For as amazing as camera quality on the iPhone is today, the original iPhone camera was nothing to write home about. Equipped with nothing more than a fixed-focus 2-megapixel camera, the original iPhone delivered subpar pictures even compared to other devices at the time.
Apple, though, eventually started throwing a lot of money at camera development. Before long, it seemed that each successive iPhone routinely set a new bar for mobile camera quality that competitors simply couldn’t keep up with. That said, the mobile landscape is always changing and Apple now has some stiff competition when it comes to mobile photography. What’s more, there’s a strong case to be made that Apple these days finds itself playing catch-up when it comes to overall camera quality.
Now it goes without saying that any of Apple’s 2018 iPhone models can take absolutely stellar photographs in ideal shooting conditions. Google’s Pixel phones, however, absolutely trounce the iPhone when it comes to taking photographs in low-light situations.
To help illustrate this point, Jeremy Burge on Twitter recently posted a number of low-light shots which compare iPhone photo quality to Pixel 2 photo quality. The difference, in a word, is stark.
https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/1083676824343887879?s=21
So what exactly is going on here? Well, Night Sight mode on the Pixel uses software to deliver exceptionally crisp photographs in environments where even seeing with your own eyes can be something of a challenge. Even better, the Pixel manages to do all of this without having to rely on triggering the flash.
A few more comparison shots can be found below.
https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/1083689392722583553?s=21
https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/1084382858691706881?s=21
https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/1084383719094390784?s=21
https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/1084386063861329920?s=21
https://twitter.com/jeremyburge/status/1085529309047967752?s=21
