At any time when a model talks about “reinventing itself” or any form of comparable language, I normally roll my eyes and transfer on. Such claims are normally overhyped, however within the case of the OnePlus 13, OnePlus has actually reinvented the digital camera expertise on its newest flagship telephone and crafted among the finest smartphone cameras ever created.
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On the heart of all of it is a brand new back-end algorithm OnePlus plainly calls Twin Publicity, the place every body consists of two instantaneous captures: one lengthy publicity and one quick. The mixture ends in pictures which have punchy distinction, extremely shifting object readability, and very extensive dynamic vary when referred to as for.
On high of that, OnePlus is utilizing two model new Sony LYT sensors, serving to ship one of the best picture high quality doable on its important and telephoto sensors. This, mixed with a tweaked digital camera UI and improved AI-powered software program stack, permits unbelievable readability as much as 30X zoom, in addition to spectacular tips like 4K 60FPS Dolby Imaginative and prescient seize on all 4 cameras.
Total, it is an enormous win for the corporate that fought to show itself as a contender in cellular pictures for years with its Hasselblad branding. Now, OnePlus can stand tall alongside that H on the again of the OnePlus 13 figuring out it is bought one of many best cellular cameras obtainable at the moment.
Movement seize
For years, I’ve weighed movement seize extra extremely than another metric when judging a smartphone’s digital camera system. Any digital camera can take adequate pictures in virtually any lighting situation now, however solely a choose few can get the job achieved when an individual or pet is not prepared to carry nonetheless.
OnePlus talked up an enormous sport throughout the OnePlus 13’s announcement, saying it lastly solved the movement seize drawback. Whereas customary picture seize works effectively for shifting objects, motion mode, and clear burst are one of the best options for making certain you seize the second.
In customary picture mode, the OnePlus 13 impressed with a whole lack of shutter lag. Only a few telephones do that effectively — the Google Pixel 9 Professional is a good instance of getting it proper — whereas telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely have a relatively horrible shutter lag that feels prefer it takes “ceaselessly” to seize a photograph after urgent the shutter button.
The above picture is an ideal instance of what might be captured by merely opening the digital camera app and tapping the shutter button. Not solely is that this a low-light setting, however the bowling ball in the midst of the body was shifting down the lane on the time of seize.
Due to OnePlus’s glorious new twin publicity algorithm, although, the ball has been captured in crisp element. It even did a superb job of balancing the publicity all through the scene, whereas some telephones would possibly underexpose the picture with a purpose to seize the shifting object finest.
The development over the OnePlus 12‘s digital camera might be seen at occasions like these, as that bowling ball could be blurrier when captured on final yr’s OnePlus flagship. This distinction even happens throughout the day, as you’ll be able to see within the two pictures of a shifting carousel experience beneath.
Utilizing Motion Mode bumps the digital camera viewfinder up from 30FPS to 60FPS, making it simpler to time the second whenever you faucet the shutter button. Higher but, quickly tapping the shutter button or simply holding it down will activate “clear burst” mode, which delivers a number of twin publicity captures per second. This works in vibrant or dim gentle equally as effectively.
It additionally works on all of the telephone’s rear cameras, so you’ll be able to seize motion mode photographs at any zoom degree and even utilizing the ultrawide digital camera. As evidenced within the comparability beneath utilizing at 3X zoom within the digital camera’s viewfinder, OnePlus’s motion mode is especially efficient even when in comparison with the Google Pixel 9 Professional’s very succesful cameras.
The OnePlus 13 nailed the publicity and shade temperature of the scene, plus captured each motion in crystal clear element. Because of motion mode, it was simpler to seize the second mid-swing, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional robotically selected the least blurry picture it captured once I tapped the shutter button.
For reference, Pixel telephones are at all times taking pictures even earlier than you faucet the shutter button, they usually robotically decide one of the best body primarily based on AI evaluation on the again finish. When utilizing motion mode and Clear Burst on a OnePlus 13, you’ll be able to choose from a handful of pictures captured throughout the image-taking course of, providing you with much better handbook management after taking a photograph.
