The Blind Smartphone Camera Test Winners!

[@abhinavm1995]

You should add a DSLR in the blind test next year.

[@RitzPlays]

100%

[@efenili]

If you just set a similarly priced ($1k) SLR in this mix to A and had no post processing it probably would lose in this sort of comparison, or at least I wouldn't be surprised. Super high resolution and accuracy weigh a lot less here

[@TheDanEdwards]

"Just point and shoot" MB said. - this test is for people who don't know much, and don't want to learn photography.

[@armanchoudhry3793]

That would be cool but with a DSLR, the RAW files will need to be edited so it wont be fair against a phone. If you mean a DSLR on its basic settings not shooting RAW, then a phone will look better as they get processed a little bit so the DSLR image would be flat in comparison. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that's the case

[@ahmad.mujeeb]

​@@armanchoudhry3793 You are absolutely right. Raw photos will need some color grading. Jpeg however will not.

[@TamerChris]

I feel like year after year the budget Pixel phones always proved themselves to be among the top in these blind tests.

[@B-RaDD]

been a pixel fan since the beginning. I still have my Pixel 1(the very first one. ive since switched to s22 ultra currently but my daughter has the 6a for middle school

[@AJMangino]

Yeah and yet that doesn't seem to be the sentiment you hear from the KZbin tech review giants. To me it's been the runaway favorite for still photos since the Pixel 2

[@Skapo]

And yet they are notorious for mediocre video. He really needs to add video into these blind tests. Would make a big difference for a ton of people.

[@SpaceGhostNZ]

@@Skapo I would love to see a video based competition!

[@churroholics8689]

@@Skapo Buddy you must be stuck in the 2010s because Pixels are not known for mediocre video for a while now. The top 3 major phone companies are all extremely comparable

[@austin.rojers]

Do this test every year, please. This is my favourite video of the year from you.

[@asadfarraj]

This is the only video of his that I watch now-and-days.

[@Dinomite1]

Lemme tell you what happens next year: Pixel 8A first Pixel 9 Pro next Pixel fold third

[@Michael-tz8df]

But please use more of the best phones. Huawei, Oppo and Honor had the best cameras last year and noone of these are on the list.

[@CarlJohnson-iv7sn]

Should also do one for video.

[@subratpradhan3581]

I would say this is the best video on KZbin for Smartphone Camera I would say.

[@hachre]

this is great and you definitely need to continue this series!!

[@DanielWillardson]

I would love to see a landscape view style photo added. I feel like many people take photos of amazing views while traveling or hiking. Maybe a full zoom test too?

[@guihamelYT]

That would be a great addition... moreso that almost all those phones have dedicated lenses for such situations.

[@DominusFeles]

Yes please 👍 A landscape photo without any human subject would be a great addition.

[@WaleedAlvi]

Replace portrait for landscape would be ideal.

[@darke7777]

and also someone with light skin in the same shot to see how it handles both

[@parkerfitzen3609]

I think landscape, along with an object (like a dish of food, or a flower or something) are the two big ones that it's missing

[@tommoex]

Pixel should just use this as their marketing material, I love the consistency of their point and shoot. I love their work on the skin tones and I hope that work continues.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

They did mention it on social media last year when pixel 6a won.

[@rishavganguly92]

If they did do that, no one would buy their flagships because buyers would rush to the A-series phones.

[@suryaj4928]

but the selfies look shit tho

[@bensonemery]

Please do not stop making these comparisons. Actually very fun and helpful

[@martinadoria8163]

this is the only type of video i watch from this guy, i dont mostly care about opinions on a phone but this actually shows what most people think about photos just point and shoot or capture a video, most people dont want to learn photography yet they want a phone that takes good photos and this test actually is a good test for that

[@d.carter3850]

You: I don't care about opinions on a phone. Also you: I watch this video because it shows what most people think.

[@pestibenji]

This ELO system was way better than previous years' bracket one. Loved this video, with finally accurate results. One thing I would change is to include at least one photo without a person, I think many people shoot photos of landscapes and stuff.

[@-Filip-]

I think the bracket system was used in the best 2021 cameras video. In 2022 was ELO system already implemented.

[@jimshelley8831]

ELO weren't they a band from the Uk ?

[@pestibenji]

@@jimshelley8831 maybe there's a band named that too, but this ELO is a ranking system invented by the Hungarian person Élő Árpád.

[@Prince_Azarius]

When did they say we can vote in 2024 as well? I missed it.

[@abhishekgarg5286]

Yeah, I think photos of picturesque landscapes would be nice. Since we'll be heading to Moon or Mars soon, we need to make our cameras compatible with extra-terrestrial photography as well, so we need to test these cameras on Moon or Mars and see which camera would provide realistic photos, as opposed to the fake moon landing pics we got from Nasa in 1969. LOL

[@FanaticMind_]

Marques don’t even think about stopping these! This and the smartphone awards are awesome. 2 favorites of the year hands down

[@jiraph52]

4:38 The lowest daytime ELO is the iPhone 15 (1187) not 15 Pro (1350). See the rankings at 5:15.

[@khw0710]

This need more attention lol

[@extremebear7396]

I was going to say the same🙏🏻

[@kayashkel3862]

Nice catch my guy, take a like

[@LLOCKDOWN]

I’m here to say the same. Please correct

[@LouisLuzuka]

😮

[@estacaotech]

Love to see this blind camera test, you should also add ultrawide shots and even videos (even if its static video or using a moving slider) to see which phones are great in other cameras and modes, at least main video mode, main cameras are becoming too good, but UW, Zoom and videos are still evolving slower, it would be great to see

[@gaveta]

You should do a Blind VIDEO test! That should be very interesting :)

[@CorujaStryxs]

Do nada o Gaveta ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@caresword]

Who would sit down and watch a the same clip 20 times and accurately cast their vote? Some weirdos would, but not enough to make a statistically meaningful survey.

