Compared to the competition, the photo equipment is meager - only two cameras. However, the main camera can deliver surprisingly good pictures even in low-light conditions, even though the resolution is not sufficient to land at the top of the charts in good light. Compared with the competition, the (digital) normal focal length offers hardly convincing image quality, but the super-wide-angle is rather disappointing.
Wide angle (main camera) – 1.7/4.4 mm
(full-frame equivalent: 27 mm), 12 MP sensor, JPEG WITH 12 MP
Pixel 5 uses the same main camera as its predecessor. With the new software, the Pixel 5 manages to elicit a bit more detail from the subjects and shines again when shooting in low-light conditions. The Pixel 5 increases the resolution in situations with a lot of light (5000 lux). However, its JPEGs are very aggressively tuned, with a lot of sharpness and hard edges. Thus, we measure a few more line pairs, but this harshness does not do the pictures any good. The Pixel shows itself very convincingly in fading light. Google is very good at the calculation of several pictures into one and delivers convincing results even in situations with insufficient light. Sure, the Pixel also degrades when the ISO sensitivity increases, but this happens to a lesser extent compared to most rivals. Even in darkness (5 lux), its images are comparatively detailed, and most importantly, they show much less artifacts and noise.
Normal focal length – 1.7/4.4 mm
(full-frame equivalent: 50 mm), 12 MP sensor, JPEG WITH 12 MP
Since the Pixel 5 only has a wide-angle and an ultra-wide-angle camera, we measure this setting with the former and the digital dual zoom. As expected, the imaging performance drops. The pictures look blurred. Noise and artifacts remain largely the same, but the resolution drops significantly. The bottom line is that the digital zoom on the Pixel is not a recommendable alternative to the missing telephoto.
Super wide angle – 2.2/2.2 mm
(full-frame equivalent: 16 mm), 16 MP sensor, JPEG WITH 12 MP
The 2.2/2.2 mm ultra-wide-angle module is a novelty in Google smartphones. The camera cannot really convince in good light yet. The fine detail is too low for that. The pictures only show slight noise, and artifacts are hardly worth mentioning. But the lack of resolution weighs too heavily. The Pixel 5 loses the comparison with the iPhone 12 Pro in high light, but it can show its strengths again in low light. Whether 200 or 5 lux, the pictures look almost the same and only degrade a bit. That is remarkable, but as the overall performance is not high, this camera remains of limited use in practice.
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Device |
Google Pixel 5 |
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Average market price |
613 Euro |
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Functionality |
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Image formats |
JPEG, RAW |
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Focusing |
Phase-AF |
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ISO sensitivity |
ISO auto |
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Exposure control |
auto |
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Shutter speed, Exposure correction |
auto |
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White balance |
auto |
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Features |
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Display |
OLED, 6", 2340 x 1080 Pixels |
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Internal memory, Memory card, USB |
128 GB, –, USB 3.1, Type C |
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Video |
3840 x 2160 Pixels, 60 F/s |
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Size, Weight, Battery capacity |
145 x 70 x 8 mm, 151 g, 4000 mAh |
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Test results |
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measured at |
5000 | 200 | 5 Lux |
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Wide angle (main lens) |
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5000 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
1,7/4,4 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 63, 2 ms |
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200 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
1,7/4,4 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 91, 43 ms |
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5 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
1,7/4,4 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 171, 1000 ms |
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Image stabilization |
IS |
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Resolution Center High/Low (LP/IH) |
1814 / 1814 | 1814 / 1814 | 1781 / 1258 |
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Resolution Edge High/Low (LP/IH) |
1814 / 1420 | 1795 / 1286 | 1388 / 1045 |
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Resolution Corners High (LP/IH) |
1579 | 1649 | 1247 |
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Dead leaves High/Low (LP/IH) |
1210 / 1020 | 1044 / 910 | 925 / 865 |
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Artefacts High/Low |
20 / 33 | 31 / 40 | 39 / 43 |
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Noise (VN)/Color accuracy (deltaE) |
1,6 / 12,8 | 2 / 13,8 | 1,9 / 15,2 |
