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boswald

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2016
1,311
2,187
Florida
I usually use the “Rich Contrast” style on my iPhone anyway, just to compensate for some of the iPhone processing. It generally doesn’t bother me, but there have been a few screwed up shots over the years.
 

gaximus

macrumors 68020
Oct 11, 2011
2,256
4,439
How about 3x and 4x shots? I’ve always been wondering how Google’s computational photography with Super Res Zoom stacks up to Apple’s lack of desire to address the zoom gap between the 1x wide-angle camera and the 5x telephoto of the 15 Pro Max.
Lack of desire? They’ve only had the feature for less than a month now. Haha, they haven’t even had an iPhone release since then to “address” the zoom gap.
 

gaximus

macrumors 68020
Oct 11, 2011
2,256
4,439
They’re both just smartphone snapshots. Either one is fine.
True, I’ve never been inspired by anything taken on a smartphone /s

If you ever hear a “photographer” say anything like that, do not hire, all they care about is their expensive DLSR, and don’t know anything about taking a good picture.

I’ve seen amazing photography taken with a smartphone and some horrible photoshoots taken with professional hardware.
 
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gaximus

macrumors 68020
Oct 11, 2011
2,256
4,439
I'm clearly in the minority of people who really are struggling to fully like or get excited about the magic editor features these phones keep pushing. Like, when your picture is so edited to remove things and move subjects around and all that, it’s not even a real photo anymore? Nothing about it is real so you're saving a memory of something that didn't even exist/happen. Idk. Maybe in time I will grow to like it or welcome it but right now it doesn't elicit the excitement everyone else has.
Agreed, a future pixel won’t even have a camera, you’ll just say, I’m taking a picture of my kids playing in the pool, and it’ll generate the best version of that for you.
 

Lamborrari

macrumors newbie
Feb 28, 2016
23
103
Chicago
Lack of desire? They’ve only had the feature for less than a month now. Haha, they haven’t even had an iPhone release since then to “address” the zoom gap.
Google addressed the zoom gap right away with Fusion Zoom when they introduced a 5x telephoto on the Pixel 7 Pro last year. Now with the 15 Pro Max we go from 2x lossless zoom all the way to 5x with nothing in between besides further digital cropping from the 1x camera. Apple could have addressed it knowing Google already did last year.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,131
4,038
Superb photo's from both phones.
The Pixel does show some extra clarity in some areas, where it's hard to see anything in the iPhone shots, and if I'm honest, whilst it looks a interesting effect I do feel the iPhone is making those clouds look a bit too dramatic. So much s the clouds actually draw your eyes away from the rest of the photo.
If Apple can perhaps tone down the cloud effect and lighten up the dark areas to show detail then that would help a lot :)
 
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svish

macrumors G3
Nov 25, 2017
9,807
25,737
Images from both 15 Pro Max and Pixel look good. Upgraded from a 12 Pro Max to the 15 Pro Max and the pictures from 15 Pro Max look fantastic.
 

roeiz

macrumors 65816
Sep 13, 2010
1,107
635
when you watch many comparisons on YT you find out other various downsides of the Pixel so as a whole camera/video package the Iphone still produce much more quality results
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
15,709
11,011
As MKBHD says, “fix in post”, and Pixel 8 really brings this to a whole new stratosphere: your photo can be essentially the alternate reality and casual eyes would not be able to tell the difference.

In the old days, good camera hardware generally produced good results, assuming the same skill level of the person taking the photo. Nowadays, good software can produce good results, backed with largely ok-ish hardware. I have to wonder how far Pixel 8 has brought this trend over to smartphone photography, and how much further it can go.
 

dampfnudel

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2010
4,602
2,638
Brooklyn, NY
As much as I love my new iPhone 15 Pro Max I have to say the Google Pixel beats it hands down.
Yeah, the Pixel seems to have the edge. Maybe Apple will bring this camera race to a tie with the 16 Pro/Pro Max given the stacked camera/48mp ultra-wide setup is coming?
 

JippaLippa

macrumors 65816
Jan 14, 2013
1,485
1,663
I'm team iPhone, and I'll forever be.
That said, since gen-6 I always liked the Pixel.
If I had to get an android as well for whatever reason, that'd be a Pixel.
I also like the look, with its distinctive bar on the back.
 

JippaLippa

macrumors 65816
Jan 14, 2013
1,485
1,663
The fact that it’s basically a draw is not encouraging for Apple. Combined with the fact that Samsung zoom is just way better, I don’t know what Apple is doing with its cameras. It keeps wanting to make them a headline feature, but they just are not anything special.
Is having these mega-zooms really that necessary in day-to-day use?
Not trying to be sarcastic, I'm just genuinely interested in knowing.
Honestly I'd prefer seeing smartphone manufacturers updating the sensors on the ultra-wide cameras, as I think they're much more useful in daily use.
I can't stand the fact the ultra wide on iPhones is still much worse than the main camera, making it borderline unusable in many contexts.
 
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68000/030

macrumors member
Sep 13, 2023
70
59
I can't honestly say which are more real (or even better), because AS ALWAYS no photos taken with some beefy camera were provided as a point of reference.
 

Mac_The_Ripper

Suspended
Sep 12, 2023
275
669
🇺🇸
I wish MacRumors would stamp images with A & B or 1 & 2 and poll the crowd on which images look better... then "update" or post a followup article after 48-72 hours revealing which was Apple's vs. which is <others>. By putting the favorite company's name on images in articles like this, fans/anti-fans find things to favor/fault in those shots.

A poll as described would have people judging solely on quality of photos head-to-head and the delayed big reveal or followup article would give us an overall objective group opinion.
This right here. It would be amazing to see the results because at least 50% of MR users are going to say that the iPhone photos are better no matter what, because they have the photos marked as being shot by an iPhone.
 
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canyonblue737

macrumors 68020
Jan 10, 2005
2,181
2,696
It looks like the iPhone has better contrast. Some Pixel shots look washed out and overexposed. They're really close overall though.

it's wild how the images change year to year... for the last several years apple has WAY, WAY over-boosted the shadows so there weren't really any shadows... it made the images look very flat and people on these comparison's complained... now suddenly the 15 Pro/Max has much, much deeper shadows that look much more natural (but obviously hide detail in the shadow, a good thing in my opinion because it looks right) and Pixel which had much deeper shadows has suddenly done what iPhone used to do and is now overboosting the shadows! It really seems like Google copied iPhone photo processing from the last few years at the same time Apple copied Pixel photo processing and the two ended up swapping their looks!
 

leifp

macrumors 6502
Feb 8, 2008
368
356
Canada
They’re both fine. I’d be content with either one.

Since I have the choice, the iPhone wins out of the gate due to superior contrast (those thinking the Pixel has better contrast are noting the brighter and more saturated highlights that the Google device defaults to) and better detail resolve. I can use a photo editor to improve the iPhone images more as lost details in blown highlights are irretrievable.

Which is why I have the iPhone.
 

leifp

macrumors 6502
Feb 8, 2008
368
356
Canada
I can't honestly say which are more real (or even better), because AS ALWAYS no photos taken with some beefy camera were provided as a point of reference.
There are several reputable photographers who have provided those contrasts on YouTube. Have a hunt.

I just participated in a photoshoot where the photographer switched between his iPhone and his full frame SLR. These will become prints and we shall see…
 
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