The OnePlus 9 series (presumably the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro) launches on March 23, but we do not have to wait until then to unpack the cameras on the cameras – easily the most anticipated feature on which we all wait.
To no one’s surprise, OnePlus and CEO Pete Lau dropped details about the cameras in the OnePlus 9 series on Twitter. Here is everything we know so far about the cameras.
Co-developed by Hasselblad – We know that the OnePlus 9 phones are put together with cameras by the Swedish photography company Hasselblad. OnePlus announced earlier this week that it had signed a three-year long-term partnership with Hasselblad to develop new camera technologies for its phones.
OnePlus says that the OnePlus 9 series will have a “Hasselblad Pro Mode” with an “updated user interface based on Hasselblad’s image processing software.” