Google Pixel 9 Pro vs Sony a6700

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The Google Pixel 9 Pro versus the Sony a6700. Today, we're diving deep into the color and image quality produced by these two very different imaging machines. The Pixel 9 Pro boasts an impressive camera system capable of 8K video and featuring a 50 MP sensor, while the Sony a6700 is a dedicated interchangeable lens camera sporting a much larger APS-C sensor, promising a different level of image capture.

This comparison is driven by pure curiosity, with neither Google nor Sony sponsoring this exploration. My aim is to provide an unbiased look at the image quality of both cameras. To truly appreciate the nuances, especially given the limitations of side-by-side video comparisons, I've included free project files in the description for you to download and examine the footage in your own editing software. You'll find log shots, low-light samples, and much more. This in-depth comparison will focus on various aspects of image quality, from overhead setups and low-light noise performance to product shots on a slider, green screen capabilities, color accuracy, macro details, the difference between Google's artificial background blur and the Sony's natural bokeh, backlit headshots, neon arcade lights, roller shots, stabilization, and even a listen to their native microphones in a vlog test. These are two powerful cameras with distinct color science philosophies, and our goal is to help you determine which one best suits your needs.

Also here you can find the FREE PROJECT FILES for both cameras so you can dive in and explore for yourself. If you're still on the fence after you read this blog, you can take my free "Which Camera Should I Buy?" quiz.

Price and Value 

The Google Pixel 9 Pro starts at a price point of $999 USD at the time of recording. The Sony a6700, on the other hand, begins at $1,398 USD for the body alone. Adding the 16-50mm kit lens would incur an additional cost of $99 USD. For this comparison, specific lenses were used on the Sony a6700 to showcase its capabilities.

Image Quality

To truly put these cameras through their paces, I captured a sunrise. The side-by-side comparison immediately reveals a stark difference in sky colors. The Google Pixel 9 Pro exhibits a baked-in saturation not only in the clouds but across the entire image. The a6700's shot appears more washed out, offering greater flexibility for color grading in post-production, albeit requiring more effort. In roller shots taken on an overcast day, the Pixel 9 Pro again demonstrated significantly more saturated colors, particularly noticeable in the color of a Bentley GT. However, when examining motion blur on the concrete in the same shot, the Pixel, likely due to its AI processing, seemed to handle it better than the a6700.

To objectively assess color accuracy, I placed both cameras in front of a color checker. Due to its larger sensor size, the a6700 captured significantly more color depth, while the Pixel tended to saturate the colors, even pushing reds towards purple. Testing their standard color profiles in a real-world scenario further highlighted these differences. The a6700 produced a more neutral color tone, with lifted midtones on the Pixel 9 Pro. The water color also varied significantly, appearing as a very light blue on the Pixel, surprisingly with impressive motion blur on crashing waves, and a darker, almost greenish-blue on the Sony, which retained more detail in the rocks.

For bokeh, the dedicated lens on the a6700 produced a beautiful, natural background blur that the Pixel's computational approach couldn't quite replicate. Moving into low light with a fountain shot, the a6700 impressed with its detail retention and minimal noise, while the Pixel's colors deteriorated significantly, resulting in a noisy image. This disparity was even more pronounced with indoor neon lights, where the a6700 captured rich detail and color, while the Pixel produced a mushy, noisy shot. Comparing the halation effect around neon lights, the Pixel exhibited a noticeable glow, while the a6700's look was more subtle. However, in an overcast outdoor plaza, the Pixel surprisingly held its own, contrasting sharply with its poor performance in other low-light scenes with direct light sources, where it struggled to process the highlights and lifted shadows excessively. In a low-light tracking shot, the a6700 also outperformed the Pixel, better handling the exposure around light sources.

Testing in a completely dark night environment with a fountain illuminated by artificial lights, the Pixel 9 Pro performed better than expected but still exhibited significant noise, while the a6700 captured a detailed image with minimal visible noise. When faced with direct oncoming traffic headlights at night, the Pixel avoided ghost flares but produced an overly noisy and blown-out image, rendering it almost unusable. The a6700, while managing noise well, exhibited noticeable ghost flares. In a night roller shot of a red Porsche, the Pixel again lifted midtones excessively, while the a6700 produced a darker, more natural-looking image that would likely benefit from color grading. Interestingly, for a shot of a gray Porsche, the Pixel's more processed look required less immediate post-production work. With indoor neon lights at night, the Pixel's tendency to lift midtones made the scene appear artificially bright. This raises the question of preference: a brighter, more saturated image from the Pixel, or the darker, less saturated shot from the a6700?

