TheGoogle Pixel 9a ’s arch rival , almost regardless of whether you are trying to determine which one to corrupt , is theApple iPhone 16e . Just like andiron chase cats , a raw Pixel phone will go up against an iPhone in a camera exam at some point , and over the past week or so , we ’ve worked to answer the question of which phone look at better photos , the Pixel 9a or the iPhone 16e .

The camera specs

The two phone have very different television camera systems . The Google Pixel 9a has a 48 - megapixel main camera with an f/1.7 aperture and optical image stabilization ( OIS ) , plus a 13MP broad - angle television camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120 - degree subject of view . On the front is a 13MP selfie camera .

On the back of the iPhone 16e is a undivided 48MP camera with an f/1.6 aperture and OIS , and there ’s a 12MP selfie camera on the front . That ’s it . There ’s no wide - angle , macro instruction , or astuteness sensor on the iPhone 16e , and neither have a telephoto television camera . However , both have a shortcut to a 2x zoom in the camera app .

The front of a wide - slant photographic camera means the Pixel 9a will automatically win for some masses , but when I spend prison term with the iPhone 16e , I realizedI did n’t use a encompassing - angle cameraall that often at all , and did n’t miss it . While we ca n’t compare the Pixel 9a ’s extensive - slant camera to anything the iPhone 16e pass , do n’t mechanically take over it ’ll exchange the way you take photos if it is , or if it is n’t , there .

Main camera

Before we get part with the picture , if it ’s pixels you want , the iPhone 16e delivers . picture taken with its chief camera are 5712 x 4284 pixels in size , while the Pixel 9a ’s photos are 4000 x 3000 by nonpayment . What this means to you is , the iPhone 16e ’s photos will hold more particular if you lop them down , which is exactly what it does to get a decent 2x photo , while the Pixel 9a leaves the pixel count the same . But we ’re getting ahead of ourselves here .

Since I started using the Pixel 9a , I ’ve found the exposure it takes want some editing to bring out more color and soda , and if you do n’t bother , they can take care a picayune flat and exanimate . This is illustrate very well when the Pixel 9a is compared to the iPhone 16e ’s camera , which has considerably more life history , fondness , and color without touch an redaction app .

The picture of the tulips demonstrate the iPhone ’s brightness and vibrance , while the Pixel 9a tones the semblance and pop down for a photo that some will call more natural , but others will find it a tactual sensation downplay . you could see the difference in heat even more in the next photo , evident in everything from the driveway to the brickwork on the building .

Focal length also seem to take issue , with the Pixel 9a often focusing on object deeper into the shot than the iPhone , but that ’s not what makes the photo of the burnt umber and shortbread notable , but rather it ’s the blanched balance . The iPhone 16e ’s whites are sharper and less blue than the Pixel 9a , and the overall fondness of the image is visually more attractive .

Finally , let bestow all these view together in one photo . The iPhone 16e ’s greater pixel counting becomes well-defined when you expect at the detail on the watch bezel and telephone dial , as does the lovingness of its photo and the assure white balance and black level . The Pixel 9a ’s pic does n’t leave behind the same ocular impression . The iPhone 16e ’s main television camera wins the category .

Winner : Apple iPhone 16e

2x zoom

Remember , neither television camera has a dedicated telephoto camera or an optical rapid growth , and or else advance you to take 2x zoom photos using a shortcut in each camera app . The iPhone 16e crops its principal camera photos down to 4032 x 3024 pixels when you pullulate 2x photograph , while the Pixel 9a retains the same 4000 x 3000 pixel enumeration as the main camera , and use AI to enhance the final image .

The first 2x pic of the car shows two trenchant differences between the two cameras . The first is a continuation of the iPhone 16e ’s more accurate white balance , and the other is the often overly processed look of the iPhone 16e ’s 2x shots compared to the Pixel 9a . Not that the Pixel 9a avoids such processing , with jagged lines and noise visible when you dress the image down .

The divergence in color reproduction is apparent in the second picture of the daffodils . The iPhone ’s picture has undimmed , more vivid , and more near to tangible life story people of colour than the Pixel 9a . However , the Pixel 9a ’s photo avoids the heavier processing of the iPhone 16e ’s exposure , and packs in a considerable amount of particular reckon it ’s not an optical zoom shot .

The final photo usher why this family is so close . The Pixel 9a ’s photo is knifelike and it ’s less right away obvious it ’s a digital zoom at work , but there ’s disturbance in the sky and the lack of warmth and color ache the way it looks at a glance . The iPhone 16e ’s photo is less noisy and lustrous , but lacks the surprising amount of point the Pixel 9a ’s photo contains . Both take decent digital zoom pic , but it ’s a attraction here , as there are trouble on both incline that feign the final image .

Winner : Draw

Night mode

Shooting in miserable light create some interesting results , because often the iPhone 16e take pic that equaled , but slightly disagree to the Pixel 9a , and are often bright too . Yet when you look closely , although look are good , the overall tone suffers as the software set about to make up for the camera ’s shortcomings .

The picture of the bird tub was taken in very low light source and the Pixel 9a shows more born vividness , has more detail in the objects and screen background , and less fuzz too . The iPhone 16e ’s photo is n’t spoilt , but it ’s very understandably not run at its best .

In the second the iPhone 16e ’s excellent ashen proportion is back , but the Pixel 9a ’s tones are far more raw and genuine to life . The car is white , but it did n’t count very white in almost dark . Plus , I love how stable the shot is , resulting in sharp detail even though there was very little sparkle to help the photographic camera out . The iPhone 16e take decent lowlight photos , but it ca n’t flummox the Pixel 9a .

Winner : Google Pixel 9a

Selfie camera

There ’s little contest between the two cameras when you take selfies , with the Pixel 9a systematically beating the iPhone 16e in pelt tone , colors , and portrait effect accuracy . The representative photo was charter with the default portraiture core , and while you may conform it on the iPhone , it ’s right smart too rough , and make the scene rather unrealistic .

But it ’s the clean balance and natural skin tone that come through the category for the Pixel 9a , areas Google has worked in improving through its software for some time , and it really does ante up off . If you want to take a lot of selfies , the Pixel 9a is the better of the two earpiece .

The Pixel 9a wins, just

The Google Pixel 9a has won two family , while the Apple iPhone 16e has only taken a single winnings , with both phones drawing in the 2x zoom class . This makes the Pixel 9a our narrow winner , but it ’s hard to call it thebestwhen it lost the main photographic camera incision , which is arguably the most significant . I apply the primary camera far more than I ever use the selfie camera , for model .

I ’m not going to take the winnings away from the Pixel 9a , but do need to employ the test as a way to play up the problems I ’ve go steady with the chief camera throughout my time with it . I have used Google Photos editing suite to “ ready ” the Pixel 9a ’s photos quite a stack , and a lot more than usual too . If you ’re set on the Pixel 9a you wo n’t regret buying it , but the iPhone 16e is a surprisingly capable camera phone too .