The OnePlus 8 Pro is a very ambitious device — not only is it the company’s first flagship to cost actual flagship money, but it also set out to improve its camera performance to a point where it can combat the big boys on the market.

And here, we can see that it can definitely trade blows with the iPhone 11 Pro, which is absolutely no small feat. When it comes to photos, the OnePlus 8 Pro delivers pretty much the same quality of image, sometimes being slightly better, sometimes being ever so slightly worse at it. And when the sun goes down, the OnePlus 8 Pro blows us away even with its Nightscape mode turned off.

The iPhone 11 Pro still has an advantage when it comes to video, with better detail, definition, contrast, and colors.

Here are the samples:

Scene 1: The quick brown fox that blocked the road

As soon as we jump in this comparison, we see we will have trouble choosing a winner. Both photos look fantastic and so, so similar. There is a very slight yellowish cast on the OnePlus 8 Pro photo, but nothing to really fret over. When we zoom in, we can also catch sharper details on the iPhone 11 Pro photo. But overall, both phones did fantastic, with accurate color, good detail, and amazing HDR performance.Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scene 2: Easter is over party

The OnePlus 8 Pro came up with the more colorful shot here. It’s a more vibrant image without going into the realms of the unnatural. Both pictures are sharp and detailed.

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

Scene 3: Graffiti wall

While we have a fantastic performance from both sides again, the iPhone image here does seem slightly more detailed and pops out with better contrast. The OnePlus 8 Pro kind of went off balance with the teal color on the closest drawing, but otherwise it’s a pretty solid photo.

Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scene 4: A matter of time

Both images here have their pros and cons. I definitely like the sky color on the OnePlus 8 Pro photo more. The sun-lit bricks look more defined on the iPhone shot, but the bricks in the shade look more detailed on the OnePlus picture. Again — blow for blow.

That’s a draw on that scene, so we have to go into elimination:

Enhance that — let’s go wide!

I switched to the ultra-wide-angle lenses in that same scene to see if both phones will keep their color calibration. The iPhone 11 Pro gave us the same colors with its secondary lens, while the OnePlus 8 Pro’s ultra-wide shot came out colder than the main one.

Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scene 5: Peaceful museum

Ah, that’s a tough one. The pink-ish petals on the right look a bit more vibrant and a bit sharper on the OnePlus 8 Pro shot. However, the leaves of the tree on the left went a bit on the unnatural green side. Still, the OnePlus 8 Pro came up with more contrast and a slightly more dramatic picture of what’s a pretty dull scene otherwise. So I am compelled to give this one to the OnePlus!

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

Scene 6: Flower X marks the spot

Another hard fight. The OnePlus came up with a slightly yellow-ish cast again here and the iPhone 11 Pro gave us a bit more realism and sharpness — the clouds behind the building on the left are more clearly visible and the tree on the right looks much better on the iPhone shot.

Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scene 7: Wait, zoom in on that!

The OnePlus 8 Pro is capable of 30x zoom, while the iPhone 11 Pro only goes up to 10x for photos. So, I compared the 10x performance on both. The OnePlus 8 Pro photo came out sharper and more pleasing to the eye for sure.

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

Scene 8: What’s so funny?

The OnePlus 8 Pro has a 3x telephoto lens, while the iPhone 11 Pro only has a 2x optical zoom. So, I set both phones at 3x — this means that the iPhone is doing a digital crop on top of its 2x optics.

Still, the iPhone photo here came out decisively better, with sharper detail (although becoming jagged in spots), better contrast, and better colors.

Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scene 9: Monuments in the park

This scene came out differently with each phone, but it’s not really easy to discern which one is the “better” one. The OnePlus 8 Pro shot is definitely warmer and more yellow-ish, but the iPhone 11 Pro picture came out maybe just a bit colder than it needed to be? I’m calling it a draw.

Winner: draw

Scene 10: What is that thing?

The OnePlus 8 Pro definitely did a better job at pulling detail from the shaded part of the statue here. The trees on the left and right look a bit better on the iPhone 11 Pro picture, but since our subject is better-portrayed in the OnePlus picture, I’m giving this one to the 8 Pro

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

Scene 11: Doggo portrait

Both phones did a fantastic job of separating the fur from the flowers and trees in the background. The OnePlus went with a bit more contrast, while the iPhone kept things brighter but didn’t burn any highlights. I’m going to have to call another draw.

Winner: draw

Scene 12: No, I am not getting a tattoo done

Again, Portrait Mode! The OnePlus 8 Pro went all dramatic with deeper blacks, while the iPhone kept things brighter. None of the phones were tricked into meshing the black t-shirt with the black metal bards in the background. The OnePlus 8 Pro did just a bit worse at separating the gray metal pole from its respective background. The iPhone 11 Pro managed to capture a lot more detail in the face — the gray hairs in my beard are clearly visible, while they are almost gone on the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Two things — first, thanks for that, OnePlus! But second — I am going to have to give this one to the iPhone by just a… hair!

Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scenes 13 and 14: selfie time

I spun around here, to get two shots — with the sun behind the phones and then off to the side. Both phones did a great job, but the OnePlus 8 Pro selfies are decisively brighter, sharper, and more detailed.

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro (2 points)

Scene 15: All night and no play

The Night Mode was kept off on both phones on purpose here (the iPhone’s Night Mode kicks in automatically otherwise). Here, we can see that the OnePlus 8 Pro can do a better job even if you don’t set it for long exposures.

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

Scene 16: Wanna go for a ride?

Again, with Night Mode off, the OnePlus comes up with a brighter, sharper, and more vibrant picture.

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

Scene 17: Open up, please, I want a cheesecake

Still, we can see that the iPhone 11 Pro can definitely do good under artificial light. In this scene, the iPhone introduced less burnout around light sources and better detail in the wall and those sweet, sweet cookies.

Winner: iPhone 11 Pro

Scene 18: That’s a lot of lights

Again, with Night Modes off on both phones, the OnePlus 8 Pro managed to give us a pretty balanced shot with a lot of visible details in the shadows, while the iPhone came up with a darker image all around.

Winner: OnePlus 8 Pro

In terms of autofocus and auto exposure, both perform fantastically, keeping their adjustments fast yet smooth, so they don’t become a distraction.