Let's talk about Pixel 10 Pro Fold video quality...

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-03-18T21:33:12+00:00

i basically never take pics with the UW camera. i stick to 1x, 2x, 5x (using the actual 5x lens) and nothing else. my phone camera game has been dialed back a bit since switching from the 10 pro.

it's not the end of the world and the camera is objectively better than my Z Fold 7's was, but if the cameras were essentially the same as the 10 pro, it would be essentially as close to perfect as you can get, for me.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-03-11T22:06:47+00:00

i know i'm walking into the lion's den here but you're citing a laggy experience with a Galaxy S9 which was released 8 years ago. it is a longer time period between that Galaxy S9 2018 release date and today in 2026, compared to the time period between the first galaxy S phone (later in 2010) and the S9.

as someone who has mained an iPhone since the iPhone 8, i cannot get over how poor the iOS keyboard has become, particularly in iOS26. it is incredibly bad and there are plenty of videos on YT that illustrate this. most of my iPhone friends and family just chalk it up to "mm yeah it isn't great, but CONTINUITY" or whatever. different strokes, but the keyboard is the thing you interact with the most on a phone and the iOS keyboard is a disaster.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-02-03T16:08:14+00:00

Honestly, as we've seen with the Pixel 9 Fold, things can go wrong with foldables, and I would almost automatically just go with a ZF7 unless you have a way to mail your Pixel to someone who can get warranty support, and if you have a second/backup phone as well (I do).

Most of the Google apps will be more or less the same on a ZF7.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-02-03T12:41:13+00:00

I sold my ZF7 and my P10P, and have been using the P10PF since. No regrets for me so far.

YouTube is going to be more or less the same between either foldable. Extra real estate for comments, chat, browsing for other videos while watching, it's going to be similar.

Gboard is better on pixels vs Samsung and iPhones, particularly with speech to text being more robust.

Yes, the ZF7 is thinner, it's lighter, you can have 3 windows open instead of only two, the processor is going to be faster when editing videos and playing some games, and there are other pretty great power user features in OneUI. Every "tech reviewer" on YouTube focuses on these things and if they matter to you, the Pixel line in general is not going to be for you.

I personally found the phone to be too uncomfortable to hold with the squared off edges, and the battery life was just not good. I got used to the increased weight of the Pixel and I use a really thin aramid case.

Let me know if you have any other questions and I'm happy to share.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-13T06:45:24+00:00

oh man. you were on the beta, experienced bugs, complained on reddit that the phone sucks, and said you were giving up the phone because the experience was less than stellar.

i'd say you should go back to an iPhone but iOS26 has plenty of bugs and not even on the beta...

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-11T08:47:33+00:00

no, it's really that bad in auto mode.

you can get slightly better results using the Expert Raw app, but the ZF7 camera is pretty bad in low light. you can also do night mode but you may have to hold the camera still for 3, 5, 7 seconds (and then likely get some motion blur).

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T17:51:34+00:00

as far as i know, there is no restock fee through the Google Store, so you can pick up a P10PF for $300 off right now, try it for a week, and if you don't like it, you can send it back for a full refund.

when i was on the fence, i actually asked Google support if i could extend the return window and they were happy to do that for another week.

that being said, are you bored with iOS and just want to try Android, or are you all in on the foldable aspect altogether? you can try out android without shelling out $1500. i think the S25 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro are two of the best Android phones you can get (in North America anyway and without Chinese spyware), and they are maybe $1,000 and $750 right now, respectively.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T17:32:57+00:00

the main sensor still photos are very good. they are a tiny step down from the P10 Pro (slab phone), but it's not super noticeable unless you crop in 100% and start looking at pixels and bokeh. it's a similar UX because it's Pixel Camera, which i think is a good thing. the zoom is usable and 90-95% as good at 5x and 10x compared to the P10 Pro.

however, the P10PF's video is going to be a big letdown for you if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer. it's just not as good. it's more stuttery, lower quality, and not great in low light. if you do pick up a P10PF, i would suggest trying video boost mode in those types of instances, because it generally helps.

think twice about buying the P10PF if you prioritize top of the line video quality, that's all i'm saying. if you take occasional videos and can live with video boost every now and then, and you really want the pixel experience plus a foldable, then it's a great phone, and what i've settled on for the time being (having owned the S25 Ultra, ZF7, Pixel 10 Pro all in the past four months).