The OnePlus 13’s motion mode additionally holds up effectively in decrease gentle, as this second instance of my son leaping off the highest bunk of his mattress reveals. The OnePlus 13’s picture is overexposed across the gentle supply, however the remainder of the scene seems to be glorious. In the meantime, the Pixel 9 Professional’s picture is underexposed all through the picture, even when it nailed the highlights across the gentle on the ceiling.
Zoom element
The OnePlus 13 not solely makes use of an enormous new Sony LYT-600 50MP 1/1.95-inch sensor, nevertheless it packs the sensor behind a brand new triple-prism lens that is 24% flatter and 30% lighter than the one on the OnePlus 12. Like lots of corporations, OnePlus is baking AI proper into the picture seize, making certain that the 3X lens performs so much higher than it might sound at first.
I can see this being a controversial resolution as a result of there are some pretty apparent “AI-looking” enhancements in common pictures. I do not assume it detracts from pictures, and OnePlus is not the one firm doing this, however telephones like a Pixel 9 Professional will produce a extra pure picture even when it is of decrease high quality in some conditions.
The OnePlus 13 photographs are virtually at all times of upper distinction than photographs from competing Android telephones, giving them a definite look. Lots of the telephone’s pictures look finest on the telephone’s show due to the improved HDR represented by the Professional XDR seize, which is enabled by default. Exporting pictures or modifying them usually removes this Professional XDR layer, making them barely decrease high quality than the unique seize.
That is much like how HDR video captured on the telephone will usually look higher than after it is posted on social media or different platforms. This is not OnePlus’s fault, however it could possibly have an effect on the tip end result.
At night time, the additional distinction and punchiness of the OnePlus 13’s pictures actually shine. This 20X zoom picture comparability with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely reveals that off significantly effectively, because the OnePlus 13’s colours look richer and extra correct than the washed-out ones on the Galaxy S24 Extremely. The OnePlus 13 additionally nails the publicity, giving the scene extra moodiness and protecting the lights from being blown out.
One space OnePlus wants to enhance is with direct body crops which happen at each 2x and 6x. The 2x button crops the principle sensor by 50%, whereas the 6x button does the identical with the telephoto sensor. Sometimes, corporations name this an “optical zoom equal” as a result of there isn’t any actual digital zooming occurring, and, as an alternative, the variety of binned pixels is simply reduce in half.
Nevertheless, the OnePlus 13 seems to be performing some further processing at these two zoom ranges, which does not do it any favors. In comparison with the OnePlus 12’s 2x picture of the identical topic, the OnePlus 13’s picture seems to be closely digitally processed. This did not at all times occur, however I by no means noticed this habits on the OnePlus 12, so the corporate must tweak the algorithm a bit for these particular zoom ranges.
Evening gentle
One of many chief complaints about fashionable smartphone pictures is that too many telephones make night time pictures appear to be daytime pictures. Pixels and Galaxy telephones are significantly unhealthy about this, and fortunately, OnePlus would not appear to endure from this problem the overwhelming majority of the time.
I’ve taken a whole lot of low-light pictures with these telephones and have been supremely impressed with the OnePlus 13’s skill to make a nighttime picture truly appear to be it is nighttime. This picture of an enormous Christmas tree within the park taken from the ultrawide angle lens completely illustrates that.
The OnePlus 13’s picture right here is the epitome of perfection. The whole lot is correct, from the publicity to the distinction, the colour temperature, and even the positive particulars on the signal on the base of the tree. The Pixel 9 Professional tried to drag out as a lot shadow element as doable, which is admirable, nevertheless it ended up making the picture look far brighter than it was in actual life.
Since nighttime pictures usually finally ends up requiring longer exposures, the OnePlus 13’s new twin publicity algorithm helps the telephone seize something that may be shifting throughout that lengthy publicity. This shot of the moonlight reflecting on the open ocean, taken from the aspect of a cruise ship, completely illustrates that.