In terms of handheld stabilization in good lighting, the Pixel 9 Pro significantly outperformed the a6700, producing gimbal-like smoothness. The a6700, even with electronic stabilization, exhibited jitter and would benefit from a dedicated gimbal in such scenarios. This smooth stabilization on the Pixel makes it potentially excellent for real estate videos. This advantage continued in lower light conditions, though the Pixel became slightly more jittery in very dark night scenes. Even in a night roller shot, the Pixel's stabilization was superior, making it a strong contender for low-light stabilization. In bright, high shutter speed shots, both cameras performed well, with the Pixel's more saturated colors being a key differentiator. However, in high shutter speed shots while moving, the a6700, despite being shakier, retained more detail than the Pixel. Shooting in 4K 60fps on an overcast beach revealed an interesting reversal, with the Pixel appearing less saturated than the a6700, which exhibited a greenish hue and less rock detail. In a 4K 60fps fountain shot, the a6700 displayed more motion blur, making the Pixel's image appear slightly more blended.

 For vlogging, the a6700's articulating touchscreen offers a significant advantage for self-monitoring, unlike the Pixel. However, the Pixel provides superior stabilization. When examining skin tones, the a6700 generally produced more realistic results, capturing more detail, especially in shadows. In a low-light outdoor headshot, the Sony again rendered more natural skin tones. Regarding dynamic range, the Pixel 9 Pro surprisingly retained highlights and exposed for the sun better than the a6700 in a particular flag shot. In backlit situations, the differences were minimal unless overlaid, with the Pixel offering more vibrant colors and the Sony a more cinematic look. In a nighttime fire shot, the Pixel's midtone lift was very apparent, almost blowing out the fire. When shooting directly at the sun, the Pixel rendered it as a pure white, while the a6700 produced a more saturated magenta color, with personal preference dictating which is better. The sun's flare also differed, with the a6700 exhibiting light streaks and the Pixel a rounder, less pronounced effect.

In an indoor shot of colored walls, the Pixel produced a very saturated and bright blue, while the a6700's rendition was more washed out and grey. I personally prefer the a6700's undersaturated look as it offers more flexibility in post-production. For vertical content, the a6700 captured more detail due to its larger sensor, while the Pixel offered better stabilization. In a vertical shot of a statue against the sky, the a6700 lacked color in the sky, while the Pixel rendered a nice blue tone. A landscape shot revealed that both cameras handled tricky lighting well, but with noticeable color differences in the skies and water.

Features and Functionality

In studio product shots on a slider, the a6700 captured a more saturated image with better detail compared to the Pixel's more washed-out look. A sharpness test at 5000% zoom showed that the Pixel 9 Pro's 50 MP sensor held up well against the a6700's 26 MP, larger sensor. For macro shots of a dusty toy car, both captured significant detail, but the a6700 retained more shadow detail, giving it a slight edge in my opinion. Overhead product shots for unboxing videos revealed more realistic hand skin tones on the Sony a6700, though this is subjective. Surprisingly, the Pixel 9 Pro struggled with green screen keying, turning the green background blue, unlike the Sony a6700 which keyed out flawlessly.

Usability and Design

While the Pixel offers excellent portability, the a6700 boasts a superior grip for comfortable shooting. The a6700 also features more external buttons and dials for customization, though some might prefer the Pixel's simpler interface. The Pixel 9 Pro's sleek, compact, and lightweight body is incredibly pocketable, while the a6700, with its EVF, is heavier and requires a lens and carrying bag. The Pixel 9 Pro utilizes a single USB-C port for charging, file transfer, and external HDMI/headphone/mic connections, while the a6700 has separate ports, a matter of personal preference. The Pixel 9 Pro can shoot 8K up to 30fps and 4K up to 60fps, while the Sony a6700 shoots 4K up to 60fps with a slight crop.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this comparison highlights the distinct strengths of the Google Pixel 9 Pro and the Sony a6700. The Pixel, with its in-camera saturation and impressive stabilization, excels in on-the-go content creation, though it shows limitations in low light, color accuracy, and bokeh. The Sony a6700, leveraging its larger sensor and superior optics, delivers greater color depth, detail, and dynamic range, particularly in challenging conditions, making it ideal for professional applications despite requiring more post-production. Ultimately, the choice depends on prioritizing convenience and immediate vibrancy versus image quality, versatility, and creative control. For my personal preference, the Sony a6700's dedicated interchangeable lens system offers more creative options, though the Pixel 9 Pro remains a capable smartphone camera.