Pixel 11 Pro Telephoto Focuses at About Half the Distance of Pixel 9 Pro

Q: What unknown 48-megapixel sensor is powering the Pixel 11 Pro's massive low-light and close-focus camera improvements?

It is still unknown. Google has not publicly identified the Pixel 11 Pro’s new 48-megapixel 5x telephoto sensor, and no credible teardown or supply-chain report in the provided material names the part. What is clear is the sensor’s size and effect. The Pixel 11 Pro moves from the Sony IMX858 used in the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro—a 48MP 1/2.55-inch sensor—to a larger 48MP 1/1.95-inch sensor. Google also says the redesigned telephoto system has about 30% more light sensitivity, which aligns with reports of better low-light results and the newly observed ability to focus much closer. That closer focus appears to be the most visible real-world change so far. A Reddit comparison found the Pixel 11 Pro’s telephoto lens could focus at roughly half the distance of the Pixel 9 Pro’s 5x camera, producing a sharp image where the older phone blurred. Early hands-ons and reviews also describe the 5x camera as more useful for portraits and nearby subjects, not just long-range zoom. So the best answer at this stage is that the Pixel 11 Pro is powered by an as-yet-unidentified 48MP 1/1.95-inch telephoto sensor. Until Google comments or a teardown confirms the component, its exact model remains undisclosed.

3 articles · Updated · Android Authority · Aug 19

A Reddit comparison suggests the Pixel 11 Pro’s 5x telephoto can focus on subjects at roughly half the minimum distance of the Pixel 9 Pro, an upgrade Google did not advertise.
The improvement appears tied to new hardware: the 11 Pro uses a larger 48-megapixel 1/1.95-inch telephoto sensor, versus the 48-megapixel 1/2.55-inch Sony IMX858 in the Pixel 10 Pro and 9 Pro.
In a side-by-side manual-mode test, the 11 Pro stayed sharp on a box a couple of feet away while the 9 Pro’s telephoto image was blurry at its minimum focus setting.
Google has not publicly identified the new sensor or provided official minimum-focus specifications, and it had not responded to a request for comment at publication.