iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Which smartphone is best for photography?

Apple is obviously a huge name in the smartphone market, but the Google Pixel range has built a great reputation for photography too. Both of the phones are capable of taking excellent photos, and both are amongst the best smartphones for photographers you can buy.

The latest Google Pixel 7 Pro is the most advanced Pixel model yet, offering a triple lens setup which is in many ways similar to the iPhone 14 Pro. In this piece we’ll be aiming to find out which of the two shapes up the best. Here are the things we’ll be looking at:

  • Camera specifications
  • Camera apps and shooting modes
  • Image quality
  • Low light
  • Macro photography
  • Portraits
  • Video
  • Screen and design
  • Battery life and storage
  • Price

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: camera specifications

Both the iPhone 14 Pro and the Google Pixel 7 Pro have a triple camera setup. it’s the second time that the Pixel has included a third lens in its array, with the 6 Pro being the first. This means you get a standard wide-angle (1x) lens for both models, joined by an ultra-wide-angle lens (0.5x) and a zoom lens (3x for the iPhone, 5x for the Pixel).

The main camera on the iPhone 14 Pro has a 48 megapixel sensor, while the Pixel has a slightly higher resolution sensor at 50 megapixels. This is simply a minor design difference with little technical impact on image quality.

The ultra-wide lenses on both have 12 megapixel sensors with auto-focus (AF). The biggest difference is in the zoom/telephoto lenses. The Pixel 7 Pro’s has a 48 megapixel sensor and a 5x telephoto reach, while the 3x telephoto in the iPhone 14 Pro has just 12 megapixels.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

In terms of other lens specifications, the iPhone’s main camera has an aperture of f/1.78 and features optical image stabilisation (OIS), the ultra wide has an f/2.2 lens, while the 3x zoom lens is f/2.8 and again has optical image stabilisation.

The Pixel’s main camera has an aperture of f/1.85 and it has both optical image stabilisation and electronic image stabilisation (EIS). The ultra wide is f/2.2, and the zoom lens is f/3.5 and again has both OIS and EIS.

Other camera-related specifications include 4K video at up to 60fps, slow-mo shooting and shallow depth of field in video effects, and both models offer these.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: camera apps and shooting modes

Both the iPhone and Pixel have relatively fuss-free native camera apps. That’s good news if you want to concentrate on composition, but the simplicity is frustrating for advanced photographers who want to make changes to settings. Neither phone offers an “advanced” mode, though you can shoot in raw format with both.

Low-light shooting is available through a selectable “Night Sight” mode on the Pixel, while the iPhone has a Night mode which activates when the phone detects that the light is low. The Pixel also has an Astrophotography mode which can be used with a tripod or other steady support.

As is pretty common for most smartphones, both have a Portrait mode which means you can create shallow depth-of-field effects with a range of subjects, not just humans.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

New for the Pixel is a macro mode, which will automatically activate if the phone detects that it is close to a subject. You can choose to switch it off if you like at this point. The iPhone 14 Pro also has a macro mode, following on from the 13 Pro. It works in the same way as the Pixel’s, automatically activating in the right conditions, using the ultra-wide camera and cropping into the frame.

Both phones include video recording modes, with the iPhone having a separate “Cinematic” mode for creating shallow depth of field effects. The Pixel has a similar mode, which is also called “Cinematic”.

One mode that the Pixel has that the iPhone doesn’t is “Motion”, which allows you to create long exposures and panning shots directly in camera.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: image quality

Comparing general images taken in good light and across a variety of subjects shows that the image quality is very similar. Looking at images on their phone screens gives the best view, but even looking at them on a computer screen shows that the two are very well matched.

iPhone 14 Pro - General flower photo

iPhone 14 Pro – General flower photo

Google Pixel 7 Pro - General flower photo

Google Pixel 7 Pro – General flower photo

If you’re someone who takes most of their smartphone photos in these conditions – i.e. day-to-day shots, then the Pixel 7 Pro certainly offers the better value for money for more or less the same output. Though if we’re being really picky, the 7 Pro seems to produce images which have a slightly more “HDR”-type effect which isn’t always attractive depending on your personal preferences. The Pixel 7 Pro also seems to produce slightly warmer results which do look attractive, but the iPhone’s shots are more realistic to the scene.

iPhone 14 Pro general photo, using the standard (wide) camera

iPhone 14 Pro general photo, using the standard (wide) camera on a grey day

Pixel 7 Pro general photo, using the standard (wide) camera

Pixel 7 Pro general photo, using the standard (wide) camera on a grey day

With the Pixel 7 Pro, you do get a more flexible 5x zoom (117mm equivalent) and the quality roughly matches the results from the iPhone 14 Pro’s 3x telephoto (77mm). The quality is similar, but if you’re keen to have more zoom power, the Pixel 7 Pro is probably the better option.