Discover how the waves are tremendous crisp and detailed on the OnePlus 13, whereas the Pixel 9 Professional and Galaxy S24 Extremely’s photographs exhibit double imaging or blurriness. This type of movement readability is according to the shot of the bowling ball rolling down the lane within the dimly lit bar at first of this text.
Selfies and portraits
OnePlus telephones have had an excellent portrait mode for fairly a while now, however I’ve referred to as Samsung the king of portrait mode a number of years in a row. That being stated, OnePlus is giving Samsung (and Honor) a run for its cash with the OnePlus 13’s enhanced Hasselblad portrait mode, which does an excellent higher job of subtly separating the topic from the background.
Within the first shot, I used the widest portrait zoom I may get from every telephone to seize myself in a dashing surfer Santa statue. Clearly, Santa must work on his seaside bod, however there are two standouts on this comparability.
The Pixel 9 Professional did an awesome job of blurring the background within the high half of the image however the backside half’s blurred background is a bit messy. The cutout between the surfboard and Santa’s leg is nonexistent, whereas decrease down the leg, the sting of the cutout may be very messy.
The OnePlus 13’s lighting is significantly higher than the opposite two telephones with higher colours and highlights throughout. It additionally subtly blurred the background throughout Santa and the surfboard and did a superb job of the cutout throughout. The blur depth is configurable within the viewfinder, however that is the default setting. The one problem with this shot is the surfboard sample, which lacks element in comparison with the opposite two telephones’ photographs.
The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s shot is essentially the most detailed nevertheless it’s additionally the darkest and has no portrait mode blurring in any respect. It additionally reveals some nasty sensor noise that Samsung’s algorithm tried to wash up by my face, specifically, seems to be extraordinarily digitally processed.
Samsung’s front-facing digital camera fared a lot better on this similar state of affairs once I took a selfie in entrance of the enormous Christmas tree proper close to the surfer Santa. Whereas I like how the OnePlus 13’s picture got here out, the punchy distinction from the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s picture seems to be higher to me.
The following shot on a sunny seaside makes use of the portrait mode from the front-facing digital camera of the OnePlus 13, Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely, and Google Pixel 9 Professional. The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s shot is constantly darker than the opposite two telephones in portrait mode and is not almost as extensive as what’s supplied by OnePlus or Google. The portrait cutout is extraordinarily good; nonetheless, it’s one thing Samsung has achieved constantly excellently for years.
The OnePlus 13’s picture is my favourite of the bunch, sporting hotter colours, glorious publicity steadiness between foreground and background, and an ultra-clean cutout between me and the background with delicate mixing between.
The Pixel 9 Professional’s picture seems to be crisp however a detailed inspection on the cutout reveals the standard errors Google’s portrait mode at all times reveals. I additionally assume the Pixel blurred the background far an excessive amount of — once more, one thing it at all times does — and made the picture look pretend.
An unbelievable accomplishment
For the primary time in historical past, I really feel assured carrying round a OnePlus telephone to be used as my important digital camera. Whereas I’ve used the OnePlus 12 as my important telephone all through most of 2024, I virtually at all times carried one other telephone together with me so I might have one of the best digital camera and my favourite telephone with me always.
This yr, issues are completely different. The OnePlus 13’s digital camera is magnificent, and, outdoors of a scant few conditions, it meets or beats the competitors and provides me the picture I hoped for. Amazingly sufficient, this even contains capturing movement, one thing OnePlus and Samsung have traditionally been the weakest at.
It looks like a miracle that OnePlus would lastly get its act collectively and craft a world-class digital camera, particularly contemplating that is the fifth era Hasselblad branded digital camera. A mixture of latest sensors and a brand new backend processing algorithm have labored some critical magic, and I am completely happy to say that the OnePlus 13 is now my favourite cellular digital camera.
