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What’s sad is what makes the pixel better at pictures (only) IMO is software not hardware driven, which means Apple is lagging in the software development team. It’s possible to have it in the next update without a new phone release.
 
What’s sad is what makes the pixel better at pictures (only) IMO is software not hardware driven, which means Apple is lagging in the software development team. It’s possible to have it in the next update without a new phone release.

That’s a valid point. I think Apple pays attention to the competition and what their advancements are, and it’s fairly obvious low light photos has been a struggle for the iPhone for years. Now, Apple is implementing the ‘triple lens camera’ in all likeliness this fall (Likely for more VR rendering), so it’s possibly they can discuss more in depth if that will have an effect on low light photos if there’s any capability. But it is something that Apple will eventually have to address that the competition is advancing with low light photography.

But as you mentioned, Apple very well could utilize the option of software enhancements just as Google has. If that’s the route they decide to opt for.
 
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What’s sad is what makes the pixel better at pictures (only) IMO is software not hardware driven, which means Apple is lagging in the software development team. It’s possible to have it in the next update without a new phone release.
Apple is not lagging per se. look at the XR. With the iPhone XR, Apple has shown that they can do the same tricks as the dual camera setup via software, and the other things like auto HDR on the XR is quite impressive.

Imo it’s actually Android that is “lagging.” Apple has the advantage of optimizing their ISP to do stuff in hardware. Considering the nature of Android, Google is stuck having to figure things out mainly via software on Android since other OEMs are implementing their own camera solution. Google knew this disadcabtage, so they started making their own custom chip as well. On video side, Android is just a mess, as hardly any OEM other than Google themselves are willing to properly implement the camera 2 API, and Google has introduced that like since lollipop or something.

The only part that Apple imo is lagging is night mode. Apple probably err on ease of user experience of point n shoot, instead of point n shoot n stand still for 10 seconds. I’m guessing Apple is aiming for their future neural engine to do those hard work so fast that they don’t have to have user to wait that long.
 
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You said in one of your first posts to me that pixel wins on selfies and ties for regular shots. So how is that a win for the iPhone?

OP was asking about non-video

And after a mere 4 months of Pixel ownership, you get this: The Pixel 3 is Pissing Me Off. – Droid Life

(BTW, the editor who wrote that article is a pure Pixel fanboy to the extreme.)

Hilarious quotes from that article:

"The performance of it is dog sh*t. The camera is slow to load, if it even loads at all. Reboots are required daily or you’ll open apps and watch them slowly load or freeze for lengthy periods of time. Battery life, which could be sh*tty because of the attachment at all times to a Wear OS watch, is bad."

"When I mentioned to Tim that my Pixel 3 is garbage right now, he too said that his Pixel 3 XL is behaving badly. And he listed out all of the problems I’m having, like a need for daily reboots, slow-loading camera and apps, etc. Well, his battery life is fine. Additionally, a reader dropped us a random email over the weekend with the same complaints, that his Pixel 3 XL had “gone to complete sh*t lately, dropping frames and freezing.”"

"Redditors are well aware of the slow camera problem too."

"Lag and stuttering and slow-loading apps are noticeable things. When you miss shots on your camera because it takes 5-10 seconds to load and then doesn’t seem to register every other shutter button press, you don’t need data – something is just wrong."

---------------------------------------------------------------


Why does Pixel 3 cost so much again??? Good (but not great) camera system...video capability is a total joke! Ordinary display quality. Ordinary (sub-standard almost) design. Ordinary processor. Bad resale value.

On the other hand, my XS is just flying thru things. A12 chip = 60 FPS in gaming...heck A12 chip is so far ahead that it even beats Qualcomm S855 in pretty much everything! Smart HDR is still blindingly fast. No lost photos. In fact, with every software update, Smart HDR is just getting better and better.
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AGoogle knew this disadcabtage, so they started making their own custom chip as well.

What is interesting about their own custom chip is....

The Pixel Visual Core (PVC)......this amazing "dedicated hardware chip" in Pixel phones.

Except, it isn't!! LINK: In Questions: Google Pixel Camera Q&A with Brian Rakowski & Tim Knight

You see unlike iPhone, on Android, 3rd party camera apps (Snapchat, etc.) somehow do not have direct access to the camera HDR processing. So, 3rd party apps' photos look crappy. With PVC, it allows for 3rd party apps to get similar HDR processing photos.

