Google Camera App for Redmi 5 Plus (Note 5 India)

Google Camera is one of the popular mods in the realm of Android mobile photography. It has sophisticated features that are not widely available on any other camera apps. Thanks to a distinctive Google’s technology embedded within this app and the integrated Google Lens. The app is originally available in Google-only devices like Nexus and Pixel. Luckily, some developers have managed to port the app and make it compatible for any other Android phones including those manufactured by Xiaomi.

Here in this page, we share a working build of Google Camera app ported by Arnova8G2 version 8. This build includes the fully working features including Portrait, Lens Blur, Panorama, and Photo Sphere. We tested this build on Redmi 5 Plus a.k.a Redmi Note 5 India (codename Vince). The result is stunning although we found it sometimes getting force-closed (around 3 times out of 10 times usage). If that happens, simply open it up again and it will work as usual.

Check also: Fully manual Nokia Camera Pro for any Xiaomi devices.

What we liked the most is its Portrait mode. The feature enables taking portrait photos with crispy bokeh effects even with a single camera. It is made possible using Artificial Intelligent (AI) and a specific algorithm that Google has developed. Such ability is what many Xiaomi users are expecting with the release of MIUI 10. Hence, users who opted to stay on MIUI 9 or who still wait for the release of MIUI 10 Stable* can try this app instead.

*per the time of posting this article, MIUI 10 is still in Global Beta version.

What works?

As what we have tested, these features are proven to run as expected:

• Lens Blur
• Panorama
• Slow Motion (120 fps)
• Photo Sphere
• Lens Blur
• Portrait Mode
• HDR+
• HDR+ Portrait
• HDR+ RAW + JPG (capture DNG)

These features are not enabled / not working:

• Motion Photos mode (requires Android 8.1 and adequate processor)
• AR Stickers.
• RAW photos on the front camera.

We were amazed by how the Slow Motion mode works recording a slowmo video at 120 frames per second (fps) on a 1080p resolutions. Such a feature is only possible at the lowest resolution and only at 60 fps on Vince’s default MIUI camera app. However, the only drawback is the video cannot be played as expected on any other Player apps. The result is astonishing when played on Google Photos or previewed on the Gcam app. The normal video recording mode also supports slowmo recording but only at 60 fps.

On top of that, the Portrait Mode is super. It can reproduce a bokeh-ish effect on Redmi 5 Plus 12MP single camera. In certain scenarios, it may not as good as those with a dual camera but it delivers the result great. We love this feature.

Download

Grab the full APK file from the direct links below:

Alternatively, you may also use this mirror link hosted on our server that supports resume-able and multiple download connections:

How to install?

Installing this app is just like installing any other app downloaded from third-party. However, the following conditions need to be met:

1. Allow installation from Unknown Sources. Go to Settings > Additional Settings > Privacy > enable the “Unknown Sources” option.
2. Bootloader unlocked. Use this tutorial to unlock MIUI bootloader officially or this for Redmi 5 Plus bootloader specifically.
3. Enable Camera2 API Level3. There are two methods to accomplish this requirement: with and without root. Please refer to our previous guide on how to enable Camera2 API without root. Alternatively, you can root using this method making use of TWRP / RWRP and Magisk.

Recommended Settings:

Once installed, the app will work out of the box. There are no required specific settings. However, there are some recommended settings that you may or may not follow. That’s just up to you.

• HDR+ parameters: “Default” is enough for most users. Higher settings may produce better photos, especially in hard conditions, but it takes more time to process.
• HDR+ image quality: Change the jpg compression (a lower value results in smaller files, but the quality is worse).
• HDR+ RAW+JPG: Save RAW files.
• Correction of auto-exposure HDR: Controls shutter speed, not 100% stable. Works better in low light and with HDR enhanced enabled.
• HDR+ enhanced for a portrait: Slower, but better portrait photos.
• Disable zoom in portrait mode: By default, it zooms in a bit.
• Use Nexus6P model: Photos with better details/sharpness (and noisier).
• Lens Blur resolution: Normal.  Lower is fastest while Higher is slowest to process.
• Improve in low light: ON. Take better photos in a low light condition.

Have you tried this modded Gcam on your Redmi 5 Plus or Redmi Note 5 India? Share the photos you captured in the comment section below.