iPhone 14 Pro, 3x telephoto zoom

iPhone 14 Pro, 3x telephoto zoom

Pixel 7 Pro, 5x telephoto shot, taken from the same spot

Pixel 7 Pro, 5x telephoto shot, taken from the same spot

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: low light

Both of these smartphones have a dedicated low-light / night mode. We tested it with a very low light scene, to really push the limits of each device. Both put in a good performance, doing particularly well when using the main camera.

iPhone 14 Pro - Night mode, 0.5x ultra-wide-angle camera

iPhone 14 Pro – Night mode, 0.5x ultra-wide-angle camera

Pixel 7 Pro - Night mode, 0.5x ultra-wide-angle camera

Pixel 7 Pro – Night mode, 0.5x ultra-wide-angle camera

If you switch to the ultra-wide lens, the details become a little fuzzier, but they both put in similar performances. There’s perhaps slightly more detail visible in the iPhone shot, but there’s not a lot in it. The Pixel 7 Pro is also more susceptible to lens flare.

iPhone 14 Pro - Night mode, 1x camera

iPhone 14 Pro – Night mode, 1x camera

Pixel 7 Pro - Night mode, 1x camera

Pixel 7 Pro – Night mode, 1x camera

The “2x” lens on both devices actually uses a crop of the main sensor. Both put in a decent performance with this setting, with the Pixel perhaps having a touch more detail.

When light is very low, the telephoto night mode uses a crop of the main sensor, for both phones. The results at 3x (iPhone) or 5x (Pixel), are not particularly pleasing, and it’s probably only something you’d want to use sparingly. When light is a little better (but still low enough to use Night mode), you do get better results.

It’s worth noting that the Pixel 7 Pro (and other Pixel phones in the series) offers an Astrophotography mode designed to help you capture stars, with particularly long exposures possible when using the phone on a tripod or other stable surface.

Overall, the two are pretty evenly matched for low light shots, and it’s hard to recommend one wholly other the other.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: macro photography

The macro modes for both phones automatically activate when you bring the device close to a subject.

iPhone 14 Pro - Macro shot

iPhone 14 Pro – Macro shot

Pixel 7 Pro - Macro shot

Pixel 7 Pro – Macro shot

Again here we can see that both phones put in a decent performance, with not an awful lot to separate out the two. If we examine the pictures very closely, we can see that there’s perhaps a tiny little bit more detail with the iPhone shot, but the Pixel’s shot is a little warmer. As this is a macro test, we’d probably prefer detail over warmth, but both are great for grabbing those close-up shots.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: portraits

Shallow depth-of-field effects have been a common staple among smartphones for quite a while now.

iPhone 14 Pro, portrait mode, 1x

iPhone 14 Pro, portrait mode, 1x

Both models put in a good performance here, creating a decent visual separation from the background. The iPhone lets you take portraits with a wider view, whilst the Pixel 7 Pro starts with a more cropped image, matching the 2x option on the iPhone. Results from this are similar, although the Pixel 7 Pro seems to have the edge slightly, particularly in detail on the subject’s face.

Pixel 7 Pro portrait with 1x selected

Pixel 7 Pro portrait with 1x selected

iPhone 14 Pro portrait, 2x selected

iPhone 14 Pro portrait, 2x selected

However, the iPhone’s result is much more attractive when using the 3x option as it uses the telephoto camera. This appears to be about equivalent to using the Pixel’s 2x option in terms of cropping, but not quality, as the Pixel 7 Pro uses digital zoom for this.

Pixel 7 Pro portrait, 2x selected

Pixel 7 Pro portrait, 2x selected (this uses digital cropping)

iPhone 14 Pro - portrait, 3x selected

iPhone 14 Pro – portrait, 3x selected (using the telephoto camera)

With the iPhone, you also get the choice between 1x, 2x and 3x zoom settings, making it a more flexible option for including more of the background view, whereas the Pixel 7 Pro doesn’t let you use the 5x telephoto camera for portraits. Both work well with either human and non-human subjects.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: video

We’ve got fairly similar video specifications between the two models here. Both offer up to 4K 60fps shooting, with no sign of the 8K found on models like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The iPhone gives you the option to also use “ProRes” video recording, which is available in 4K – but only if you have a 256GB or above model (you can shoot in ProRes at Full HD if you have a 128GB model). ProRes recording produces large files but gives more leeway for colour grading on a computer.

