Google helps debut Japanese music video shot with the Pixel 6 [Updated]

Kyle Bradshaw | Oct 24 2021 - 1:35 pm PT

Ahead of the big Pixel Fall Launch event tomorrow, Google and Japanese artist Kaze Fujii are teasing a music video shot on the Pixel 6.

Update: The full music video for “MO-EH-YO,” shot on the Google Pixel 6, is now available.

Up to this point, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have leaked almost in their entirety, between specs, benchmarks, pricing leaks, and even Google themselves showcasing the phone’s design. One thing that we haven’t seen much of is just how capable the Pixel 6 is for taking photos and videos, outside of a sole set of examples taken in far-from-ideal conditions.

As spotted by This is Tech Today, we have our first official look at video taken on a Pixel 6 series device, thanks to a music video coming soon from Kaze Fujii. While the full video doesn’t release until October 24, well after Google takes the wraps off the phone, Fujii has shared a teaser for “MO-EH-YO” (or “Ignite”) which appears to feature 15 seconds of footage from the Pixel 6.

Unfortunately, there’s not too much we can tell about the Pixel 6’s camera quality from the teaser video, particularly because it’s entirely in black and white. The teaser is also not available in 4K, making it harder to see the full potential details that could be present.

That said, from what we do have, the fine details in Fujii’s hair and jacket seem to be crisp and well-defined, even in motion. While far from a definitive look at the Pixel 6 camera, this music video’s early tease shows promise for Google’s video capabilities this year.

Interestingly, as explained on Google’s promotional website, the music video’s debut on YouTube will be preceded by a series of five 30-second shorts that play in sequence across five different television channels in larger cities of Japan, forming a “prologue” to the video. It’s likely this prologue is also shot with the Pixel 6, just like the main video, though that isn’t confirmed on the page.

Update 10/24: Right on schedule, Google and Kaze Fujii have released the full four and a half minute music video for “MO-EH-YO,” giving us the longest example yet of video from the Pixel 6 series ahead of its release on October 28.

While the video footage was indeed shot on the Pixel 6, it’s important to remember that, being a prominent music video, high-end equipment like gimbals and cranes were likely in use, as well as professional editing of the footage.

That said, there are certainly a lot of aspects of the “MO-EH-YO” music video that speak to the Pixel 6’s video prowess, including the level of visible detail in the city scenes and the impressive bokeh in closeup shots. Unfortunately, there’s only so much we can judge from the video, as it is only available in 1080p, while the Pixel 6 is capable of filming at up to 4K.

It’s not clear precisely which model the music video and teaser were shot on. The promotional website almost exclusively refers to the “Google Pixel 6,” but imagery on the site shows the higher-end Pixel 6 Pro.

This is not the first time that Google has done a special promotion for the Pixel 6 in Japan. Last month, the company celebrated the upcoming debut of Google-made Tensor chips by releasing bags of “Google Original [Potato] Chips.”

This article originally had the headline “Google teases Japanese music video shot with the Pixel 6”