Is the Google Pixel 6a the best camera ever? Not by any stretch, but it's a LOT cheaper (under $500) than some of it's fruity rivals
(Image credit: Google/Apple)
In my household of two, there's a dividing line between us – when it comes to technology, anyway. One of us (spoiler, me) loves Apple products; clean, white and user-friendly, while the other is a keen Android/Google user.
I'm fairly sure that my love of Apple actually started with the iPod and spiraled out of control from there, rather than originally having anything to do with photography. The love affair continued when I needed a machine to start editing photos on, and then when the iPhone cameras started getting properly good camera-wise, splashing out for one as a photography enthusiast seemed inevitable.
As a rule I don't buy the latest products when they come out, and yet I still plumped for the Apple iMac 24-inch M1 after its release, enjoying hours of magic with Adobe Lightroom CC. Today, I've got an iPhone 12, which, like the best camera phones, I find myself using more and more instead of my actual camera.
This whole article does actually have a point, I promise, more than just revisiting the age old debate of Apple vs Android or being one of those people who go on about Apple with an adoration that borders on worship. All I'm here to say is that my phone contract ends soon, and rather than do what I usually do and just upgrade blindly to the latest Apple device, for the first time I find myself considering other options.
There are so many other amazing camera phone makers on the market now. And given the chance, my android loving companion was quick to jump in and convince me why a Google phone makes sense instead of an iPhone.
With the hype around the latest Google Pixel 6a, let's start there...
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As it happens, my current iPhone 12 already has dual 12MP Ultra Wide and Wide cameras, and while I wouldn't be tempted to upgrade on the basis of megapixels alone, we know that all cameras are about so much more than resolution.
Google's cameras are meant to pack in plenty of clever computational wizardry, including Google's Super Res Zoom feature, Night Sight (for low light shooting), Face Unblur, Real Tone (for accurate skin tones) and Magic Eraser (for getting rid of annoying photo bombers).
I've not tested out any of these features so I can't comment on how good or gimmicky they are, but since reading about them, I certainly want to.
You get quick access to Android updates
Because Google oversees both the hardware and the software, you can access any Android updates very quickly after they are released. This is another argument that got thrown my way when considering the Google Pixel 6a, but of course it applies to all Google phones.
It's the same situation with Apple and iPhone updates, though, so I wasn't won over by this benefit.
Pricing and availability of the Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a is available for pre-orders now, and it's priced at a very tempting £399/$449/AU$749. My current iPhone is $729/£629, and that's for 64GB storage capacity against the Pixel 6a's standard 128GB – but it does (in my opinion) sport a much nicer design and use of premium materials. Style over substance?
Should you rush out to buy the Google Pixel 6a?
Google Pixel 6a (Image credit: Google)
Many of us no longer have the means or desire to spend thousands on a flagship camera phone, and fortunately, nor do we need to if we want the latest features. I can't deny that I love the iPhone operating system, the iconic design and the glass back, but Apple certainly needs to do more than change its colorways if it's going to keep up with the latest releases from the likes of Samsung, the Nothing 1 – and of course Google.
While I'm not going to rush out and pre-order the Google Pixel 6a, its release and subsequent hype (and affordable price) has convinced me to at least start looking at alternatives to the best iPhones for photography when I next upgrade.
If you're a traditional Apple user looking for a new way of taking photos, and want to save money on your device at the same time, I think the Google Pixel 6a could convince you to as well. And if money is no object, there's always the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
If you're looking for more of the latest phone cameras, check out our Apple iPhone 13 pro and review.
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Lauren is a writer, reviewer, and photographer with ten years of experience in the camera industry. She's the former Managing Editor of Digital Camera World, and previously served as Editor of Digital Photographer magazine, Technique editor for PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and Deputy Editor of our sister publication, Digital Camera Magazine. An experienced journalist and freelance photographer, Lauren also has bylines at Tech Radar, Space.com, Canon Europe, PCGamesN, T3, Stuff, and British Airways' in-flight magazine (among others). When she's not testing gear for DCW, she's probably in the kitchen testing yet another new curry recipe or walking in the Cotswolds with her Flat-coated Retriever.
