Pixel 6, Galaxy A53, iPhone SE, and Nord 2T digicam battle

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has 5 cameras on the again, the OnePlus Nord 2T has three, the Google Pixel 6 has two, and the Apple iPhone SE (2022) has only one digicam. Absolutely, as a result of these variations, it could be a really unfair battle to check all of them?

That’s exactly what we needed to search out out! Let’s have a look and see if having a number of cameras in your telephone actually makes a distinction to picture high quality, or if these additional sensors are little greater than fluff.

The telephones and cameras

It might appear like the telephones within the check aren’t actually competing with one another, however in the event you’ve acquired someplace round $500 or 500 British kilos to spend, then these will possible all present up in your search. We’re not going to check the {hardware} right here, and are as a substitute going to pay attention solely on digicam efficiency. To try this, we must always first take a look at the digicam specs on every telephone earlier than we get to the images.

The Galaxy A53 has a 64-megapixel essential digicam with optical picture stabilization (OIS), plus a 12MP wide-angle digicam with a 123-degree area of view, and a pair of 5MP cameras for macro and depth sensors. On the entrance is a 32MP digicam, all of which matches the Galaxy A52. On the OnePlus Nord 2T, you get a 50MP digicam with OIS, an 8MP wide-angle digicam with a 120-degree area of view and digital picture stabilization (EIS), and a 2MP monochrome digicam.

Whereas these two include a number of cameras, the opposite two contenders make do with fewer cameras. The Pixel 6 has solely two, a 50MP essential digicam and a 12MP wide-angle digicam with a 114-degree area of view, plus an 8MP selfie digicam. Lastly, the iPhone SE (2022) has a single 12MP digicam on the again and a 7MP digicam on the entrance.

All of the images had been taken handheld utilizing the automated settings, and all of the telephones had been operating the most recent software program variations on the time. Images had been examined on a color-calibrated monitor, then resized to make them extra online-friendly.

Predominant digicam

These two units of images had been taken on completely different days, however in typically related circumstances — sunny, however nonetheless with some clouds. They set the usual for the check, as all cameras ought to be capable of do a superb job of capturing this sort of picture in a sexy, pure manner, with few apparent issues and restricted purpose to edit.

Beginning with the picture of the automotive, the OnePlus Nord 2T’s picture stands out as taking a really completely different picture from the remaining. Its darker, grayer, extra drab tones don’t seize the ambiance in any respect, and colours haven’t been captured very precisely both. The Galaxy A53 goes in the other way, amping up each colour it may well discover for a vivid and thrilling picture that ignores actuality nearly totally.

The Pixel 6 and the iPhone SE 2022 sit someplace in-between with much more pure colours. The iPhone SE captures lots of element, notably within the floor, whereas the colours within the Pixel’s picture are far nearer to actual life. It’s exhausting to separate the 2, so let’s transfer on to the opposite picture.

Within the picture of the canal boat, the OnePlus Nord 2T fares a bit higher when it comes to colour and stability, however the picture lacks element in comparison with the remaining, which supplies it a lower-quality look even with out inspecting it intently. The Galaxy A53 once more pushes up the distinction and saturation, however much less detrimentally than earlier than.

It’s solely while you put it alongside the Pixel 6’s picture that you just see what the scene actually ought to appear like. It’s simply so well-balanced, with an outlined and dramatic sky, a practical reflection within the water, and loads of element. The iPhone SE’s picture comes shut, however is harm by the tighter framing, a consequence of the telephone’s digicam fairly than me altering place. For that reason, the Pixel 6 will get the win right here, adopted by the iPhone SE 2022, the Galaxy A53, and the OnePlus Nord 2T.

Winner: Google Pixel 6

Large-angle digicam

The iPhone SE (2022) doesn’t have a wide-angle digicam, so it’s robotically counted out on this a part of the check. The iPhone picture we’ve included was taken with the principle digicam and is just for reference. The standard of wide-angle cameras at this worth isn’t at all times nice, so simply how a lot are you actually lacking out on?

The Galaxy A53’s wide-angle digicam adopts the identical saturated look as the principle digicam, with vivid greens and blues within the picture of the tree, far past what we see from the opposite two telephones. The OnePlus Nord 2T once more comes with a colorless colour palette, however worse is the extent of element. Even zoomed out, it doesn’t look nice. However while you get nearer, the standard may be very low, with noise, pixelation, and noticeable edge enhancement.

The Pixel 6 might not have the widest angle right here, however the high quality of the picture is way past the competitors. The colours are pure, and there’s a excessive degree of element too. Zoom in, and you can also make out particular person leaves on the timber and see the feel of the trunk, parts which are a bit obscured within the high-contrast A53’s picture, and fully lacking from the Nord 2T.

It’s the Pixel 6 that takes the win, and based mostly on the lackluster efficiency from the A53 and poor picture from the Nord 2T, is it actually that dangerous the iPhone SE doesn’t have a wide-angle digicam? If it was like that of the Pixel 6, nice, however that may drive the worth up significantly.

Winner: Google Pixel 6

Portrait mode

The iPhone SE (2022)’s portrait mode solely works with images of individuals, not on objects. The picture included was taken with portrait mode, however as you may see, there isn’t a synthetic blur added. There’s a pleasing pure bokeh to the picture, although, with the signal properly remoted within the {photograph}.

The Galaxy A53 doesn’t do a nasty job at first look, however while you look intently, edge recognition is sort of haphazard, and it has stored a part of the background between the sign up focus, making it look very synthetic. The background blur impact can also be very robust. The Pixel 6 additionally has a powerful blur and fails to blur out a part of the background. Nevertheless, the picture may be very sharp, and edge recognition is sweet.

