Early Pixel 9 vs iPhone 15 samples prove Google continues to ignore serious camera problems
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
While we’re very close to getting our hands on some sweet Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL retail units, it seems like unsuspecting lucky users are already receiving their Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL’s. The rest of the lineup should start shipping in early September.
And with early deliveries come early camera samples, which is good news for those who are impatient to see what Google’s been cooking up. Let’s not forget that the Pixel is named “Pixel” because it’s supposed to be a camera-centric flagship.
So, without further ado, let me tell you why I think Google might’ve messed up once again.
User who received his Pixel 9 early compares Google’s camera to iPhone 15 to show that Google refuses to learn its lesson
The iPhone takes the better, more accurate portrait, while the brand new Pixel 9 continues to struggle in Portrait mode - just like the Pixel 8, Pixel 7, and Pixel 6.
The only hardware upgrade to the camera of the Pixel 9 compared to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 7 is the new 48MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, which replaces the 12MP one used in the prior models. The new sensor is larger, which seems to help with clearer photos and videos in mixed and low light (as you can see this in the video).
Before proceeding to tell you why I’m worried the Pixel 9’s cameras might not be the upgrade we’ve all been asking for, I’ll remind you that I’ve been using the Pixel 8 Pro since launch - alongside the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra.
I’ve taken hundreds of photos with Google, Samsung, and Apple’s flagship, so I know how their cameras tend to behave and perform.
With that in mind, my immediate observations, based on the samples you see here, are that Google hasn’t learned its lesson.
Early camera samples show Pixel 9 still takes lacklustre Portrait mode photos - just like Pixel 8, Pixel 7, and Pixel 6
Google messed up the Pixel's Portrait mode algorithm while going from Pixel 5 to Pixel 6, and hasn't been able to fix it ever since.
Looking at the Portrait mode samples shared by the lucky YouTube user, Google’s new $800 flagship (once again) seems to be incapable of taking a flagship-worthy portrait photo.
Unfortunately, this has been the case with my Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and even the Pixel 6 Pro, which I bought and sold back in 2021. Portraits improved on Pixel 8 but they are still not on the level of the iPhone 15 or Galaxy S24, and Pixel 9 might not do enough to change that.
The Pixel’s issues with noisy video persist, show rear and selfie cam videos shot on Pixel 9 and iPhone 15
The Pixel 9's selfie camera seems to take some of the noisiest low-light videos. The rear cameras can be noisy too.
The other persistent Pixel camera issue that seems to be making a grand return is the crazy levels of noise in the low-light video.
Judging by the video sample in the comparison, it looks like the noisy videos my Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 6 Pro take, are still a thing with the Pixel 9. The screengrab you see above is from the selfie cameras.
My Pixel 8 Pro’s issues with capturing accurate colors indoors are back with Pixel 9?
According to the user who took the photos, the Pixel makes the scene yellow, which it isn't.
The Pixel 9 can't accurately capture the color red indoors. I've encountered this problem on my Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 6 Pro.
My Pixel 8 Pro’s camera behaves similarly when compared to my iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Pixel is extremely likely to take an inaccurate photo (with inaccurate colors) when shooting indoors.
Early Pixel 9 camera samples prove Google continues to ignore annoying camera issues found in Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 6 Pro
Although I highly doubt anything is going to change (the Pixel 9 used in this comparison is a retail unit), bear in mind that we’ll be conducting our own detailed camera comparison to determine how improved the Pixel 9’s camera is.
The reason I’ve decided to share these early samples coming from someone who’s paid with his own money for a Pixel 9 is because I was genuinely shocked to see Google might’ve ignored camera problems I’ve experienced since using the Pixel 6 Pro, and most recently, with my Pixel 8 Pro.
Considering the “Pixel” is known for being “the camera phone to beat”, and that we’re talking about an $800 flagship, I’ll lie if I said I’m not disappointed.
For example, even a $200 Samsung phone can take a photo with more accurate colors (when shooting indoors) compared to my Pixel 8 Pro, and this simply shouldn’t be the case. I just can’t cut Google any slack here.
As it turns out, no matter how different the Pixel 9’s camera bar design is compared to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 7, Google’s super annoying image processing imperfections seem to persist for a third year in a row.
As you can see, the Pixel 9 already struggles to compete with the iPhone 15 in certain aspects of the camera, and this is three weeks before the launch of the iPhone 16, which should be even better.
Either way, we’re looking forward to conducting our own Pixel 9 camera comparisons against the Pixel 8, Galaxy S24, and iPhone 15/16, to see exactly how hard Google has worked in the past year.
Or perhaps the company’s entire focus is now falling on AI, and Sundar Pichai & Co have forgotten why the Pixel is called the “Pixel”?
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