My two cent Review.

[anon(596177)]

You bought it for the camera only yet lacking the second lens is inexcusable? Kinda contradictory.

Its contradictory because in the grand scheme of things the second lens that these phones are 'lacking' really wouldnt do anything to help matters.

We're talking about cell phone camera lenses. Right now, depending on what phone you buy, they will at absolute most give you a 2x optical zoom, a greyscale photo, or an 'ultra wide' viewing angle photo that really isnt that much wider than stock. The main purpose for the dual camera setup in all of these cases is portrait mode, and using the data captured by both cameras to accurately determine how to effectively blur the backgrounds of your portrait photos (and in the case of the greyscale lens, more acurate color reproduction?).

Google does this primary function with one camera.

Arguably, the only secondary camera option that really would be of any use is a telephoto lens to get that 2x optical zoom, but why not just move closer to the subject? If something is so far away or inaccessible that you cant get a good shot of it with the regular camera, a 2x telephoto isn't going to help you much 90% of the time.

So why does it need a second camera? To make the phone more expensive?

 

[Jeremy8000]

I have a Note 8 and V30, I bought this phone for the camera and camera only...<snip>... but the lack of a second lens on such an expensive phone considering the competition these days is inexcusable. Because a second lens adds a whole another dimension to your photography (zoom or wide angle) that you don't get in a single lens. A second lens expands the range of your compositions and helps you take photos that you simply otherwise cannot take.

If I'm correct in assuming your decision was influenced by DXO's review, and if you're dissatisfied with a number of aspects of the phone outside of the camera, and the lack of a 2nd rear camera for specialty purposes, you might want to consider looking at the Huawei Mate 10 / 10 Pro, which have actually been rated slightly higher than the Pixel 2 / 2 XL for still images (100 for the Mates vs 99 for the Pixels), though you'd probably want to drill into the more detailed subratings to see which performed best in specific areas you value most.

Camera is important to me, but so are general functionality and security - and there's no other android phone out there that is more secure (case in point - Pixels will have fix vs KRACK WiFi threat as soon as it's devised; other phones might see it shortly thereafter, or a month later, or never...) or simply gets most things done as smoothly and quickly without diminishment of speed over the course of time - and that's without even yet activating the PVC SoC.

As to the screen touch issues, odd crashes, etc, that could be a problem with your unit. Those aren't items that have seen much discussion, so you may want to contact Google concerning them.

 

[DominionRoofs]

Thanks for the review. Mine shipped today and I'm excited about it although I too prefer smaller phones. Ironically, I made my decision based on the sharpness and clarity of the screen compared to the smaller pixel when I checked them out at Verizon.. Go figure. Lol

 

[gregg37]

Excellent review. One of the better thought out posts on this forum. For a two cent review, I'd rate it at a Quarter!

 

[xxaarraa1983]

The main purpose for the dual camera setup in all of these cases is portrait mode, and using the data captured by both cameras to accurately determine how to effectively blur the backgrounds of your portrait photos (and in the case of the greyscale lens, more acurate color reproduction?).

I don't want to talk down your understanding of photography or composition, but you couldn't be more wrong. Software produced bokehs are a gimmick, for crowd pleasing. I like it too, but real photography is about variety in compositions that your lens allows.

Here are two examples - without a second lens, neither of these photos will be possible. Black and white. You just can't take this photo without the added dimension of a second lens. First is a wide angle, second is a zoom. You couldn't take either of these photos with the Pixel no matter how good its main lens and its computational algorithms. So as a photographer, the competing phones that offer these features have expanded my portfolio and variety.

Yes, as someone above pointed out, I knew going in that the Pixel doesn't have a second lens. Hell that was known a month ahead of release.

Point I am making is that the edge the Pixel has on the one main lens isn't enough to outweigh the advantages the competition brings to the table, because the rest of the phone is downright ordinary and shoddy. If the rest of the phone was stellar, I'd advocate making the trade-off. But its not. At $1000, you have to be better than a one trick pony to win business.

