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The Google Pixel 9a and Apple iPhone 16e are among the best phones you tin bargain close now. The erstwhile has a $499 terms tag, portion the second replaces Apple's iPhone SE lineup astatine $599. Both phones connection a cleanable plan with a virtually flush camera module, heavy bezels connected the front, and artillery beingness that, successful immoderate cases, is amended than their much costly counterparts. However, they disagree successful 1 large facet -- the cameras.
Also: I switched from my Pixel 9 Pro to the 9a for 3 weeks - here's my buying proposal now
Apple's newest entry-level iPhone costs $100 much and sports a azygous rear camera. It is upgraded to a caller 48MP sensor erstwhile compared to the iPhone SE and is the lone 2025 mainstream telephone to athletics a azygous rear camera. In contrast, Google retains the dual rear camera setup from its predecessor. It pairs a caller 48MP main camera with a 13MP ultrawide-angle sensor.
I utilized the 2 phones to drawback photos successful antithetic scenarios and find which budget phone has a amended camera, and present are the results.
Note: All photos were taken successful the default point-and-shoot mode. While it is imaginable to get amended results from some cameras by adjusting the absorption and vulnerability oregon editing photos successful post, I didn't marque manual adjustments to the implicit 250 photos that I captured.
Pixel 9a vs iPhone 16e: Camera showdown
Both Pixel 9a and iPhone 16e tin sprout great-looking photos during the daytime, but they each person a signature look successful presumption of colour science. The iPhone 16e tends to beryllium connected the warmer side, which you mightiness not announcement unless you are comparing it to the output of different phone.
In contrast, Google opts for a much muted, cooler look, with a blueish hue. That said, the Pixel 9a captured less details successful shadows than the iPhone. In the supra shot, I similar the iPhone for its warmer look, adjacent though Google's depiction is much close to existent life. Overall, some phones person their ain colour tone, and the quality is lone noticeable erstwhile you pixel peep into buildings, murals, and different good textures.
2x shots
These 2 shots of pinkish flowers were captured astatine sunset. The iPhone seems to conflict with highlights (see the achromatic coloring successful the petals), portion the Pixel 9a retains the pinkish colour and delivers a much soothing, real-to-life pink. Apple's shots look much saturated successful comparison.
Portrait shots
Portraits changeable connected Google and Apple phones disagree not lone by processing and colors but besides successful the frame. Like its predecessor, the Pixel 9a shoots portraits successful a tighter 1.5x framework oregon 2x and 3x, with nary enactment to seizure a representation successful 1x. In comparison, the iPhone 16e allows you to sprout successful 1x, 2x, and 3x.
Also: I replaced my iPhone 16 Pro with the 16e for 2 weeks - here's my buying proposal update
The Pixel 9a captures amended portraits. It delivers amended tegument tone, colour accuracy, and a much natural-looking blur. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16e offers a warmer look and inaccurate blur. The mode it blurred my bureau seat makes it look similar I was superimposed connected the picture. Maybe that's wherefore it is important to person a secondary camera to capture. Overall, I preferred Pixel's portraits implicit the iPhone's.
1x successful low-light
Night mode isn't the champion connected either, and some present photos filled with noise. That's to beryllium expected with devices successful the midrange category, to beryllium fair. But determination is simply a wide victor erstwhile you comparison the 2 phones. Google's Pixel 9a offers much details and true-to-life colors. Notice the tegument code and hairsbreadth connected my friend's arms -- the iPhone couldn't get the details right. Apple's changeable is brighter, which mightiness entreaty to much people, but I'd prime the Pixel 9a for the colour accuracy.
Selfies
Google continues its pb with amended tegument code and colour accuracy connected the beforehand camera, too. On the different hand, there's a spot of smoothing going connected successful the iPhone's selfie, if you look intimately astatine my forehead. Both tin thin to stroke retired the highlight, arsenic tin beryllium seen connected my forehead, but Google retains somewhat much details.
Also: This 360-degree camera is adjacent much effortless to sprout videos with than your phone
Both phones struggled with clarity and sharpness connected my beard. That said, Pixel 9a's selfie shooter is amended for radical shots arsenic it offers a wider 120-degree field-of-view to fto much radical successful the frame.
0.5x and 1x
These shots are meant to showcase Pixel 9a's camera versatility. The ultrawide-angle camera allows you to research much perspectives by widening your framework to 0.5x, portion the iPhone is constricted to 1x. I captured these against the light, which is tricky to get right, but Google exposed the changeable amended than 16e's superior camera.
Also: Google Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 9a: We tested some midrange phones, and the victor is not truthful obvious
Both phones let you to seizure macro shots. The Pixel 9a gets person to the taxable and offers a batch much item connected macro subjects than the iPhone 16e.
The verdict
The Google Pixel 9a costs $100 little and delivers a amended acceptable of cameras than Apple's iPhone 16e. The second isn't bad, but it misses the people successful assorted scenarios and isn't arsenic versatile arsenic its counterpart. It tin inactive sprout immoderate precise good-looking images successful agleam conditions, but the quality widens successful debased light. If reliability and versatility are what you're after, the Pixel 9a wins successful some regards.
Overall, the Google Pixel 9a offers amended portraits, macro shots, and low-light imaging capabilities than the $599 iPhone 16e. But, of course, the victor yet depends connected your preferences successful color, details, and however subjects are portrayed.
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