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DisplayWe put the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold through our rigorous DXOMARK Camera test suite to measure its performance in photo, video, and zoom quality from an end-user perspective. This article breaks down how the device fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases and is intended to highlight the most important results of our testing with an extract of the captured data.
Overview
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 48MP 1/2″ sensor, f/1.7-aperture lens, 82° field of view, Quad PD, OIS
- Ultra-wide: 10.5MP 1/3.4″ sensor, f/2.2-aperture lens, 127° field of view, Dual PD
- Tele: 10.8MP 1/3.2″ sensor, f/3.1-aperture lens, 23° field of view, Dual PD, OIS, 5x optical zoom
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Use cases & Conditions
Use case scores indicate the product performance in specific situations. They are not included in the overall score calculations.
Outdoor
Photos & videos shot in bright light conditions (≥1000 lux)
Indoor
Photos & videos shot in good lighting conditions (≥100lux)
Lowlight
Photos & videos shot in low lighting conditions (<100 lux)
Friends & Family
Portrait and group photo & videos
29th
26th
Pros
- Good exposure across all test conditions, for both photo and video
- Fast and accurate autofocus in most test conditions
- Fairly low photo noise, even in low light
- Good detail in long-range tele shots
- Effective video stabilization
Cons
- Limited dynamic range in high-contrast scenes, slight lack of detail in high-contrast portraits
- Occasional white balance casts
- Ghosting in low-light scenes with motion
- Lack of detail in close and medium range tele shots
- Fairly low blur intensity and depth estimation errors in bokeh shots
- Video noise across all recording conditions
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold did very well in the DXOMARK Camera tests, particularly in terms of photo capture, and is the best device with a folding form factor in our ranking to date. Compared to its predecessor Pixel Fold, the new model comes with a new ultra-wide camera with a shorter focal length, allowing you to squeeze more scene into the frame. There is also a new macro mode for close-up photography.
Our experts were particularly impressed by the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s fast and accurate autofocus, the good exposure across all light conditions and the nice colors. Still images are now captured in HDR format by default, providing enhanced contrast and color when viewed on a compatible HDR display.
Still, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold could not quite match the performance of the latest conventional non-folding Google devices. For a smartphone in its elevated price range, video output could have been better. Our testers observed fairly high noise levels across all light conditions. Tele zoom images at close and medium range settings lacked detail, and in bokeh mode, the blur intensity was fairly low, with some isolation errors around the subject.
Test summary
About DXOMARK Camera tests: DXOMARK’s Camera evaluations take place in laboratories and in real-world situations using a wide variety of subjects. The scores rely on objective tests for which the results are calculated directly by measurement software on our laboratory setups, and on perceptual tests in which a sophisticated set of metrics allow a panel of image experts to compare aspects of image quality that require human judgment. Testing a smartphone involves a team of engineers and technicians for about a week. Photo, Zoom, and Video quality are scored separately and then combined into an Overall score for comparison among the cameras in different devices. For more information about the DXOMARK Camera protocol, click here. More details on smartphone camera scores are available here. The following section gathers key elements of DXOMARK’s exhaustive tests and analyses. Full performance evaluations are available upon request. Please contact us on how to receive a full report.
Photo
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For scoring and analysis, DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 2,600 test images both in controlled lab environments and in outdoor, indoor and low-light natural scenes, using the camera’s default settings. The photo protocol is designed to take into account the main use cases and is based on typical shooting scenarios, such as portraits, family, and landscape photography. The evaluation is performed by visually inspecting images against a reference of natural scenes, and by running objective measurements on images of charts captured in the lab under different lighting conditions from 1 to 1,000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300K to 6,500K.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the best foldable smartphone for stills photography we have tested to date, outperforming its rivals with a foldable form factor by quite a wide margin. Subject exposure was excellent across all light conditions, but dynamic range was slightly more limited on Google´s latest folding device when compared to last year’s Pixel Fold. Our testers observed slightly more highlight clipping, as well as a slight loss of contrast in HDR conditions. In terms of color, our experts noted a few white balance casts, but otherwise color rendering was fairly faithful and pleasant.
Like on the predecessor, autofocus was a strong point, thanks in particular to the zero shutter lag capacities allowing for instant capture. The texture/noise trade-off was quite good, with well-controlled noise, even in low light. However, detail levels could be low in high-contrast portrait scenes. We also observed slight ghosting artifacts in some scenes with motion.
Exposure
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Color
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Exposure and color are the key attributes for technically good pictures. For exposure, the main attribute evaluated is the brightness of the main subject through various use cases such as landscape, portrait, or still life. Other factors evaluated are the contrast and the dynamic range, eg. the ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas of the image. Repeatability is also important because it demonstrates the camera's ability to provide the same rendering when shooting several images of the same scene.
For color, the image quality attributes analyzed are skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, and repeatability. For color and skin tone rendering, we penalize unnatural colors but we respect a manufacturer's choice of color signature.
Autofocus
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Autofocus tests concentrate on focus accuracy, focus repeatability, shooting time delay, and depth of field. Shooting delay is the difference between the time the user presses the capture button and the time the image is actually taken. It includes focusing speed and the capability of the device to capture images at the right time, what is called 'zero shutter lag' capability. Even if a shallow depth of field can be pleasant for a single subject portrait or close-up shot, it can also be a problem in some specific conditions such as group portraits; Both situations are tested. Focus accuracy is also evaluated in all the real-life images taken, from infinity to close-up objects and in low light to outdoor conditions.
