Google took a step back with the Pixel 10. It takes worse photos at night than its cheaper predecessor

The Google Pixel 10 brings something that fans of the base model have been calling for since the Pixel 6 – a telephoto lens. However, Google charges a price for this joy in the form of worse night photography. The first comparison video from 9to5Google revealed a surprising fact: in the area of low-light photography, the new Pixel 10 lags behind its predecessor.

Smaller Sensor, Bigger Problems

The reason is simple – Google equipped the Pixel 10 with a smaller main camera sensor. While the Pixel 9 has a sensor size of 1/1.31″, the new model has to make do with a 1/2″ chip. With the same f/1.7 aperture, this means less light captured, which is especially evident at night.

In the video samples, the difference is obvious at first glance. The Pixel 10 struggled with light sources – photos are blurry, with significant glare and loss of detail. The Pixel 9, on the other hand, handled the same scenes with grace; sharp images without overexposed areas are proof of better hardware. The same can be said for night video, which is simply noticeably worse on this year’s flagship.

Telephoto Lens as a Saving Grace

But it’s not just a black and white story. The added telephoto lens with 5× optical zoom is, according to initial impressions, excellent. Even though it has “only” a 10.8MP sensor, the photo quality is surprisingly good. Even at 20× digital zoom, the images look usable.

For many users, the telephoto lens will be more important than perfect night photos. After all, most people take photos during the day, and the ability to zoom in on distant objects will be used more often than shooting in complete darkness. Google calls it a “tourist lens,” and it’s no wonder – it’s an invaluable helper for photographing landmarks or details.

Software Saves What It Can

Google tries to compensate for weaker hardware with software tricks, which it has been perfecting for years in the Pixel A series. In daylight, it works surprisingly well – the Pixel 10 produces photos with higher contrast, richer colors, and deeper blacks than the Pixel 9. It even creates a natural bokeh effect, despite the smaller sensor.

The problem arises when the sun sets. No software can replace physics – a smaller sensor simply captures less light. And that is a crucial handicap when shooting at night, manifesting as poorer sharpness, more noise, and issues with the brightness of light sources.

Schrödinger’s Pixel

The reviewer aptly called the Pixel 10 “Schrödinger’s Pixel” – it is simultaneously the best base model Google has ever made and the hardest to recommend.

In addition to worse night photography, the absence of faster UFS 4.0 storage in the 128GB version is also a drawback. In 2025, this is an unnecessary saving that will affect the phone’s fluidity in the future. Google promises long software support, but with slower storage, the phone will age worse than more expensive variants.

Who is the Pixel 10 for?

The Pixel 10 makes sense mainly for owners of older Pixels from version 6 to 8 who crave a telephoto lens and don’t mind minor compromises. For Pixel 9 owners, it’s a side step – you gain zoom, but lose night photo quality.

Google is clearly mimicking Apple, creating clearly separated product lines. The Pixel 9a is a taste, the Pixel 10 adds spice, but the main course remains reserved for the Pro models. The question is whether this is the right path when the competition offers a more complete package for similar money.

How do you like this year’s Pixels?

Source: 9to5google, notebookcheck