Luxury Phone Camera Clash: Google Pixel Fold vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

The brand new Google Pixel Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 are costly. In reality, they’ve the best costs of any cellphone at present out that I do know. However does a premium worth imply they take the very best photographs? I used to be curious to seek out out.

I ought to notice that later this month, Samsung is holding an Unpacked occasion the place I count on the next-gen Galaxy Z Fold to be introduced. And it may need even higher cameras. As soon as it is out, we’ll fortunately pit the brand new Z Fold in opposition to the Pixel Fold. Within the meantime, let’s dig into the main points.

Each the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4 prices $1,799 and has 5 cameras. Nonetheless, neither set any excessive marks for digital camera efficiency. As you may infer from their names, every cellphone’s key function is a foldable display screen — which is basically the explanation for his or her beefy worth tags. To make every cellphone pocketable when closed, the our bodies are ultrathin, leaving much less room for digital camera sensors and lenses. Meaning each Google and Samsung depend on their machine studying and AI prowess to make photographs look good.

Learn extra: Greatest Digicam Cellphone of 2023

Watch this: We Put the Google Pixel Fold’s Cameras Up In opposition to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4’s

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Pixel Fold digital camera specs vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4

Each the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4 have three rear cameras, one cowl display screen digital camera and one inside display screen digital camera. Decision-wise it is fairly shut between what Google and Samsung every provide. I might be remiss if I did not let you know that evaluating picture sensor decision is like making an attempt to check the energy in meals; 100 energy of broccoli has completely different advantages than 100 energy of ice cream. So yeah, extra megapixels is not all the time higher. The largest variations are literally within the software program processing, which Google appears to be higher at.

The {hardware} is sort of equivalent when it comes to specs, with the Pixel Fold having a 48-megapixel sensor, whereas the Z Fold 4 rocks a 50-megapixel sensor. 

The inside display screen cameras are additionally completely different, with the Pixel sporting an 8-megapixel sensor and the Galaxy having only a 4-megapixel one. Samsung’s digital camera is buried below the show, nonetheless, which is good. It is the digital camera you employ the least, and I believe Samsung was clever to enhance the internal show expertise by “hiding” the digital camera, even when it comes with the trade-off of a lower-resolution sensor.

The final major {hardware} distinction is the telephoto digital camera, which on the Pixel Fold has a 5x optical zoom, whereas the Z Fold 4 has a 3x optical zoom.

Pixel Fold photographs vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4

Earlier than we get into some direct comparisons, check out a few of my favourite photographs from the Pixel Fold and the Z Fold 4.

On the entire, Pixel Fold photographs have higher element, a wider dynamic vary and are extra coloration correct. And that is even below an ideal summer season day with blue skies, which is likely one of the most forgiving environments for any cellphone digital camera.

Check out the photographs under, every taken with the principle digital camera, of a lunch space in Salesforce Park in San Francisco. The Pixel Fold’s snap balances the publicity higher and has extra particulars within the grass and tree leaves. And, sure, issues had been truly that inexperienced. However Samsung’s photograph is messy. It is overly shiny, particulars are muddy and the colour temperature is off — discover the inexperienced within the timber within the background and the sky.

Under are two extra photos from the principle cameras. This time the variations aren’t fairly as drastic. Each telephones did a very good job of capturing the cappuccino’s texture within the foam. However discover across the rim of the cup. The Pixel Fold’s photograph appears to be like extra pure, with the cup’s rim in focus together with the highest of the drink. The Z Fold 4’s picture is unusual. I do know Samsung has a meals optimizer setting, however I do not bear in mind it being on; it may need been. The sting of the cup is smooth.

Subsequent, check out the photographs under, which had been taken indoors below a mixture of window mild and low mild. Here is the place the variations between Google and Samsung are big. In Google’s photograph of Peebles the cat, it handles the blended mild effectively, however captures some texture in his fur and whiskers. The photograph is smooth, however not in a foul method. Samsung’s photograph appears to be like unhealthy. It suffers from over brightening, and is marred by a ton of picture noise and heavy noise discount, which makes the photograph of Peebles appear to be a portray of Peebles.

