Google just unveiled its latest Pixel 9 Pro series, including the base model and the 9 Pro XL. The company talked a lot about the phone’s AI capabilities, not just in everyday productivity tasks, but also the various ways it will help you take photos and videos. In fact, Google talked so much about the camera software that it almost hid the fact that the camera hardware has barely changed. And in a world where companies like Xiaomi are doing incredible things with their cameras, that could be a problem.
Check this out: Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL in hands-on
The Pixel 9 Pro’s camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide lens, and a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. Sounds great, but these are almost exactly the same specs as the Pixel 8 Pro. The main camera’s image sensor is the same size and so is its aperture of f/1.68. So on paper, the rear camera setup seems to be exactly the same, with the only improvement I can see being the ultra-wide camera’s aperture, which has been increased from f/1.95 to f/1.7.
Oh, and the front camera has a higher resolution for those of you who want more clarity for your grimace selfies.
Rather than focusing on hardware upgrades (because there aren’t any, really), Google focused on software instead. It talked at length about its improved algorithms for HDR imagery, its better panorama mode that can now be used at night, and its better low-light video mode enabled by the new Tensor G4 processor and new image signal processor. And of course, Google talked a hell of a lot about AI in photography, including its new Add Me tool that lets you, the photographer, step in on the shot, and its various new generative AI image editing tools.
The camera hardware of the Pixel 9 Pro appears to have changed little compared to last year’s Pixel 8 Pro.
This all looks pretty fun and I’m sure it will appeal to a lot of people who just want to take some great snaps, play around with some effects and stickers and send them to their friends. And sure, that’s how I use my phone camera most of the time. But I’m also a professional photographer and I want a phone that offers the best image quality before we start playing around with AI editing and generative fill effects.
These photos I took with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra blew me away
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Earlier this year I tested the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, a phone that offers a much larger 1-inch image sensor for its main camera, as well as a large, variable aperture and even comes with a handy camera grip with shutter button. I was able to take some of the best photos I’ve ever taken with a phone and was genuinely amazed by the quality of the shots I captured. I particularly enjoyed shooting in Leica monochrome mode for punchy street photos, while my excellent colleague Katie Collins achieved incredible results with the phone when photographing Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra allows you to take amazing pictures and I like to use it for my street photography.
Xiaomi has relied primarily on hardware here, packing its phone with the best imaging tech it could get. The 14 Ultra doesn’t just feel like a phone, but more like a compact camera that you can also use to make calls. And sure, maybe pro cameras are more of a niche interest these days, but consider that Fujifilm’s compact X100VI has been on backorder since its launch in February, and even its predecessor, the X100V, is more expensive used than new due to incredible demand. There’s clearly an interest in having professional imaging tools in your pocket.
I don’t expect the Pixel 9 Pro to be bad at taking photos. To be clear, I haven’t even touched the phone, let alone taken a photo. The previous Pro Pixel models all had excellent camera systems that could capture great images in a variety of conditions. But with the Pixel 9 Pro, Google has shown that its commitment to imaging isn’t to serve hardcore photographers who demand the best, but to target its phone at a wider audience who want to tinker with their snaps before sharing them in group chats.
That’s a fair strategy, but I expect serious photographers will be disappointed with the Pixel 9 Pro’s camera specs and may turn to rivals like Xiaomi for the best professional imaging experience.