[@crypton1448]

​@@careswordlet them play at the same time

[@ricardocarvalho6472]

Little Drawer \o/

[@LucasCarvalho]

When you expect less... a drawer in the face (gaveta na cara)

[@SuhailSherif]

I'd be really interested in seeing which phones can take good photos of something that's in motion. It could be challenging to standardize a test for this but if anyone can do this, I'm sure you can.

[@williamhopeiii]

Speaking from experience, Pixel would still win that and iPhone would come after.

[@okene]

​@@williamhopeiiimy pixel takes good photos of objects in motion but the issue is that the buffer fills faster that iPhones

[@mikeBlogic]

Honor magic 5 pro is here the best

[@Tom_Stevens617]

iPhones have pretty much instant shutter speed so they're easily some of the best for motion pics. Pixels are up there too, but Samsung still has some way to go here (although they've been making improvements with software updates)

[@jayjaypremium]

THE SONY PHONES are the best for this

[@tiemji]

Love those blind test to avoid any bias. I really like them and the results are always surprising

[@fantasytky28]

Agree. To avoid bias, lets shoot only 3/4 photo with all of them under same condition (black peoplr portrait) and call it a day 😂

[@ugwuanyicollins6136]

Minimize bias

[@kiwikappa]

@@fantasytky28what?

[@hlyanlinnlet]

Asus ROG phone 7 Ultimate made me suprise at portrait mode during my blind test

[@fantasytky28]

@@kiwikappa try learn English?

[@sbalget]

6:07 i actually think the pixel 7a won the nightime category. You can see the sky is darker, so its more clear that it was nighttime than just late in the day, the ground just looks matte and more realistic, and you don't lose too much colour on the coat.

[@Carlduran]

Are you their to tell they said iphone is more natural because their are they in the place

[@zachattack3ee]

you were welcome to vote as such

[@stonesymmetry]

My experience is always been. iPhones always look as true to life, if not better in night mode

[@BehindTheGreenEyes]

it's*

[@BehindTheGreenEyes]

​@@Carlduran there*, there* Also, what??

[@wupp69]

You should include the winners of the previous year in these blind camera tests. Just to see where they rank competing against the newer models :D

[@luc_verse]

yesss !!

[@sbudambele1603]

True that! I was thinking the very same thing, What if last year's phone outranked this year's phone, It could be possible!

[@itsmoey]

Or maybe throw in a couple of phones from last year and the year before just to see how well they fare.

[@ryan_raus]

The thing with this is they could very well be the same cameras :(

[@premprakash2297]

Bro last year winner was pixel 7a

[@MoisesMartinezJr]

Pixel does such a great job in photos. Only if they figure out the video, their camera system would be insane.

[@phantom1076]

Pixel 8 pro video is really good. Not iphone level yet, but with video boost, it's getting very close

[@YasinHasan]

my pixel 8's video is very close to my iphone 15's video. soon they will surpass apple in video quality

[@alexiwheelbarrow]

8 pro has really good video.

[@nagarjunagilalla7680]

How many does shoot video and 99 %people don't care about video

[@worthless_opinion]

They already did figure video out, man.

[@mathesar]

It's to bad Marques hinted at not doing these blind tests anymore, they're very interesting & informative.

[@dj94545gaming]

Yeah it feels like he is trying to prep us for that, but these videos are objectively very important for reviewing these cameras.

[@alexrennemann4788]

You know that the manufacturers are pressuring him from the results, looking at you Apple and Samsung. The fact that Google walked them all with their budget phone, for what, 3rd year in rankings?, has to bother them. I'd put good money on Apple pressuring him since you can't have a Phone 1/2 the price stealing their marketshare.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Yeah, this is his most interesting video last 2 years. Maybe he could switch it to every other year but then you'd have to test twice as many phones

[@mamamememoo]

I hope he doesn’t stop. This category is my absolute fave of all the videos he does.

[@SB-mr2nk]

​@@dj94545gamingThey are not. As you can see, the highest rated ones all have bad exposure.

[@diogomorato]

This was an amazing way to decide what i actually want from a smartphone camera.Thank you. I hope you keep this test site updated.

[@zno3177]

I know Marques is not pregnant but he never fails to deliver

[@danfromtheinternet]

out of pocket

[@darvynm541]

Cringe

[@Alan20065]

Marques plzz react to this😂

[@Arkson_2010]

Guys this is not original

[@ChetManly1994]

Copy paste comment. The video was 12 mins long, it was posted 5 mins ago, and your comment is 4 mins ago. You haven't watched the video yet 💀

[@MrDigitalDeviant]

Interesting to see these results, I recently bought myself a 7a based on seeing the photos my wife's Pixel produced.

[@shainmohamed3022]

Is the colour shifting problem really bad? Or is it not that noticeable?

[@lifeftojas]

@@shainmohamed3022 There is none honestly. Half the pixel issues are highlighted by the 0.1% users that exaggerate it to no ends. And it gets worse after watching videos. My 6A and my friend's 7A haven't heated up, never had bugs, smooth UI and everything and absolutely avoided any problems that these youtubers overly point at.

[@erin758]

battery life?

[@Guillo1499]

I got myself one as well recently. To be honest, I love it. pics look great, battery life is great for me at least when I compared it to my older samsung phone. Granted I'm not someone who watches videos all day on the phone. Samsung lasted me less than 8 hours but pixel lasts for me around 1.1 days.

[@Guillo1499]

Just as a test I didn't charge the pixel as I would normally since I saw this video (just 1 time yesterday for like 30 min) and the phone has been running from a full 100% starting in Sun 4pm down to now 5% (without activating battery saver) at Tuesday morning 😮😮. I'm pleasantly surprised.

[@RaySileiXu]

I think it would be very interesting to blend in a few top rated phones in the past years to see how they hold up against the new phones!

[@PanchitoLopez-su2zn]

No

[@13Luk6iul]

Yes!

