Google’s Pixel phones come with a whole range of benefits: built-in digital assistants, 24/7 customer service, instant Android updates and excellent camera quality. The camera is one of the foremost components of Google Pixel phones, with the company prioritising photography software and AI-driven algorithms. If you prefer Android smartphones, Google won’t disappoint. But even when you’ve decided a Pixel is the right choice for you, finding the best Google Pixel phone camera is no easy feat.

It probably comes as no surprise that the biggest search company in the world makes smartphones that are just as useful and intuitive as the search engine it’s best known for. The history of Google’s smartphones began in 2010 with the Nexus One. Google developed the Nexus series of phones alongside original equipment manufacturers like Samsung, LG and HTC. In 2016, the brand released its first smartphone designed and produced entirely in-house: the Google Pixel. From the beginning, the Google Pixel’s camera quality was noted as one of its strongest features and a perk that made this smartphone stand out in the competitive Android space.

New flagship smartphones from brands like Google and Samsung tend to be on the expensive side. Luckily, refurbished smartphones can provide you with the same standard of quality while saving you hundreds of dollars. Essentially, a refurbished smartphone is a second-hand phone that a professional has examined, tested, repaired if necessary and restored to a new-like condition. This includes erasing all the previous owner’s photos and data so that when you buy it, it arrives with a clean slate.

Does a refurbished Google Pixel’s camera quality stay as strong as a new one’s, or does the refurbishment process mean compromising on picture quality and features? This article takes a good look at the quality of refurbished Google Pixel phone cameras, especially when compared to other Android brands, and gives you some tips on finding the best Google Pixel phone camera for your budget.

Refurbished Google Pixel Phones with the Best Camera

First, some good news: a refurbished Google Pixel’s camera quality is as good as a new Pixel’s, as long as you buy from the right refurbished retailer. You have no shortage of options when it comes to taking your pick from a Pixel. Here are a few of the best Google Pixel phone camera options available right now on the refurbished market:

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro

Released in October 2023, the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are the latest and most advanced phones in the Google line-up. The 8 series boasts the brightest OLED screen displays on any Pixel model so far, which is all the better for viewing the impressive photos you take and making sure they’re just right for posting on social media. With its wide dynamic range, the Google Pixel 8 takes photos with great image detail, textures and dynamic ranges. Its fast autofocus is another strong point.  

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

As refurbished phones, the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are red hot bargains! With a 50 MP wide-angle lens, a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 48 MP telephoto lens, the camera on one of these phones packs a 7x super-resolution zoom for extra detail. The Pixel 6 offers a great camera in a smaller package, but the main drawcard of the Pixel 6 Pro’s camera is the 4x telephoto lens.

Pixel 5

Released in 2020, the Google Pixel 5 still packs a punch in camera quality while also being affordable and durable. The 12.2MP primary sensor comes with dual phase detection and optical/electronic image stabilisation, while an 8MP selfie camera lets you take the perfect picture to admire on the phone’s six-inch OLED screen.

These are just a few suggestions. It’s hard to pick the best Google Pixel phone camera as camera quality is one of the features Google most prioritise. Your options are huge if you want the best Google Pixel phone camera money can buy, and you can take your pick.

Google Pixel vs. Other Androids

How do the cameras on Google Pixel phones compare with other Android brands? Does the best Google Pixel phone camera still hold its own against Samsung, Oppo and Huawei? Let’s take a closer look.

Samsung

The battle between Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy is a hard one to win. A lot of it comes down to personal taste, and those who defend their favourite are generally looking at more than camera quality (although that is important). While Google Pixel focuses more on simplicity and functionality, Samsung phones are more likely to come with multiple cameras included, plus extra bells and whistles.

Oppo

While Google Pixel phone cameras are known for simple functionality and the benefits of computational photography, Oppo’s strength lies in its camera technology and hardware. Choosing one based on camera quality is hard without getting into specific models. This reviewer, for example, believes that both the Google Pixel 7 Pro and the Oppo Find XS have cameras that rank among the best in the world right now.

Huawei

A lot of the competition in the smartphone space comes down to which company makes the best smartphone cameras. Both Google and Huawei understand this, and these companies have made new strides in camera quality with each of their releases. The Google Pixel 6 Pro and the Huawei P50 Pro, for example, both have 50MP sensors with top-notch picture quality. When it comes to features like Night Mode, wide-angle photography and optical zoom, Google Pixel tends to come out in front. But for Portrait Mode and indoor close-ups, Huawei provides some serious competition and sometimes comes out in front.

Why Are Google Cameras So Good?

Finding the best Google Pixel phone camera is tough with all of the options out there. But what is it that makes Google Pixel cameras so intuitive, so effortless, so fast?

It’s a combination of multiple factors. Google has heavily invested in computation photography, machine learning and AI to produce photos optimised by the latest advancements in technology. Google designs its hardware and software at the same time with AI in the middle to make sure that all work seamlessly together. The company focuses on user experience and includes high-quality sensors in its products, on top of consistently providing new updates.

Google’s Pixel phones include features designed to improve your experience and the quality of your photos. The HDR+ marquee mode takes several photos in rapid succession and uses tone mapping to combine them into the perfect image. Meanwhile, the Smart Burst feature can analyse up to 30 frames at once using a range of criteria and mark the ones it considers best.

A refurbished Google Pixel’s camera quality can easily live up to a brand-new phone’s. The important thing is to buy from a company that takes the refurbishment process seriously.

Buy Refurbished Google Pixel Phones at OzMobiles

OzMobiles sells some of the best Google Pixel phone cameras you’re likely to come across. If you’re an Android lover and camera quality is important to you, you can take your pick from our range of refurbished Google Pixel smartphones, Samsung Galaxy smartphones and other Android models.

You don’t have to worry about your refurbished Google Pixel’s camera quality when you buy from OzMobiles. We make sure every device we sell is fully functional, including battery life, which we guarantee is at least 80%. When you order a refurbished Google Pixel phone through OzMobiles, it comes with a 12-month warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

For help finding the right Google Pixel or other Android smartphone for you, get in touch with OzMobiles!