Pixel 5 vs Pixel 3 XL – Morning Camera Comparison – Using Gcam v8.1 By In Depth Tech Reviews

Welcome back YouTube: we have a median from in-depth tech reviews and here's the morning camera comparison between the 2018 pixel 3 XL and the 2020 pixel 5. , and I'm so excited for this camera comparison to see how the Google Pixel cameras improved over time. Also, a lot of people want to know. Is it worth upgrading from the pixel 3 to the pixel 5 to get a better camera or the pixel 3 is still worth it in 2021. Both phones are on January 2021, security update and both are using the same Guam version 8.1. So let's see how each camera will perform, but before getting started, let's make sure to subscribe and hit the bell icon to get notified.

Every time I post a new video. So let's jump in, I visited three beautiful places in Dubai. To do this, camera comparison, mushroom park, Russell hall, wildlife, sanctuary and exit 55. I will reference the location of each shot on the screen just in case you want to visit these places now, let's start with the landscape. Shots here is the first landscape shot at mush riff park and I barely see a difference between the two in terms of the look: they have the same white balance, colors and exposure.

So, let's zoom in to see if there is any difference in the level of detail, I see much more details in the pixel 3 XL shot and that's what I expected because, based on my previous comparisons, the pixel 5 always produce soft images that lags behind when it comes to details. So the one definitely goes to the pixel 3 XL. Here's the second landscape shot at Russell wildlife sanctuary, and here there are some minor differences between the two. When it comes to the look. First, the sky color in the pixel 3 XL shot is more blue.

Also, the shadows in the pixel 5 shot is more exposed and the white balance is slightly warmer but anyways. Both of them look good to me. So, let's zoom in to see if there is any difference in the level of detail the difference in detail. This time is very subtle. But if you take a look at the trees, you will see slightly more details coming out of the pixel 3 XL, so the wind goes to the pixel 3 XL.

For the second time. Let's see one more shot, this one is taken at exit, 55 desert and once more, the sky is more blue in the pixel 3 XL shot. Also, the colors are slightly more saturated, so it depends on your personal taste, which one you like the most, but I think both look stunning. Now, let's zoom in to see the difference in details once more the difference in details. This time is very minor, and I barely see a difference, but I think the pixel 3 XL is a tad better than the pixel 5.

So, overall, when it comes to the landscape, shots, the win goes to the pixel 3 XL for its better details. Now let me show you a quick slideshow for the rest of the photos I took for this comparison before jumping to the next category. Now, let's move on to the HDR comparison, the photos I take are just point and shoot. I don't tap the screen to focus on a specific area and 99 of the time the phone picks the right spot and adjust the focus accordingly, and the HDR photos I took are no exception and that will make it harder for both phones to nail the focus. Now, let's talk about the differences beside the difference in the look, both phones handled, the sun really well, the shadows and the highlights are well exposed, but there is a major difference between the two when it comes to the focus.

The pixel 5 did focus on the lower part of the scene and kept everything else blurry, while the pixel 3 XL did exactly the opposite, and that's why you see the car the trees and the sign are in focus. Here's the second HDR shot and this time the pixel 5 that is slightly better in handling the sun. If you take a look at the pixel 3xl shot, you will see some lens flares. On the other hand, the pixel 3 XL was much better in focus. As you see, everything is very sharp, while the pixel 5 was struggling and the image is a little blurry and here's another shot.

That shows how much better the pixel 3 XL in automatically handling the focus. One final HDR shot, and this time the pixel 5 didn't have any issues with the focus and, as you see it, handled the sun much better than the pixel 3 XL. So overall, when it comes to the HDR, the pixel 5 was slightly better in handling the sun, while the pixel 3 XL was much better in nailing the focus. Now, let me show you a quick slideshow before jumping to the next category. Now, let's move on to the portraits here's the first portrait shot and when it comes to the look, the pixel 5 images is slightly warmer, and it has more saturated colors and I don't see any major difference when it comes to the details.

But let's take a look at the subject: isolation and here the pixel 5 did better because the three XL messed to blur a couple of areas. So beside the difference in the look, the wind goes to the pixel 5 because of its better subject: isolation. Now, let's move on to the next one and in this shot there is a major difference between the two. When it comes to the look, as you see, the pixel 3 XL images is much darker than the pixel 5, and it has more contrast. I think the pixel 5 overexposed the image a little too much, but still it depends on your personal taste.

There is no winner here now, let's zoom in to see the difference in detail and subject isolation when it comes to the details. The pixel 5 images has much more details compared to the 3xl, and it also did better in subject isolation. So if you take a look at the area around my ears, you will see the pixel 3 XL didn't do well, so the wind goes to the pixel 5 once more for its better details and subject isolation. Now, let me play a quick slideshow before jumping to the next category. Now, let's talk about the selfies, here's the first selfie and, as you see the pixel 5 shot, is a lot brighter than the pixel 3 XL.

So you can see much more in the shadows. I personally prefer the look coming out of the pixel 5, but of course it depends on your personal taste. Now, let's zoom in to see the difference in details, I don't see any difference between the two when it comes to the level of detail, so the only thing that can make you choose one over the other is how it looks now, let's see a couple of selfie portraits and here's the first one and as expected, the pixel 5 has a warmer tone and the more saturated colors, which is the same thing we saw in the back camera, portraits. So beside the look, let's zoom in to see the difference in detail and subject isolation. I don't see any difference in the level of detail and when it comes to the subject, isolation, both phones missed different areas, but maybe the pixel 5 is a tad better.