[@brothermanbill_]

@@PanchitoLopez-su2zn explain your opinion

[@harbirsingh7266]

Imagine how funny it would be if the Pixel 4a won.

[@sleyaraze8916]

Sneakyyy. 😂 Nice idea

[@angela-r]

Thank you! This is the most helpful video around for choosing the right smart phone for camera quality. Please do more of these blind tests. 😁🙏

[@thomster97]

A fun spin on the format could be to look into how smartphone cameras have gotten better over the years. Like Apple always throws out numbers on how much better their new cameras are but do we ever compare the last 6 years of iPhone pictures with each other?

[@muhmin7]

Put the #1 of each category into next year's list

[@priyanshusharma1812]

Maybe search on KZbin for that? There are many videos about it??

[@maximkhan-magomedov431]

I have iPhone SE and SE 2001. The newer one indeed has better quality of photos.

[@derriesenaal4134]

i feel Like They Trick us, I have a Theory that The picture quality of phones getting Worse over time ,because of updates. And for us customers it looks Like The newer phones have a crazy Camera Quality

[@solared]

MrWhoseTheBoss has done this

[@denbes]

Honestly, don't drop the series. The pure stats are very interesting!

[@chibuezeanyanwu2979]

I was waiting for this video. I expected Pixel to clear 2 out of the top 3. And they didn't disappoint

[@emmanuelben1393]

me too

[@MXG000]

I own a pixel 7,but I like my S22 ultra pictures a lot more !!

[@guardianali]

@@MXG000 Thats because the pixel takes more natural photos like what your eye sees. Samsung has a tendency to over saturate so the colors pop more...and thus 'seem' better...but is not how we actually see

[@chibuezeanyanwu2979]

@@guardianali this was what ruined apple pictures over time. They weren't natural. And over time, people noticed.

[@blinblinthing]

@@chibuezeanyanwu2979 Natural? The camp that's been just adding yellow tint for a long time?

[@samuelkwams1534]

I really admire your hard work for always bringing good stuffs like this

[@r0senberg_]

I think you should do a Front-Camera category too. It's probably the 2nd most used mode.

[@Klust413]

I use my front camera so little, I'd almost rather it got dropped entirely for the unbroken screen.

[@Krunkeridleios]

Its without a doubt the most used camera.

[@r0senberg_]

@@Klust413 Yea our boys dont use it much but every girlfriends I had like to take selfies using boyfriends phone. Our asians like selfies and posting on social media daily bruh

[@Klust413]

@@r0senberg_ It's just absolutely not a priority lens even for manufacturers, and that's clear by how it's always the most gimped lens. Honestly, if it's a big factor in buying a phone for you, I'd recommend a folding phone. With those, you can use the main lenses with the full sensors and line up your shots with the outer screen.

[@chudifrank6493]

I second this. Especially with nowadays where people work online using zoom, FaceTime etc! Also selfies, TikTok’s lives and so on are huge too

[@yezralumapas3850]

I honestly love the dedication of these videos. The next one should have video and front camera tests since these are used a lot in the average person's phone. Also having last year's winner is a cool idea to show how much preferences hold up year after year.

[@ViralVideosVrn]

Bro adding last yrs champion is a good ideaaa ❤

[@megamastah]

​@@ViralVideosVrndedication lol. Sorry to put it blunt, but this is his job, and this video was lowest effort carbon copy of previous editions.

[@a11aaa11a]

This is one of my favorite pieces of content you put out every year! I learn a lot about my own preferences, and it's always interesting to see what others like. A few things that would be super cool to see next year: 1. Normal and night mode landscapes, both in orientation and subject. Ideally, this would be additional categories for non-people night/day shots (I think it's very useful to have night portraits). Night portrait in dark city/outside of a club style conditions would be ideal. 2. A portrait mode group photo with people of as many skin tones/undertones as possible. 3. Maybe when you're done voting or released with this video, a reference photo for each category from a crazy good camera like the Alpha 1, with everything adjusted as perfectly as possible in post to match reality.

[@kiki12basket]

Except that the experiment is really baddly conducted. An elo and all of that is nice but you have 3 photos and all of them is about a person with black skin. For many people it's not a regular setup: no landscape, no white or asian, no animal. To me it has no value at all

[@tnaro]

I would also point out a category of lets say "reasonable effort". Like for all of the Tests, just tap once on Marques' face to let the phone focus and adjust brightness as necessary. Especially if typically pictures with correct brightnes win, this could say "if you just tap the subject once, these phones perform good". Reasonable effort - because in the end the people pixel peeping here want best pictures, not lowest effort.

[@Courtj3st3r33]

My wife and i both had pixels. Last upgrade i finally decided to give one plus a shot and she stayed with pixel. I've regretted it from day one 😢

[@IsiahHD]

I still think the most underrated feature that Google has put out is the "Real Tone" processing for the Pixel. That's probably what is putting Google ahead in these tests.

[@deepakbisht4957]

Well it has to do with the dark skin tones. Google mentioned in their last 2-3 keynotes that they worked a lot in darker skin tones and results are here they were not lying...

[@tj2375]

This test is great precisely because camera processing is biased towards light skin tones since forever.

[@nowshidulislam3336]

as far as i know google uses software for better image processing unlike other phones

[@christopheschmit8671]

​@@nowshidulislam3336 lol which phone doesn't?

[@fantasytky28]

Underrated? Mkbhd literally only test this Alone in this test and call it a day for the best camera phone title...... Underrated? Its like overrated in this case bro. the title shouldn't even be this biased in the first place. It should have been 'best black person portrait camera phone" instead with this extremely one dimension test

[@arjunsahlot]

I really think the MKBHD team should include a couple phones for previous year, just to see how things have changed. The team will probably have a better idea on which ones to bring back than me, but I think at least last year's champ should return.

[@onyekadavid]

I think top 3, just to see how much camera performance has improved year on year.

