Google Pixel 11 Pro XL for Underwater Photography: Our 2026 Review.

There's always a strange moment when a new generation of smartphone is released, where the numbers come before the images. Google announced the Pixel 11 on August 12, 2026, and DXOMARK published its scores on the 21st, and in between, everyone already had an opinion.

What interests me here is different. A diver considering this device isn't wondering if it's ranked fifth or third in the world. They're wondering if the files they bring back from a dive at fifteen meters, in natural light, will be usable for printing.

And that question can't be answered with a simple overall score. It's about looking at what the sensor captures, what the RAW format preserves, and most importantly, what happens when the phone is placed in an underwater housing. That's what this test aims to determine.

This camera is ideal for: divers who primarily take still photos, especially on reefs, and who are willing to use a universal housing.

This camera is not ideal for: those who film a lot and frequently switch to the telephoto lens, as performance drops significantly in those situations.

The main sensor has increased to 50 megapixels on a 1/1.3-inch surface, with an aperture of f/1.68. In other words, it lets in more light than the previous generation, which is extremely important at fifteen meters, where very little of the red spectrum remains.The 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens has an aperture of f/1.7 and features autofocus, including a Macro Focus mode. This is the lens a diver will use most often, because underwater, you can never get close enough to your subject.

The 48-megapixel periscope telephoto lens has an aperture of f/2.8. On paper, this is the lens with the lowest light sensitivity, and this is consistent with DXOMARK's measurements.

[!NOTE] For more details Main sensor: 50 MP Octa PD, 1/1.3 inch, f/1.68, 82-degree field of view, optical and electronic stabilization. Ultra-wide-angle: 48 MP Quad PD, 1/2.51 inch, f/1.7, 123 degrees, autofocus. Telephoto: 48 MP Quad PD, 1/1.95 inch, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom. Multi-zone laser autofocus. Tensor G6 chip. The B1 score of 3.3 is lowered by four criteria that Google does not document: native ISO range, the actual minimum focus distance of the macro module, burst shooting speed with RAW buffer depth, and shutter lag. These four points receive a neutral score of 3, due to a lack of information. An uncertain score is better than an invented one.

This is where the Pixel maintains a real advantage. RAW files are natively supported in the camera app, without any modifications or the need for third-party applications. For a diver who wants to adjust the red tones in post-processing, this is the foundation for everything else.Beyond the native capabilities, the Pixel is explicitly supported by Blackmagic Camera on the Android side, and MotionCam Pro also works. These two applications provide access to a manual, lockable white balance, which is arguably the most important setting for underwater video.

Why? Because the automatic white balance spends its time searching while you're panning from a reef to the blue, and the resulting image fluctuates between different hues. A locked white balance at the depth of the shot provides a stable base for color grading.

[!NOTE] For more details Native RAW: Rated 5. Bit depth is not documented by Google, but is rated as 3 by default. Maximum codec: H.265 10-bit HDR, without a native Log profile, rated 4. Professional third-party applications are available and stable, rated 4.5. Colorimetry: Proprietary Tensor ISP, without an optical partnership like Zeiss, Leica, or Hasselblad, rated 3. B2 Score: 3.8. This is the most significant section of the scoring system, accounting for 25% of the total, and it's what ultimately saves the overall score of this device.

We need to be direct about this, because it has a real-world impact. The Pixel 11 Pro XL combines an aluminum chassis with a vapor chamber, which Google highlights as a performance feature.Inside a housing, this wetsuit works against you. Aluminum conducts heat very well, the steam chamber distributes it towards the surface of the phone, and this heat is then released directly into the air trapped between the phone and the housing's glass.

The result is that during the descent, when the outside water rapidly cools the glass while the phone continues to heat up, the humidity in this air condenses on the inner surface. This is the classic mechanism of condensation, and it is a mechanical issue, not a minor one. We detailed this in our article on overheating and condensation in underwater housings.

In tropical waters above 25 degrees Celsius, the risk remains manageable. In cold water below 15 degrees Celsius, it becomes the primary cause of dive failure.

This is the key point that changes everything, and it has nothing to do with the quality of the phone itself.

