Introduction

The iPhone 12 and Google Pixel 5 are two of the leading camera phones you can purchase. Both of these devices have main wide-angle and ultra-wide lenses, both are loaded with night modes and bokeh effects for portraits, and both are among the top camera phones, particularly considering what they cost.

So, what camera phone is best? We have mentioned a few advantages and disadvantages between iPhone 12 vs Pixel 5 to find out. Read below to know more. 

Who has the better camera - iPhone 12 vs Google Pixel 5 ?

Starting with Pixel 2, the Google's Pixel series gained a well-deserved reputation as the best phone for still images, thanks to its special at-the-time approach concentrating solely on software image processing rather than caring for hardware prowess such as megapixel count or sensor size. But in 2020, Apple narrowed the gap dramatically with computational photography. 

Both iPhone 12 and Pixel 5 rely greatly on software - using multiple images to produce HDR shots during the day, and defaulting to night mode at night - and results are evenly matched. The iPhone 12 takes better video, but in still photography, the Google Pixel 5 does better. So, read below to know which phone has a better camera.

iPhone 12 vs Google Pixel 5: Camera Specification

Portrait Shots

Coming to portraits, neither of the devices have a telephoto lens implying that the portraits end up being quite removed from the subject. However, the Pixel 5 does automatically crop into the frame somewhat, neutralizing the need to get up close. The Pixel 5 better picks up in the sunlight and also provides more detail. 

But the iPhone 12 on the other hand, iPhone 12 Portrait mode offers much better results in terms of sharpness and noise. The iPhone's performance is much better overall even when you zoom in and paint smooth bokeh. The clear winner here is the iPhone 12. 

Keeping it real at low light - Night Photography

The iPhone 12 can now capture the Night mode shots with any of the phone’s camera, rather than just the main wide-angle optic alone. The device’s wider field-of-view certainly plays a role, enclosing more of the surrounding environment in the frame, but at the expense of increasing distortion. 

But, if you're trying to do more night photography with your next smartphone, you should probably select Pixel 5. The Google Night Sight clearly illuminates more of this scene, while the visibility of the iPhone 12 seems is limited to a narrow cone in the center of the most well-lit image. The iPhone shot image often gets distorted at the fringes. By any standard, we wouldn't call the Pixel 5's example ideal, but it's at least much more reliable, and for that, it emerges ahead here.

What Front Camera has to offer?

In terms of the front camera, the iPhone 12 selfie undoubtedly claims sharper portraits due to the higher-megapixel sensor and 12 MP front camera. The Pixel 5 with an 8 MP front camera, however, benefits from bolder colors, with increased contrast making for a potentially more realistic shot. Given that most people are inclined to share selfies that make them look better, it is natural to be more drawn towards the iPhone 12.

Who makes a better video in all conditions?

If we're discussing the camera capabilities of the iPhone 12, we need to talk about video, not just stills. In order to provide better optical image stabilization, the iPhone 12’s new main lens can make 5,000 changes per second. In addition to this, the iPhone 12 can capture Dolby Vision 4K HDR video, which you cannot do with any other device at the moment. Apple's system can capture 4K videos with up to 60 frames per second, but you'll need to limit it at 30 fps to get Dolby Vision. 

However, this does not mean that the Pixel 5 doesn't have any video tricks up its sleeve. It offers new Google Pixel stabilization modes that give you greater control of how the camera deals with motion. However, the Pixel 5 can record 4K video at 60 fps, at any resolution or frame rate, it cannot capture HDR, which potentially puts it at a significant disadvantage in this age of HDR displays. Thus, the iPhone's far brighter highlights and darker shadows, afforded by its HDR capabilities, make it the clear winner where the video is concerned anyhow. 

iPhone 12 vs Google Pixel 5: Final Verdict

Conclusively, we can say that in the battle of iPhone 12 vs Google Pixel 5, iPhone 12 performs better in low-light conditions, and shoots stable videos, while the Pixel 5 produces better portraits/bokeh effects and has color science that is more visually appealing.

As a pioneer in computational photography, Google's phone cameras really shine in their software. But as competitors like Apple have improved their software offerings, Google has failed to keep up. The Pixel 5's camera setup is pretty terrific with the Night Sight and Portrait Mode for blurred-background shots in low lighting. Other upgrades include a new editing mode for light and portrait photos and an ultrawide camera for landscape and group shots. iPhone 12, however, caters to the higher-end needs of photographers. Apple already added an ultrawide comprising both the ultrawide angle and a telephoto camera. Also, it tackled the low-light problem with hardware upgrades, a new bigger sensor, and a new lens with an aperture of f1.6. 

But the choice between the two devices eventually comes down to brand loyalty or preferences for the ecosystem. The problem with Google is that the loyalty element is even more of a niche. Just because you prefer Android doesn't mean that you want the Pixel, because Samsung, OnePlus, and more have so many excellent or better value devices.  But for someone who is not clearly set on Android, the iPhone is the default generic option.