[@GeorgeVenturi]

There is an important error in the Daytime section, at 4:35 Marques states that the worst image comes from the iPhone 15 Pro, but in the following comparisons and on the side by side list it clearly says iPhone 15 under the image and the iPhone 15 Pro is clearly not the worst (15 of 20)

[@SuperchargedLlama]

That's a great idea!

[@parth_19]

Last year's champ was also a Pixel. That too a budget Pixel, the 6A 7A is just following the legacy

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Also why didn't they do photos of other things like land scapes? With the way cameras can change certain aspects of a photo based on how it was designed. I think they should have at least done photos without a person in front. Camera will just focus on him.

[@KoharoTV]

Great test. Looking forward for Video blind test!

[@plumpyplum]

we all know iphone is going to dominate in the video test, but im curious to see how android phones rank amongst each other.

[@DesmondKarani]

​@@plumpyplum you'll be surprised at what you can see when no labels are attached. Just because every reviewer says iphone video is the best doesn't mean it will win by default. It might not even appear in top 3.

[@fkingnobody]

​@@plumpyplumPhones with larger sensor gonna beat iPhone in low-light sceneries. What most people thought that iPhone and Samsung are the best in camera. But look at the result. Cheaper Pixel easily beat the iPhone and Samsung. So don't get too excited iPhone would win in videos.

[@plumpyplum]

@@fkingnobody I know pixels are king of photos. Been a Google phone user since Nexus 6p. However, I have never been impressed by Google's videos ever.

[@blinblinthing]

​@@plumpyplumright, because your favorite KZbinr said so? Let's see what the tests say.

[@Mike-In-O-Town]

This is why I've been a subscriber here for many years. This is the type of info that truly provides me with some of the info I need to make a good choice on a phone.

[@DiamondMaster115]

I bought the Pixel 7a back in October last year, knowing at least somewhat that the photos it would take would be incredibly solid, due to last year's vote having almost identical results. Now that we know it IS the best, I feel a whole lot cooler owning one now. 😎

[@darkkforest]

Damn you gotta work more on self esteem lad

[@fojteflon]

@@darkkforestnothing wrong with his self esteem, he just feels good for making a nice purchase. Nothing wrong with that.

[@ChicaneMedia]

​@@darkkforestPretty sure you're the one that needs to work on self esteem. Imagine being insecure about your phone, can't be the op 😂

[@antoniodimitrov8315]

the problem I personally have is that the moment you need anything other than the main camera you are left with no options whatsoever. I got a second hand deal on a P60 Pro about a month after launch for about as much as a new 7a would cost in eastern europe and from the 6000 or so photos that I've shot maybe 80% of them are actually with the telephoto camera as it usually produces photos that are on par with the main camera in quality and colors.

[@HotdogSosage]

It's awesome but MY GOD they look awful. That bar on the back is so bad 😢 it's hard to buy one cause it looks so bad imo lol

[@francofonseca5292]

great classic tech video with a simple question and an overwhelming production great video as always marques team

[@4RILDIGITAL]

The effort put into this comparison is evident and provides great insights. Surprised to see Pixel phones steal the show. Looking forward to more such tests in the future!

[@Ewokmacy]

Why? Pixel win every Year, not very surprising.

[@balazsmiklos9509]

@@Ewokmacy the reverse order between the Pixels is suprising, but also reassuring.

[@simple.guitar]

Hey, it's not evident. It's a nice insight, but the quality of phone-photos changes really fast, even with the smallest lighting situation. It would be evidence, if there were variations for every scene included. So maybe 3 other daylight fotos in other situations and so on. The results could be like this, but would presumably look different. Its a nice insight, but its by no means a scientific test.

[@dom3225]

Yeah but I liked the OG format. It felt natural and real.

[@janvinent1827]

Pixel makes good photos but if you upload them on ig with music or filters they will always look blurry in comparison to iphone

[@abdunasser2645]

you earned your self a sub. Good job

[@BTVHQ]

Proud Pixel 7a owner. ❤ One thing to note is google removed the .7x button from selfie camera in recent update for no reason. There's no wide angle selfie available in 7a now! 😢

[@fabianmontero5174]

I also got a 7a! incredible value! bad battery life tho. sad about the update

[@BTVHQ]

@@fabianmontero5174 I dealt the bad battery life with lineage OS-MicroG. The incredible thing about pixel with Lineage OS is you get the same native support for Pixel Camera OOB. Only thing I lost after switching is the ability to use tap and pay.

[@BTVHQ]

As LOS is still on A13. I was able to retain the .7x button too.

[@awsmchicken]

did they remove wide angle or make it the standard angle?

[@BTVHQ]

@@awsmchicken They removed it asfaik. I am on Lineage OS. It was my friend who confirmed this. She actuality upgraded from 4a just because of this wide angle thing. I am not a selfie person btw.

[@jesusalberto3145]

My purchase of a pixel 8 pro a week ago keeps justifying itself more and more as the days go by. Man I love this phone!

[@SageLegacy]

Same here. I thought I was being a prude when I wanted to go back to pixel after Samsung but I haven't regretted a single moment. Not only that but the auto focus and camera processing is so much faster

[@bigmaxcc]

🙋‍♂️same here love my surf blue p 8pro king of 📸

[@themrjones]

I have the Pixel 7 and this thing has been flawless so far. One complaint is too slippery in the hand you need a case or a skin

[@themrjones]

And the 6A won last year. Guess all out memories are gonna be a little better looking than the competition. I still love you Samsung

[@Gopinathk17]

Pixel 8 here.