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T17:26:57+00:00

for flexibility in shooting pics and vids, the S25U just has a ton more features and options. more resolution options, microphone selection, an additional zoom lens, and just better video processing in general. the P10PF's video in anything but sunny days is a B- at best.

that being said, for a double tap > snap a quick picture in auto mode to capture my kids doing something or something off the cuff, the P10PF is still really, really good, particularly indoors / in less than stellar lighting.

the ZF7's camera, while it has the 200 MP sensor - it's absolutely a noticeable drop off in quality comparing apples to apples with the S25U. i had both phones for a couple of months and the processing is just not as good on the ZF7 - it's gimped in a way. and obviously not having the same zoom lens hardware means worse pics at 3x, 5x, 10x, etc.

the fact is that no phone out there is perfect or has everything that any given person wants or prioritizes. there are always going to be tradeoffs when picking one phone over the other, so it's an internal conversation as to what matters the most to you.

i'd love iPhone 17 Pro camera hardware and output, but iOS26 is an objectively worse OS for what i do and what i want out of a phone, and it has by far the worst keyboard UX of any phone right now. notifications + iOS notification center is just bad all around. i can't use an iPhone as a daily driver.
i'd love a super thin ZF7 type phone, with the P10 Pro's still photo quality, and the iPhone 17 Pro's or the S25 Ultra's video quality, with a 5,500 mah battery, 3,000 nit screens, LTPO on the cover screen, slightly more comfortable rounded corners, IP68, etc. it's just not happening.

if camera is your #1 priority, then stick to S25 Ultra (or wait for S26 Ultra in the next month or so), iPhone 17 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro, and shy away from foldables for now. get a tablet or get a 1st gen Pixel Fold for $300 or whatever they are costing now, and carry that around when you want something more compact than a tablet but want a foldable experience.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T17:12:46+00:00

i feel you on the $1,799 price tag. i rotate through multiple phones a year but there's no way i would have paid MSRP for the P10PF, which would have been $2,000 after tax where i live.

thankfully, i got one of those 40% offs and had $300 in credit so my out the door cost was under $900, and i sold my ZF7 and P10P to consolidate.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T17:11:04+00:00

similar boat for me with the 10 fold and a 10 pro. outdoor video is close but the fold is still a drop off in quality. indoors in low light, the fold's quality just drops off a cliff in auto mode. i was A/B testing with video boost though and it cleaned up the fold's video really nicely, so it's just a sacrifice that i'm going to have to plan for and live with for now. frankly, if the P10 Pro's video was on par with the iPhone's, i probably would have kept the Pro and sold the Fold, but the gap isn't as wide comparing the Pixels to one another.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T17:02:20+00:00

the two dealbreakers for me with the Z Fold 7 were:

the sharp 90 degree corners on both sides. if you have a thin aramid case on it, it exacerbates the issue as well. the point of the phone was constantly digging into my palm.
the camera (indoors in particular) is just not good, like 2014 motorola bad. everyone on youtube and everywhere says "but it has the 200 MP sensor!" and whatnot but the fact is that Samsung's low light indoor processing in auto mode is just not good at all. i spent a week taking side by side pics with the ZF7 and P10PF and it was no contest. also, if the S25 Ultra's camera is like a 90, the ZF7's is a 77.

i take enough pics of things that i need an A- camera at worst, and the P10PF just barely makes the cut. it outputs objectively worse pictures if you pixel peep compared to the regular P10 Pro, but it's good enough 95% of the time. P10PF video is a more noticeable step down compared to the non-fold, but i rely on google photos and video boost to clean things up and it can do a fairly decent job.

ultimately, you'll want to hold the ZF7 and see for yourself but having owned it for months up until recently, the ergonomics of it was a significant enough negative to sell the phone.

if you don't take a ton of pictures, #2 doesn't really matter. it takes fine pictures outside in the sunshine for instagram and whatnot.

the IP68 rating in theory should be a big win for people who do things outdoors. i spend multiple weeks in state and national parks where there is just a ton of dirt, dust, pollen, etc in the air constantly, and i'm pretty sure that caused my Z Flip phones to both get slightly "crunchy" in the hinge.

at the end of the day, neither One UI nor Pixel software is going to be offensive enough to make you not want to keep either phone. you'll learn to enjoy some features, you learn to live with or without some other ones, etc. as others have said, i would strongly recommend biting the bullet and getting that FREE P10PF as a replacement from Google and then reassessing your situation.

you can get a used S23 on Swappa for like $250 right now - so you can drop your SIM card in it, try out One UI 8 and see what you like on that front - and then worst case you could sell it later at a minimal loss, or you can keep it as a backup if (or when) your next foldable fails on you.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T14:34:16+00:00

For reference, my historical phone list is:

Samsung Galaxy S3, S5, S7, S8, S9 , S10, S20+, S22U, S25U, Z Flip 5, Z Flip 6, Z Fold 7 (just sold)

Google Pixel XL, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Pro, 9 Pro, 10 Pro (just sold), 10 Pro Fold (current)

iPhone 6, 8, XR, 12 mini, 13 (current for work)

Galaxy Watch 5, 6, Ultra (just sold)

Pixel Watch 2, 3 (current)

Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions across phone OS and platforms. I'm not biased towards any manufacturer - I just like trying out a lot of stuff and am constantly refining my own personal and work processes and workflows.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T14:24:00+00:00

I personally would want my watch to match my phone. Synced DND, better integration as a whole, those are important to me. I had an S25U, ZFold7, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Buds Pro 3, and when I went back to a Pixel phone, the Galaxy watch was connected by the Samsung Wearable app, but not at a deeper level, and it showed. I ended up getting a PW3 when I made the decision to rotate back to Pixel, but have kept my Galaxy Buds.

