Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Aug 31
Pixel 11 Pro Fold Beats Galaxy Z Fold 8 on Cameras, Led by 5x Telephoto
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Aug 31

Pixel 11 Pro Fold Beats Galaxy Z Fold 8 on Cameras, Led by 5x Telephoto

3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Aug 31

Summary

  • ZDNET’s side-by-side test in Dusseldorf and Cologne found Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold delivered the stronger overall camera package than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8.
  • 5x telephoto zoom helped push the Pixel ahead: it offers 2x, 5x, 10x and up to 30x shooting, while the Z Fold 8 relies on its 50-megapixel main sensor for crop-based zoom and tops out at 10x by default.
  • Main-camera results were closer, with Samsung producing brighter, more immediately shareable images, while the Pixel preserved more shadow detail, contrast, color and texture, especially in low light.
  • Selfies and cover-screen camera preview also favored the Pixel, which handled night shots better and avoided the phantom-touch issue the reviewer hit on Samsung’s inner screen.
  • Both 2026 foldables were judged solid shooters despite hardware trade-offs—the Z Fold 8 lacks a telephoto lens, while the Pixel uses smaller auxiliary sensors.

Insights

Can Samsung’s Galaxy AI photo tools truly compensate for the hardware gap against the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's massive 30x zoom?
Did Samsung sacrifice a telephoto lens just to keep the Galaxy Z Fold 8 ultra-light, handing Google the camera crown?
Why might everyday users actually prefer Samsung’s artificially bright photos over the Pixel’s realistic shadows for social media?