The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max represent two of the top-tier smartphones of the year, each packed with advanced camera technology. With new AI capabilities and upgraded sensors, both phones promise to deliver exceptional photography experiences. To compare their performance, Andrew Laxon from CNET took them for a test in various settings around Edinburgh, capturing hundreds of photos to determine which flagship device takes the better picture.
Outdoor Photography: Bright Light and Shadows
In bright outdoor settings, both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the iPhone 15 Pro Max deliver excellent images. The Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a marginally higher resolution with its 50-megapixel main camera compared to the iPhone’s 48-megapixel sensor. However, Apple’s software processing is known for producing vibrant and natural images, often giving it an edge.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
For instance, in a bright daylight shot, the iPhone 15 Pro Max presents a warmer color balance with more natural shadows. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, in contrast, appears slightly muted, although both phones capture impressive detail.
The iPhone takes better pictures in the dark. On the other hand, the Pixel’s pictures are a little bit darker. The iPhone’s pictures have better details in light and dark areas. This means that the iPhone is better for taking pictures in low light. The Pixel’s pictures are better if you want to take pictures in bright light.
Close-Up Shots: Flowers and Fine Details
The Pixel 9 Pro XL blurs the background of pictures of flowers. The iPhone keeps everything in focus. The Pixel’s pictures have a more natural color. The iPhone’s pictures have a slightly yellow-green color. This means that the iPhone is better for taking pictures of flowers from a distance. The Pixel’s pictures are better if you want to blur the background.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
In scenes where color accuracy is crucial, the Pixel 9 Pro XL shows a more noticeable magenta shift, while the iPhone maintains a balanced color tone with better contrast on details such as brickwork and architectural elements.
Telephoto Zoom Comparison: Clarity at a Distance (Pixel vs iPhone)
Both smartphones feature 5x optical zoom capabilities, which means they can capture sharp images without losing quality due to digital cropping. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a higher-resolution telephoto sensor, which provides more detail in distant shots.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
In a comparison shot, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers better exposure and contrast, but the Pixel excels in fine details. When zooming in on textures, the iPhone’s image sometimes appears overly sharpened, while the Pixel retains a more natural look. However, in some situations, the Pixel’s images appear artificially brightened compared to the iPhone’s more realistic rendering.
Night Mode: Low-Light Performance
When it comes to low-light photography, the iPhone 15 Pro Max generally outperforms the Pixel 9 Pro XL. At night, the iPhone captures better details across all areas, maintaining texture and clarity even in darker parts of the image. The Pixel’s noise reduction algorithm can sometimes over-smooth, losing important details, and its images often show more noise, especially in the sky.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
For ultrawide night shots, both phones perform similarly. However, the iPhone still has a slight advantage in sharpness. In scenes with 5x zoom, the iPhone once again produces sharper images with less noise. Nonetheless, there are instances where the Pixel delivers surprisingly good results.
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Panorama, Selfie, and Macro Photography (Pixel vs iPhone)
The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes better panorama pictures. The pictures are wider and have better colors. The Pixel’s pictures are a little bit sharper, but the iPhone’s pictures look better overall. This is because the iPhone’s camera is better at taking pictures of wide scenes. The Pixel’s camera is better at taking pictures of small things.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a better front camera than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the iPhone still takes better selfies. The Pixel’s pictures are smoother but less sharp. This is because the Pixel uses noise reduction to make the pictures look better, but this also makes the pictures less sharp. The iPhone’s pictures are sharper because they don’t use as much noise reduction.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes better pictures up close. The Pixel’s pictures can look fake. The iPhone’s pictures are sharper and have better colors. This means that the iPhone is better for taking pictures of small things. The Pixel is still a good camera, but it is not as good as the iPhone for macro photography.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Raw Image Capture: Professional Quality and Editing (Pixel vs iPhone)
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a feature called ProRaw that takes very good pictures. These pictures are good for editing. You can change shadows, highlights, and colors without losing quality. This means that the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a good choice for professional photographers and users who want to edit their photos. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also takes good pictures, but it does not have the same level of raw image quality as the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Image Credit: Andrew Lanxon/CNET
While the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s raw image capture has improved over previous models, it still lags behind the iPhone. The raw files from the Pixel can look soft and require extensive sharpening to achieve a usable quality, making it less ideal for professional use.
Verdict: Choosing the Best Camera Phone (Pixel vs iPhone)
The Pixel 9 Pro XL and iPhone 15 Pro Max are both good cameras. The Pixel takes good pictures in the light and at 5x zoom. It also takes good selfies and has natural colors. The iPhone 15 Pro Max takes better pictures in the dark and close-up. It has better raw images and is good for professionals. The best phone for you depends on what you need. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is good for everyone. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is good for people who want detailed pictures.
Acknowledgement
This comparison and analysis were conducted by Andrew Laxon from CNET, who provided the original content and took all the comparison photos featured in this article.
