Google Pixel 4/Pixel 4 XL

[Cod3rror]

The Pixel 4 will be worth the wait if you love photography.

Having moved from the Pixel 2 XL to 11 Pro Max, these are the shortcomings that are growingly annoying me.

-Google's dynamic range is considerably superior. This is glaringly visible in photos in conditions where you have sunlight and medium shadows. I have seen overexposed or lightly blown out parts of an iPhone photo that I wouldn't have if the photo was shoot using my Pixel.

-On the iPhone the operating window for portrait photos is incredibly narrow. You have to be within 8 feet or else it won't work. This is not ideal for large objects such as a car or group of people. Even when doing macro shots of smaller objects, the phone must be at a very fixed distance away. BIG minus point given that this is a £1,000 phone with three cameras.

-Photos are very true to life as if they were shot by a pocket camera. The lack of pop means that almost every photo needs editing.

Image quality is superb and video capabilities are second to none. However, as far as pointing, shooting and sharing, my Pixel 2 XL was a much more enjoyable camera.

Therefore, if photography is high up the priority list then I recommend you wait for the Pixel 4.

The good thing is that iPhones have good resale value and I might ditch it in the spring for a Pixel 4 XL if HDR and portrait photography doesn't improve.

For me that pop is something I really hate on modern cameras. I want as realistic photo as possible, I want to capture what was actually there. And Pixel has a tendency of making things looking unreal with its HDR. I've taken some pictures that looked they are they from some other planet with a different atmosphere.

If you want "pop", you can always run the image through whatever the popular "make your photos cool to get Instagram likes with these filters" app is at the moment, but you cannot undo that when they come out like that from the camera.

While we are talking about the Pixel. Pixel suffers from a horrible grain, noise and haze when it does not get enough light. The camera consistently makes scenes a lot lighter than they have to be. I guess a lot of people fall for the colour overload considering how people were raving about the recently leaked Pixel 4 samples, when in actuality, they were too bright, details were not good and not a simple night image had the focus right.

And don't even get me started on the video - Horrible stuttering, skipping, erratic and unreliable exposure, very high exposure in low light, which causes artifacts and unpleasant video, focus that is great but very fast, which makes the camera un-cinematic.

 

[Awesomesince86]

For me that pop is something I really hate on modern cameras. I want as realistic photo as possible, I want to capture what was actually there. And Pixel has a tendency of making things looking unreal with its HDR. I've taken some pictures that looked they are they from some other planet with a different atmosphere.

If you want "pop", you can always run the image through whatever the popular "make your photos cool to get Instagram likes with these filters" app is at the moment, but you cannot undo that when they come out like that from the camera.

While we are talking about the Pixel. Pixel suffers from a horrible grain, noise and haze when it does not get enough light. The camera consistently makes scenes a lot lighter than they have to be. I guess a lot of people fall for the colour overload considering how people were raving about the recently leaked Pixel 4 samples, when in actuality, they were too bright, details were not good and not a simple night image had the focus right.

And don't even get me started on the video - Horrible stuttering, skipping, erratic and unreliable exposure, very high exposure in low light, which causes artifacts and unpleasant video, focus that is great but very fast, which makes the camera un-cinematic.

Everyone has their own preference when it comes to how pictures look and what post processing tendencies they like best. But the consensus has been for a couple years now that the Pixel series take the best pictures. Right now I would say the iPhone Pro a max takes the top spot but I won’t be surprised if the Pixel 4 retakes the lead shortly.

 

[Cod3rror]

Everyone has their own preference when it comes to how pictures look and what post processing tendencies they like best. But the consensus has been for a couple years now that the Pixel series take the best pictures. Right now I would say the iPhone Pro a max takes the top spot but I won’t be surprised if the Pixel 4 retakes the lead shortly.

I think social media has a lot to do with that. Pixel's camera targets Instagram and it's horrible, downsized, compressed images. Pixel's photos look great when you are not you looking at them at 100% resolution, but once you do, you see stuff like this:

Look at the weird grain on this guy's face.

Look at the noise, grain and haze in this sample.

I can always recognize a picture taken with a Pixel because they all have this type of a look. It has not changed in Pixel 4 unfortunately. I think Pixel 4 will take basically the same images as Pixel 3, which in turn took basically the same images as Pixel 2 and so on all the way down to Nexus 5X/6P.

 

[slitherjef]

Welp, guess it's time to flush my horrible pixel devices and their junk cameras down the toilet to make the world of photography better for everyone ?

Seriously though, use whatever. I happen to like most of the images I get from my pixels, and I oftentimes over process them... I guess I could turn on raw to help keep the over cooking in check but those kind of big down things.

No doubt the iPhone has a good picture profile, the 11 even more so. The images I see posted in the thread here look more flat or neutral might be a better word. Natural? Probably. This is a good thing, gives a better point to process should one like. In fact, I suspect Google will need to step up their game with the video and even to a lesser extent photo on the pixel 4 because I don't think they can ride on what they have been before.

