Which is the best ‘Pro’ on the market?

Apple and Google are two manufacturers that satisfaction themself on best-in-class digicam telephones. They’ve constructed reputations on it and proceed to play to this power with the newest iPhone 15 Professional and Pixel 8 Professional. This begs the query: you probably have $999 to spend in your subsequent smartphone improve, what ought to an avid photographer purchase?

Pixel 8 Professional vs iPhone 15 Professional digicam specs

Earlier than the images, a fast recap of what the Pixel 8 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional provide of their rear digicam arrays. Each pack a high-resolution main sensor, an ultrawide lens to suit extra in, and a telephoto digicam for longer-range snaps. It’s a tried and examined method that gives loads of versatility throughout taking pictures conditions. Nonetheless, peer into the specifics and there are some key variations price highlighting.

First, the Pixel 8 Professional makes use of high-resolution sensors with pixel binning all through its rear array. This isn’t so necessary from a element perspective (although the bigger sensor does gather extra gentle); the digicam shoots at 12MP except compelled in any other case. Nonetheless, it does enable Google to crop from the sensor for “lossless” 2x and 5x zoom, albeit with out the corresponding change in focal size.

The iPhone 15 Professional does one thing a bit completely different with its main sensor, combining element from the 48MP uncooked decision and 12MP binning decision to output 24MP snaps. This additionally helps Apple seize extra element at increments as much as 2x.

Major digicam

Google Pixel 8 Professional

50MP decision (12.5MP binned)ƒ/1.68 aperture1/1.31-inch sensor25mm focal lengthMulti-directional PDAFOIS

Apple iPhone 15 Professional

48MP decision (12MP binned, 24MP output)ƒ/1.78 aperture1/1.28-inch sensor24mm focal lengthDual-pixel PDAFSensor-shift OIS

Ultrawide digicam

Google Pixel 8 Professional

Apple iPhone 15 Professional

12MP resolutionƒ/2.2 aperture1/2.55-inch sensor13mm focal lengthDual-pixel PDAF120˚ field-of-view

Telephoto digicam

Google Pixel 8 Professional

48MP decision (12MP binned)ƒ/2.8 aperture1/2.55-inch sensor113mm focal lengthDual-pixel PDAFOIS5x optical zoom

Apple iPhone 15 Professional

12MP resolutionƒ/2.8 aperture1/3.5-inch sensor77mm focal lengthPDAFOIS3x optical zoom

Selfie digicam

Google Pixel 8 Professional

10.5MP resolutionƒ/2.2 aperture1/3.1-inch sensor20mm focal lengthPDAF

Apple iPhone 15 Professional

12MP resolutionƒ/1.9 aperture1/3.6-inch sensor23mm focal lengthPDAFOIS

On the ultrawide facet, Google has a slightly wider subject of view to suit extra in. Nonetheless, holding distortion underneath management might be necessary to make sure that pictures look detailed and maintain up properly in dimmer lighting.

Zoom is the place we see essentially the most vital discrepancy in {hardware}. The Pixel 8 Professional has a a lot bigger sensor, wider aperture, and longer focal size (for 5x zoom), making it undoubtedly the long-range winner. The iPhone 15 Professional doesn’t have Apple’s fancy new 5x periscope digicam; that’s reserved for the Professional Max. Nonetheless, the 77mm focal size can nearly double up for portraits and will look higher than Google’s implementation at medium vary.

However sufficient with the on-paper variations, let’s discover out which is definitely higher.

Pixel 8 Professional vs iPhone 15 Professional digicam shootout

If you wish to comply with together with your personal shut evaluation, yow will discover the full-res picture samples on this Google Drive folder.

Major digicam capabilities

Proper out of the gate, there are clear and apparent variations not within the high quality however within the creative look of the pictures from these two telephones. We’re utilizing Apple’s Normal shade profile, however even this targets a fairly heavy shade saturation and a excessive distinction degree to spice up whites and shadows for extra pop.

Google’s shade palette is extra muted and sensible by comparability. The Pixel 8 Professional’s pictures definitely don’t leap out at you, however it’s extra true to life and leaves loads of headroom to use your edits, when you’re inclined.

