Pixel 10 Pro Camera A Hawaiian Wedding Test

After decades of covering mobile technology and always carrying the latest and greatest smartphones, a trip to Hawaii for my daughter's wedding was the ultimate test. I packed five of the best flagship phones to document the week: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, Vivo X200, OnePlus 13, and the Google Pixel 10 Pro.

It didn't take long to find a clear favorite.

The Clear Winner for Capturing Memories

After just the first event, the Pixel 10 Pro emerged as the most reliable and versatile camera in the group. Its effortless point-and-shoot experience, combined with exceptional image quality in all lighting conditions and powerful on-device editing tools, made it my primary device. I even found myself passing it to other family members to use. Now, I'm sorting through thousands of photos and videos, and the vast majority came from the Pixel.

Pro Res Zoom A Game Changer

I was especially blown away by Google's Pro Res Zoom, which provides up to 100x zoom. Powered by the Tensor G5 chip, this feature impressed everyone. We captured stunningly clear photos of turtles on the beach, distant flowers, and wildlife that joined us for breakfast—all subjects that were barely visible to the naked eye.

While my current daily driver, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, has solid zoom capabilities, the Pixel 10 Pro consistently delivered sharper and more detailed results. The difference lies in the hardware and software. The Pixel’s 5x optical zoom lens and 100x digital zoom far exceed the Z Fold 7's 3x optical and 30x digital limits. That extra reach and clarity made all the difference when shooting subjects from afar.

Smart AI Features for Perfect Moments

With around 60 guests at the wedding, capturing great group shots was a challenge. This is where the Auto Best Take function shined. It automatically activates for group photos, ensuring we captured the best expression from each person without needing to manually edit or sort through shots later.

My wife was particularly impressed with Google's AI magic. She captured some photos while dancing that would normally be deleted for being too blurry, but the Pixel was able to sharpen them into cherished memories. It's a testament to how Google's software prowess makes photography more forgiving and fun.

All-Day Performance and Reliability

In the past, I've been underwhelmed by the battery life on Pixel devices, so I was concerned about it lasting through the six-hour wedding and reception. However, the Pixel 10 Pro was a workhorse. It captured over 500 photos and videos before the battery finally gave out. And thanks to its new fast-charging support, I was able to quickly power it up for the next day's events.

Now that I'm home, I plan to dive deeper into the Pixel's other capabilities. I'm excited to try editing photos using natural language prompts in Google Photos and to see how the Camera Coach can help me improve my photography skills. The wedding week was too fast-paced to explore everything, but I'm eager to see what else this incredible camera can do.