Use whatever you want. That's the thing about photography, you have so many different sensors and looks and processing and tools you should be able to get usable images from pretty much everything.

Go make some art ?

 

[Expos of 1969]

Welp, guess it's time to flush my horrible pixel devices and their junk cameras down the toilet to make the world of photography better for everyone 😫

Seriously though, use whatever. I happen to like most of the images I get from my pixels, and I oftentimes over process them... I guess I could turn on raw to help keep the over cooking in check but those kind of big down things.

No doubt the iPhone has a good picture profile, the 11 even more so. The images I see posted in the thread here look more flat or neutral might be a better word. Natural? Probably. This is a good thing, gives a better point to process should one like. In fact, I suspect Google will need to step up their game with the video and even to a lesser extent photo on the pixel 4 because I don't think they can ride on what they have been before.

Use whatever you want. That's the thing about photography, you have so many different sensors and looks and processing and tools you should be able to get usable images from pretty much everything.

Go make some art 🙂

Well said. Take photos, then take some more photos! Explore what is around you and don't worry too much about the hardware in your hand.

 

[michael9891]

No point in getting a Pixel 4 then if you like Pixels for the camera and they’re basically the same as a Nexus 5X. lol

 

[Cod3rror]

No point in getting a Pixel 4 then if you like Pixels for the camera and they’re basically the same as a Nexus 5X. lol

You guys are getting a bit defensive. I have a Pixel (and Nexus 5X) myself so I would like it to be the best.

But Pixel has two selling points: Stock Android, Camera. That's it.

I really feel like now Google just tries to squeeze out as much as possible from the sensor and there is nothing much else left to squeeze out. I'm not going to get the Pixel 4 and or any other Pixel until they actually do something meaningful with the camera hardware (e.g. Huawei Mate 30 Pro, with its big sensor and Leica optics).

 

[michael9891]

You guys are getting a bit defensive. I have a Pixel (and Nexus 5X) myself so I would like it to be the best.

Not at all. You said the unreleased Pixel 4 has basically the same camera as the Nexus 5X. Which is pretty funny.

 

[Awesomesince86]

Hmm, pretty odd that he’s being extremely hyperbolic and then accusing others of overreacting or defensive.

 

[Cod3rror]

Hmm, pretty odd that he’s being extremely hyperbolic and then accusing others of overreacting or defensive.

How am I being "extremely hyperbolic"?

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

How am I being "extremely hyperbolic"?

I think the reason people reacted in such a way to your posts is because you wrote in very strong terms -- stating things such as the Pixel is targeted at Instagram, implying that it isn't a serious contender when compared to competitors cameras.

While Google made creative decisions with the Pixel camera software, it is very personal whether one prefers a more natural photo over one with more pop/contrast. Most people don't want to mess with post processing -- myself included -- so i think that Google made a creative decision that targets the majority of smartphone users.

Looking at the DxOMark review, Pixel 3 is rated similarly to other devices released at that time. It isn't perfect, and there is much room for improvement. Yes, there is more noise and some loss of detail compared to iPhone photos when viewed at 100%, but iPhone isn't perfect. I've had many otherwise good photos in the past with iPhones that were tainted by annoying lens flare, and it appears that it is still an issue even with iPhone 11.

 

[noobinator]

Comparing the 5x camera to an unreleased pixel 4 camera is beyond hyperbolic. The 5x camera was pretty darn bad. The pixel 1 was much better, let alone the 3.

 

[Awesomesince86]

How am I being "extremely hyperbolic"?

You compared an unreleased phones camera that many expect to continue to lead smartphone cameras in quality to one that release 5 years ago and was crap and said they are the same. What do you call that?

 

[N0ddie]

I think Pixel 4 will take basically the same images as Pixel 3, which in turn took basically the same images as Pixel 2 and so on all the way down to Nexus 5X/6P.

Not one to get into other peoples arguments but I assume its the above statement?

 

[Cole Slaw]

I'm interested in the Pixel 4 XL, but I'm a little concerned about reports it'll be C$100 more this year (for the 128).
Looks like I'll wait a while till Google drops the price in a sale. Also hoping the battery will be up to snuff.

 

[scottcampbell]

Would the lovely MacRumors members be able to help an oblivious person out?

I am completely out of the loop from Pixel phones, but my Mom has asked for help replacing her iPhone 8 Plus. She routinely runs out storage due to taking a huge amount of pictures, so I think Pixel would be best as it automatically stores everything in Google Photos, correct?

What's the best time to buy a Pixel? Her budget is about $400. Are the models coming out this month rumored to include a low-cost one? Do the previous models tend to go on sale immediately after a new release?

Thanks!

 

[Tig Bitties]

Right now the low cost Pixel phones are the 3a and 3a XL. The brand new next gen Pixel 4 and 4 XL are coming out next week, but seems the new trend is the affordable a models come out in Spring.

