Published by Steve Litchfield at 22:25 UTC, November 1st 2017

Having already done some quick low light tests of the regular 5" Google Pixel's camera in comparison to the mighty Lumia 950 range, I now have the chance to do some much more in depth tests, and this time on the exact match, size wise, for my 950 XL - this is the Pixel 2 XL. And I test its camera in all light conditions, from bright sunlight to night time and with my famous 'party' mock-up...

With OIS on top of its famed HDR+ multi-exposure system, the Google Pixel has been taking the PureView system into a different domain for a while now, but can it match the king, the Lumia 950/XL camera, that debuted in 2015, the 'last' great Nokia imaging system?

The Pixel 2 XL's shots are 9MP shooting at 16:9, meaning that I chose to shoot at 8MP on the Lumia 950 XL - I do like to match up resolutions as best possible so that I can use Rafe's fancy interactive comparator, below. I'm not worried too much about cheating the Lumia, since the 'missing' resolution is used for oversampling and purer pixels, plus they're used when zooming in any case.

The fields of view of the two phone cameras are slightly different, I've tried to centre crops on the same detail where possible, for ease of comparison.

All photos were taken on full 'auto' on both phones, unless stated otherwise.

Let's pit the results against each other, using our Famed Interactive Comparator (FIC). All 1:1 crops are at 900x500 for comparison, but see the links for full versions.

Note that the interactive comparator below uses javascript and does need to load each pair of images. Please be patient while this page loads, if you see a pair of images above each other than you've either not waited long enough or your browser isn't capable enough! You ideally need a powerful, large-screened tablet or a proper laptop or desktop. This comparator may not work in some browsers. Sorry about that. On Windows 10 Mobile, use the 'AAWP Universal' UWP app, which handles the comparator very competently (see the tips in the app's help screens).

Test 1: Sunny suburbia

My standard outdoors sunny test. Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

There's little in it, of course, under such ideal conditions - the Pixel 2 XL's shot seems just a little too sharpened, and I'm going to dock it a point for that. But, as you'd expect, this is the easiest shot in the book.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 9 pts

Test 2: Same shot, roughly 2x zoom

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Zoomed, using all digital zoom on the Pixel 2 XL and part digital, part PureView zoom on the 950 XL, there's even less in it - both shots show artefacts and you can take your pick as the winner. Honours even.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 8 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 8 pts

Test 3: Flower detail

As ever, a little nature close-up, with a red flower in the weak winter sun. Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Although the Lumia's shot is terrific, the Pixel 2 XL just edges this one, with detail in the petals which was blocked out in the 950 XL shot. A narrow win for the Android-powered phone.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 10 pts

Test 4: Bright macro

Focussing as close as I could in each case (on the 950 XL I had to shoot a little further away and use some PureView zoom). Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Another of the dead heats in this feature - the Pixel 2 XL's shot is sharper, but arguably too much so, while the Lumia's is more natural but less 'detailed'. You pays your money and you takes your choice, as they say. Except that you can't buy the Lumia anymore (boo!) and the Pixel 2 XL will set you back £800 or so!

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 9 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 9 pts

Test 5: Absolute zoom

Using all the zoom I could muster on each phone camera, I pointed upwards at our satellite (TV) dish, tapping to focus on the bar code on the end of it. Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

The Pixel 2 XL just edges this one - both photos have artefacts, but the Pixel makes a better job of detail on the barcode and the logos underneath - even the bricks behind look more natural. Well, there we go, I've always said that digital zoom was the 950 XL's weakest suit and have harangued Juha (from MS and Nokia) about it often!

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 7 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 8 pts

Test 6: Low light

The sun had set and light was starting to get low in my street. Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

As usual, when light levels get low, the wheat gets sorted from the chaff and - usually - physics wins. Here the genuine longer exposure, single shot PureView oversampling, better OIS and ZEISS optics help the Lumia 950 XL to an easy win. Just look at the noise levels and artefacts in the Pixel 2 XL shot - and look how amazingly clean the Lumia 950 XL photos is - at 1:1 even in these low light conditions.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 8 pts

Test 7: Same shot, roughly 2x zoom

In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Zoomed, all the oversampling has been stripped away for the 950 XL, but it still manages a much cleaner shot than the Pixel 2 XL, with the noise now rather blocky and obtrusive when you look at the photos this closely.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 8 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 5 pts

Test 8: Night time

Night time, but a welcoming shopfront was lit up - let's tap on the detail inside the store and see how much can be captured without zooming. Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

The Pixel 2 XL did its best, but still managed to blow out the bright portions of the scene (on each phone I tapped on the bright innards before capture), while the Lumia 950 XL pulls off an amazing shot. Just LOOK at the colour and detail from around 30 metres away. Wow.

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 10 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 8 pts

Test 9: Party time

My infamous party mock-up shot, with me deliberately moving while my wife took the snap, flash forced on. Here is the whole scene, as presented by the Lumia 950 XL:





In case you want to grab the original images to do your own analysis, here they are, from the Lumia 950 XL and Google Pixel 2 XL, click the links to download. And to look at the images in more detail, here are fairly central 1:1 crops, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:

Neither phone camera really nails this shot, as modern phone cameras tend not to. Where's that Nokia N8 or 808 when I need it? 8-) Of the two photos though, the Lumia 950 XL is the better exposed and the clearer, while the Pixel 2 XL photo makes me seem almost ghost-like! It's also worth noting that the Lumia nails the curtain colour, it really is that shade of green!

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL: 8 pts; Google Pixel 2 XL: 6 pts

Verdict

Adding up the points gives us:

Lumia 950 XL: 79/90

Pixel 2 XL: 71/90

I'll get some grief in the comments, no doubt, but this is a comfortable win for the Lumia 950 XL (whatever DxOMark says). Again, it's the combination of mature image processing, professional ZEISS optics, 5th gen OIS, PureView oversampling, triple LED flash, it all adds up.

The Pixel 2 XL wins for speed, of course, focussing more accurately and in an instant, plus post-processing on each shot is only a second or so, versus about eight seconds on the older Lumia 950 XL, with a far older and slower chipset. What I'm testing here is the ability of each phone to make accurate photographic memories - quality images that you can crop from, print and manipulate, with as little noise and artefacts as possible.

Comments? Will any phone camera EVER beat the Lumia 950 XL? I'm starting to doubt it. Next in my testing line will be the Apple iPhone X and the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. Watch this space!