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Distortion (%)/Vignetting (%) |
0,3 / 16 | 0,3 / 16 | 0,3 / 35 |
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Points |
79 | 74,8 | 64,7 |
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Score Wide angle lens |
97 |
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Normal lens (2x zoom) |
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5000 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
1,7/4,40 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 54, 2 ms |
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200 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
1,7/4,40 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 82, 43 ms |
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5 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
1,7/4,40 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 160, 1000 ms |
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Image stabilization |
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Resolution Center High/Low (LP/IH) |
906 / 774 | 855 / 691 | 734 / 624 |
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Resolution Edge High/Low (LP/IH) |
889 / 750 | 863 / 646 | 772 / 602 |
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Resolution Corners High (LP/IH) |
848 | 807 | 727 |
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Dead leaves High/Low (LP/IH) |
747 / 668 | 654 / 564 | 552 / 449 |
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Artefacts High/Low |
23 / 25 | 24 / 23 | 26 / 38 |
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Noise (VN)/Color accuracy (deltaE) |
1,3 / 12,5 | 1,4 / 12,8 | 1,9 / 15,2 |
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Distortion (%)/Vignetting (%) |
0,2 / 9 | 0,2 / 10 | 0,2 / 17 |
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Points |
49,1 | 45,3 | 40 |
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Score Normal lens (2x zoom) |
59 |
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Tele lens |
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5000 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
– |
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200 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
– |
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5 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
– |
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Image stabilization |
– |
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Resolution Center High/Low (LP/IH) |
– |
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Resolution Edge High/Low (LP/IH) |
– |
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Resolution Corners High (LP/IH) |
– |
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Dead leaves High/Low (LP/IH) |
– |
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Artefacts High/Low |
– |
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Noise (VN)/Color accuracy (deltaE) |
– |
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Distortion (%)/Vignetting (%) |
– |
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Points |
– |
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Score Tele lens |
0 |
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Super wide angle lens |
|
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5000 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
2,2/2,20 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 39, 6 ms |
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200 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
2,2/2,20 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 179, 42ms |
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5 Lux - Lens, Res., ISO, Exposure |
2,2/2,20 mm, 4032 x 3024 Px, ISO 110, 4272 ms |
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Image stabilization |
|
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Resolution Center High/Low (LP/IH) |
1152 / 906 | 895 / 804 | 1196 / 878 |
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Resolution Edge High/Low (LP/IH) |
1136 / 822 | 937 / 700 | 1025 / 756 |
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Resolution Corners High (LP/IH) |
852 | 769 | 842 |
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Dead leaves High/Low (LP/IH) |
478 / 522 | 442 / 484 | 474 / 501 |
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Artefacts High/Low |
19 / 49 | 35 / 60 | 30 / 61 |
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Noise (VN)/Color accuracy (deltaE) |
1,7 / 13,3 | 2,1 / 11,1 | 2,5 / 12,1 |
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Distortion (%)/Vignetting (%) |
0,3 / 35 | 0,2 / 36 | 0,2 / 71 |
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Points |
54,2 | 48,4 | 48,7 |
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Score Super Wide angle lens |
66 |
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Score 5000 | 200 | 5 Lux |
57 | 53 | 47 |
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Overall score camera qb |
53 |
Google Pixel 5
53
satisfactory
SAMPLE PHOTOS
Wide angle (main camera) – 1.7/4.4 mm lens (12 MP JPEGs)
Full Light (5000 Lux)
Low Light (200 Lux)
Night Shot (5 Lux)
Normal focal length – 1.7/4.4 mm lens (12 MP JPEGS)
Full Light (5000 Lux)
Low Light (200 Lux)
Night Shot (5 Lux)
Super wide angle – 2.2/2.2 mm lenS (12 MP JPEGS)
Full Light (5000 Lux)
Low Light (200 Lux)
Night Shot (5 Lux)