settings (why they don't do a tap-tap-tap is beyond me).

At the top middle is a strange "You can take 12,646 photos" or "You can take
347 minutes" of video storage assessment that advises "We'll tell you when
you're running out of space" which I don't remember seeing in old GCam apps.

Both the Penguin & Wichaya GCam ports work concurrently - which is nice for
those (like The Real Bev) who dislike the bottom slider but who want the
functionality inherent in the official Google Pixel/Nexus GCam application.