Apple’s acquainted yellow tint and cooler blues stay, whereas Google’s white steadiness remains to be on the hotter facet, as has been the case in earlier years. Whereas the 2 are fairly constant in presentation, you’ll sometimes spot underexposed photographs from the iPhone 15 Professional. This isn’t an issue with Apple’s HDR know-how, although it’s nonetheless not essentially the most constant. Relatively it’s not less than partly right down to its larger distinction strategy to processing, which might push already darkish parts of the scene additional into the shadows. That is most noticeable in panorama photographs. Nonetheless, Apple’s long-exposure and multi-frame know-how is a boon for low gentle, which finally ends up with superior colours and fewer artifacts than Google’s Evening Sight, which remains to be very strong.

Whereas we’re trying on the important cameras, let’s take a fast take a look at high-quality element. We’ll take a 100% crop from the iPhone 15 Professional’s 24MP and 48MP outputs and stack them up towards the Pixel 8 Professional’s 12MP and 50MP choices.

Even with stable lighting, the default snaps from the Pixel 8 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional aren’t totally clear. You may spot a good quantity of sharpening and AI artifacts within the Pixel’s picture, whereas the iPhone’s 24MP snap is noisy. It’s difficult to learn the textual content in both, and each are usually a bit too noisy to maximise their decision claims in lots of pics I took.

Apple’s 48MP is extra detailed, however there’s a heavy dose of sharpening and picture cleanup that may be a little exhausting on the attention. The Pixel 8 Professional’s 50MP picture is the least processed trying whereas nonetheless preserving a excessive degree of element. Nonetheless, these high-resolution modes solely maintain up properly in brilliant lighting. Dim circumstances produce a smudgy mess that’s worse than the 12MP picture, therefore why Apple and Google lock these choices behind their professional mode toggles.

Returning to HDR, that is an space the place Google has traditionally held a stable lead however there’s not so much between the 2 when taking pictures in most eventualities. The 2 are largely excellent at balancing foreground and background publicity. Nonetheless, push the telephones into actually powerful environments with robust backlighting, and there are key variations.

In powerful HDR environments, the Pixel 8 Professional is usually higher at guaranteeing right foreground publicity whereas nonetheless balancing the background. The iPhone 15 Professional is keener to keep away from spotlight clipping, even on the expense of topic publicity. Nonetheless, flip on the portrait mode and the iPhone 15 Professional goes to lengths to make sure right topic publicity in difficult environments. Particulars are noisy, however Apple’s higher publicity and white steadiness make this the higher shot of the 2.

Talking of portraits, Apple’s brighter publicity is very fascinating, however the constant yellow tint is a detriment to sensible pores and skin tones. Google’s strategy might be too heat, notably outside, however performs higher in additional impartial lighting. Each telephones provide comparable high quality synthetic bokeh, however I’d give the iPhone 15 Professional the nudge for smoother edge detection and extra sensible gentle roll-off.

Neither cellphone is especially good relating to pores and skin textures. Google’s strategy stays too oversharp, highlighting undesirable blemishes and imperfections. My pores aren’t that dangerous, I swear! Apple’s outcomes are smoother, however that is largely a results of noise, that means you lose some high-quality particulars you might wish to protect, comparable to hair textures.

Whereas each telephones are able to taking great-looking footage with their main lens, the Pixel 8 Professional is the extra constant shooter. It’s not all the time good, however what you’re going to get 99% of the time. Between oversaturation, underexposure, and yellow tints, Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional is extra of a combined bag.

Becoming extra in with ultrawide

You’ll discover the identical shade pallets on provide within the ultrawide division — the Pixel 8 Professional affords extra balanced saturation however a hotter white steadiness, and the iPhone 15 Professional is cooler however sometimes seems too yellow. Each do a largely respectable job at matching the profile of the first lens. Nonetheless, the smaller sensor on the iPhone 15 Professional exacerbates the odd HDR concern, resulting in loads of areas of underexposure when taking pictures with the ultrawide.

