Pixel Fold vs. OnePlus Open: A Very Expensive Camera Phone Comparison

The Google Pixel Fold prices $1,800 and folds open from a telephone right into a mini-tablet. The $1,700 OnePlus Open does the very same factor. Both telephones signify the innovative by way of telephone know-how therefore these give-you-a-nose-bleed excessive costs.Then there are the cameras. Neither foldable has the best possible digicam on a smartphone as a result of there is not any room for them. In order to fold in half and never be cumbersome when closed, the telephones are made extraordinarily skinny, that means there’s even much less room for digicam sensors and lenses than in an everyday non-folding telephone. So whilst you’re paying almost $2,000 for a telephone, you get a digicam that is nearer in high quality to 1 on a $700 telephone.Read extra: Best Phone of 2023Or no less than that is been the case with foldables till 2023. The Fold and Open present how a lot nearer foldable cameras are to cameras on premium flat telephones.Both Google and OnePlus discovered methods to beat their house limitations and pack their foldable wonders with first rate cameras. So how do the cameras examine to one another? Well, I took a bunch of photographs with the Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open round San Francisco to seek out out.Pixel Fold vs. OnePlus Open digicam {hardware} Look at how thick the OnePlus Open’s digicam bump is. James Martin/CNETThe Pixel Fold has a digicam bar that stands proud of the again. It affords the house for larger digicam {hardware}, which helps enhance picture high quality. The Fold’s bar homes a fundamental wide-angle digicam, an ultrawide and a 5x telephoto. When I pitted the Pixel Fold’s cameras towards Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4, I most popular Google’s photographs at each flip.OnePlus takes Google’s digicam bar idea and goes to the acute. The OnePlus Open’s round digicam bump seems like somebody minimize a hockey puck in half and glued it to the again of the telephone. It stands proud rather a lot, much more than the Pixel Fold’s digicam bar, giving the Open much more room for picture sensors and lenses.Like the Pixel, the Open has a fundamental digicam, and ultrawide and a telephoto. But it opts for a 3x optical zoom and is similar telephoto digicam used within the upcoming OnePlus 12. Also for this comparability, I solely targeted on taking photographs with the rear cameras.Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open digicam specs Phone and digicam ResolutionApertureMagnificationPixel Fold fundamental 48MPf/1.71xPixel Fold ultrawide 10.8MPf/2.20.6xPixel Fold telephoto 10.8MPf/3.055xOnePlus Open fundamental 48MPf/1.71xOnePlus Open ultrawide 48MPf/2.20.6xOnePlus Open fundamental 64MPf/2.63x Some of my favourite Fold and Open photographs Google Pixel Fold. Patrick Holland/CNET Google Pixel Fold. Patrick Holland/CNET Google Pixel Fold. Patrick Holland/CNET Google Pixel Fold. Stephen Shankland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNETPixel Fold vs. OnePlus Open picture comparisonsAs you possibly can see above, each telephones are able to first rate photographs. But let’s do just a few direct comparisons, beginning with a cappuccino from Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco. Both photographs under look good. If I needed to nitpick, the Pixel Fold’s snap has good publicity and the highlights aren’t overly vivid. And the distinction makes the small print within the foam pop. Google Pixel Fold. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNETThe OnePlus’ picture is uncovered brighter however has good element. The picture is not as oversharpened because the Pixel’s picture, however discover the distinction between the cappuccino foam and the wooden desk. Despite having the identical f/1.7 aperture, the Pixel Fold’s fundamental digicam retains extra of the background in focus.Below are a pair extra photographs of a latest comfortable hour outing with my fellow CNETers. Neither of those photographs was taken with night time mode, and neither is nice. I favor the Pixel’s picture. The publicity is sweet and other people’s pores and skin tones look higher. Google Pixel Fold. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNETBoth of the photographs had been taken with a protracted shutter velocity to let in additional gentle, and each have some movement blur from folks shifting or transferring. The OnePlus picture is darker, however the highlights just like the chandeliers within the background aren’t blown out to white.Now let’s shift to medium lighting and a feline. I used every telephone’s telephoto digicam to snap the pics under of Peebles the cat. As you possibly can see, he was thrilled. The Pixel’s picture was taken with 5x optical zoom, whereas the OnePlus picture was taken at 6x digital zoom (so not precisely a good comparability). But the OnePlus picture appears to be like higher to me. It nailed the white stability and captured the element in Pebbles’ fur higher. By comparability, the Pixel picture appears to be like flat. Google Pixel Fold at 5x optical zoom. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open at 6x digital zoom (sensor crop). Patrick Holland/CNETBelow are a pair extra photographs taken with the telephoto digicam on every telephone. This comparability is much less concerning the picture high quality (each are good, however the Pixel Fold has higher dynamic vary) and extra about focal size. The 5x optical zoom on the Pixel is a good telephoto size as is the 3x optical zoom on the OnePlus Open. What’s good concerning the OnePlus is that the telephoto digicam has a 64-megapixel sensor. So if I take a photograph at 6x magnification, I’m nonetheless utilizing 32-megapixels though I’m cropped in. All that to say, I feel the OnePlus Open’s tele is extra versatile due to it. Google Pixel Fold at 5x optical zoom. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open at 3x optical zoom. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open at 6x digital zoom (sensor crop). Patrick Holland/CNETThat mentioned, the Pixel’s fundamental digicam has a 48-megapixel decision and might take a 3x digital zoom with it and nonetheless get a good 12-megapixel picture. Google Pixel Fold at 3x digital zoom (fundamental digicam). Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open at 3x optical zoom (telephoto). Patrick Holland/CNETLastly, have a look under at some night time mode photographs from every telephone. I took these of a colourful laser that was aimed over San Francisco throughout final month’s APEC convention. The OnePlus’ picture is OK however appears to be like darkish, and the small print are delicate. The Pixel’s picture is brighter, has a wider dynamic vary and sharper particulars. These had been taken with the primary digicam. Google Pixel Fold Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open Patrick Holland/CNETThe Hasselblad X-Pan strikes backBefore I share my remaining ideas, I wish to give a shout out to one in every of my favourite options on both telephone: the OnePlus Open’s X-Pan mode. It’s named after a well-known analog digicam known as the Hasselblad X-Pan (additionally branded because the Fujifilm TX-1), which might take photographs with 35mm movie that had been 65mm extensive. Basically, a large picture that is twice the width of an everyday picture.The OnePlus Open can take a digital X-Pan picture combining a few photographs into one. It’s ridiculous and there is not a good way to point out these off apart from the entrance cowl display, however I like this function. And whereas the sphere of view takes some getting used to, I’m able to get some really cinematic photographs. OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNET OnePlus Open. Patrick Holland/CNETPixel Fold cameras vs. OnePlus Open remaining thoughtsAt the top of the day, the Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open push the bounds of foldable telephone images. I nonetheless give the Pixel the sting as a result of the outcomes of Google’s computational magic matches my vibe higher. But I’m additionally a giant fan of the OnePlus Open. It takes nice photographs which have a delicate nearly digicam film-like aesthetic.Both telephones are first era however present how far digicam high quality has improved on foldables over the past 4 years. You’re nonetheless going to get higher picture high quality out of the cameras on Google’s non-foldable Pixel 8 Pro and the OnePlus 11. But after testing each the Fold and Open, I’m excited what a second-gen model will probably be like.
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
See all photographs