A OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a camera face-off figures to be more intriguing than past showdowns involving midrange phones from OnePlus and Google. Google's Pixel A series devices have dominated this rivalry, thanks to a combination of hardware and Google's photo-processing prowess.
But I noticed something when putting together a OnePlus 13 vs. Pixel 8a comparison — the photos shot by OnePlus' latest midrange model compare very well to what the Pixel 8a produces. And that's an impressive feat to pull off since we consider Google's handset to be the best camera phone under $500.
At $599, the OnePlus 13R costs a little more than that. But OnePlus is willing to bet that the phone's improved camera setup makes it worth spending a little more than you'd have to pay for the Pixel 8a. To see if that argument holds up, I shot hundreds of photos with both camera phones to see how those images compare across a variety of different categories. Here's how this OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a camera showdown turned out.
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Camera specs compared
Before we dive into the photo face-off, let's consider the camera setups of these two phones, since the OnePlus 13R and Pixel 8a bring some different specs to the table. Like the OnePlus 12R before it, the 13R features three rear cameras. But the dedicated macro sensor has made way for a 50MP telephoto lens that delivers a 2 optical zoom while also specializing in portrait shots. The rest of the rear cameras on the OnePlus 13R are more conventional — a 50MP sensor handles the mains hooting duties while an 8MP lens takes care of ultrawide shots.
Google limits telephoto cameras to its Pro flagships, so the midrange Pixel 8a makes do with a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide lens. You can zoom in on shots with the Pixel 8a, but you've got to rely on Google's Super Res Zoom feature to keep noise from creeping into the shot.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | OnePlus 13R | Google Pixel 8a |
| Main rear camera | 50MP (f/1.8) | 64MP (f/1.89) |
| Ultrawide camera | 8MP (f/2.2), 112-degree FOV | 13MP (f/2.2), 120-degree field of view |
| Telephoto lens | 50MP (f/2.0) with 3x optical zoom | None |
| Front camera | 16MP (f/2.4) | 13MP (f/2.2) |
Up front, the OnePlus 13R offers a 16MP camera, while the Pixel 8a turns to a 13MP lens for selfies. Neither phone offers a macro mode, so we'll skip that comparison in this photo face-off.
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Outdoor photos
How the cameras perform outdoors depends on what kind of lighting you're shooting in. In the above image of my daughter posing next to a downed redwood tree, I think the Pixel 8a does a better job highlighting the rings of the tree trunk. Without a lot of direct sunlight, the OnePlus 13R doesn't produce as balanced a shot, though it does do a better job of capturing my daughter's skin tone compared to the more pale look favored by the Pixel 8a.
Other photos captured during that redwood forest hike also turned out better with the Pixel 8a, which uses its photo processing software to adjust for the shadier setting. When the sun's out, though, the OnePlus 13R finds itself on more even footing. When I pointed the two camera phones up at the sky to capture some tree tops, the OnePlus 13R highlights the blue sky, while the sky in the Pixel 8a shot looks a bit washed out.
As we'll see throughout this photo comparison, the Pixel 8a favors darker coolers, which sometimes creates a blue cast over its pictures. That's particularly true of a shot I took of the waterfront side of the San Francisco Ferry Building; that same shot with the OnePlus 13R produces much more accurate colors and a less cool tone. A photo of a sculpted shrub also looks a lot better when the OnePlus 13R captures as, as you can see more dapples of sunlight in its shot.
Overall, these two camera phones are pretty evenly matched when in the great outdoors. The Pixel 8a produces more consistent shots in different lighting, but at its best, the OnePlus 13R has the more eye-catching colors.
Winner: OnePlus 13R
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Indoor photos
The OnePlus 13R's tendency to brighten colors really comes in handy when you move indoors, as you can see in this photo of a Reuben sandwich. The corned beef is bright and pink, the bread looks toasted and inviting. Contrast that with the Pixel 8a shot, which is too muted and cool.
That said, the Pixel 8a's more restrained approach to color serves it better more often than not when you're dealing with indoor lighting or ambient light steaming in from windows. The negroni I'm enjoying at a San Francisco watering hole looks a lot more realistic in the Pixel 8a photo, while the OnePlus 13R renders the red campari in an almost unearthly glow. Similarly, some overhead red lamps decorating a lunch stand look far better composed in the Pixel 8a photo — they're bright red blobs in the OnePlus 13R shot.
I also appreciate how photo-processing algorithms account for uneven lighting when I took a photo of a map hanging at a Guerneville diner. You can see a faint shadow of my arm in the lower portion of the OnePlus 13R picture, but that's been eliminated by the more balanced lighting of the Pixel 8a image.
As with outdoor shots, when the OnePlus 13R is on its game, it can really take some excellent indoor photos, particularly of food. (Some pizza slices look a lot more appetizing in the OnePlus 13R photo than they do in the Pixel 8a's washed-out image.) But consistency is the name of the game here, and the Pixel 8a's indoor shots look better on average.