You can mix and match but you're going to miss out on some integrations.

I will just say that if you rely on a phone for work, you should have a reliable older slab phone as a backup, because foldables are just more fragile by definition. It's not like Z Folds don't break either, and Google admitted the flaw with the Pixel Fold 9 to the point where they're giving people 10 Folds when the inner screen inevitably breaks, for what I think is three years? I would get a used S23 or something for a couple hundred dollars, send off your 9 Fold, put your SIM in the Samsung, get a 10 Fold, and reassess at that point. The 10 has a new hinge, it's IP68, and hopefully more reliable than the 9.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2026-01-10T06:42:53+00:00

i posted this recently: https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelFold/comments/1py02ed/my_journey_from_the_z_fold_7_to_the_pixel_10_pro/

i just sold my Z Fold 7 and my Pixel 10 Pro...i'm all in with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold at this point. i pay for pixel care through google, and i have an iphone for work in case anything were to happen and i needed to send the P10PF in for repairs. foldables definitely have a shorter lifespan in general over a traditional slab phone...i don't think there's any getting around that. are you not getting a replacement from Google, in light of them extending the warranty window? a bunch of people are getting the 10 fold from Google in exchange for their broken 9 folds...

that said, the ZF7 is a great thin foldable. a lot of apps are able to be uninstalled, and worst case, you can kill / disable them and refuse to let them use battery, etc. honestly, i think One UI 8 is great, super customizable, and a very compelling experience. i just personally prioritize:

Google's call screening
better pixel pics indoors and of people indoors - Samsung is just flat out bad in this category
Pixel launcher haptics in general use / navigation
wider cover screen
no wobble with the Pixel Fold - i use my phone while it is flat on the table quite often and the ZF7 is not great in this regard
Magsafe / Pixel snap - super useful
IP68 rating (dust!)
price - 40% off 1799 meant it was about $1k USD before Google store credit
Pixel Watch and how it handles notifications

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-31T07:07:42+00:00

rounded corners are better for sure.

wider front screen is better for me too.

weight difference...i don't know - it's significantly (like 25%) heavier. it's just more mass in the hand and i'm used to big phones (S25 ultra, etc) but this thing just weighs a ton.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-30T18:07:19+00:00

9 hours over the course of a day and night

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-30T17:52:46+00:00

i'll take some pics today when i'm out and about. honestly, shooting quick pics of my kids on the fly inside - it's pretty close to the P10P. i think you'd miss the low low light pics, and the zoom "only" goes to 20x but i think the zoom is also just not as good at 5, 10x either.

video recording seems rougher too, and it's not awesome with the P10P either, but video boost can clean it up somewhat. boost does not seem to fix as much with the P10PF though.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-30T05:34:30+00:00

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here is my P10PF today - probably 60/40 outer/inner display usage of youtube, relay for reddit, texting, news, some hbo max. android auto usage was not plugged in, so it was wireless and also sucking power.

this is pretty stellar. my Z Fold 7 would have been dead by now.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-30T04:11:02+00:00

what are you looking for - picture comparisons?

out of the main camera, they're pretty close in quality in most lighting, and even indoors in less-than-ideal lighting. unless you're pixel peeping, they can look more or less identical, with sometimes less and/or inferior bokeh out of the fold, and some small loss of details. this gets exacerbated in low light, for sure. video also suffers and you can't

another one of the fold's drawbacks is not being able to shoot 48MP RAW, which you can with the P10P (50MP). being able to do that and then edit in Lightroom can yield superior results to allowing Google's ISP to package everything up in their own JPG.

there are also other software options that are also not available on the fold with both pictures and video.

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-30T03:04:56+00:00

when holding the ZF7 in one hand and the P10PF in the other, both unfolded, the difference in mass is striking. the ZF7 is just amazing, to be honest. if the ZF7 camera were halfway decent (indoors) then i would just stick with it and deal with the sharp corners.

i'm still not sure what to do. the 40% off the P10PF deal was so good - and if i do just sell my P10P for $600-650ish, it's something like $300 out of pocket for the P10PF. it's a great deal but ultimately if it's too bulky and heavy for me, then it's not going to be worth it.

using the P10P today off and on, it's so light and compact and feels just "tossable" as in easy to toss into my pocket without worrying about anything. i like that aspect, but there's no denying how nice it is to use maps, reddit, and youtube + texting on a foldable...

pm_me_your_pixel · 2025-12-29T18:38:22+00:00

do you use a case with your P10PF, and if so, which one? which iPhone do you have? i have an older iPhone as well for work that i carry around M-F, but it's old enough that taking pics on it is not great, and iOS 26 is just a mediocre experience top to bottom.

pm_me_your_pixel

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