The OnePlus Nord 2T isolates the signal extraordinarily nicely and much better than the others, whereas edge recognition general is one of the best out of all three telephones. It’s only a disgrace the publicity is so odd, nevertheless it’s nothing some enhancing can’t repair. Contemplating how poorly the Nord 2T has completed on the opposite exams, its success here’s a little bit of a shock, nevertheless it’s exhausting to say the picture is “higher” than that of the iPhone SE. Since it is a check of the Portrait mode, the OnePlus takes the win, nevertheless it’s questionable whether or not utilizing the mode is preferable to not doing so with the iPhone.

Winner: OnePlus Nord 2T

Zoom

None of those telephones have an optical or a periscope zoom, so images taken zoomed in are digitally created. The iPhone SE doesn’t have a “zoom mode” choice within the digicam app, however the different three all have a shortcut to digital zoom while you’re taking images. We manually zoomed the iPhone SE in to match the shortcut offered by the opposite telephones.

These images had been taken to focus on the small picket owl within the tree trunk, which was a bit too far-off to seize utilizing the principle digicam. The iPhone SE does a greater job than the Galaxy A53 right here, offering extra element, higher publicity, and much much less noise and pixelation.

There’s little to decide on between it and the Pixel 6’s picture, which does reveal a bit extra element, however isn’t essentially the higher image. The OnePlus Nord 2T does an ideal job by isolating the tree within the picture and exposing the hole within the tree trunk successfully. Nevertheless, the drab colours harm the general picture, and though it may very well be fastened with some enhancing, the iPhone and the Pixel get it good.

Selecting between them is tough, however the Pixel 6 does present extra element within the background and has a satisfying, heat, and pure tone. It’s our winner right here.

Winner: Google Pixel 6

Portrait selfie

It is a check to indicate how every telephone not solely offers with edge recognition, but in addition the way it interprets pores and skin tone and element, and all 4 telephones give very completely different outcomes. The Galaxy A53’s selfie digicam gives a really low degree of element, obscuring all the feel of my pores and skin. Edge recognition can also be poor, with jagged edges operating down my cheek.

The Pixel 6 has a far increased degree of element, however the edge recognition fails to seize the aspect of my glasses, which is one thing of a shock. The OnePlus Nord 2T’s edge recognition is just like that of the Galaxy A53, however my pores and skin isn’t fairly as ashen because it seems within the picture. This leaves the iPhone SE (2022).

It blurs the background within the lens of my glasses, it isolates my cap effectivity, and my pores and skin tone is way extra pure. Zoom in, and there’s loads of texture and definition in my pores and skin, too, making it the winner right here.

Winner: Apple iPhone SE (2022)

Evening mode

The iPhone SE doesn’t have a devoted night time mode within the digicam app, however robotically switches to an extended publicity when it detects lowlight circumstances. All the opposite cameras do have a separate mode, and every was lively for these photographs. Beginning with the iPhone, the picture it takes might be probably the most enticing, with the glow of the sundown within the distance, and the orange glow of the streetlights matching it.

Zoom in, and you’ll simply learn the names on the memorial, and though there may be some noise, it’s not extreme. The Galaxy A53’s picture is filled with noise, from the sundown within the background to the memorial and surrounding wall. It’s noticeable even while you don’t zoom in, and doesn’t make the picture very shareable.

The OnePlus Nord 2T’s colours are just like the iPhone’s, however the picture is ruined as a result of it smoothing the memorial and wall out to the purpose the place it seems prefer it’s product of marble. It’s distracting and fully separate from actuality, and there’s some harsh edge enhancement all through. It’s a disgrace, as the colours are nice. The Pixel 6’s picture is nearly noise-free, the textual content is amazingly sharp, and the night time sky has simply the proper coloration. It comes right down to the Pixel and the iPhone.

The Pixel has a excessive degree of element, correct textures, and lack of noise, whereas the iPhone’s sky and sundown are much more lovely. I’d fairly like to combine the 2 and create the perfect hybrid picture. The Pixel 6’s picture is technically superior to the iPhone’s, however I choose the emotion captured by the Apple telephone. It’s a tricky alternative, however the Pixel’s technical capacity provides it the (very shut) win.

Winner: Google Pixel 6

Conclusion

There are six classes in all, and the Pixel 6 has received 4 of them, giving it the general title right here. The iPhone SE (2022) took a single class, as did the OnePlus Nord 2T, however the iPhone SE was an in depth second. The Galaxy A53 did not win any classes. Regardless of successful one class, the Nord 2T carried out badly within the exams that actually matter — essential and wide-angle. Sure, it’s the most affordable telephone right here, however in these two essential classes, it’s far behind the competitors.

Seen in isolation, the Galaxy A53’s digicam isn’t a horrible performer, and in lots of circumstances, it takes fairly and really shareable images. However put it up towards the Pixel 6 and the iPhone SE (2022), and its lack of realism sees it endure, and in addition exposes issues with its software program.

What have we realized right here? That having many cameras doesn’t imply it takes higher images, because the Pixel 6 and iPhone SE (2022) frequently battled for wins right here, regardless of having fewer cameras than the opposite two telephones. It additionally reveals that if you wish to take nice images with out paying up for a flagship telephone, the Pixel 6 is an outstanding alternative. And regardless of having a single digicam, Apple’s capacity to get one of the best from the iPhone SE (2022) can’t be ignored.

Editors’ Alternative