Choosing between Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold isn’t just about the folding screen anymore. Both phones pack serious camera hardware, but they take distinctly different approaches to mobile photography. If you’re someone who loves capturing life’s moments on your phone, this comparison will help you understand which foldable fits your photography style better.
Camera Hardware: Numbers Tell Part of the Story
Let’s start with what’s inside these cameras, because the hardware differences are pretty significant.
Samsung went big with the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s main camera, cramming in a massive 200-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture. It’s the same camera system they use in their flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra, which means Samsung is serious about photo quality on this foldable. The ultra-wide camera sits at 12 megapixels with an f/2.2 aperture, while the telephoto gives you 3x optical zoom through a 10-megapixel sensor.
Google took a different route with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Their main camera uses a 48-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture. While that sounds like less than Samsung’s 200MP, Pixel phones have never been about megapixel count – they’ve always focused on computational photography magic. The ultra-wide camera is 11 megapixels, and here’s where things get interesting: Google opted for a 5x telephoto zoom instead of Samsung’s 3x approach.
Real-World Photography: How These Cameras Actually Perform
Daylight Photography Performance
When you’re shooting in good lighting conditions, both phones deliver excellent results, but with different personalities. The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s 200MP sensor captures incredible detail when you need it. If you’re someone who likes to crop photos later or print large images, that extra resolution comes in handy. The colors tend to be vibrant and punchy – Samsung’s signature style that many people love for social media sharing.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold takes a more natural approach to color reproduction. Google’s computational photography algorithms work behind the scenes to balance exposure and color in ways that often look more true-to-life. You might not get the same “wow factor” colors as Samsung, but your photos often need less editing to look good.
Low-Light and Night Photography
This is where the real differences show up. Samsung’s larger sensor theoretically should perform better in low light, and it often does capture more light. However, Google’s Night Sight mode is still something special. The Pixel can pull detail out of almost impossibly dark scenes, sometimes creating photos that look better than what your eyes actually saw.
If you’re someone who frequently takes photos at restaurants, evening events, or just around the house with dim lighting, both phones will serve you well, but in different ways. The Galaxy tends to keep more natural noise in exchange for preserving fine details, while the Pixel aggressively processes out noise to create cleaner-looking images.
Zoom Capabilities: 3x vs 5x – Which Works Better?
This is probably the biggest practical difference between these cameras. Samsung’s 3x zoom is incredibly useful for everyday photography. It’s perfect for portrait shots where you want to get closer to your subject without being intrusive. Most people find 3x zoom hits that sweet spot for family photos, food shots, and casual portraits.
Google’s 5x zoom opens up different possibilities. You can capture details from much farther away – think concerts, sporting events, or wildlife photography. However, you lose some versatility for closer subjects. There’s no perfect answer here; it really depends on what you photograph most often.
Many photographers prefer having the 3x option because it’s more versatile for daily use, but if you’re someone who often finds yourself wishing you could get closer to distant subjects, the 5x zoom is genuinely useful.
Video Recording: Different Strengths for Different Users
Both phones handle 4K video recording well, but they process footage differently. Samsung tends to produce videos with more contrast and saturation, which can look great straight out of the camera. The stabilization is solid, making handheld footage quite usable.
Google’s approach to video is more understated but often more consistent. The automatic exposure and focus tracking work really well, meaning you’re less likely to end up with footage that’s unusable due to technical issues. If you’re someone who just wants to point and shoot without thinking about settings, the Pixel often delivers more reliable results.
The Foldable Factor: How the Screen Design Affects Photography
Both phones let you use the main cameras for selfies when the phone is folded, which is a huge advantage over traditional smartphones. You get much better selfie quality because you’re using the same cameras that take your regular photos.
The large unfolded screen on both devices makes them excellent for photo editing and review. You can see your shots in much more detail than on a regular phone screen, which is particularly useful if you’re someone who likes to edit photos on the go.
Samsung’s implementation feels slightly more refined for camera use, with better software integration between the cameras and the folding display features. Google’s approach is more straightforward but equally functional.
Software and AI: Where Google Still Leads
Google’s computational photography remains the gold standard in the smartphone world. Features like Magic Eraser, which can remove unwanted objects from photos, and Face Unblur, which can fix motion blur on people’s faces, are genuinely useful tools that you’ll actually use.
Samsung has improved their camera software significantly, and they offer plenty of manual controls for photographers who want more hands-on control. Their Portrait mode has gotten much better, and the overall camera app is more feature-rich than Google’s more minimalist approach.
Who Should Choose Which Phone?
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 makes sense if you want maximum detail and don’t mind doing some photo editing to get the best results. It’s excellent for people who share lots of photos on social media and prefer vibrant, eye-catching images. The 3x zoom is also more practical for most everyday photography scenarios.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is better suited for people who want great photos without thinking about it too much. Google’s software handles most of the heavy lifting, producing consistently good results across various lighting conditions. The 5x zoom is genuinely useful if you often photograph distant subjects or attend events where you can’t get close to the action.
Making Your Decision: Beyond Just the Cameras
While camera quality is important, remember that you’ll be living with other aspects of these phones too. Samsung’s phone typically offers more customization options and features, while Google’s provides a cleaner Android experience with faster software updates.
Battery life, build quality, price, and the overall software experience should all factor into your decision. Both phones take excellent photos – the question is which approach to photography matches your style and needs better.
The bottom line is that you really can’t go wrong with either choice from a photography standpoint. Both represent the current pinnacle of foldable phone cameras, just with different philosophies about how to achieve great results.