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Pixel 7a massive new 64MP camera: $500 Android puts $1,000 iPhone and Galaxy on hold

Updated: May 07, 2023, 7:27 AM

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Pixel 7a massive new 64MP camera: $500 Android puts $1,000 iPhone and Galaxy on hold

The time has almost come, and in what could be considered a monumental shift for Google, the company is now set to retire the one piece of hardware that’s been persistently present on Pixel phones since 2017, which is the Sony IMX363 camera sensor that’s powering the Pixel 6a (but also the Pixel 2).

As I briefly touched upon in a recent story, Google managed to squeeze out immense value out of one of Sony’s most iconic mobile sensors - a remarkable achievement by all accounts, considering the Pixel 6a still takes great snaps. In fact, the IMX363 Sony sensor has been such an integral part of old and recent Pixel phones that I actually can’t believe the company is giving it up after seven years.

But now it’s time for something new and better! This is practically confirmed by a very recent leak of marketing materials for the upcoming Google Pixel 7a, which is now basically 100% certain to be upgraded with a brand new 64MP Sony camera sensor that’s identical in size to the likes of the flagship Pixel 7 Pro, Galaxy S23 Ultra, and iPhone 14 Pro!

So, let’s take a look at how the new 64MP Sony sensor on Pixel 7a could compare to the mid-range Pixel 6a, Galaxy A54, iPhone SE, but also $1,200 flagships like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max. What’s particularly interesting here is that the Pixel 7a’s new 64MP shooter has a good chance at outperforming even the Pixel 7 Pro.

Let’s find out how…

New 64MP camera on Pixel 7a destroys Pixel 6A, Galaxy A54, iPhone SE on paper; matches Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro in size

Background blur of the Pixel 7’s 1/1.3 sensor vs the Pixel 6a’s 1/255 (no Portrait Mode used). The same size primary camera sensor is now coming to Pixel 7a.

The new sensor that’s now expected to bless the $499 Pixel 7a is the 64MP Sony IMX787. As it turns out, this one will be joined by a brand new 13MP ultra-wide-angle shooter on the back and another new 13MP selfie camera.

First thing first, compared to the 12MP Sony IMX363 in Pixel 6a, the Sony IMX787 is a 2022 sensor that debuted on the ZTE Nubia Z40 Pro (now also found in the beautiful ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra). That makes it about seven years newer than the IMX363 - an age gap that could make a bigger difference than some might anticipate.

If you know a thing or two about the progress phone cameras have made in the past seven years, you’d know about the incredible leaps in light gathering, noise reduction, HDR, and detail rendering that current camera sensors are capable of compared to older ones. Of course, the sensor is nothing without a powerful SoC and a clever image processing algorithm. Luckily none of that should be a problem for the Pixel 7a, which is expected to arrive with the flagship Tensor G2 chip and Google expert processing magic.

The other, arguably more important detail here is that the 64MP IMX787 that’s coming to Pixel 7a will be significantly larger than the 12MP IMX363 found on Pixel 6a. For those who aren’t familiar, we’re not talking resolution but the size of the sensor, which on the IMX787 is 1/1.3 compared to 1/2.55 (smaller is better).

In theory, this should allow Pixel 7a to gather much more light compared to the Pixel 6A (without th indeed for Night Mode); same goes for the Galaxy A54 (1/1.56), and especially the iPhone SE (1/3.60) - Samsung and Apple’s offerings in the price range of the Pixel 7a, which is expected to start at $499.

500$ Pixel 7a gets the same (size) primary camera sensor as the $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra and $900 Pixe 7 Pro (largest camera ever on a mid-range phone); brand new 13MP ultra-wide and selfie cameras bring 4K video to all lenses

Low light video performance of the Pixel 7’s 1/1.3 sensor vs the Pixel 6a’s 1/2.55 camera. A similar difference in brightness and quality should now be coming to Pixel 7a.

But here’s where things get even more interesting (and even better)...

The 64MP IMX787 camera coming to Pixel 7a won’t simply surpass the primary cameras in mid-range phones like the Pixel 6a, Galaxy A54, Nothing Phone 1, and iPhone SE, but will also match in size the primary camera sensors of $900-1,200 flagships like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google’s own Pixel 7 Pro! Both Samsung and Google’s premium flagships support 1/1.3 Samsung-made sensors (HP2 and GN1) - the same size as the one in Pixel 7a.