As mentioned within the preliminary part, the Pixel 8 Professional’s ultrawide offers a barely wider subject of view to squeeze extra in, however each are sufficiently extensive to suit a lot into the scene. Picture readability is extra necessary with these excessive lenses, and each are so-so in that regard. The 2 undergo from a scarcity of element and smudging on the body’s edges, although I’d say that the iPhone is a smidgen noisier. Nonetheless, the Pixel’s wider lens suffers from extra chromatic aberration when taking pictures into brilliant gentle. That’s simply the trade-off for the additional FoV. Neither ultrawide lens affords a lot in the best way of high-quality particulars; there’s a heavy reliance on denoise and sharpening to scrub up the images.

I can’t say I’m tremendous impressed by both of those ultrawide lenses. They’re high-quality so far as smartphones go, however between the extra distortion, lack of element, and iffy shade steadiness, I wouldn’t wish to take many footage with both. Then once more, I’m within the camp that finds focal lengths wider than about 20mm fairly unnatural trying anyway.

Zooming in

Beginning at 2x zoom, each the Pixel 8 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional make use of a crop from their high-resolution sensors for a “lossless” zoom versus conventional digital upscaling. The outcomes are usually fairly good, not less than in good lighting, however the small pixels end in some noise and lack of element. Google makes an attempt to sharpen this up, whereas Apple is proud of a barely softer look. You’re more likely to see the aforementioned shade distinction than element discrepancies.

At 3x, we assumed that Apple’s optical zoom would win out over Google’s image-blending strategy, however this isn’t the case. The Pixel 8 Professional arms in simply as a lot element because the iPhone 15 Professional’s small 3x telephoto lens and really wins out with decrease noise and higher dynamic vary in trickier lighting circumstances. That’s fairly an achievement, because the iPhone 3x zoom snaps look good in all however the dimmerest gentle.

As such, the iPhone 15 Professional’s zoom setup is satisfactory at 5x, due to respectable upscaling algorithms. Nonetheless, you possibly can see an rising lack of element, even in good lighting. At 10x, the lens is a no-go. The Pixel 8 Professional is a transparent winner at longer ranges. Its 5x optical decision is tremendous sharp, and cropping from the massive picture sensor holds up extremely properly at 10x, producing stable dynamic vary even in less-than-ideal circumstances, even when the main points are a bit gentle.

Whereas the earlier two sections could have been a tossup in some regards, zoom is a slam dunk win for the Google Pixel 8 Professional.

Let’s not neglect selfies

Selfies are maybe the closest run contest between these two heavyweights, and each are excellent. Particulars are barely oversharp when you peep very shut, even in brilliant gentle, however we’re comparable pores and skin tones and textures. Identical to portrait mode, the iPhone 15 Professional’s brighter topic publicity works properly and ensures a strong image throughout quite a lot of lighting circumstances. Google’s larger distinction look may end up in underexposure and overly darkish options when taking pictures towards brighter backgrounds.

Each telephones lose sharpness in decrease gentle, although that’s to be anticipated from these smaller sensors. The iPhone 15 Professional’s shade and saturation maintain up fairly properly, whereas our Pixel 8 Professional snaps look a bit washed out in the dead of night. Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to complain an excessive amount of about both set of selfies right here, they’re each two fo the perfect within the enterprise.

There’s no denying that these two telephones take great-looking snaps, however we’re right here to select the easiest, and there’s daylight sufficient between the 2 to put one above the opposite. When on the lookout for consistency and high quality over a spread of taking pictures environments, the Pixel 8 Professional comes out on prime. Neither cellphone is flawless, however Apple refuses to repair complaints we’ve had for generations, permitting the competitors to leap previous.

To not point out that, with a brand new collection of guide taking pictures controls, the Pixel 8 Professional goes above Apple’s high-end providing when it comes to making every shot your personal. At the least with out resorting to RAW and a night enhancing session. Priced $100 lower than the iPhone 15 Professional as properly, the Google Pixel 8 Professional ought to be the eager photographers’ most popular decide. That stated, videographers could really feel a bit in a different way, however that’s one other article.

In fact, there’s way more to those two telephones than simply their digicam packages. Google’s Pixel 8 Professional doubles down on distinctive AI options you gained’t discover elsewhere, whereas the Apple iPhone 15 Professional continues to steer the sector for outright efficiency. Try our nearer take a look at the Pixel 8 Professional vs iPhone 15 Professional when you nonetheless can’t determine between the 2.