Galaxy A57 vs Pixel 10a Camera: Which Takes Better Photos?

For most people, the Pixel 10a is the better camera phone. Most reviewers preferred its photos, its video is smoother (4K at 60fps) and very steady, and its main camera focuses close enough to replace a macro lens. The Galaxy A57 makes sense if you want a third lens for macro shots, Samsung's colors, or slightly sharper daylight detail from its larger main sensor.

Both phones now cost about the same in the US after the October 2026 price increases, so the decision comes down to how each camera behaves rather than which one is cheaper.

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Specs that matter for the camera

The figures below come from Google's Pixel 10a spec page and Samsung's US launch announcement, with sensor sizes and video modes for the A57 taken from GSMArena's review.

Spec	Samsung Galaxy A57	Google Pixel 10a
Main camera	50MP, f/1.8	48MP, f/1.7
Main sensor size	1/1.56"	1/2"
Main stabilization	OIS	Optical + electronic
Ultrawide	12MP, f/2.2	13MP, f/2.2, 120°
Macro	5MP, f/2.4 dedicated lens	No macro lens (Macro Focus mode)
Telephoto	None	None
Selfie camera	12MP, f/2.2	13MP, f/2.2, 96.1°
Max rear video	4K at 30fps	4K at 60fps
Max selfie video	4K at 30fps	4K at 30fps
Chip (image processing)	Exynos 1680	Google Tensor G4

One thing to know before you read reviews: TechRadar points out that the Pixel 10a uses the same camera hardware as the Pixel 9a, so last year's camera results still apply. The A57, on the other hand, is a new generation over the Galaxy A56, and GSMArena found its main and ultrawide cameras improved on that model.

Main camera in daylight

On paper the A57 has the bigger main sensor, and that shows up in fine detail. In GSMArena's A57 camera test, daylight shots had good detail, neutral white balance and pleasing color, with dynamic range that held up in harsh midday sun. Shadow areas stayed soft, though.

GSMArena rated the Pixel 10a's daylight photos good to very good, with excellent dynamic range and accurate white balance, but described the detail as slightly digital-looking and the colors as pleasant but muted.

Other reviewers were less kind to Samsung. TechRadar's A57 review found photos short on vibrancy and detail outside bright sunlight, with washed-out foliage and weak dynamic range, and gave the camera 3.5 out of 5. TechRadar's Pixel 10a reviewer gave that phone's camera 4 out of 5 and called the main camera sharp and colorful for everyday shots. PhoneArena called the A57's camera average and noted that highlights could blow out in bright, backlit scenes.

Dutch site Android Planet compared the two directly and summed it up well: the Samsung may be a little sharper, but Google's processing is better, and it picked the Pixel 10a for photography.

Low light and night shots

This is closer than you might expect. In GSMArena's testing, the A57's main camera did very well at night for a midrange phone, with strong detail and noise control, although some city scenes picked up a pinkish cast. The reviewer found Samsung's dedicated Night mode often made things worse, with harsher highlights and coarser detail, so the regular photo mode was the better choice. The A57's ultrawide was soft and grainy after dark.

The Pixel 10a's main camera exposed well at night with good dynamic range and softer shadows, according to GSMArena. Night Sight added some definition at 1x and noticeably cleaned up the noisy ultrawide. TechRadar also found Night Sight produced bright images with good dynamic range.

The practical difference: on the Pixel you can leave Night Sight on and trust it, while on the A57 you may get better results by skipping Night mode, which is less convenient.

Zoom, ultrawide and close-ups

Neither phone has a telephoto lens, so 2x and beyond is a crop from the main sensor. GSMArena found the Pixel's 2x shots decent, a step softer than 1x. It described the A57's 2x as not especially sharp but reasonable for its class, and among the better results in its class at night. Google's spec page lists Super Zoom up to 8x on the Pixel. If zoom matters a lot to you, PhoneArena suggests looking at a phone with a real telephoto, such as the Pixel 10.

The ultrawide cameras are similar on paper. GSMArena called the A57's ultrawide good for its class and better than its predecessor's, and TechRadar thought it was a relative highlight, with colors that matched the main camera. The Pixel's ultrawide was rated useful for distant shots but soft and noisy in the shadows. Neither ultrawide has autofocus, so close subjects come out blurry on both.

