Google Pixel 7 Pro review: Maybe the best camera phone

Google Pixel 7 Pro review

Looks can be deceiving. So I was not going to be deterred by the 2015 looks of the Google Pixel 7 Pro, with its glossy ivory white rear panel and curved metal frame, which makes it unwieldy in many ways. This is a big phone, and a crisp edge could have made it easier to handle, especially when you use this as a camera. The metallic camera band at the rear is almost like an industrial design covered in chrome.

The 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED is certainly among the brightest I have used at 1500 nits. This ensures the screen is usable even under the bright autumn sun in Delhi. However, I was disappointed by the speakers, which could have been a bit louder.

The Pixel 7 Pro certainly has one of the brightest and best displays you can get on a phone. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

I have always felt the best thing about using a Google phone was the pure Android experience, with no manufacturer-added skins and customisations that make it a pain when it comes to user experience. The Pixel 7 Pro promises that raw Android experience, which is simple and functional. The new widget options add to the productivity factor, especially the full-view calendar, which shows you an entire month’s appointments on the home screen.

The camera band at the back of the Pixel 7 Pro is almost like an industrial design. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

Google’s own silicon, the 5-nanometer Tensor G2, powers the Pixel 7 Pro. The processor is quite capable, considering that this phone does a lot of stuff on the software side, especially with the camera. But it is also obvious that Google is new to the processor game. The phone heats up at times around the metallic edges and the back. It does not get too hot to handle, but in 2022 this is not expected from a flagship device. I think a software update might be due to cool things down a few degrees.

But the Google Pixel 7 Pro will not be picked up for its silicon. It will be picked up for its camera prowess. Over the years, this is the one department in which Google phones have created a niche, even though they are not as regular as the iPhone, and have struggled against the latter at times. The Pixel 7 Pro, however, is a cut above the rest. Let me tell you why.

The Pixel 7 Pro is a phone you will pick up for its camera and there are plenty of good reasons why. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

Initially, I was not impressed, given that this was a Pixel, and my expectations were high. But then came a small software update, after which I went on a small photowalk experiencing some Delhi monuments again with a friend. The Pixel 7 Pro’s three lenses — a 50MP wide main lens, 48MP telephoto and 12MP telephoto — ensure this is a good camera whatever you attempt with it. But I am not leaving it at that.

Every time you shoot, you will notice that this camera is more than the optics. There is a few seconds delay, as the camera talks to the computer inside and stitches up the pictures to give you the best composite shot. This camera is more about the software magic than the lenses. This is the sort of camera that will never need a branded lens, because this is a Google camera at the end of the day.

This phone’s camera is all about the power of Google’s software. (Image source: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

There were times when the first image looked out of focus, but in a few seconds turned itself into a sharp portrait with great bokeh. And this bokeh at the back is at your disposal, literally. For most images, you can edit and change the amount of blur in the background. This is a feature I loved, and one that brought out the best in photos after they were canned.

Because the Pixel camera essentially combines images, one thing it can do very well is create night shots with light trails and motion. This is usually impossible with native cameras and needs other add-on apps. And like other pictures shot with this camera, you can always go to a frame without the motion. The motion features are great for shooting moving subjects as well, though I failed to capture subjects that were good enough to showcase here.

An image taken in low-light with the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
Pixel 7 Pro camera sample taken at a Diwali Mela in my apartment complex. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
The Pixel 7 Pro can create light trails easily at night. This is another photo taken at the Diwali Mela. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
The Pixel 7 Pro’s Night Sight remains flawless as I experienced during my usage. This picture was also taken at night during the Diwali Mela. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

In my photowalk that started under the noon sun at Jantar Mantar, I noticed how the camera captured the red stone so well, despite the harsh light which could cause a burn in many cameras.

The Pixel 7 Pro camera captured the Red Stone at Jantar Mantar very well, despite the harsh sunlight. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
Another image of Jantar Mantar taken using the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

And then when I reached Lodhi, the real versatility of this camera was on display, capturing some stunning images with different light conditions in the same frame. This is where I would have carried my DSLR for. In the photo below, see how the Pixel 7 Pro captures the red flowers in the boy’s hand as he stepped out of the dark tomb.

This image was taken from inside a tomb at Lodhi Gardens. The Pixel 7 Pro manages to preserve shadows and even captures the red flowers in the hands of the two boys. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
A shot that was taken at the Lodhi Gardens using the Google Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
An image that was taken using 5X Super Res Zoom using the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
Another image that was taken at Lodhi Gardens using the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
Google Pixel 7 Pro camera sample taken at the Lodhi Gardens. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

At Humayun’s tomb in the twilight, I captured a stunner. It is not a great photo to look at, but it clearly underlines the capability of this camera. With the sun going down, the 5X zoom of the Pixel could capture the shades of green on different trees that outline this world heritage site.

A picture of Humayun’s Tomb that was taken in the evening using the Google Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
Another image taken with 5x zoom using the Google Pixel 7 Pro. See how the camera captures the different shades of green. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
Another camera sample that was taken at Humayun’s Tomb using the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)
The Pixel 7 Pro captures a stunning shot at sunset at Humayun’s Tomb. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

There is another aspect that I loved. This camera can achieve up to 30X digital zoom, which is nothing new. But combined with computational photography, this means the Pixel 7 Pro maybe does the sharpest zoom images on a smartphone. That dove on my apartment ledge, that flower in the park below, everything appears sharper than ever before.

When you use the 30X Zoom on the Pixel 7 Pro, it shows a view of the area that is in focus. (Image source: Nandagopal Rajan/ Indian Express)

And it helps that while using the zoom feature, the camera app shows a blown-out view of the area that is being focussed on.

Overall, I would stick my neck out and say the Pixel 7 Pro camera now has a slight edge over the iPhone in terms of the sheer final results that it is achieving, though in some tests the iPhone still ends up clicking a more natural image. And yes, the Pixel also has a Cinematic mode that is a tad bit more cinematic than the iPhone’s because of the blur effect. So for professionals who have decided to shoot with a smartphone, it will be a trade-off between the iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro this time.

A macro shot was taken using the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image source: Nandagopal Rajan/ Indian Express)
A macro shot was taken using the Pixel 7 Pro. (Image source: Nandagopal Rajan/ Indian Express)

The 5000 mAh battery of the Pixel 7 Pro can easily last about 36 hours with regular usage on 4G networks. If you are shooting many videos or playing games, and given the issues with warming up, the battery could drain a bit faster at times.

The Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best cameras to carry around right now. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/Indian Express)

Google Pixel 7 Pro review: Should you buy?

If you love your photography like me, then this is among the best cameras to carry around right now. And it helps that this is a decent flagship that ticks all the boxes and does not cost a bomb. But I would buy this primarily as a camera, one that can do other stuff too. This for me is the best camera phone at the moment, one that combines good hardware with great software to give you images and videos that have a clear edge.