This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Two weeks ago, when the new iPhone 17 family was announced, the iPhone 17 Pro got my attention: and how could it not? I'm a big fan of mobile photography – I just love how far we've come in terms of hardware and software when it comes to the cameras in these compact gadgets of ours.
The iPhone 17 Pro (and 17 Pro Max), being the most advanced in the lineup, offers the best camera setup in the recently announced iPhone series.
The dedicated telephoto camera now has a 56% larger 48 MP sensor, improving light capture and image quality, while offering 4x optical zoom and up to 8x via software. The selfie camera jumps from 12 MP to 18 MP, retaining Center Stage for group shots. Digital zoom has been extended to 40x, and the updated Photonic Engine enhances detail, color, and noise reduction. Photographic Styles, including the new Bright mode, allow more creative control over images.
At 10x (that's optical zoom territory), the iPhone 17 Pro Max photo looks shockingly bad with smeared details and dull skin tones – it's like there's something wrong with the lens on the Apple phone. That being said, the Pixel 10 Pro XL shot has its own shortcomings as well, particularly in the background. The bokeh looks pixelated and very much so unnatural. Also, it could be said that the Pixel oversaturates the whole scene. But the Google photo is the one I think most of you would say is the better one in terms of overall representation:
< iPhone 10XPixel 10X >
Next, we have the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 4x and the Pixel 10 Pro XL at 5x for an indoor shot of a still object. The Pixel once again has the upper hand with much more clear details and punchier colors:
< iPhone 4XPixel 5X >
At 8x and 10x of the same subject, things are even worse for Apple's handset. Just look at those smeared details on the rock:
< iPhone 8XPixel 10X >
Selfies are almost on par, but…
In this test, the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL once again saturates the scene strongly, but it's not too much in my book. The iPhone also does good job with the foreground (the subject), but notice the dull color on the pine tree in the background. It's supposed to be green and vivid and it's almost grey instead:
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< iPhonePixel >
Here, the Google has punchier, more adequate skin colors once again:
< iPhonePixel >
Main camera (with a green tint)
Google's shot could be seen as too HDR-y, but at least it's not soaked in that subtle gray-green tint that the iPhone 17 Pro Max produces. Plus, Apple's shot again seems to lack detail and sharpness:
< iPhonePixel >
Portrait mode – first win for the iPhone
Here, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the one that comes up with the finer portrait, dare I say. The bokeh (the out of focus background) is reproduced fine, although it's still a bit digitized (hey, that's not a dedicated camera with a bulky lens, that's just a compact smartphone). The subject separation seems excellent. The Pixel 10 Pro XL has oversaturated the image too much and the bokeh looks unnatural:
< iPhone 4XPixel 3X >
At night, you could be disappointed
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL delivers an HDR image that's green-tinted on top of it, but somehow manages to produce what many would think is Instagrammable right out. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, though offering true to life colors, just looks a bit underdeveloped and some would miss the details in the darkest part of the image:
< iPhonePixel >
The next shot illustrates this even better, as the Pixel shot has much more details in it (check the building facade):
< iPhonePixel >
When the sky is in the shot, the iPhone overdoes it and those clouds, while cool and impressive, are a bit too strongly highlighted. The Pixel offers a much more balanced shot with great detail:
< iPhonePixel >
Ultra-wide at night
Here, testing the ultra-wide, both shots fail to impress me – the iPhone renders the scene too dark, while the Pixel relies too much on HDR and produces too aggressive of a picture:
< iPhonePixel >
This one, however, is a clear win for the Pixel:
< iPhonePixel >
As is this one:
< iPhonePixel >
... and this one:
< iPhonePixel >
Zoom at night
I love the iPhone's color reproduction (Google's is too greeny), but once again the image looks soft and dreamy (not a bad thing per se, but not in that particular situation):
< iPhonePixel >
The same situation is found here below; superb colors, but where's the detail?
< iPhonePixel >
Can this be fixed?
I hope so. The iPhone has what it takes to produce top-notch photos (and videos).
Back when I tested the Oppo Find X7 Ultra, I was amused at the blue-tinted colors it spat out, until a software update fixed the white balance. Now it's great.
It's not unusual for brands to release devices with flaws that are later fixed via software updates. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, for example, got several camera upgrades in April 2024 alongside the usual bug fixes and patches. Improvements included better white balance and exposure, enhanced low-light performance, more accurate colors in the ExpertRAW app, and sharper text in high-zoom shots.
So, I really hope that Apple gets its act together and releases a software update ASAP. Unless it wants to be shredded to pieces by Pixel fans.
Which one is your favorite?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max in all shots.
2.88%
The iPhone 17 Pro Max in some shots.
8.65%
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL in all shots.
32.69%
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL in most shots.
55.77%
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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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