Here's How the Cameras on Google's New Pixel 11 Phones Compare to the iPhone

Aug 13, 2026 03:30 AM - 1 hour ago 1
Stephen Johnson is simply a elder unit writer astatine Lifehacker covering popular civilization and technology, including the columns “The Out-of-Touch Adults’ Guide to Kid Culture” and “What People Are Getting Wrong This Week.”

Ahead of its yearly Made by Google event successful New York City, Google revealed the details of its upcoming statement of Pixel 11 phones, including specs of their all-important cameras. Pixel 11 phones will travel successful 3 versions: the guidelines Pixel 11, the Pixel 11 Pro, and the Pixel 11 Pro XL. The Pro and Pro XL cameras person the aforesaid features, while the guidelines exemplary sports a somewhat scaled-down photographic system.

Pixel 11 guidelines exemplary camera features

The modular Pixel 11's camera setup is simply a measurement up from the Pixel 10, but not a gigantic leap. The main betterment is the brighter main sensor; the lenses are adjacent to past year's hardware. Here's really it breaks down:

  • Main: 48MP wide camera (rear) pinch a 1/1.56" sensor (larger than past year's model) to amended ray input.

  • Ultrawide: 13MP, which is identical to the Pixel 10's ultrawide camera specs.

  • Telephoto: 10.8MP telephoto pinch 5X optical zoom and a 30x integer zoom. Also the aforesaid arsenic the Pixel 10.

  • Front camera: 10.5MP, besides identical to the Pixel 10.

Pixel 11 Pro tier camera features

Google is throwing the dense hardware improvements into its pro-level phones, bumping up some the solution and sensor sizes crossed almost each lens.

  • Main: 50MP wide camera, pinch a 1/1.3" sensor for improved light-gathering.

  • Ultrawide: 48MP ultrawide camera, a large leap from the 13MP ultrawide of the guidelines model.

  • Telephoto: 48MP telephoto pinch 5X optical zoom and an "AI-powered" 120x Pro Zoom.

  • Front camera: The Pro's 42MP selfie camera is simply a large measurement up from the 10.5MP camera connected the guidelines Pixel 11.

How does the latest Pixel comparison to the newest iPhone 17 Pro?

With Apple's iPhones holding down complete 50% of the U.S. smart telephone marketplace compared to Pixel's 3%, Google faces a existent conflict to triumph complete buyers. Camera value is simply a powerful limb successful its arsenal. Most consumers see the camera an important prime erstwhile choosing betwixt compartment phones, and it's the most important feature for astir half of younger users. Here's really Pixel 11's pro tier camera stacks up against the iPhone 17 Pro's champion camera offerings.

What do you deliberation truthful far?
  • Main sensor: The Pixel 11 Pro edges retired Apple somewhat pinch a 50MP lens compared to the iPhone 17 Pro's 48MP, but megapixels are much analyzable than conscionable "more is better." Apple's main sensor is 1/1.28," which is somewhat larger than the Pixel's 1/1.3" sensor, and sensor size is much important to low-light capacity and move scope than earthy pixels. So this one's person to a lavation than the megapixel numbers suggest.

  • Ultrawide: It's dormant even. Both phones characteristic 48-megapixel ultrawide lenses.

  • Telephoto: When it comes to zooming, Google is somewhat ahead, offering 5x zoom to Apple's 4x, but successful position of integer zoom, the Pixel 11 Pro's 120x zoom towers complete Apple's 40x zoom—in a way. Google's "pro zoom" is built connected generative AI, producing plausible specifications for things it can't see, starring to a realistic-looking photo. Apple's attack uses AI much modestly, focusing connected stacking aggregate exposures to trim sound and capable successful details. The extremity result: Apple's utmost zoom is much grainy and noisy, but besides much real.

  • Front camera: The Pixel has a existent advantage present pinch a 42MP sensor compared to Apple's 18MP selfie camera.

The bottommost line: it's a draw

Both lines of smart telephone cameras are astir adjacent successful position of earthy power. The main quality is mostly a philosophical one. Apple mightiness beryllium losing the utmost magnification conflict by capping its integer zoom to a comparatively humble 40x, but it's besides avoiding producing photos that are mostly a merchandise of artificial intelligence. If you want to push the boundaries of what a lens tin seizure pinch the thief of generative AI, and you're not overly concerned astir verisimilitude, the Pixel is the choice. If you want to support it existent (well, real-ish, anyway) the iPhone is the choice.

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