In other words, PVC does NOTHING to your photos if you use stock camera app. NOTHING. NADA. ZERO.

But you don't hear this from most reviews....they all mention how Google has their own chip just for camera....
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What’s sad is what makes the pixel better at pictures (only) IMO is software not hardware driven, which means Apple is lagging in the software development team. It’s possible to have it in the next update without a new phone release.

I am sure Night Sight is on the radar for Apple to make. And i am sure that Apple will improve upon it. Smart HDR is a more advance version of what Pixel has (HDR Enhanced) due to the processing power of A12....something that Google is unable to do because of limitations of S845 chip.

I am betting that with A12, Apple can do Night Sight faster and will be able to handle movement within the frame better than Night Sight.

Smart HDR is similar to Night Sight in that it takes a long exposure to get shadow details. (Of course, it's long exposure is a lot shorter than Night Sight, which requires you to hold still for 5-8 seconds.) Smart HDR is constantly taking frames as soon as you open the camera app...at 30 frames per second. A12 is constantly analyzing the frames...thus, you have REAL-TIME HDR images on your display even without hitting shutter button. When you hit the shutter button, your iPhone is able to get instant HDR image of what you want without processing time. With Pixel 3, if you click the shutter too fast to take several pics back to back, you lose the pictures because it takes so long to process one HDR image.

And within those constant frames (30 frames per second) that Smart HDR analyzes, it picks out parts that are moving and then finds frames where those part are sharp and incorporates it into the final image when you hit shutter button.

I believe that Apple with the A12 can make Night Sight version that is superior to everyone else.
[doublepost=1553249145][/doublepost]Here is a good video:
 
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What’s sad is what makes the pixel better at pictures (only) IMO is software not hardware driven, which means Apple is lagging in the software development team. It’s possible to have it in the next update without a new phone release.

Also keep in mind it's the same several suppliers that supply all these manufacturers with cameras. There's less special about the iPhone these days because now androids also source high quality parts

Software is the main distinguishing factor yes but Apple is not behind per se, they do a good job and have great cameras. But every company has some slightly better aspect to their device. L

What the pixel excels in is it's camera function but what it lacks in is that extra attention to detail and design that say the Galaxy S10 and the iPhone XS have. What it pixel and iPhone lack in flexibility, the Galaxy S series makes up for. Everyone has their strong selling points.

Don't tell me you look through a thread of iPhone 7 pics and say those look terrible today. Or iPhone 8/X. Or the current iPhone XR/S thread. People take stunning photos with their iPhones. You can bet everyone will get on board the night sight train just as everyone is on the edge to edge display train right now
 
Apple’s hardware is arguably better.

Google’s software is arguably better.

Smart HDR narrows the gap, but the photo processing of the Pixel is preferred by many people.

I have been impressed with the Pixel’s photos (from what I have seen), but I prefer the iPhone for its more natural renderings.

Personally, I would just shoot in RAW and process the photos myself.
 
Apple’s hardware is arguably better.

Google’s software is arguably better.

Smart HDR narrows the gap, but the photo processing of the Pixel is preferred by many people.

I have been impressed with the Pixel’s photos (from what I have seen), but I prefer the iPhone for its more natural renderings.

Personally, I would just shoot in RAW and process the photos myself.
iPhone has this really bad wash out problem Apple needs to fix to close the gap with Pixel.
 
Apple’s hardware is arguably better.

Google’s software is arguably better.

Smart HDR narrows the gap, but the photo processing of the Pixel is preferred by many people.

I have been impressed with the Pixel’s photos (from what I have seen), but I prefer the iPhone for its more natural renderings.

Personally, I would just shoot in RAW and process the photos myself.

i agree with you, but

1) i dont like to think that popularity = better

2) i keep reading reports about slowing pixel. not sure how widespread the problem is, but no matter how good a camera, if i miss my shot due to a slow phone, that is obviously the lousier camera.
 
i agree with you, but

1) i dont like to think that popularity = better

2) i keep reading reports about slowing pixel. not sure how widespread the problem is, but no matter how good a camera, if i miss my shot due to a slow phone, that is obviously the lousier camera.