Close-ups are where the spec sheet misleads. The A57 has a dedicated 5MP macro lens, which Android Central counted as the extra camera in the comparison, but GSMArena found it usable only with a short working distance of about 3.5 to 5 cm that causes shadow problems, and recommended the main camera at 2x instead. The Pixel 10a's main camera focuses very close, which GSMArena listed as one of its standout strengths.

Portraits and selfies

Portrait mode results were mixed on both. TechRadar praised the Pixel 10a's subject separation and edge detection around hair and clothing, while GSMArena was less impressed, reporting awkward transitions between sharp and blurred areas. For the A57, GSMArena found the background blur believable but saw subject detection fail at times, and TechRadar noted trouble with fine strands of hair.

Both selfie cameras are fixed focus, which hurts very close shots. GSMArena rated the A57's selfies very good to excellent depending on the light, and TechRadar said they were better than its rear cameras. PhoneArena found them decent but soft. GSMArena rated the Pixel's selfie camera strong at arm's length, including in low light, and TechRadar noted it fits several people in the frame.

Video

The Pixel 10a has the clearer advantage here. Its main camera records 4K at 60fps, while the A57 tops out at 4K at 30fps on every camera. GSMArena called the Pixel's stabilization a standout, with handheld footage that looked almost tripod-steady, and found daylight color and dynamic range excellent. Low-light video was weaker, with muddy shadows.

GSMArena also rated the A57's stabilization highly and found its low-light main-camera video had good dynamic range, but criticized the missing 4K60 and HDR recording as too basic for its class. PhoneArena reported a reddish cast in night video and a microphone that picked up hand movements. The A57 can switch between the main and ultrawide cameras while recording, a feature PhoneArena pointed out.

Everything else in brief

Price (US, checked October 27, 2026): Pixel 10a from $599 (128GB) and $699 (256GB) after Google's $100 increase on October 2, as reported by 9to5Google and shown on the Google Store. Galaxy A57 at $599.99 (128GB) and $679.99 (256GB) after Samsung's increase, per PhoneArena and Engadget. Sale prices change often.
Software updates: Google promises 7 years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates. Samsung promises up to six Android OS upgrades and six years of security updates.
Battery and charging: the Pixel 10a has a 5,100mAh typical battery and Qi wireless charging, reaching 50% in about 30 minutes with a 45W charger. The A57 has a 5,000mAh typical battery and 45W wired charging (up to 60% in about 30 minutes), with no wireless charging according to Android Central.
Editing tools: both have object removal. Samsung adds Best Face for group shots; Google has Add Me, Auto Best Take and Camera Coach.

For a look at how Samsung's previous model compared with a rival, see our Galaxy A56 vs Poco X7 Pro comparison.

Verdict: which should you buy?

Choose the Pixel 10a if you mostly point and shoot and want dependable results without fiddling, if you record a lot of video (4K60 and very steady footage), or if you take close-ups of food, plants and small objects. Its night mode is also easier to trust.

Choose the Galaxy A57 if you prefer Samsung's color and a bit more fine detail in good light, want strong selfies, or like having a separate macro lens even with its limits. It also makes sense if you already use Samsung's ecosystem and care about faster wired charging more than wireless.

If zoom is your priority, neither is a great pick, since both rely on cropping the main sensor.

FAQ

Does the Galaxy A57 have a better camera than the Pixel 10a?

Not according to most reviews. The A57 has a larger main sensor and a macro lens, and GSMArena found it sharp in daylight. TechRadar rated the A57's camera lower than its Pixel 10a camera score, PhoneArena called the A57's camera average, and Android Planet picked the Pixel 10a for photos.

Can the Galaxy A57 record 4K at 60fps?

No. The A57 records up to 4K at 30fps on its rear and front cameras. The Pixel 10a's main camera can record 4K at 60fps.

Is the Pixel 10a camera different from the Pixel 9a?

No. TechRadar notes that the Pixel 10a uses the same camera hardware as the Pixel 9a. Newer software features such as Camera Coach are the main additions.