Winner: Google Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Dynamic range
When it comes to dealing with shadows and light, the Pixel 8a does the better job striking a balance. Both phones capture a decent image of some holiday decorations hanging in the trees of a city park, but the Pixel 8a photo offers a more even tone, without dulling the colorful ornaments. The OnePlus 13R pumps up the color, as is its wont, but parts of the shot where sunlight break through come pretty close to getting over-exposed.
That difference appeared frequently when sorting through different images shot in shadow. A Willie Mays statue looks more heroic the way the Pixel 8a handles the setting sun, while the OnePlus 13R image seems a bit flat to my eye. More details pop in another photo of a seal outside the San Francisco Giants ballpark, while the sky is a richer shade of blue at sunset when the Pixel 8a is on the job.
The OnePlus 13R isn't totally overmatched here. I think it did a good job highlighting the color of some palm trees growing beneath the Bay Bridge, and I think its picture of a decorated heart shot in some difficult sunlight looks much brighter than what the Pixel 8a manages. But overall the Pixel 8a's algorithms do a better job when shadows enter into the picture with a wider dynamic range.
Winner: Google Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Color reproduction
I've mentioned that these two camera phones take very different approaches to color — the OnePlus 13R favors bright tones, the Pixel 8a prefers balance — and your preference is going to determine which one you think does the better job. This shot of a decorated bench illustrates the contrast. That light blue color the OnePlus 13R displays is a bit brighter than the bench looks in real life, but it makes the text easier to read while the bench itself stands out from the blue building. The Pixel 8a's image is a bit more muted, but the building has a richer tone that I think strikes a good balance in the shot.
Overall, though, the OnePlus 13R's bias toward bright colors helps it take this category. A Christmas tree looks a lot brighter in the OnePlus 13R shot, while the U.S. and pride flags off to the side have sharper colors than the Pixel 8a's effort. A sculpture of a bow and arrow is overly cool in the Pixel 8a shot, while the OnePlus 13R offers a warmer, more appealing view. I also like how the OnePlus 13R emphasizes the two-tone paint job at a local bar.
Sometimes, though, the OnePlus 13R goes over the top. A candelabra aloe looks unrealistically bright when the OnePlus 13R gets it hands on the image, while the Pixel 8a's close-up of a camellia is a bit more true-to-life than the day-glow pink the OnePlus 13R has settled on. These excesses aside, I think most people will prefer the more vivid colors the OnePlus 13R has to offer.
Winner: OnePlus 13R
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Ultrawide shots
The Pixel 8a's ultrawide camera has a higher resolution and slightly wider field of view compared to the same camera on the OnePlus 13R, and it serves Google's phone well when taking pictures with that lens. In this ultrawide angle shot of the Tribune Building at sunset, I really like how the Pixel 8a picks out the pinkish tint of the sky. The Tribune sign also lights up more fully in the Pixel 8a shot, and the bricks on the building look a little more detailed.
The Pixel 8a's issue with cooler shots is less of a problem when shooting with the ultrawide camera. That bow-and-arrow artwork that looked so blue when captured by the main lens looks fine here. And around the edges of photos like the ultrawide scene of the Christmas tree, the Pixel 8a captures additional details that get cut off by the OnePlus 13R's field of view.
The OnePlus 13R does well in some shots. Another view of the Ferry Building is better composed in its photo, and an indoor mural looks brighter than what the Pixel 8a manages, especially on the right edge of the image where shadows are creeping in. That said, the lights above the mural get a little bit more blown out int he OnePlus 13R shot.
Winner: Google Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Zoom photos
The OnePlus 13R has a zoom lens, and the Pixel 8a doesn't, so you would expect that OnePlus takes this round rather easily. Of course, the Pixel 8a has Google's Super Res Zoom feature at its disposal, and that can clean up the digital zoom shots captured by the phone. It works pretty well at 2x, like in this shot of a memorial at a sate park. The darker tone of the Pxiel 8a image makes the words on the plaque a bit easier to read, though the more vibrant colors in the OnePlus 13R are a bit more eye-catching.
Indeed, color is what separates the zoom shots captured by the OnePlus 13R and Pixel 8a, as the OnePlus phone's colors look richer and more consistent the more you zoom in. At 4x, a dragon decorating the doorway of a local home is richly colored and very detailed in the OnePlus 13R image. Another zoom shot of the Hills Brothers Building shows off the two different shades of brick in the OnePlus 13R photo while the Pixel 8a zoom looks a overly muted.
The Pixel 8a maxes out at 8X, so I capped the zooms there. At that distance, the OnePlus 13R still dominates with a very detailed photo of the Bay Bridge that retains both color and focus. At that length, the Pixel 8a shot lets some fuzziness creep in. I was also struck by a super close-up on a menu at a beer stand, where the text is quite visible in the OnePlus 13R shot but a little bit too dark in the Pixel 8a photo.
Winner: OnePlus 13R
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Portrait mode
To test out the portrait mode on each phone, I took a shot of my cat — a challenging prospect that forces the photo processing software to figure out where his fur ends and the background begins. The Pixel 8a was up to the task, even keeping some of his right whiskers out of the blur. Those whiskers got caught up in the OnePlus 13R's bokeh effect, as did some of my cat's back haunches.