 

[aximtreo]

Do I have to pay the 2 cents or is someone else paying it? How does this work?

I got your back. 2 cents sent along.

 

[Jeremiah Bonds]

Excellent review. One of the better thought out posts on this forum. For a two cent review, I'd rate it at a Quarter!

Wow, Thanks for taking the time to read it.

 

[xxaarraa1983]

If I'm correct in assuming your decision was influenced by DXO's review, and if you're dissatisfied with a number of aspects of the phone outside of the camera, and the lack of a 2nd rear camera for specialty purposes, you might want to consider looking at the Huawei Mate 10 / 10 Pro, which have actually been rated slightly higher than the Pixel 2 / 2 XL for still images (100 for the Mates vs 99 for the Pixels), though you'd probably want to drill into the more detailed subratings to see which performed best in specific areas you value most.

Camera is important to me, but so are general functionality and security - and there's no other android phone out there that is more secure (case in point - Pixels will have fix vs KRACK WiFi threat as soon as it's devised; other phones might see it shortly thereafter, or a month later, or never...) or simply gets most things done as smoothly and quickly without diminishment of speed over the course of time - and that's without even yet activating the PVC SoC.

As to the screen touch issues, odd crashes, etc, that could be a problem with your unit. Those aren't items that have seen much discussion, so you may want to contact Google concerning them.

Thanks for the tip. I will look into the Mate 10. I like to try all camera focused phones so Ill give that one a whirl as well.

Good point on security. Pixel does shine with updates and security.

 

[mtva24]

Just got mine, this display is kind of dull and there is way too much blue/green. I like the way the phone moves and still need to test out the battery, don't really care about the camera

 

[pappy35]

That I do Jeremiah haha

I imagine a lot of folks on these forums do the same. I buy every camera-focused smartphone that comes out.

Haha. I think you'll find most people can't afford, or wouldn't spend the money on, so many phones. You're into two and half+ thousand dollars for three flagship phones? I would have bought one and spent the rest on a good SLR camera if I needed, eh, a camera. If you can afford it, more power to ya, I'm just jealous.

 

[xxaarraa1983]

Haha. I think you'll find most people can't afford, or wouldn't spend the money on, so many phones. You're into two and half+ thousand dollars for three flagship phones? I would have bought one and spent the rest on a good SLR camera if I needed, eh, a camera. If you can afford it, more power to ya, I'm just jealous.

nah man, I particularly like smartphone photography. The limitations that it introduces makes for a rewarding experience, not to mention the ease of post processing right on the phone. And "the best camera is the one you always have on you"

Also, I don't always keep every phone I buy. I usually hold on to one or two, the others are sold off.

 

[Orion78]

Thanks for the very honest review. I feel the same way about this phone. I absolutely love it. I'm not looking for any flaws because I don't see it. I'm enjoying this phone.

 

[EnemiesInTheEnd]

Arguably, the only secondary camera option that really would be of any use is a telephoto lens to get that 2x optical zoom, but why not just move closer to the subject? If something is so far away or inaccessible that you cant get a good shot of it with the regular camera, a 2x telephoto isn't going to help you much 90% of the time.

A 2x telephoto lens will help me photograph/record my niece's cheer competitions, my other niece's soccer games, wildlife, and concerts when I go to Portland. Here is one example of how a 2x telephoto lens helps.

https://youtu.be/mKIXR49g9Hc

 

[anon(596177)]

I don't want to talk down your understanding of photography or composition, but you couldn't be more wrong. Software produced bokehs are a gimmick, for crowd pleasing. I like it too, but real photography is about variety in compositions that your lens allows.

Here are two examples - without a second lens, neither of these photos will be possible. Black and white. You just can't take this photo without the added dimension of a second lens. First is a wide angle, second is a zoom. You couldn't take either of these photos with the Pixel no matter how good its main lens and its computational algorithms. So as a photographer, the competing phones that offer these features have expanded my portfolio and variety.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/V...5kIAiBrhRhmYDFyjAoXE9jFc2cCRbkOQJysNcYQcpxGD0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/E...mt3teREprGrrnCJTB46qSEEJk7gct_z6YPJzFfPxfqN9g

Yes, as someone above pointed out, I knew going in that the Pixel doesn't have a second lens. Hell that was known a month ahead of release.