[@undivided_unified]

i love the breakdown of the statistical data management they use and how it improves each year it seems! Thanks MKB

[@Colayith]

Well, MKB would be accurate when referring to Marques@@Dante-fk4yi

[@hugoarellanes2002]

dont stop doing these videos pls, they are awesome

[@Snarethedrummer]

Earlier this year when I was trying to decide which Pixel 7 I should get, I looked at many photo examples and settled on the 7a because for whatever gut reason I liked its photos best. It's so nice to get this kind of validation and be able to tell myself I wasn't just a sucker for the pretty coral colour 😅

[@fanecuffy5743]

You're still a sucker for the coral color at heart.. but now you got some justification 😂

[@tijamir4998]

I just upgraded from pixel 4a to pixel 7a and I am so happy after watching this video.

[@DeivixLV]

@@tijamir4998 how's that god awful fingerprint sensor? I had Pixel 6 and it was just so bad.

[@tijamir4998]

@@DeivixLV it's not that bad. 7a is not a top tier flagship so it's fine by me.

[@tobiascornille]

@@tijamir4998 My pixel 4a fingerprint sensor is so unreliable. Is the 7a at least better?

[@applefanatic414]

The really interesting thing about these photos were how I found myself focusing one certain part of the photo and picking whichever photo had the most detail in that spot. For me, it was the texture of MKBHD logo on the first photo (some phones just didn’t show the dotted texture at all), the texture/color of your jacket on the second photo, and the texture/sharpness of the hoodie in the third photo. Made me think a lot. Always love these tests, keep them up.

[@toucans_palette]

please never stop doing these, they're ny fave videos and i look forward to them so much!!!! new year wouldn't be the same without them

[@SuperboyCK]

7:19 Good job, editor. A solid sequence

[@manveruppd]

It would be interesting if you tested these with a second panel comprised of photography experts, to see if there's a big difference from the general public's preferences.

[@aharmlesshorse]

Get this comment to the top please

[@kerc]

Great idea!

[@AndreaZzzXXX]

yes

[@sibusisozwane8912]

Yeah that would be cool, but not necessary... really...if you an expert, you probs have a actual camera and don't really care about phone camera quality

[@warrenmerrill532]

Photography experts telling commoners what they should like. Free nose-rings for all. What a great idea! /s We already have photography experts telling other photography experts on photography blogs why they are doing it wrong, or need new gear, or in the wrong ecosystem. Prediction: None of them would ooh and ahh over smartphone pics. As a self-professed photography expert myself there is no smartphone I would use as my primary shooter. I use em, both iPhone and Pixels AAMOF, but as secondary or backup, never first choice. What the general public thinks of these as THEIR primary camera matters far more than pixel-peeping by a self-styled expert who leans on a different grade of camera gear. for their own paid work.

[@PMX]

I'd like a "most realistic" category for next year, where a reference photo is taken with a DSLR and shown alongside each pair of phone pictures. I've taken some nice pictures while on vacation that nonetheless look nothing like what I my eyes saw.

[@bradensinclair9517]

Great idea

[@Ivan_Zarkov]

Who is shooting on DSLR in 2024 :)

[@AleksandarStefanovic]

​@@Ivan_Zarkovpeople needing to provide reference photos

[@riverpb5250]

@@Ivan_Zarkov i assume that you meant actual DSLRs because most people use mirrorless now but the answer is: a lot of professional photographers still use a DSLR because of how rugged they are. especially for those who mainly shoots in challenging situations like landscape and travel. usually, they have a DSLR + mirrorless combo with them.

[@Turnip_]

​@@Ivan_ZarkovDSLRs aren't really purchased new anymore but plenty of photographers still use them.

[@jerryterrestrial]

I was so shocked by Sony's portrait mode. 💔 Also feel bad for them. Hands down to Pixel. 🙌 Killer!

[@xelaander8429]

Sonny's problem is that the phone is great with manual controls but the auto settings are trash for some reason, make it make sense Sony, pleaseeeeee!

[@mineironyc]

I have an Xperia 1 iii, it's even worse at night. 😅

[@YariJaluff]

The funniest thing by far is that most of these phones have Sony Sensors inside. And the worst pictures are from a Sony top high end phone. 🤯

[@s10e]

But the problem is, Sony Xperia 1 V does NOT have a portrait mode at all. I don't known which mode it has been tested at but it's clearly not portrait mode. And, by comparing the FOV to other phones at 9:05, they also didn't use the telephoto lens.

[@itsapinecone7280]

​@@s10ethis is very much not true. it definately does have a portrait mode, they just call it bokeh mode, ollie nelson did multiple videos about it, and when you actually nail exposure it blows the rest of these phones out of the water in terms of bokeh simulation

[@SebastianSchneider1]

I love that you added the Fairphone!

[@Mlynoph]

I really love this addition to the end of the year awards. This test is always so insightful on what you prefer in a photo. And pixels consistency is quite the achievement. On the low light one I got all three pixels in my top three, and the 7a was also in my top three in all three categories. The only discrepancy I had which I found interesting was in the standard category, I got the iPhone 15 pro in second place instead of dead last. I guess I just preferred it more. That's why this test is so fun, you get to see what you and the masses truly find the most appealing without any outside bias such as brand affiliation or such. Another great video as always!

[@JAYfromTHEworld]

A landscape shot and a zoom photo would be also very interesting for next year Maybe another half of the year photo contest for juli Love these videos great idea

[@marleydog7595]

I love that you do these tests. Very much appreciated. Could you possibly test the zoom in future tests?

[@yuchan063]

Samsung will nail it

[@therdku]

Top notch content as always. Man that Sony portrait was a banger :D

[@diego_neuromesh]

Please do more of this type of experiments. Love to see objective facts rather than just someone commenting subjectively on which camera is better! Statistics rules!

[@NickHunter]

This was just a huge polling of thousands of subjective opinions lol Not saying I disagree with the results

[@H94R]

@@NickHunteri think it’s more of a case that thousands of subjective options cumulated into one result is far more reliable and indicative of objectivity than just specs or one reviewers opinion. 20,000 tech minded people liking something without manufacturer bias has much more objective credibility than one reviewer who knows what it is that they’re reviewing.