Texture
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Texture tests analyze the level of details and the texture of subjects in the images taken in the lab as well as in real-life scenarios. For natural shots, particular attention is paid to the level of details in the bright and dark areas of the image. Objective measurements are performed on chart images taken in various lighting conditions from 1 to 1000 lux and different kinds of dynamic range conditions. The charts used are the proprietary DXOMARK chart (DMC) and the Dead Leaves chart.
Noise
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Noise tests analyze various attributes of noise such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure on real-life images as well as images of charts taken in the lab. For natural images, particular attention is paid to the noise on faces, landscapes, but also on dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Noise on moving objects is also evaluated on natural images. Objective measurements are performed on images of charts taken in various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux and different kinds of dynamic range conditions. The chart used is the Dead Leaves chart and the standardized measurement such as Visual Noise derived from ISO 15739.
Artifacts
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The artifacts evaluation looks at lens shading, chromatic aberrations, geometrical distortion, edges ringing, halos, ghosting, quantization, unexpected color hue shifts, among others type of possible unnatural effects on photos. The more severe and the more frequent the artifact, the higher the point deduction on the score. The main artifacts observed and corresponding point loss are listed below.
Preview
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Preview tests analyze the image quality of the camera app's preview of the image, with particular attention paid to the difference between the capture and the preview, especially regarding dynamic range and the application of the bokeh effect. Also evaluated is the smoothness of the exposure, color and focus adaptation when zooming from the minimal to the maximal zoom factor available. The preview frame rate is measured using the LED Universal Timer.
Zoom
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DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate over 400 test images in controlled lab environments and in outdoor, indoor, and low-light natural scenes, using the camera’s default settings and pinch zoom at various zoom factors from ultra wide to very long-range zoom. The evaluation is performed by visually inspecting the images against a reference of natural scenes, and by running objective measurements of chart mages captured in the lab under different conditions from 20 to 1000 lux and color temperatures from 2300K to 6500K.
In our tests, zooming performance varied quite a bit with the zoom factor and camera module in use. At the ultra-wide end of the zoom spectrum, the new model features a 13mm equivalent lens, compared to 16mm on the Pixel Fold. The increased field of view allows for the capture of wider scenes, bringing the new foldable Google phone in line with many other Ultra Premium devices. In our tests, the ultra-wide module’s performance was overall acceptable, but the level of captured detail could have been higher.
Tele zoom performance at close and medium range left some room for improvement, with very low levels of texture, especially when shooting indoors and in low light. Noise was well under control, but images lacked color saturation and contrast. Things looked a lot better at the longer end of the tele zoom. After switching to the 5x dedicated tele module, the camera produced quite convincing overall image quality with good detail.
Wide
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These tests analyze the performance of the ultra-wide camera at several focal lengths from 12 mm to 20 mm. All image quality attributes are evaluated, with particular attention paid to such artifacts as chromatic aberrations, lens softness, and distortion. Pictures below are an extract of tested scenes.
Tele
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All image quality attributes are evaluated at focal lengths from approximately 40 mm to 300 mm, with particular attention paid to texture and detail. The score is derived from a number of objective measurements in the lab and perceptual analysis of real-life images.
Video
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DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 2.5 hours of video in controlled lab environments and in natural low-light, indoor and outdoor scenes, using the camera’s default settings. The evaluation consists of visually inspecting natural videos taken in various conditions and running objective measurements on videos of charts recorded in the lab under different conditions from 1 to 1000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300K to 6,500K.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the first foldable Google phone that has been tested for video using the 10-bit HDR video mode. Results were mixed, with very good image stabilization keeping things steady and smooth, a precise autofocus, and accurate subject exposure across all light conditions.
However, the switch to a HDR video format induced quite noticeable noise, especially when recording in low light. Our experts also noticed some local exposure adaptation instabilities, which could occur in most light conditions. In addition, the texture/noise trade-off in video could have been better, with quite low levels of detail in difficult high-contrast scenes.
Exposure
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Color
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Exposure tests evaluate the brightness of the main subject and the dynamic range, eg. the ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas of the image. Stability and temporal adaption of the exposure are also analyzed.
Image-quality color analysis looks at color rendering, skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, stability of the white balance and its adaption when light is changing.
Texture
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Texture tests analyze the level of details and texture of the real-life videos as well as the videos of charts recorded in the lab. Natural videos recordings are visually evaluated, with particular attention paid to the level of details in the bright and areas as well as in the dark. Objective measurements are performed of images of charts taken in various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux. The charts used are the DXOMARK chart (DMC) and Dead Leaves chart.
Noise
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Noise tests analyze various attributes of noise such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure, temporal aspects on real-life video recording as well as videos of charts taken in the lab. Natural videos are visually evaluated, with particular attention paid to the noise in the dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Objective measurements are performed on the videos of charts recorded in various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux. The chart used is the DXOMARK visual noise chart.
Stabilization
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Stabilization evaluation tests the ability of the device to stabilize footage thanks to software or hardware technologies such as OIS, EIS, or any others means. The evaluation looks at residual motion, smoothness, jellow artifacts and residual motion blur on walk and run use cases in various lighting conditions. The video below is an extract from one of the tested scenes.
Artifacts
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Artifacts are evaluated with MTF and ringing measurements on the SFR chart in the lab as well as frame-rate measurements using the LED Universal Timer. Natural videos are visually evaluated by paying particular attention to artifacts such as aliasing, quantization, blocking, and hue shift, among others. The more severe and the more frequent the artifact, the higher the point deduction from the score. The main artifacts and corresponding point loss are listed below.