Google's Pixel line of smartphones and Apple's iPhone line both have excellent reputations for their cameras and the photos they produce. Last year's releases of the Pixel 5 and the iPhone 12 brought with them a number of new features for each. They remain right at the top of the market in terms of smartphone photography.
Both Google and Apple's new smartphones were impacted in one way or by the COVID-19 pandemic. Google pared back the features on the Pixel 5 so as to keep its price down at a time when many were feeling the effects of cuts to wages or job losses. Apple, meanwhile, had to delay the launch of its iPhone 12 due to disruptions to its supply chain. Despite that, both still saw advances in what they had to offer, such as the iPhone 12's new fast charge battery and the Pixel 5's inclusion of 5G technology.
While Apple revamped some of the camera hardware with the iPhone 12, Google retained the same hardware in the Pixel 5 that was used in its predecessor. much of Google's prowess in photography, though, has previously been put down to its advanced processing capabilities and Google made advances there again with the Pixel 5. Despite these differences in approaches, though, the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5 have many similar options when comparing camera features. However, that does not mean that they are equal in all areas of photo taking and filmmaking.
Pixel 5 Vs. iPhone 12 Camera Specs & Features
The Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 both come equipped with a dual-camera set-up, the former with 12.2-megapixel wide and 16-megapixel ultrawide lenses and the latter with 12 megapixels for both its wide and ultrawide lenses. Both feature new low-light modes for snapping shots at night. The iPhone 12's Night Mode utilizes its wide camera to allow for 27 percent more light in dimly lit nighttime photos. The Pixel 5 has Night Sight takes a longer exposure photo to achieve the same effect. Both phones take advantage of similar new HD enhancements for photos as well. The only real difference between the two modes is the name with the Pixel 5 sporting HDR+ and the iPhone 12's Smart HD3. The Pixel 5 does have a new Extra Light mode allowing the user to drop in more light in areas of a photo where a shadow might be a tad aggressive. Of course, this is something that many will use editing software to fix after taking a photo, but it's a nice option to have regardless.
The biggest difference between the iPhone 12 and Pixel 5 cameras is their new video features. The Pixel 5 has a new super-smooth panning feature that allows for a more cinematic look when capturing video. The drawback is that it does slow down the footage as well as remove audio, but the effect is still impressive. Possibly the biggest selling point for the iPhone 12 when it comes to the camera is its ability to record in Dolby Vision. This is a major feature that no other smartphone has and even many high-end cameras lack too. It makes a noticeable difference and it's a feature that anyone keen on capturing video will want to use.
When comparing the two the iPhone 12 edges out the Pixel 5 for its capability of capturing Dolby Vision video, but it's still a pretty close race overall. The Pixel 5's super-smooth panning is a neat new addition that can be used for some creative short-form video.