Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Sample Photos Comparison
The Pixel 11 Pro XL offers a number of new features and in some ways, it beats the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
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Which is the best Android camera in 2026? | Image by PhoneArena
Google's 2026 flagship is finally here and it features a bunch of improvements to the camera system. You know what this means, right? It's time for a camera battle: Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra.
These are probably the first two phones that come to mind when you mention flagships and cameras (at least in Western markets), so this is the camera battle of the year on the Android side of things.
I have captured dozens of photos on both phones and while you will see the camera specs below, this comparison is all about how the phones perform in real life and how the images actually look — from good light to more challenging night shots.
Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Galaxy S26 Ultra Camera Specs:
|
|
| Google Pixel 11 Pro XL | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 50 MP (OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/1.3" | 200 MP (OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL HP2 Aperture size: F1.4 Focal length: 23 mm Sensor size: 1/1.3" Pixel size: 0.6 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide) Aperture size: F1.7 Sensor size: 1/2.51" |
50 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope) Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Sensor size: 1/1.95" |
10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX754 Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.4 Sensor size: 1/3.94" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Fourth camera | |
| 50 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX854 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.9 Focal Length: 115 mm Sensor size: 1/2.52" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 42 MP (PDAF) | 12 MP (PDAF, HDR) |
See the full
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
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One thing that stands out in the camera hardware: the Pixel 11 Pro XL bets on one telephoto camera, but with a larger sensor, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra has two telephoto cameras, a more capable 5X one and a 3X camera with a smaller sensor and much less power.
Illustration of the telephoto sensor size advantage of the Pixel, an AI generated image
The rest is actually quite similar: the main and ultra-wide cameras on both phones have similar sizes.
With this in mind, let's take a look at the real-world photos from the Pixel 11 Pro XL and the Galaxy S26 Ultra:
Main Camera
Zoom Quality
Ultra-wide Camera
Selfies
So, which one do you think takes the win in this comparison: the Pixel 11 Pro XL or the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
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