Every photographer I know keeps a mental list of cameras that punched above their weight, devices that took better photos than their price or size suggested. The Google Pixel 4 in the Just Black finish is on that list. It is the smaller of Google's 2019 flagships, a compact 5.7 inch phone that was easy to miss next to its bigger sibling, but it shared the exact camera system that made the Pixel line famous: a 12.2 megapixel main sensor, a 2x telephoto lens, and Google's computational photography magic in the form of Night Sight and astrophotography modes. I shot with the unlocked black Pixel 4 for a month, treating it as my everyday camera rather than my everyday computer. This is what the photos look like, and what the phone asks in return.
Before the details, the standard disclosure. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission never changes what I test or what I recommend.
Design and Build
The Pixel 4 is a deliberately compact phone. The 5.7 inch display keeps the whole device narrow enough to use one handed, and the Just Black finish gives it a quiet, professional look. The rear is a soft matte black that shrugs off fingerprints, and the square camera module in the top corner houses the two lenses that are this phone's real identity. Gorilla Glass protects both faces, the frame is aluminum, and the IP68 rating means the camera is ready for drizzle and accidental splashes.
The compact size is the feature that gets underappreciated. A Camera Phone That you actually carry beats one that stays home because it is bulky, and the Pixel 4 disappears into a pocket or a small bag without a second thought. The trade is the battery: the small body carries a small cell, and that choice has consequences in daily life. The build itself is excellent, solid in the hand with no creaks and a button layout that falls naturally under thumb and forefinger. The volume rocker sits high on the left edge and the power button on the right, positions that make one handed shooting comfortable whether you hold the Phone in a portrait or landscape grip.
Key Features
The camera is the story, and it starts with the hardware. A 12.2 megapixel main sensor with a bright aperture handles everyday shots, while a 16 megapixel 2x telephoto lens reaches for subjects that are far away. Google's software does the rest. Night Sight takes a burst of frames in near darkness and combines them into a clean, bright photo that no other phone of its generation could match, and the astrophotography mode extends that trick to the night sky itself.
Around the camera sits a capable phone. The 5.7 inch OLED display runs at 90Hz, which makes the unlocked black Pixel 4 on Amazon feel far faster than its age suggests, and the Snapdragon 855 processor handles the heavy computational camera work without delay. The phone has Face Unlock instead of a fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, wireless charging, and the same clean Android software that gives the Pixel line its lasting update advantage. It is a small phone with flagship intentions.
Real-World Performance
The camera delivered on every promise. In daylight, photos came out crisp with natural color and the kind of dynamic range that lets a bright sky and a shaded street both stay visible. The 2x telephoto proved more useful than I expected, letting me frame shots of faraway subjects without cropping, and the main lens focused quickly in every condition I tried. I carried the phone through a month of city walks, evening dinners, and late drives, and it produced keeper after keeper without me adjusting a single setting.
Night performance is where the Pixel 4 earns its reputation. Walking through a dimly lit street at night, a normal phone would deliver a dark, noisy mess. The Pixel 4's Night Sight produced a bright, smooth photo that looked like it was shot with a dedicated camera. The astrophotography mode is the party trick that still impresses: set the phone on a stable surface in a dark spot, and it captures stars, the Milky Way band, and even the slight movement of constellations over a long exposure, all with nothing more than a phone sitting still.
The cost of the compact design is the 2,800mAh battery. On a light day the phone reached the charger with room to spare, but a heavy day of photography, navigation, and video pushed it to an evening recharge. It charges fast over USB-C and wirelessly on a Pixel Stand, which softens the blow, but the battery is the phone's most honest weakness. A small power bank in the camera bag solves the problem completely on long shooting days. The 64GB storage is the second limitation: a growing photo library fills it faster than you expect, and there is no card slot to rescue you.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Outstanding camera with Night Sight and astrophotography
- Compact, one handed size that is easy to carry
- 90Hz OLED display feels fast and modern
- Clean Android with long update support
- 2x telephoto lens adds real framing flexibility
- Premium build with IP68 water resistance
Cons:
- 2,800mAh battery struggles on heavy days
- 64GB storage fills fast with no card slot
- No headphone jack and no adapter included
- Face Unlock cannot authorize payments
How It Compares
The Pixel 4's most direct comparisons are against its bigger sibling and its own predecessor. I compared the Pixel 4 against the Pixel 4 XL and the older Pixel 3 to show where the compact model wins and where it gives ground.
| Feature | Pixel 4 | Pixel 4 XL | Pixel 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.7 inch OLED, 90Hz | 6.3 inch OLED, 90Hz | 5.5 inch OLED, 60Hz |
| Battery | 2,800mAh | 3,700mAh | 2,915mAh |
| Telephoto lens | Yes, 2x | Yes, 2x | No |
| Night Sight | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Astrophotography | Yes | Yes | Added later |
| Refresh rate | 90Hz | 90Hz | 60Hz |
| One handed use | Easy | Two hands | Easy |
The Pixel 4 XL gives you the same camera and the same screen technology with a much bigger battery, at the cost of a body that needs two hands. The Pixel 3 is cheaper and comfortable to hold, but its camera lacks the telephoto lens and its display stays at 60Hz. The Pixel 4 splits the difference: it keeps the compact form, adds the modern camera and the 90Hz screen, and only sacrifices a battery that you manage with charging habits. For a photographer who values carrying a great camera, it is the right compromise.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the black Pixel 4 if your priority is a camera you will actually carry, if you prefer a phone that fits in one hand, or if you want clean Android with dependable updates in a compact package. It is an ideal everyday camera for walks, evenings, and travel, and a perfectly capable phone around it.
Skip it if you need all day battery without thinking, if you want to store a large local photo and game library, or if you insist on a headphone jack. For everyone else, this is one of the most rewarding small cameras ever built into a phone. You can check the current price for the unlocked Pixel 4 on Amazon when you are ready to find one.
How We Test
I used the black Pixel 4 as my primary camera for a month, shooting in daylight, at dusk, in near darkness, and across two attempts at astrophotography on clear nights. I evaluated sharpness, color, dynamic range, and low light behavior in real scenes, and I tracked battery life across a mixed month of photography, navigation, and media.
I did not test the phone in extreme conditions, and I did not attempt paid authentication, since Face Unlock does not support it. Independent testing, such as CNET's review of the Pixel 4, confirms the camera results in a controlled setting. The unlocked Pixel 4 listing on Amazon shows the current price and available colors.
Google Pixel 4: Questions People Ask
How good is the Pixel 4 camera in low light?
Excellent for its generation. Night Sight lifts dark scenes into clean, usable photos, and the phone is one of the few with a built-in astrophotography mode that captures stars in a steady dark scene.
Is the Pixel 4 the same size as the XL?
No. The Pixel 4 has a 5.7 inch screen, which makes it noticeably smaller and easier to hold than the 6.3 inch Pixel 4 XL. It fits one handed and disappears into a pocket.
How long does the Pixel 4 battery last?
The 2800mAh cell is the phone's weak spot, usually lasting a full light day but often needing a charge by evening with heavier use. USB-C fast charging and wireless charging help cover the gap.
Can the Pixel 4 use Night Sight for astrophotography?
Yes. In a dark, steady scene Night Sight automatically switches into an astrophotography mode that takes a long exposure to reveal stars and the Milky Way. A stable surface is required.
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