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At any time when a model talks about “reinventing itself” or any sort of related language, I often roll my eyes and transfer on. Such claims are often overhyped, however within the case of the OnePlus 13, OnePlus has actually reinvented the digicam expertise on its newest flagship cellphone and crafted top-of-the-line smartphone cameras ever created.
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On the middle 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 leads to images which have punchy distinction, extremely transferring object readability, and very extensive dynamic vary when known 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 principal and telephoto sensors. This, mixed with a tweaked digicam UI and improved AI-powered software program stack, permits unbelievable readability as much as 30X zoom, in addition to spectacular methods 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 realizing it is bought one of many most interesting cellular cameras obtainable right this moment.
Movement seize
For years, I’ve weighed movement seize extra extremely than some other metric when judging a smartphone’s digicam system. Any digicam can take ok images in virtually any lighting situation now, however solely a choose few can get the job executed when an individual or pet is not keen to carry nonetheless.
OnePlus talked up a giant recreation through the OnePlus 13’s announcement, saying it lastly solved the movement seize downside. Whereas customary picture seize works nicely for transferring objects, motion mode, and clear burst are one of the best options for guaranteeing you seize the second.
In customary picture mode, the OnePlus 13 impressed with an entire lack of shutter lag. Only a few telephones do that nicely — the Google Pixel 9 Professional is a good instance of getting it proper — whereas telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely have a somewhat horrible shutter lag that feels prefer it takes “eternally” 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 digicam 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 transferring 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 wonderful job of balancing the publicity all through the scene, whereas some telephones may underexpose the picture so as to seize the transferring object greatest.
The advance over the OnePlus 12’s digicam 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 through the day, as you may see within the two pictures of a transferring carousel journey under.
Utilizing Motion Mode bumps the digicam viewfinder up from 30FPS to 60FPS, making it simpler to time the second if 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 brilliant or dim mild equally as nicely.
It additionally works on all of the cellphone’s rear cameras, so you may seize motion mode photographs at any zoom degree and even utilizing the ultrawide digicam. As evidenced within the comparability under utilizing at 3X zoom within the digicam’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 images even earlier than you faucet the shutter button, they usually robotically choose 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 may choose from a handful of pictures captured through the image-taking course of, supplying you with much better guide management after taking a photograph.
The OnePlus 13’s motion mode additionally holds up nicely in decrease mild, as this second instance of my son leaping off the highest bunk of his mattress exhibits. The OnePlus 13’s picture is overexposed across the mild supply, however the remainder of the scene seems glorious. In the meantime, the Pixel 9 Professional’s picture is underexposed all through the picture, even when it nailed the highlights across the mild 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 a variety of firms, OnePlus is baking AI proper into the picture seize, guaranteeing that the 3X lens performs lots 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 images. I do not assume it detracts from images, 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 cellphone’s images look greatest on the cellphone’s show due to the improved HDR represented by the Professional XDR seize, which is enabled by default. Exporting images or modifying them typically removes this Professional XDR layer, making them barely decrease high quality than the unique seize.
That is just like how HDR video captured on the cellphone will typically look higher than after it is posted on social media or different platforms. This is not OnePlus’s fault, however it could actually have an effect on the top consequence.
At night time, the additional distinction and punchiness of the OnePlus 13’s images actually shine. This 20X zoom picture comparability with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely exhibits that off notably nicely, 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 holding 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, firms 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.
Nonetheless, the OnePlus 13 seems to be doing a little additional 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 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.
Night time mild
One of many chief complaints about trendy smartphone pictures is that too many telephones make night time images appear like daytime images. Pixels and Galaxy telephones are notably dangerous about this, and fortunately, OnePlus would not appear to endure from this subject the overwhelming majority of the time.
I’ve taken lots of of low-light images with these telephones and have been supremely impressed with the OnePlus 13’s capability to make a nighttime picture truly appear like it is nighttime. This picture of a large 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. Every little thing is true, from the publicity to the distinction, the colour temperature, and even the effective particulars on the signal on the base of the tree. The Pixel 9 Professional tried to tug 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 cellphone seize something that may be transferring throughout that lengthy publicity. This shot of the moonlight reflecting on the open ocean, taken from the facet 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 in keeping with the shot of the bowling ball rolling down the lane within the dimly lit bar firstly of this text.
Selfies and portraits
OnePlus telephones have had an excellent portrait mode for fairly a while now, however I’ve known as Samsung the king of portrait mode a number of years in a row. That being mentioned, OnePlus is giving Samsung (and Honor) a run for its cash with the OnePlus 13’s enhanced Hasselblad portrait mode, which does a fair higher job of subtly separating the topic from the background.
Within the first shot, I used the widest portrait zoom I might get from every cellphone to seize myself in a dashing surfer Santa statue. Clearly, Santa must work on his seashore bod, however there are two standouts on this comparability.
The Pixel 9 Professional did an excellent 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 could 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 wonderful job of the cutout throughout. The blur depth is configurable within the viewfinder, however that is the default setting. The one subject 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 displays some nasty sensor noise that Samsung’s algorithm tried to wash up by my face, particularly, seems extraordinarily digitally processed.
Samsung’s front-facing digicam fared significantly better on this identical 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 higher to me.
The subsequent shot on a sunny seashore makes use of the portrait mode from the front-facing digicam of the OnePlus 13, Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely, and Google Pixel 9 Professional. The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s shot is persistently darker than the opposite two telephones in portrait mode and is not almost as extensive as what’s provided by OnePlus or Google. The portrait cutout is extraordinarily good; nonetheless, it’s one thing Samsung has executed persistently 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 refined mixing between.
The Pixel 9 Professional’s picture seems crisp however an in depth inspection on the cutout exhibits the standard errors Google’s portrait mode at all times displays. 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 cellphone to be used as my principal digicam. Whereas I’ve used the OnePlus 12 as my principal cellphone all through most of 2024, I virtually at all times carried one other cellphone together with me so I might have one of the best digicam and my favourite cellphone with me always.
This yr, issues are totally different. The OnePlus 13’s digicam 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 consists of capturing movement, one thing OnePlus and Samsung have traditionally been the weakest at.
It appears like a miracle that OnePlus would lastly get its act collectively and craft a world-class digicam, particularly contemplating that is the fifth technology Hasselblad branded digicam. A mix of recent sensors and a brand new backend processing algorithm have labored some critical magic, and I am joyful to say that the OnePlus 13 is now my favourite cellular digicam.