Point I am making is that the edge the Pixel has on the one main lens isn't enough to outweigh the advantages the competition brings to the table, because the rest of the phone is downright ordinary and shoddy. If the rest of the phone was stellar, I'd advocate making the trade-off. But its not. At $1000, you have to be better than a one trick pony to win business.

I kind of knew a composition based response was coming.

You called me pretty spot on about my photography know-how tho, very much an amateur. No offense taken. I definitely know the difference there, but I also know that these are cell phones, and if I were going for an artistic shot that required a different focal length I would be looking for quality better than what a phone would be going for anyway.

I've never personally looked very in to photography with a dual lens camera phone, so my basis on a composition difference being very minor is speculation. At 2x I would imagine the difference being so minor that just cropping a photo from the standard camera would look about the same as a photo taken from the telephoto lens, albeit with a lower resolution due to the crop. Is 2x really that life changing? Honest question.

 

[Jeremiah Bonds]

Thanks for the very honest review. I feel the same way about this phone. I absolutely love it. I'm not looking for any flaws because I don't see it. I'm enjoying this phone.

Glad there's another person who can think outside of bad press.

 

[anon(596177)]

A 2x telephoto lens will help me photograph/record my niece's cheer competitions, my other niece's soccer games, wildlife, and concerts when I go to Portland. Here is one example of how a 2x telephoto lens helps.

https://youtu.be/mKIXR49g9Hc

I'll eat the humble pie here, that's a bigger difference than what I expected it to be.

 

[Almeuit]

Nice Jeremiah .

I will be testing mine out more and more. I just got it this morning. I got it all setup and I am enjoying how snappy it is . I just need to toy around with the camera more this weekend.

 

[Jeremiah Bonds]

Nice Jeremiah .

I will be testing mine out more and more. I just got it this morning. I got it all setup and I am enjoying how snappy it is . I just need to toy around with the camera more this weekend.

I can't wait for the weekend. Haha

 

[Guyinbox]

I finally made it to Verizon and i walked away really impressed. For all the negativity about the screen, coming from a v20 i still think it's pretty nice. It's a pretty safe bet that Google will include different screen profiles in a future update as well.

The blue shift is bad. It wasn't unbearable with with a slight tilt, but what's jarring is just how blue it gets at an extreme angle. Looks like it has a Smurf filter of some sort of the screen lol. Bottom line is the phone just has poor viewing angles. If you can handle that it shouldn't be a deal breaker. As long as i didn't look at the note 8 screen i actually found the screen to be pretty nice.

That software though... I considered the v20 a fast phone, and the note 8 is extremely fast, but the pixel's performance is crazy.

I shouldn't even have looked at it. I went from being sure I'd settle for the note to being right back on the fence haha. The reported battery life on the xl wouldn't hurt either since in my experience the note has been pretty mediocre.

 

[Jeremiah Bonds]

I finally made it to Verizon and i walked away really impressed. For all the negativity about the screen, coming from a v20 i still think it's pretty nice. It's a pretty safe bet that Google will include different screen profiles in a future update as well.

The blue shift is bad. It wasn't unbearable with with a slight tilt, but what's jarring is just how blue it gets at an extreme angle. Looks like it has a Smurf filter of some sort of the screen lol. Bottom line is the phone just has poor viewing angles. If you can handle that it shouldn't be a deal breaker. As long as i didn't look at the note 8 screen i actually found the screen to be pretty nice.

That software though... I considered the v20 a fast phone, and the note 8 is extremely fast, but the pixel's performance is crazy.

I shouldn't even have looked at it. I went from being sure I'd settle for the note to being right back on the fence haha. The reported battery life on the xl wouldn't hurt either since in my experience the note has been pretty mediocre.

Have you looked at the battery thread in here?