Pixel 2 vs. iPhone 8 Plus: Which takes better photos?

[MUSIC] Google says the camera on its Pixel 2 can beat iPhone 8 Plus using just one lens. Yet again, to find out we put them to the test at Pier 39 in San Francisco. All shots were taken on the default settings with auto HDR unless we said otherwise. In ideal conditions. Landscapes seem to be neck and neck on these two phones. The colors looks slightly more saturated with more contrast on the iPhone but the Pixel seems to have a bit more detail. The downside of having just one lens though, is that the Pixel can only do digital zoom. And at 2x this shot of Alcatraz looks washed out and grainy up close. The iPhone uses the second telephoto lens as an optical zoom, making Alcatraz look sharper and more vibrant. The same goes for actual close-ps, the greater contrast on the iPhone makes the grains of salt look clear whereas in the Pixel it all starts to kind of blend together [MUSIC] The iPhone also uses a telephoto lens for its portraits along with image processing. The pixel creates the blurred background effect using software and machine learning. Portrait mode on the iPhone is super easy. You just swipe to the setting And that's it. And then on the pixel though you have to click twice, you have to click on settings, then select portrait mode and you don't really know when it's activated because it doesn't have that yellow sign that the iPhone does. I honestly thought the iPhone would be the clear winner here. But I actually prefer the pixel version of Frisco Fred. The colors are more accurate and there's more detail in his face. And I do like this [UNKNOWN] angle but the pixel didn't always get it right, it's great with pixels and pets but objects seem to be a challenge, portraits on the iPhone are more consistent and you can [UNKNOWN] just about anything. What you can't portrait mood on the iPhone is selfies in general are better on the pixel. You can also use that same blurred background effect as on the rear camera. As long as you are both looking on the same plane. For potraits in the more challenging setting of the mirror maize, we turned on the flash. Lexie's eyes look red and her face looks washed out on the pixel. The iPhone made the light seem more natural but it is not as clear But with no flash and no subjects, the Pixel takes the crown. This picture of the arches looks sharper with the better colors. The iPhone is well lit but there's more noise on the pillars. [MUSIC] Look, it's a pretty even playing field when it comes to the cameras on these two phones. They don't get much better than this, and in some shots I could barely tell the difference. What's clear is that this year the Pixel is able to keep up, and sometimes even out-perform the iPhone, using just one lens and its software. At least as far as stills are concerned. Video is a different story, and you'll have to watch our video comparison for that. [MUSIC]