You are right. Popularity doesn’t necessarily mean better.

I do prefer the iPhone but that is my subjective opinion and based on anecdotal evidence. Nothing scientific to it.

Slow camera and shutter would be a deal killer for me. I remember how bad it used to be on the older phones and it drove me nuts. It’s inexcusable in today’s marketplace.
 
iPhone has this really bad wash out problem Apple needs to fix to close the gap with Pixel.

LOL...that’s call revealing shadow details and controlled highlights. Smart HDR is what YOUR eyes see. You’re so used to the heavy handed contrast of Pixel (dark and gloomy).....and think that is better. LOL

BTW, the “washed out” has been fixed with the 1st software update for XS.
 
The problem is people believe him. It's not a matter of me being convinced, but this guy is going to make someone blow $1200 on the "best camera phone" when in reality he can save quite a bit of money and get a better camera.

And I am an iPhone user at the moment. I don't make any bones about the truth: iPhone XS is a try-hard, good not great camera which washes out pictures in light and has no night sight type feature. Facts are facts.
Whilst I agree that the pixel is better by some margin. The iPhone isn’t a try hard camera. It’s a good camera in its own right. It just isn’t.as good as the pixel.
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What’s sad is what makes the pixel better at pictures (only) IMO is software not hardware driven, which means Apple is lagging in the software development team. It’s possible to have it in the next update without a new phone release.
Google’s processing’s is excellent but I think Apple deserve some credit for smart HDR. They have really stepped up their post picture processing with this round of phones.
 
Whilst I agree that the pixel is better by some margin. The iPhone isn’t a try hard camera. It’s a good camera in its own right. It just isn’t.as good as the pixel.
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Google’s processing’s is excellent but I think Apple deserve some credit for smart HDR. They have really stepped up their post picture processing with this round of phones.

How is Google processing good when it takes so long that you miss shots? Literally, some of your pictures never make it to album because the processing is so long!
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How dare you say that! :eek:

Thai has actual YOUTUBE videos to prove you wrong.


/s

And several other sources. But, hey, your opinion matters most, right? LOL
 
How is Google processing good when it takes so long that you miss shots? Literally, some of your pictures never make it to album because the processing is so long!
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And several other sources. But, hey, your opinion matters most, right? LOL
I’ve never used a pixel so I don’t know how the phone acts but I’ve seen the output and the pictures are generally very good.
 
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Processing time? There's none that I can notice.

Seriously Thai, read this thread and you keep changing your argument, at least 3 to 4 times now. I'm done with this thread. Sorry I contributed to wasteland material Macrumors. :(
 
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Processing time? There's none that I can notice.

Seriously Thai, read this thread and you keep changing your argument, at least 3 to 4 times now. I'm done with this thread. Sorry I contributed to wasteland material Macrumors. :(

Changing what? LOL. I guess that i did list several BAD things about Pixel 3 camera. :( Sorry.
 
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His argument is clear: If you negate all that things which the Pixel 3 does better than the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS has a better camera.

In other news, if you ignore the engine, top speed, and the design, the Ford Focus is better than the Ferrari F12

What did i negate anything? Geez, you guys are really grabbing for straws!! LOL. Sad.

If anything, it is quite clear that you guys spouting off random stuff despite overwhelming evidence that favors XS. But i do enjoy reading the pure speculations of some folks in this thread.

Sorry if i posted facts and data to make Pixel 3 look like crap. Maybe you guys need heavier duty garments?
 
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Your whole criteria is night sight? Do you know how night sight works? It’s not point and shoot, right? There is limited use.
What do you mean by limited use? Because I have to hold the phone still for a few seconds to get a great low light pic? I would say the fact that the iPhone is not good at all in low light and doesn't have a night mode limits it's use in low light situations. Now if you were talking about video then yeah, clearly iPhone is better.
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What did i negate anything? Geez, you guys are really grabbing for straws!! LOL. Sad.
Take out Night Sight, Pixel 3 low light is good, but not really any better than other flagships, including XS.
Right here maybe?
 
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OP. Ignore Thai.

All modern phones have good cameras; S9, S10, Mate 20 Pro; Pixel 2; iPhone XS.

Simple fact is that the whole industry amazingly agrees on one thing: The Pixel 3 is the phone to beat for the camera.
 
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