Each phone gives you a choice in how close you want your portrait shot — 2x and 1x for the OnePlus 13R compared to 2x and 1.7x for the Pixel 8a. After comparing portraits at 2x, I opted for the wider option for yet another cat photo. I appreciate the closer crop on the Pixel 8a shot more than the OnePlus 13R's 1x view. The wider view doesn't help with the bokeh blur, as it still manages to catch too much of the cat's fur, particularly around his hips.
My daughter volunteered to be the other subject of my portrait shots, with one photo in borad daylight and another indoors at night. The OnePlus 13R struggled with the lighting in the latter pic, and lost too much of her face in shadow when shooting outdoors. I do like the color of the outdoor OnePlus 13R shot, particularly with skin tone and hair, but I think the Pixel 8a takes the better portrait shots across the board.
Winner: Google Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Night photos
The OnePlus 13R and Pixel 8a are evenly matched when it comes to night shots, as both phones produce detailed images even when the lights are low. But I think the OnePlus 13R just edges out the Pixel 8a, and the holiday decorations with lit-up candle canes and reindeer illustrates why. Both cameras successfully capture the main decorations, but the OnePlus 13R even illuminates the outer edge of the scene allowing you to see more of the background.
A photo of an illuminated church spire shows how the OnePlus 13R can take things to extremes, as the lighting on the spire looks less natural than it does in the Pixel 8a shot. But the photo of a neon bar sign confirms why the OnePlus 13R is the better choice for low-light shots — not only is the lighting on the sign depicted more evenly, but you can see more of the trees framing the left side of the shot. Colors also look richer in the OnePlus 13R photos, as seen when comparing night photos of a fountain. There's a yellow cast to the Pixel 8a, which makes the fountain image harsher to look at.
Winner: OnePlus 13R
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Selfies
The OnePlus 13R's front camera produces some decent self-portraits, though turning the bokeh effect on as I did for the above comparison can produce mixed results. The blur effect is applied unevenly, and it looks like the flower from the plant behind me is tucked behind my ear. The Pixel 8a's shot is much better composed, even if the processing gets over-aggressive when smoothing out my skin texture.
I donned a pair of cheaters to test out how the portrait effect handles glasses. "Not very well" is the answer for the Pixel 8a, as the right lens gets caught in the blur. Everything remains super sharp for the OnePlus 13R selfie, though, with even part of my beard still visible through the glass.
That one exception aside, I think the Pixel 8a selfies are better, overall, with more even lighting, better balance in tone and accurate skin coloration. You could argue that the self-portrait I took at night with the OnePlus 13R is better illuminated, but the lighting looks unnatural to me, like I'm being lit up from below. The Pixel 8a's front camera yields more consistent results.
Winner: Google Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Panoramas
I generally find the panorama controls on the Pixel 8a easier to master, which tends to produce better shots when compared to other phones. However, I'm more impressed with what the OnePlus 13R produces, largely because of its warmer colors. The San Francisco Ferry Building is colored beautifully in the OnePlus 13R panorama, while the Pixel 8a makes things look too cool. A panorama in Salesforce Park is very evenly matched — here the Pixel 8a's darker colors serve the shot well — but it's hard to ignore how bright and inviting the OnePlus 13R makes the scene look.
There are some wobbles. There's a bit more bend to the railing around McCovey Cove, which I'll put on the OnePlus 13R's less intuitive controls. But while I may be more comfortable taking panos with the Pixel 8a, I prefer the output of the OnePlus 13R here.
Winner: OnePlus 13R
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a: Video
A clip shot while I rode the escalator down in the Saleforce Transit Center has a couple hiccups in the footage captured by the OnePlus 13R — probably not enough to notice unless you were looking for them, but I would argue that the Pixel 8a's footage is a little bit smoother. The color seem a little bit more natural in the Pixel 8a video to my eye.
The microphones on the OnePlus 13R did pick up a bit more ambient noise, which can be both a blessing and a curse with video footage. On the one hand, you won't have to worry about the cameras capturing the audio of whoever you're filming, but you also run the risk of too much background noise in your video.
Footage of a Muni train going by Oracle Park seems a bit more evenly matched. Again, I think the stadium looks a little bit sharper in the Pixel 8a video, but your mileage may vary.
Winner: Google Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a camera face-off: Verdict
This OnePlus 13R vs. Google Pixel 8a camera showdown is the closest I've ever seen another midrange phone come to outperforming Google's budget device. The Pixel 8a remains the best camera phone you can get for less than $500 — in large part because the OnePlus 13R costs more than that — but the new device from OnePlus is every bit as capable at capturing photos.
In fact, if you find yourself taking a lot of zoom shots and can swing the extra $100, the OnePlus 13R may be a better choice. As good as Google's Super Res Zoom feature is at keeping digital zooms looking good, there's no competing with the 13R's dedicated telephoto lens. Throw in the OnePlus 13R's excellent color reproduction and strong night performance, and you've got a very impressive camera phone on your hands.
But consistency is the name of the game, and while the OnePlus 13R can outshine the Pixel 8a in some photo comparison, Google's camera phone takes better pictures with greater frequency. Google's grip on the low-cost photo crown may not be as tight as before, but it still rests on the head of the Pixel 8a.
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