[@pelummy01]

@@NickHunterSmartphone pictures are highly subjectives in the first place. They are tuned and processed based on what the designers feel will be the most appealing to users. And now we have a test that objectively measures which of them appeals the most to users.

[@MrNaesme]

​@@pelummy01Well, not really actually. Surveys are never considered an objective experiment. They can not produce objective results. This survey just really highlights consumer preference, which is still important when designing consumer products.

[@NickHunter]

@@MrNaesme this

[@rezaomar3397]

absolutely accurate i have an iPhone 15 pro and a pixel 7a from work and was doing a bit of camera testing myself and the camera on the 7a is unbelievable, better than the 15 pro in quite a few different shots

[@andrewkay3276]

Yeah wow those pixels are solid Would be interesting to see a video comparison as well, as difficult as that would be to orchestrate. Especially given how prevalent shorts/reels/etc are becoming

[@meestuinier4486]

I mean, they already have a robot so i feel like it shouldn't been that hard to pull of, not saying It'd be simple

[@milesdollasign3906]

im pretty sure iphone would win badly, seeing second place would be interesting though

[@TommyTank22]

​@@milesdollasign3906bet you thought that at the beginning of this video too

[@milesdollasign3906]

@@TommyTank22 not at all, iphone is known for being the best at video

[@TommyTank22]

@@milesdollasign3906 purely opinion and preference

[@Metical1312]

Love this series dont stop doing , i would even want 1 for video and selfie cam!!

[@luismurteira8843]

Man, thanks for confirming me again about my spectacular purchase of the Pixel 7A! For the past, like, 8/9 years I only bought cheap and horrible phones, bou this year (2023), because I am already working I needed an upgrade! And boom! Pixel 7A, but I was a little sceptical about the purchase, but the performance of this phone is all very very good (much better than my last phones) and with an opinion of a pro, I am glad I bought this phone! Thanks for your amazing videos that helps me with my tecnological life!

[@helencarmichael9940]

Could not agree more, I got the 7A at launch and it is incredible. I was slightly skeptical about long-term battery after Marques referred to it as "Alright" or something along those lines but it has been wonderful, even with my heavy use. (Also just got the Anker 325 powerbank and yeah, 2023 was a good year for my tech purchases)

[@ofuochi]

the iPhone camp would not like this

[@cobaltblue5523]

How is it so far I just order a pixel 7

[@cobaltblue5523]

​@@helencarmichael9940how long does the battery last and what do you use it for

[@luismurteira8843]

@@cobaltblue5523 Very good it doesn't disappoint! Very good performance, good camera and good battery. When I ordered the 7A I was considering the 7 but for the almost the same price I opted for the 7A because it is more recent than the 7

[@Abbidy]

I genuinely don't mind moving from iPhone to Pixel, even some of my family members use Pixel to...

[@jamieboxxx]

I moved to the Pixel from iphone and thats the great choice i made. Before that i used to be a big time iPhone fan 😂

[@favourhussein3802]

It overheats

[@hypershadow87]

​@@favourhussein3802*I keep hearing this online, but neither my Pixel 2, my Pixel 4, or my Pixel 7 Pro overheat and I haven't heard anything about the Pixel 8, but I'm guessing once again...... nothing that the internet states will go wrong with it will. I've definitely had iPhones that have let me down though along with Galaxy phones also. I'm going to the Pixel 8 Pro soon.*

[@RarelyCorrect]

@@favourhussein3802 I had the Pixel 6 and 7 and they would both overheat, but my 8 Pro doesn't.

[@sourabhkaranjkar8508]

You will be welcomed to our Pixel fam. Switch soon. See ya.

[@JimJones-kj8jk]

I got the base model s23 and it performed really well. 5th place in both average ELO and bang for the buck.

[@fantasytky28]

Lol trashed by pixels and so happy lol

[@dbjungle]

This is literally my favorite series you run. I've been a Pixel A user since first gen and they have always blown me away with the camera. I'm surprised the iPhone always gets so low. My guess is the colors are unnaturally warm quite often, but outside of that the photos look amazing.

[@DomMcD]

I'd love to see next year's blind camera smartphone include video as well as photos. Also, for the "bang for your buck" section to be really useful you'd need to include non-pro phones as well. For example, the pixel 8 has the same main camera sensor/chip as the 8 pro, and would therefore probably perform near identically, but for $300 less.

[@toobyy4554]

i have a suggestion for future comparisons: it would be nice to have the last years top3 or top5 tested again, since as i see it thats "only" this years or most actual models. if u would add f.e. the pixel trio into next years test together with probably the 9pro, fold 2 and 8a, it would also show year for year how much sense it would make to upgrade your phone camerawise, since u can then compare over several years. but even if u dont do it, i like these videos more than straight technical tests. keep them coming. ;)

[@jv_28]

10:08 missed opportunity to say "Pixel-perfect podium"😔

[@hans-jurgenfrick6741]

Absolut begeisternder Test!!! Das habt ihr echt klasse gemacht. 🥰🥰👍👍 VIELEN DANK dafür!

[@obviouspseudonym2407]

As somebody who recently upgraded to a Pixel 8, can confirm. I've never really been a camera power user, but when I do need to use the camera--holy crap y'all. This shit is insane. Technology never fails to amaze me.

[@ariekoprasethio]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:58 📸 *Pixel 7A Wins Daytime Photos: Achieved highest Elo rating, excellent dynamic range in regular daylight photos.* 05:50 🌃 *iPhone 15 Pro Shines in Low-Light: Surprisingly topped low-light category, demonstrating capabilities in challenging conditions.* 07:18 🤳 *Pixel 8 Pro Dominates Portrait Mode: Leads in portrait mode, closely followed by Samsung Z Fold 5 with subtle effects.* 09:48 🏆 *Pixel 7A: Overall Winner: Emerged as People's Champ, highest average Elo rating across all categories, showcasing consistency.* 10:47 💰 *Pixel 7A: Bang for the Buck: Cost-effective choice with top performance and votes per dollar.*

[@buckethead420]

yay i knew the 7a was gonna make it... available for 399 already, insane. i am also happy for people from poorer countries being able to get a phone that is capable of taking top tier photos, offering premium software and features, yet still enough power to play most games out there (with some settings dialed down). i also think the looks of the pixels are pretty much on par with all the top of the line manufacturers. personally i like the design the most out of all smarphones...

