GoKawiilGoogle didn't reinvent the three-camera array on the back of the Pixel 11 this year; it's just a slight tweak to the one on the Pixel 10. The 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera (with an f/2.2 aperture) and the 5x, 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera (with an f/3.1 aperture) are identical to last year. The main sensor is still rated at 48 megapixels this year, too, though its sensor is significantly larger this year. The 10.5-megapixel front-facing camera is identical to last year, as well.
Overall, those hardware changes are minimal, but there's still a key new feature here. The Pixel 11 camera can shoot in up to 30x "Super Zoom" mode, up from the 20x you could squeeze out of the Pixel 10. While Google uses AI upscaling, it isn't using generative AI to fill in the gaps here (as it does with the 120x "Pro Zoom" on the Pixel 11 Pro). Instead, the company says it takes multiple images and uses its HDR+ processing to sharpen and fill in the details. (The image below was shot at 30x.)
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In my testing, the results were decent enough, though looking at Super Zoom photos on my laptop screen revealed the lack of detail and sharpness in more detailed areas of the image. But it still yields surprisingly decent images if you keep your expectations in check — the more expensive iPhone 17 Pro at 30X and the Pixel 11 at 30X yielded quite similar results. Just remember that these will likely be quick keepsakes that look fine on your phone screen but don't stand up to closer scrutiny.
But put aside the Super Zoom. It's been a year since Google added that 5x telephoto lens to the Pixel 10, and I'm extremely glad they kept it here on the Pixel 11. The base iPhone 17 doesn't have a telephoto lens at all, while the Galaxy S26 still has to make do with a 3x optical zoom. This is a real differentiator for Google, and it should be a consideration for anyone who considers themselves even a slight photography enthusiast. I personally bought the iPhone 17 Pro (and the 14 Pro before it) largely because I knew I'd use that extra camera lens frequently. And I always feel bad for friends who try to use digital zoom to capture moments with predictably messy results. Sure, the Pixel 11 might be $100 more than it was last year, but its camera system is still a highlight.
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While the camera hardware hasn't changed much, there are a few notable software features as usual. One is Camera Looks, a feature that reminded me of the iPhone's photographic styles. This lets you edit and set a default filter for the camera as well as swipe through several more options, all of which are editable as well. You can tweak contrast, highlights, shadows, color temperature and more and the app remembers those settings between sessions. So if you want to go from a more neutral look as your default to a high-contrast filter with blown-out highlights, you can do so with a tap and swipe.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget
Magic Capture is a more significant and quite ambitious mode in the Pixel camera this year. When you have Magic Capture activated, the Pixel 11 records a short video and multiple photos with edits automatically applied to them. Google says this feature is meant to capture fast-moving scenes — on its blog, the company gives the example of someone blowing out birthday candles. It basically works like shooting a video: you start by tapping the shutter button and finish by tapping it again. Then, the phone goes to work, pulling out still images and a video for you in the Google Photos app.
I didn't get to really test Magic Capture in any significant way, as apparently my daily life is too dull for it to really do its thing. But my colleague Sam Rutherford did and found it did a pretty decent job when he was testing the Pixel 11 Pro Fold: "I've found that Magic Capture excels when shooting things like sports or dancing, as the P11PF does a good job of saving dynamic poses without you needing to worry about if you hit the shutter at the exact right time. I just wish the processing time for videos was shorter."