Pixel 8 | Pixel 9 | Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL | Pixel 8 Pro | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Main camera | Pixel 8 Samsung GNK | Pixel 9 Samsung GNK | Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL Samsung GNK | Pixel 8 Pro Samsung GNK |
Ultrawide camera | Pixel 8 Sony IMX386 | Pixel 9 Sony IMX858 | Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL Sony IMX858 | Pixel 8 Pro Sony IMX787 (cropped) |
Telephoto camera | Pixel 8 – | Pixel 9 – | Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL Sony IMX858 | Pixel 8 Pro Samsung GM5 |
Selfie camera | Pixel 8 Samsung 3J1 | Pixel 9 Samsung 3J1 | Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL Sony IMX858 | Pixel 8 Pro Samsung 3J1 |
Look, it’s no secret that every time I’ve talked about the Pixel phones’ camera prowess in the past few years, I was focused on the main sensors on the back of the phone, definitely not the front shooter. That’s because the selfie camera on Pixels has always been serviceable at best, but nothing to brag about.
No one has ever lauded the Pixel lineup for its selfies, especially not at night.
![pixel 8 pro selfie mode 4 pixel 8 pro selfie mode 4](https://i0.wp.com/www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pixel-8-pro-selfie-mode-4-scaled.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
I’m not a big selfie-taker, but each time I have wanted to snap a selfie alone, with my husband, or with someone else, I’ve found myself thinking, “Eh, I know this won’t be the best.” Especially at night and in dark situations. Those were really dreadful. Sometimes, I even went through the effort of flipping the phone around and capturing a blind selfie just so I could use the power of the main camera sensor for my shot.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve used and tested many other phones that really outdid the Pixel’s selfie capture and left me a little jealous. In an era where we’re all about the me-me-me and personal sharing and vlogging of things, the Pixel felt like it was always a few steps behind the best flagships in the business. We all knew it could do better, and the Pixel 9 Pro should, hopefully, finally fix this glaring miss in Google’s photography pedigree.
I can’t wait to learn more about the upcoming Pixel 9 phones, especially that small Pixel 9 Pro. And I really hope the selfie sensor upgrade provides a real improvement in photos, specifically in environments that aren’t perfectly lit. Maybe then I’d start using the selfie mode a bit more? Who knows.
Will the camera upgrades convince you to switch to the Pixel 9?
3217 votes
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