I took the Motorola Razr Fold out for street photography and was truly impressed by its performance.

      Foldable phones have always presented certain quirks and compromises to achieve their distinctive form. Typically, the first aspect to be affected is the photography experience, despite some decent main cameras available, like on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are often smaller and less powerful in comparison.

      When the Razr Fold was introduced, it wasn't just Motorola's first book-style folding phone that caught my eye; it was the impressive camera hardware. Aside from a few limited choices from Chinese manufacturers, foldable phones are not particularly well-regarded for their camera quality. However, I recognized this camera system; the company had recently returned to the flagship arena with the Motorola Signature, showcasing the best specs they could offer. Remarkably, Motorola has integrated much of the same outstanding hardware into the Razr Fold.

      After getting my hands on it, I wanted to subject the Razr Fold to a comprehensive outdoor test. I headed to a local art district, using it for a real-world evaluation disguised as a pleasant stroll in the harsh summer heat.

      This area is filled with large murals, vibrant walls, deep shadows, glaring afternoon light, tree coverage, signboards, and countless small details in each frame. If a phone camera tends to oversaturate colors, lose texture, crush shadows, or encounter exposure issues, this is the perfect place for those flaws to become evident. Despite the challenging conditions, the Razr Fold performed better than I anticipated.

      The cameras excel with colors

      Motorola collaborated closely with Pantone to ensure accurate color reproduction, which is evident in how effectively the device's main camera captured colors. The murals in the photos are vibrant, showcasing bold reds, deep blues, teal walls, yellow buildings, painted birds, and much more. The Razr Fold conveyed that energy without making the images appear overly exaggerated or artificially enhanced.

      In the pink mural, for instance, the camera retained the texture of the wall while managing the sky and surrounding greenery. Likewise, the artwork featuring strong blue shades avoided overwhelming the image with unnatural vibrancy. Even in direct sunlight, Motorola steered clear of excessive HDR processing, which can render scenes feeling overly cooked or artificial. The restraint shown in both color and processing was commendable and is evident in the wider street shots as well.

      The telephoto lens was another pleasant surprise for me. Foldable phones often have their hardware divided across two halves, making them thinner and more complex internally. This often leads to limited internal space, resulting in smaller sensors, particularly for the telephoto camera. However, Motorola cleverly circumvented this issue with a pronounced camera bump on the back, allowing for a 3x periscope telephoto lens that effectively zoomed into the frame. This provided a fresh perspective, more detail from a distance, and an improved capability to isolate textures and finer elements in a scene.

      Transforming the experience with the foldable screen

      While the camera quality impressed me, the foldable design enhanced the overall shooting experience. Previewing images on the large inner screen was genuinely enjoyable. It became much easier to scrutinize details, assess framing, identify missed focus, and determine whether a shot was worth re-taking. With a traditional phone, I often take a quick glance and move on. However, reviewing photos on the Razr Fold felt akin to examining them on a small tablet.

      Motorola's confidence in the Razr Fold's camera feels well-placed. The main camera is robust, the telephoto provides real versatility, and the phone managed bright colors and challenging lighting conditions better than I expected. Most importantly, I found the experience enjoyable. It made me want to linger longer in the heat to capture better shots. For a foldable device, this is a very positive indication.