As of the date of this test, no DiveVolk adapters exist for the Pixel 11. The compatibility lists for the SeaTouch 4 Max Plus and Platinum models only extend to the Pixel 10 generation, which are often out of stock, and primarily cover the Pixel 9. The full touchscreen functionality, which is the main selling point of the DiveVolk ecosystem that we compared in our guide SeaTouch 4 Max or Platinum, is therefore not available today.There is still one option, and it is a viable one. The Kraken KRH08 V2 is a universal aluminum housing, certified to 85 meters, that accommodates phones up to 174.4 x 81.3 x 8.8 mm. The Pixel 11 Pro XL measures 162.7 x 76.5 x 8.5 mm. It fits.

This is not the same experience. The Kraken unit operates using physical buttons via Bluetooth and its proprietary app, rather than touch control. You lose the freedom to switch between apps underwater, but you gain a glass optical port, a vacuum system for testing the seal before entering the water, and an internal battery that recharges the phone during the dive.

Available Housings. Kraken KRH08 V2, 85 meters, physical Bluetooth buttons, approximately $399. Kraken KRH07 V2 Pro, same base with depth and temperature sensors, approximately $499. No DiveVolk housings are currently available, and there is no communication from the manufacturer regarding a Pixel 11 adapter.

Field Workflow. The base model starts with 256 GB of storage without a memory card, which is the critical factor. A day of three dives shooting in RAW format plus 4K video easily consumes 60 to 90 GB. With 256 GB shared with the system and apps, the available space is quickly used up. USB-C 3.2 allows you to offload data to an SSD between dives, and this is the only solution, as there is no memory card slot.Important Considerations. Condensation in cold water, as discussed earlier. The lack of native Log profile, which requires using MotionCam Pro to get the most out of the video. Also, the telephoto lens, which is excellent for photography, performs poorly in video, scoring only 119 points according to DXOMARK, compared to 140 for the best-performing lens.

Pricing. Google announced a launch price of $1299 for the Pixel 11 Pro XL with 256GB of storage on August 12, 2026. Prices in euros on the European market were not yet stable at the time of writing, and we prefer not to provide an approximate conversion rather than a verified price.

Availability. Too early. The device has been available in stores since August 20, 2026. For use strictly dedicated to diving, the Pixel 10 Pro XL that we tested remains a more sensible option, and especially offers better housing options.

This phone takes very good photos. In fact, as of the time of writing, it has the best camera sensor available for purchase in a standard European distribution channel.

However, an underwater camera is not just a sensor, it's a system. And this system is incomplete: no touch-screen adapter, a housing that is prone to condensation, and video performance that suffers when moving away from the main module.If you are taking still photos, on a reef, in warm water, and the button housing doesn't bother you, go for it. If you are filming, or if you are diving in cold water, wait. Either DiveVolk will release its adapter, or a real-world test will confirm its thermal performance. We have not dived with this device, and I will not pretend otherwise.

Is the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL good for underwater photography? With a score of 3.6/5 according to the AquaExposure rating system, it is excellent for still photography and significantly weaker for video on secondary focal lengths. The real limitation is not the device itself, but the lack of a housing adapter available at this time.

What housing is available for the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL for diving? No DiveVolk adapter exists as of the date of this test. The only real option is the universal Kraken KRH08 V2 housing, certified to 85 meters, the dimensions of which accommodate the 162.7 x 76.5 x 8.5 mm of the Pixel 11 Pro XL.

Does the Pixel 11 Pro XL shoot RAW underwater? Yes, natively within the camera app. MotionCam Pro and Blackmagic Camera are also available and provide access to manual, lockable white balance settings.

What is the battery life for a day of three dives? The 5115 mAh battery easily lasts for three dives with the screen off between dives. The concern is the cold, not the battery capacity.Does a DXOMARK score of 168 mean it's the best for diving? No. The score of 168 masks a significant difference between 171 for still photography and 162 for video, with a video telephoto lens scoring only 119. This reflects the typical usage pattern of a diver who films wide shots and then switches to a telephoto lens.

Choosing a camera is one thing, but knowing how to frame an encounter in natural light without scaring the animal is another. This is what we teach in our AquaExposure training program.