[@MrPaukann]

Google doesn't sell their phones in poorer countries (maybe in one or two). You can buy them grey imported, but good luck getting warranty.

[@Impulsiveartist]

I feel like $400 for a phone is still too much for poorer countries

[@buckethead420]

@@Impulsiveartist where i live people are spending one month salary for a phone, too. but you are right it is overkill. used market after a year is doable, the pixel is still great compared to the very low budget samsungs, poco/redmi etc

[@gamingxsian2516]

399 USD here is 1.7k ringgit Malaysia. It is still expensive plus not official. Btw I bought a 6a 1.4k JP set. Not official so I take the risks by myself..

[@drlemon4806]

i love the fact that buying a cheaper phone can get you sort of a flagship experience these days. Just a few years ago a cheaper phone was lacking in every aspect

[@domenica-xk7xn]

The only phone camera video needed, except maybe do one with photographers instead of regular people. Bravo! I used to think your videos were biased, but now I am going to subscribe. Good work!

[@Boneteacher]

This is great but it is more of a “photo quality” test rather than a complete camera test, I think we need to add a video test as well to make it an overall “camera quality test” Regards

[@excmicke]

I always look forward to this every year. Would love to see a video test version of this!

[@yeezus476]

Ain't nobody got time to sit and watch the same video 20 times over and over again!!

[@excmicke]

@@yeezus476 bro 6 sec video is not much even 20 times over

[@yeezus476]

@@excmicke 6sec? Lmao!!.. is that a video or a gif?

[@excmicke]

@@yeezus476 it's a vine man

[@excmicke]

@@yeezus476 but for real, your only looking at the quality. And you could loop them for longer if you need to

[@rezamazaheri6469]

This video is conclusive proof of why this is the best KZbin channel ever, innovative, well-executed, and with great production value. Thank you, Marques and all the team.

[@fantasytky28]

Agreed. So innovative at manipulating people view to what they want. the title shouldn't even be this biased in the first place. It should have been 'best black person portrait camera phone" because thats the literally only thing they test with their extremely one dimension test

[@NikTek]

Sony making most of the camera sensors in all of the smartphones that we have, yet their flagship smartphone ranking in last is comedic

[@guillaumelangrand]

It's interesting to see that last year's #3, 4 and 5 (respectively Asus Zenfone, Oppo Find X and Samsung Galaxy S Ultra) have fallen to the bottom of the rankings (respectively # 13, 14 and 16) this year. An updated model does not mean upgraded photo quality It would have been interesting to include the Samsung Galaxy A54 and see how it performed especially for the category "votes per dollar". I am surprised to see the Nothing Phone 2 mentioned in the "votes per dollar", as it ranked only 16, 13 and 17 in the different categories.

[@vietnameseloempia]

If they did the exact same test again with the exact same phones, I bet the results would be very different again. The test methodology is just seriously flawed, turning it into a complete lottery

[@Alexandrevonf]

@@vietnameseloempia yeah should be way more than 3 photos to get a more realistic result

[@RecklessTurtle]

Regarding Nothing Phones, their CEO admitted that they are trying to tune/replicate what iPhones are doing in terms of photography. I guess you can only imitate so much. Sometimes you need to innovate...

[@fantasytky28]

​@@Alexandrevonf lol the problem is not even the photo numbers, its the extremely biased one dimension sceanerio. The only thing the test do is purely BLACK PERSON PORTRAI, nothing else. And why? Deeply we all know why as only pixel do the extra real tone processing for black portrait.

[@zzsamthemanzz]

Good job on the team for testing those camera in a way that is relevent for most people...this is appreciated!

[@Shizuko-Zen]

I'm very very happy with my Pixel 8 Pro. It truly replaced my Sony A7III under some circumstances (especially when I need to quickly point and shoot in some not too ideal lighting conditions), so that I don't have to carry the heavy and big camera all the time.

[@jiayouazhary]

2222 hear hear

[@googlestolemyhandle]

My only complaint with the Pixel 8 Pro is the fingerprint reader.

[@DS.Deepak]

After using pixel 8 pro, if you are an above average user you will feel it slow down on you. Specially when taking photos in complex scenarios, the camera struggles alot. If we did add multiple shooting conditions in this challenge you will see pixel not doing so well. It takes great photos (portrait will suck if you try to take anything besides a person) but everything kinda sucks. Pixel 8 pro's only problem is the chip it's using. They need to push more transistors at higher clock speeds. The phone struggles. I had to switch to s23 ultra because of this reason.

[@Shizuko-Zen]

@@DS.Deepak Yours might be defective. Mine is always smooth as butter.

[@yourskoolboy]

These blind camera tests are so enjoyable and tells a lot

[@RazeenMujarrab]

Great video as usual, this is probably the one I look forward to mosr each year. Next year I'd like to see two additions to the blind test: one "high end" mirrorless lens camera and the prior year's defending champ - just to see how well we're progressing. Thanks!

[@JLS773]

It'll be interesting to see if blind test results will challenge some people's blind love for iPhones.

[@sumuqh]

Iphone still takes the best videos

[@nerfme532]

The 15 Pro did pretty well tbh. Nobody in their right mind would expect the iphone to have the best camera, yet it still did really well in low light and portrait photography

[@snazzoid]

Not in the slightest.

[@Pyrodeity42]

​@@nerfme532 You have no idea how many people are saying they bought iPhones cause they have the best cameras.