The only major difference between the two is in how they look. So you will be the judge which one you like the most for me. I prefer the pixel 5 shot one final portrait selfie and this time the sun is behind me to test how good is the HDR of each phone and definitely the pixel 3 XL did much better here. It handled the sun really well, and it has a lot less lens flares. The pixel 5 didn't do well in the HDR, but it kept the same trend of producing a brighter image.

So if we're going to put the difference in the look aside, definitely the wind goes to the pixel 3 XL. So when it comes to the selfies, the pixel 5 always produces the brighter image with more saturated colors. The pixel 3 XL images are darker, but it gives you a better HDR performance and there is almost no difference between the two when it comes to the details and subject isolation. Now, let's talk about the zoom in this category, I'm going to only focus on the difference in the level of detail and ignore anything else, and here's the first 2x zoomed image. Now, let's zoom in even further to spot the differences based on the previous landscape shots.

I showed you earlier. I expected the pixel 3 XL to produce more details and that's exactly the case with the zoomed images. As you see it's a lot sharper and has more details than the pixel 5 shot. So the win goes to the pixel 3 XL in this shot. Now, let's see another one, as you see, they look very similar, and it's very hard to spot the difference between the two in the level of detail without zooming in and once more the pixel 3 XL produces more details than the pixel 5.

So now, let's check one more shot, but this time it will be 7x zoomed image and the pixel 3 XL is still taking the lead in the zoom category, which is not something new to the pixel 5. Based on my previous comparisons, the pixel 5 also lagged behind when I compared it with the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4 XL. So overall the wind goes to the pixel 3xl in the zoom category. Now, let's talk about the videos and here's the first video to see the difference in colors white balance and exposure, the pixel 5 has warmer tone and the more saturated colors than the pixel 3 XL, and when it comes to the exposure, they are pretty much the same. I personally prefer the look coming out of the pixel 5 due to its vibrant colors and also the pixel 5.

Video is smoother than the pixel 3 XL, thanks to the 4k 60. So if we're going to put the look aside still the pixel 5 is the winner, because it can shoot 4k 60. I know the pixel 3 XL can do this, but google decided to make it exclusive only to the pixel 5. Here's another video to test. How good is the HDR on each device, and I see the pixel 5 did much better here.

First in the pixel 5 video, the shadows are brighter, so you can see more, and the colors are more accurate. If you take a look at the pixel 3xl video, you will see it has a pink hue that made everything, look, unnatural and the shadows are slightly darker. As well and when it comes to handling the sun, I see both of them did really well, but the pixel 5 is slightly better. So overall, the wind goes to the pixel 5 due to its better performance in HDR. Now, let's compare the video stabilization and here I'm using the standard mode on both phones and walking in a normal pace.

From what I see the pixel 5 video is more steady and my footsteps doesn't have that much of an impact on the video like it did in the pixel 3 XL. So the wind goes to the pixel 5 here now. Let's take it to the next level, and I'm going to run while holding both phones- and here I'm still using the standard, the stabilization mode on both phones and running as fast as I can. As you see, the pixel 5 video has some weird jumps while running that doesn't exist in the pixel 3 XL. I saw this issue before with the pixel 5 videos and even after installing the January 2021 security update.

The issue still exists. Now, let's try the active stabilization mode on the pixel 5 to see how much it will improve, but keep in mind. The active mode can only shoot at 1080p 30 frames per second, and, as you see it's a day and night difference, the pixel 5 video is extremely steady compared to the pixel 3 XL. So I do definitely recommend using the active mode. If you have this kind of heavy movement in your videos.

Now, let's compare the front facing camera videos from this angle where the sun is in front of me. I see the pixel 5 did better job because it kept everything well exposed, and I can see more details in the shadows, while the pixel 3xl video is slightly blown out, shooting the same video while the sun is behind me. Both phones didn't do a great job in handling the sun and the sky is totally blown out, but the pixel 3 XL was trying all the time to play around with the exposure to give you a better HDR, while the pixel 5 produced consistent results, and it kept the subject well exposed all the time. So, overall, I will give the win to the pixel 5 in shooting this video. Now, let's compare that stabilization.

Based on what I see here, I think the pixel 5 did slightly better than the pixel 3 XL in producing a more steady video. So, overall, I will give the win to the pixel 5 in shooting videos with the front-facing camera. Now, let's talk about the differences in the hardware first, the pixel 5 has an extra ultra-wide lens on the back, which doesn't exist in the pixel 3 XL. The ultrawide can help you take really nice landscape shots and fit a lot more into the frame. On the other hand, the pixel 3 XL has an ultra-wide lens on the front which can help you take selfies for a big group of people and for me, if I'm going to choose between the two, I will go for the ultra-wide on the back, because it's more useful.

So this is just my personal opinion, and you are the judge which one is more important to you. So now, let's sum up everything. The pixel 3 XL was better in the landscape and zoom categories due to its higher level of detail, and it was also better in nailing the focus in the HDR shots. On the other hand, the pixel 5 was better in taking portraits, selfies and videos and when it comes to videos specifically, the pixel 5 has a lot more to offer than the pixel 3 XL. First, you get the 4k 60 and the three extra stabilization modes that are fun to use the active, which is for heavy movements, the cinematic pen for smooth panning shots and the locked for steady, zoomed videos.

In my opinion, if you care about taking videos, I see the pixel 5 will be worth the upgrade, but if you only care about taking photos, I think in this case the pixel 3 XL is still a good phone to keep for 2021. So that's pretty much it. For today, that was the morning camera comparison between the pixel 5 and the pixel 3 XL, and I'm currently working on the night camera comparison as well so stay tuned. For that, please share with me your opinions in the comments below. Would you go for the pixel 5, or you think the pixel 3 XL is worth keeping in 2021? Thank you so much for watching.

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Source : In Depth Tech Reviews