The Google Pixel Fold (2023) shoots Pro mode RAW in DNG format and has no mechanical shutter — the image counter stored in each DNG file records total electronic captures. Drop a Pro mode DNG file to read it instantly.
Check Image Counter →The Google Pixel Fold is Google’s first foldable smartphone, powered by the Google Tensor G2 chipset (the same silicon found in the Pixel 7 series). Its triple rear camera system comprises a 48 MP main sensor (f/1.7, 1/2″ CMOS, OIS, PDAF), a 10.8 MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 121.1° field of view), and a 10.8 MP periscope telephoto (f/3.05, 5× optical zoom, OIS). The foldable form factor means the device also carries two front cameras: a 9.5 MP sensor on the cover display (f/2.2) and an 8 MP camera on the inner display (f/2.0).
Like all modern smartphones, the Pixel Fold uses CMOS electronic readout only. There is no mechanical focal-plane shutter in any of its five cameras. Every photo taken by the rear camera system — regardless of which lens captures it — increments the persistent electronic image counter embedded in Pro mode DNG files.
| Model | Release | Main Sensor | Shutter Type | RAW Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel Fold | Jun 2023 | 48 MP CMOS (f/1.7, 1/2″) | Electronic only | DNG (Pro mode) |
| Google Pixel 8 Pro | Oct 2023 | 50 MP CMOS (f/1.68, 1/1.31″) | Electronic only | DNG (Pro mode) |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | Aug 2024 | 50 MP CMOS (f/1.68, 1/1.31″) | Electronic only | DNG (Pro mode) |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | Aug 2024 | 50 MP CMOS (f/1.68, 1/1.31″) | Electronic only | DNG (Pro mode) |
exiftool -ImageNumber yourfile.dng to read the counter directly from the metadata on any platform.The Pixel Fold is a foldable phone with a hinge mechanism, making the used-device inspection more involved than for a standard bar-form smartphone. These are the key factors to evaluate:
| What to Check | How |
|---|---|
| Battery health | Settings → Battery → Battery health & charging. Android does not display capacity percentage by default — use *#*#4636#*#* dialler code or a third-party app (AccuBattery) to read remaining capacity |
| Hinge condition | Open and close the phone repeatedly at different angles; it should hold any position without wobble. Listen for grinding or clicking. Inspect the hinge gap for debris or cracking in the plastic inner hinge cover |
| Inner foldable display | Inspect the 7.6-inch inner OLED for the crease (normal), dead pixels, pressure marks, or display separation near fold edges; look for delamination at the inner screen's plastic coating |
| Cover display | Check the 5.8-inch outer OLED for scratches, dead pixels, and touch responsiveness across the full screen including corners |
| All three rear cameras | Test the 48 MP main, ultrawide, and 5× telephoto for focus accuracy, OIS function (no image shake at telephoto at rest), and lens clarity. Look for internal fogging or scratches on the periscope telephoto element |
| Water resistance | Pixel Fold is rated IP67; inspect USB-C port and hinge seal for damage. Water resistance degrades after drops or hinge stress |
| Image counter | High count (>30,000) indicates heavy photography use — useful context but no hardware failure indicator |
The Pixel Fold’s camera hardware is a departure from the typical Pixel flagship: the 48 MP main sensor (approximately 1/2″) is smaller than the 50 MP sensors found in the simultaneous Pixel 7 Pro (1/1.31″). Google traded sensor area for the mechanical engineering requirements of folding the device. The periscope telephoto’s 5× optical reach is nonetheless class-leading for a foldable at launch, using a prism to fold the optical path within the device’s constrained depth.
Google’s computational photography pipeline — including Night Sight, Real Tone skin rendering, and Magic Eraser — works across all three rear cameras. RAW DNG files bypass these processing stages entirely, recording raw sensor data without demosaicing or tone mapping.
The image counter is stored in the DNG EXIF metadata under the ImageNumber field. This is a persistent hardware counter that increments with every rear camera capture across all shooting modes — Photo, Portrait, Night Sight, Pro, and Action Pan — and cannot be reset by a factory restore or software update.
Despite sharing the Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7 Pro have different camera hardware. The Pixel 7 Pro’s 50 MP main sensor (f/1.85, 1/1.31″) is physically larger than the Fold’s 48 MP sensor (f/1.7, 1/2″). The Pixel 7 Pro’s 48 MP 5× telephoto (f/3.5) is also higher resolution than the Fold’s 10.8 MP 5× telephoto (f/3.05). Both phones output DNG via Pro mode and the image counter method is identical.
No. All five cameras on the Pixel Fold (three rear, two front) use CMOS electronic readout. There is no mechanical focal-plane shutter and no rated mechanical lifespan for the camera. The image counter in DNG files records total rear camera electronic captures, not mechanical actuations.
Switch to Pro mode in the Camera app (tap More then Pro) and look for the file format button in the top bar. Tap it to change from JPG to RAW or RAW+JPEG. The setting is per-session and resets when you leave Pro mode. RAW is not available in Photo, Portrait, Night Sight, or Action Pan modes.
No. The image counter is stored in persistent hardware memory and cannot be reset by a factory reset, system update, or any user action. This makes it a reliable indicator of total rear camera usage, independent of whether photos were deleted.
A casual user accumulates roughly 5,000–15,000 captures per year; an active photographer may exceed 30,000 per year. There is no mechanical wear threshold to worry about — a high counter indicates intensive use, not proximity to hardware failure. Battery and hinge condition are the meaningful durability markers.
No. The inner display’s 8 MP selfie camera and the cover display’s 9.5 MP selfie camera each maintain their own counters, separate from the three-camera rear system counter visible in Pro mode DNG files. The rear camera ImageNumber counter reflects only rear captures.