 

[5105973]

Would the lovely MacRumors members be able to help an oblivious person out?

I am completely out of the loop from Pixel phones, but my Mom has asked for help replacing her iPhone 8 Plus. She routinely runs out storage due to taking a huge amount of pictures, so I think Pixel would be best as it automatically stores everything in Google Photos, correct?

What's the best time to buy a Pixel? Her budget is about $400. Are the models coming out this month rumored to include a low-cost one? Do the previous models tend to go on sale immediately after a new release?

Thanks!

Her 8 Plus is still a really good phone. What she needs is to learn how to immediately shift her photos to some form of cloud storage and free up space on her internal storage. Google photos works on iPhones as well as Androids.

I don’t know how old she is or what her level of technical ability is, but sometimes it can be hard to suddenly abruptly switch iPhone users to Android. That’s something to think about. Is she used to using iMessage or FaceTime with you or others?

At any rate maybe she just needs you to upgrade her iCloud storage amount and move some of her photos. That will give her more time with a phone that is still relatively current.

That will buy you enough time to see if Apple does release a new updated IPhone SE that might be a good option for your mother. Or maybe just buy another 8 plus with more internal storage. You can trade an old 8 Plus in for a discount on a new one.

Or wait for the reviews and prices to go down on the Pixel 4’s. Discount offers start coming out around Christmas and get more generous going into spring.

I’d wait for the reviews first. Pixels of the first three generations so far have been released with a few quality control issues or bugs that need a little time after release to get ironed out. I’m not saying the 4 will necessarily be that way but I’m using last few releases as a guide.

 

[co.ag.2005]

Would the lovely MacRumors members be able to help an oblivious person out?

I am completely out of the loop from Pixel phones, but my Mom has asked for help replacing her iPhone 8 Plus. She routinely runs out storage due to taking a huge amount of pictures, so I think Pixel would be best as it automatically stores everything in Google Photos, correct?

What's the best time to buy a Pixel? Her budget is about $400. Are the models coming out this month rumored to include a low-cost one? Do the previous models tend to go on sale immediately after a new release?

Thanks!

you can download Google Photos on iOS, backup all her photos to her Google account for free (if you choose the "high" quality option instead of "original" quality). And then you can delete them off the iPhone / iCloud storage. Google Photos on iOS even has an option to help you clean up the photos on your iPhone ("Free up space").

Now, the Pixel 4 will allow you her to store her photos to Google Photos at the "original" quality for free, but that only lasts for 3 (maybe 4?) years and then she'd have to pay for the storage tiers for "original" quality after that.

 

[michael9891]

I paid £16 for a year of 100gb Google One storage which comfortably stores the pics I want quick access to in photos. 2 weeks ago they gave me a free Home Mini for being a One subscriber. Which I sold for more than it cost. Can’t complain!

 

[Cod3rror]

Comparing the 5x camera to an unreleased pixel 4 camera is beyond hyperbolic. The 5x camera was pretty darn bad. The pixel 1 was much better, let alone the 3.

I've been into phone cameras for a long, long time. Ever since Nokia N73, N95 8GB, N86 and so on.

I have both, Nexus 5X and Pixel. They take extremely similar images. In fact, if you want I can post some tomorrow and let's see if you can tell apart which is which.

What I said is not hyperbolic, it's simply true.
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You compared an unreleased phones camera that many expect to continue to lead smartphone cameras in quality to one that release 5 years ago and was crap and said they are the same. What do you call that?

I promise you, Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 will be almost indistinguishable in photo quality. Basically, Google got it right from the get go (for Instagram pics) and they've been tweaking things slightly (I'm not going to count Night Sight, which is amazing!) in general quality, but it's been pretty much the same from Nexus 5X and up.

 

[mjschabow]

That Nexus 5x. Some of the best pics I’ve ever taken. In fact, when I go on travel, I normally bring it with because it takes better pics that my 11 Pro.

 

[Chrisblond007]

Agree with the overrated-ness of Pixel cameras. The HDR processing is horrendous and irreversible.

No influencer or social media gurus will use Pixel cameras for their posts cause so much grain and post processing.

I also think Google shoots themselves in the foot every year by releasing in October. If they were smart, they would release between June-August. This way you get in after Samsung S series and before iPhone.

So many ppl bought these other devices while being curious about owning a Pixel.

 

[michael9891]

Agree with the overrated-ness of Pixel cameras. The HDR processing is horrendous and irreversible.

No influencer or social media gurus will use Pixel cameras for their posts cause so much grain and post processing.

It adds too much for my liking on the strongest setting but you don't have to use the HDR. And seriously, who gives a **** about these so called 'influencers' apart from clueless teens?

 

[jamezr]

for me the Pixel camera is best in the business has been since the first Pixel.
Google's post processing algorithm is the best in the business. I can't wait to see what they do with dual lens this year.