There’s also Cinematic mode for both devices, which creates shallow depth of field effects in video. The iPhone’s looks more natural than the Pixel’s (which is easily confused), but it’s likely this will improve with future updates.

Both offer stabilised video options, which are useful if you’re trying to create video will moving – such as while jogging. Both also have slow-mo video, and other functions such as yime-lapse.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: screen and design

With the iPhone you can opt for either the standard 14 Pro model (6.1-inch screen), or you can plump for the larger 14 Pro Max model (6.7-inch screen), which is the same size as the Pixel 7 Pro. The smaller iPhone 14 Pro is better suited to those with smaller hands (or smaller pockets), and is also easier to use for day-to-day tasks like sending texts.

There’s no difference between the iPhone 14 Pro and the Pro Max models when it comes to camera specifications.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

The Pixel 7 Pro is only available in one size (unless you go for the smaller Pixel 7, which lacks some of the features of the 7 Pro). That’s ideal if you like a bigger screen, but perhaps less good news if you want something more compact. The Pixel 7 Pro has a higher resolution (3120 x 1440) than even the larger iPhone 14 Pro Max (2790 x 1290), but, if you place the two side by side, it’s not immediately obvious – they both look very good with vibrant and bright displays.

Although the Pixel 7 Pro has the same size screen as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the actual phone itself is slightly larger and very slightly narrower. Measuring up at 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm, it compares against 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85mm for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Just to note that the standard iPhone 14 Pro measures up at 147.5 x 71.5 x 7.85mm.

The Pixel 7 Pro has a slightly sleeker look about it, with more rounded edges than the boxier appearance of the iPhone 14 Pro. Which you prefer is likely a matter of personal taste. Both phones are IP68 rated, which means that they can withstand dust and water. Both also have “tough” features like a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Screen (Pixel 7 Pro) or a Ceramic Shield Screen (iPhone 14 Pro).

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: battery life and storage

Annoyingly, Apple does not like to disclose its official battery specifications, but we can gauge its performance by both its quoted battery life and real-world testing. Google says the Pixel 7 Pro has a 5000 mAh battery. Looking at battery life quotes alone, we can see from these things that both the Pixel and the iPhone have pretty similar capabilities.

Apple says that the iPhone is good for 23 hours, or 29 hours (video playback) if you opt for the larger 14 Pro Max. Meanwhile, the Pixel 7 Pro’s battery life is quoted at 24 hours for video playback. In real-world usage, we’ve found that both phones last a full day of “normal” usage, which includes not only taking pictures and video, but of course browsing the web, using apps and making calls etc. The Pixel 7 Pro also has the option to enable “Extreme Battery Saver”, which means your phone can last up to 72 hours, but means you lose certain features.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

Both of the models offer fast charging and wireless charging with compatible chargers. Neither provide a charging plug in the box, but both do come with USB cables.

Neither of these phones give you the option to expand your capacity once you’ve bought the phone. If you think you’re going to need a lot, you’ll need to pay for it at the point of purchase. The base amount of storage for both models is 128GB, which rises to 512GB for the Pixel 7 Pro, and 1TB for the iPhone 14 Pro. At the time of writing, it doesn’t seem like the 512GB version of the Pixel 7 Pro is available to buy in the UK.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Price

One of the best things about the Pixel 7 Pro is that it’s available at a reasonable price, especially for a flagship model.

If we compare that with the iPhone 14 Pro Max there’s quite a price disparity – and you don’t seem to get too much more for your money (apart from the Apple name). The smaller iPhone 14 Pro is a little cheaper, but it’s still a hefty chunk of change.

For those looking for a class-leading smartphone, but without the massive budget to back it up, the Pixel 7 Pro is certainly better for your finances.

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro, photo: Amy Davies

iPhone 14 Pro vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: Verdict

There are plenty of excellent features with both smartphones, and both produce great pictures and video in a variety of different situations.

If we had to choose one, then the iPhone 14 Pro probably edges it just slightly, giving better Portrait results, and slightly better Night time results. Then again, the Pixel has better zooming capabilities. It’s certainly true that the iPhone isn’t better enough to warrant the extra outlay, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Overall, the two are pretty evenly matched in almost every respect. If you prefer iOS, then you might want to consider one of the older Apple models to save cash, but if you’re not fixed to Apple, then the Pixel 7 Pro is the smart choice.

Read our Google Pixel 7 Pro review

Read our iPhone 14 Pro review


Related articles:

iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro Compared

iPhone 14 Pro vs Samsung S23 Ultra: which smartphone is best for photographers?

For even more options have a look at our guide to the best smartphones for photography.


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