[@hlyanlinnlet]

Iphone 15 pro won at low light photography during my blind test

[@Tony-kn5uc]

Great video and content as always. I am very disappointed that you didn't include the regular Pixel 8 in the list, but thank you very much for this amazing comparison!

[@Laura-hl3hg]

pixel 8 and pixel 8 pro have exactly the same camera and exactly the same processor. they're the same

[@ernestjorda2777]

same main camera across all the pixel lineups, the only difference is the additional telephoto lens on the pro versions.

[@saurabhzaware6035]

Overall Podium ELO 1. Pixel 7A - 1660 2. Pixel 8 Pro - 1658 3. Pixel Fold - 1613 4. One Plus Open - 1585 5. Samsung Galaxy S23 - Daytime Podium 3:53 1. Pixel 7A 1735 2. Pixel 8 Pro 1721 3. One Plus Open 1690 Night Time Photography Podium 6:03 1. iPhone 15 Pro - 1651 2. Pixel 8 Pro - 1625 3. Pixel 7A - 1608 Bokeh Podium 1. Pixel 8 Pro - 1668 2. Z Fold 5 - 1663 3. iPhone 15 Pro - 1651

[@FuzzyBelvedere]

I really like the test parameters set for this. Was thinking a gimbal multi-mount would save some time but now realize not every camera's standard zoom amounts are the same. Would love to see a couple other categories as others have suggested or maybe a quick video clip comparison as a separate test. Greatly appreciate you and you team's hard work that went into this.

[@itsmeoptimusprime]

I'm really shocked how the 3 pixels were in the 1st, 2nd 3rd place. Especially the pixel 7a for its price

[@mehvideos8325]

Its not a shock really for a Pixel A to be first.

[@riverpb5250]

the pixel 6a was also the best so, it seems like the cheaper pixels tend to produce better results

[@mukulupadhyay4656]

Everyone else has stopped doing their version of blind smartphone camera tests since MKBHD started doing this blind camera test because they know it's the best way these tests can be done, and they cannot copy it.

[@asimmoideen5960]

Even if they get down the software, there wouldn't be much votes coming in which makes it less accurate

[@nazmulhuda3262.]

Do you know max tech? They does a good job with the blind camera test

[@jayandremcmurtry7331]

They very much could, but it just wouldn't be as effective, because it's reliant on having 20 million votes come in lol

[@Winston-1984]

disagree

[@v3xman]

​@@nazmulhuda3262.Oh you mean that channel that keeps pumping out clickbait videos and obviously Apple biased? Yeahhhh, but yes their blind camera test sometimes make sense and the samples and scenarios are great but it's nowhere near mkbhd's calibre.

[@kiranmudnaney]

I absolutely love my pixel 8... The Rose colour... No phone can beat the camera on this one..! ❤️ And this size, it's just perfect all round...

[@TheDrUnnamed]

As a person who doesn't like to take much pictures of myself, I would really like to see some landscape pictures next year. Whatever you decide to do, maybe get a tripod so the pictures could be always taken from the same distance Great video though! The camera is one of the most important things in a phone for me and this is a great method of finding your perfect new match. Thanks!

[@fjk9807]

Would be interesting to see tap to focus photos next year. Btw at 4:38 iPhone 15 not the pro version

[@loukas371]

Let's go pixel squad! Awesome video. Like others have mentioned, it would be nice to have a reference photo taken with a professional camera and tuned to look as realistic as possible. You could other let us know or blend it in with the rest and see how it goes.

[@AnnanyaRana-d6m]

Pixel 7a making it to the top 4 in each category, going against other phones that are priced way higher, is honestly super impressive. I might get myself the 7a.

[@Kekmit]

1:38 - You have to do this every year! I love those blind tests.

[@savwije7688]

I love the blind smartphone test camera idea, but maybe next year you could add the winner of this year overall or for each category to see how much cameras have improved. Just an idea tho.

[@brigel4984]

Pixel 7a is definitely last gen.

[@savwije7688]

@@brigel4984 Yea but I wanted to see what the difference would be like against pixel 6a which I think won.

[@adrianvoo5775]

This is super appreciated content. A thousand thanks for coming up this idea to do this test. Just awesome.

[@meorazaharimeorazman9646]

I hope next year, you can put one more categories. Taking photos in raw. And edit all the photo with same preset. So i think this will show the true capabilities of the camera instead of some bad optimization from the smartphone companies

[@areluc]

Theoretically, you are right. But the overwhelming majority of smartphone users probably never heard of raw, they just shoot on auto settings. Hence I'm guessing this test was done the same way.

[@swaggy_dude]

Really like your camera tests, would be great to also see some landscape photos

[@Rizwaan122]

Would love to see a version of this exact test but with sub-£500 phones. Could throw in a couple from the previous year as well to see if newer ones are actually better than older ones Edit: for all the replies saying "but u can get the 7a for under £500: firstly, yeah the pixel might win but would be nice to see the rankings between the rest of the budget phones. Secondly, I suppose we could change it to sub 400 to remove the 7a

[@legendboyAni]

Well last year pixel 6a won so now that phone is even cheaper, or you can get a second hand pixel 6 or 7a for a bigger camera, there is no one gonne beat pixel in that price as well.

[@Sid00077]

I got a pixel 7a for $400, and it has a great camera.

[@oliver.gilbert]

pixel 7a is often less than £500 now so really there isnt a need for a specific test for them

[@ArthurEmbleton]

@@oliver.gilbert Maybe it should be done with sub £200 phones. Would be interesting to see how well they perform.

[@daaa1949]

I so love this. Next year, can you include previous winners? It would be so cool to see how much better (or not!) new phones are than last year's best

[@revanth2628]

I've watched this video when it came out and today it was randomly suggested again to me, and gotta appreciate whoever made that thumbnail.. it looks freaking cool.