In practice, this would make the Pixel 7a the mid-range phone with the largest image sensor on the market and ever, which should give photos and videos taken with the $500 device the look and feel of far more expensive smartphone cameras. The benefits of a larger image sensor include but aren’t limited to:

Greater depth-of-field (bokeh), which is the natural blur you get when taking a photo of something from a close distance (without the use of Portrait Mode)
Far greater light-sensitivity (especially compared to the old IMX363 in Pixel 6a), which is crucial when taking photos in mid-low light, indoors or at night
Greater ability to retain vibrant colors in low light - again in result of the the extra light hitting the sensor
Less noise in photos and videos in result of the greater light-gathering abilities
Sharper images and videos in mid-low light (you guessed it…) in result of the extra light coming through the larger sensor - think of it as a window that lets in more light because it’s bigger

In a very recent development, which came along right before I was ready to launch this story, the Pixel 7a is also getting a brand new 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera as well as a new 13MP selfie shooter - they are replacing the 12MP UWA lens and ancient 8MP selfie shooter on the Pixel 6a. This means Pixel 7a will now be able to record 4K selfie videos, while the ultra-wide-angle lens might bring better low-light performance.

The irony! New 64MP Sony sensor could help Pixel 7a outperform the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro’s Samsung-made 50MP camera

Now, here’s another interesting moment… As someone who’s been using the Pixel 7 Pro since launch and who’s examined tons of photos and videos, my main complaints about the Pixel’s camera are:

Lens flaring during the day and especially at night, which could ruin photos with street lights
Outright bad portrait mode with many cutout errors and overprocessing
Excessive noise in what’s otherwise good video quality

What’s funny is that camera comparisons have shown that the budget Pixel 6a could actually be better in those three aspects than Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro (depending on the conditions), especially when it comes to lens flaring and Portrait Mode edge detection.

Obviously, that’s not thanks to the much smaller sensor in the Pixel 6a, but perhaps thanks to who made this sensor and how Google’s algorithm behaves when equipped with this type of sensor. The GN1 found in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro is made by Samsung, while the IMX363 in Pixel 6a is, of course, made by Sony, which is also the manufacturer of the new IMX787 in Pixel 7a.

It’s a happy reunion for Sony and Google that could actually result in the Pixel 7a putting out better photo and video results than the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, which would be… confusing (since the other phones are more expensive). I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but I’m glad to go on the record and say such a turn of events would not surprise me at all.

4K selfie video, 2x “optical quality” zoom coming to Pixel 7a’s camera to make Pixel 7 pretty redundant; first Pixel 7a camera samples confirm larger sensor with beautiful bokeh

In the end, you might’ve noticed that I haven’t talked about resolution, so let’s fix that.

12MP (Pixel 6a) versus 64MP (Pixel 7a) makes for a huge difference in resolution but don’t fool yourself - that’s not because Pixel 7a will be able to take far more detailed photos than Pixel 6a that you can blow up on a billboard. As we know from the Pixel 7, Google restricts high-res sensors to 12MP output via pixel-binning, and doesn’t let you use the full resolution of your camera even if you wanted to.

However, what might prove useful is that such a high-res camera would be able to do something called “sensor-cropping” to give Pixel 7a users 2x “optical quality” zoom - just like phones like the Pixel 7, iPhone 14 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Ultra. There’s no information if that’s going to happen for sure but it doesn’t cost Google anything to make it happen, so I’m willing to believe it will.

A new, 13MP selfie camera, which should be capable of recording 4K selfie videos is also in the leaked spec sheet of the Pixel 7a. This would be a big upgrade over the 1080p selfie shooter of the Pixel 6a, putting Pixel 7a on par with the pricier Pixel 7 Pro, Galaxy S23 Ultra, and iPhone 14 Pro!

All in all, Google’s attempt to make the Pixel 7a the biggest upgrade in the Pixel A series lineup ever should not be underestimated. Given all the other upgrades coming to Pixel 7a, such as wireless charging, a 90HZ OLED display, the Tensor G2 flagship chip, 8GB of RAM (and more), Google could’ve easily opted to use the same old 12MP camera from 2017, and no one would’ve been mad or surprised (including me).

However, this massive list of upgrades and attention to cameras show that Google is ready to step on the gas, setting the bar for mid-range phones very, very high (frankly, probably unreachable for Samsung and Apple). A mid-range phone with camera hardware that’s not too far (or identical) with that of $800-1,200 phones is great news for absolutely everyone looking to buy a new phone.

Of course, those looking for a mid-range device will benefit directly, but even people who go for expensive flagships should be happy, as this $500 phone could push the entire industry forward a little bit quicker, and that’s always good!

The Pixel 7a and its new camera are about to make it not just a flagship-killer phone but pretty much a proper flagship - something I had never been able to say about a mid-range device. Never ever!

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.