K i t Z o n e
130 DIGITAL CAMERA^ DECEMBER 2019 http://www.digitalcameraworld.comMini Test
Google Pixel 4 XL
£829/$899
http://www.store.google.comT
he Pixel 4 XL’s 28mm-equivalent
primary camera features a 12MP
sensor, dual-pixel and phase-detection
autofocus, OIS and a f/1.7 maximum aperture.
Crucially, this is the first Pixel with more than
one rear-facing camera, as the Pixel 4 XL gets
a 16MP secondary camera with a 45mm focal
length, equating to a roughly 1.6x zoom.
However the Pixel 4’s new Astro mode is its
biggest selling point. This holds the shutter open
for four minutes to grab incomparable detail from
night skies, as long as the phone is perfectly still.
In normal automatic mode, the Pixel 4 XL
captures punchy images with plenty of detail.
Compared to the iPhone 11 Pro, the Pixel exposes
scenes a little darker, creating a more realistic
image most of the time. Dynamic range is
exceptional, with the Pixel doing a particularly
good job of evening out extreme highlights.
However, when the lights go down, the phone
generates more image noise than many rivals,
although this is a product of Google’s more
restrained noise reduction processing.PROS Great image quality; awesome Astro
mode; useful telephoto camera; stunning screenCONS ‘Only’ two rear-facing cameras; expensive
for the hardware you get; low storage capacityVerdict
Apple iPhone 11 Pro
From £1,049/$999
http://www.apple.comT
he iPhone 11 Pro’s triple-camera
array is hardly cutting-edge by today’s
standards, but it works brilliantly.
The colours, tones and exposures are consistent
across all three cameras – but it’s Apple’s
restrained approach to image processing that
really sets the iPhone 11 Pro apart from the
competition. Where flagship phones like the
Samsung Note 10 and especially the Huawei P30
Pro tend to produce shots with aggressive
HDR, sharpening and noise reduction, the
iPhone’s images look more true-to-life, and
never show signs of being over-processed.
The new 12MP, 13mm-equivalent ultra-wide
camera is just brilliant for travel photography,
landmarks and spectacular interiors.
We like the regular iPhone 11 Pro best – the
iPhone 11 Pro Max has the same cameras but it’s
just a bit big, while the regular iPhone 11 is cheaper
but doesn’t have the 52mm telephoto lens. The
latter is very handy for macro close-ups, and for
producing a more flattering perspective than
the standard camera when shooting portraits.PROS The purist’s choice for image quality;
versatile triple camera setupCONS Not 5G; P30 Pro offers more optical
zoom; screen design starting to look datedVerdict
Huawei P30 Pro
£800
https://consumer.huawei.comT
here’s a lot to love about the P30 Pro.
It’s a camera phone that has it all:
superb low-light abilities, a depth-sensing
Time of Flight camera for more accurate bokeh
simulation in portraits, and unbelievable zoom
capabilities, courtesy of an 8MP telephoto camera
that provides 5x seamless optical zoom. Add the
gorgeous 6.47-inch HDR10-capable screen with its
minimal notch, and the P30 Pro is a highly desirable
phone that performs well in virtually any situation.
Judged purely on image quality, however, the
P30 Pro is no longer on top. Huawei has doubled
down on image processing, and it shows – just
not always in a good way. While HDR that
preserves every pixel of highlight detail is
technically impressive, it can leave some high-
contrast shots looking flat, while aggressive
sharpening and noise reduction cause some
shots to look slightly painterly.
Make no mistake, these are relatively minor
issues that are usually only apparent when viewing
images at 100% size, but it’s these details that
separate the best camera phones from the rest.PROS 5x optical zoom works wonders; best-in-
class bokeh; awesome low-light performanceCONS Aggressive noise reduction and HDR;
questions over long-term Android supportVerdict
Camera phones
Smartphones have killed the conventional compact camera,
and these superb snappers make it easy to see why