Pixel Fold zoom vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4

Primarily based purely on the specs, the Pixel Fold has the sting in relation to zoom, because it has a 5x optical telephoto lens in comparison with the 3x on the Z Fold 4. That 5x is the candy spot, serving to you get nearer to your topic with out being in somebody’s face.

Check out the zoom vary on every cellphone.

At 5x it is exhausting to inform any actual variations between the 2, apart from some lack of decision on the Galaxy Z Fold due to the digital zoom.

Under are 10x digital zoom photographs from each telephones. Neither one appears to be like nice.

And final are photographs taken on the max digital zoom magnifications on every cellphone: 20x on the Pixel and 30x on the Samsung. Regardless of the completely different magnifications, each have roughly the identical quantity of zoom/crop.

Samsung’s picture has utterly fallen aside and appears tremendous smooth and processed. The Pixel Fold’s photograph is not nice, however appears to be like higher due to Google’ Tremendous Res Zoom, which makes use of a mix of {hardware}, software program and AI to make it look higher.

Pixel Fold evening mode vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4

Transferring on to nighttime mode, issues begin to swing again in Samsung’s favor. Under are photos of some house buildings taken an hour after sundown with evening mode. Each look good, however the one from the Z Fold 4 appears to be like higher total. The Galaxy cellphone protects the highlights higher within the moon and in mild sources like on the entrance of the house constructing within the center. 

Under are two extra evening mode pictures. Once more, each are good, although I just like the one from the Galaxy Z Fold 4 extra. The white steadiness is extra true to the scene.

Pixel Fold selfies vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4

You might have the choice on each telephones to take selfies a number of other ways. The primary is utilizing the quilt display screen digital camera on every cellphone. Within the photographs under, I believe Samsung’s cowl display screen digital camera takes higher selfies than the Pixel Fold’s cowl display screen digital camera. It does a greater job at nailing focus and I just like the brighter publicity.

As a result of these are foldable telephones, you can too take a selfie with the principle rear digital camera utilizing the quilt display screen as a preview. I do like having the ability to use the rear digital camera to take selfies, but it surely looks like extra of a chore. Between the 2 photos under, I just like the rear digital camera selfie from the Z Fold 4 higher, because the brightness is extra flattering.

There’s a third technique to take a selfie and that is to make use of the internal show’s digital camera. Each the Pixel Fold and Z Fold 4’s internal display screen digital camera are meant for video calls, so I examined them within the video that accompanies this text. Neither look good for a Zoom name, however the increased decision on the Pixel Fold’s inside display screen digital camera provides it a slight edge.

Pixel Fold movies vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4 and closing ideas

On the entire, movies aren’t nice from both cellphone. Video recordings undergo from picture noise and have much less dynamic vary than photographs from every cellphone. A lot of the machine studying algorithms and synthetic intelligence Google and Samsung use of their photographs is absent for movies. If you wish to see pattern video clips from every cellphone, please watch the video connected to this story.

So which cellphone has the very best cameras? Neither the Pixel Fold or Z Fold 4 provide top-of-the-line cellphone cameras. However so far as these two telephones go, I lean in the direction of Google’s system greater than Samsung’s (purely when it comes to the cameras). The Z Fold 4, nonetheless, has an edge in different methods just like the wonderful inside display screen, the premium match and end of the {hardware} and the software program that appeared much less fussy than the Pixel Fold.

Bear in mind every of those telephones prices $200 shy of two grand. For that worth you get a cellphone that folds in half, that has two screens and 5 cameras. Whereas the large inside screens of those foldables are nice for enhancing your photographs, few foldables provide the pristine picture high quality you’d discover on their nonfolding counterparts. You need to nonetheless look in the direction of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Extremely or Google’s Pixel 7 Professional if you would like wonderful imaging expertise, however you will must resolve what your precedence is: stunning photographs or an thrilling folding display screen? Proper now, you may’t have each.

Simply know {that a} month from now, issues might change with the launch of the rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.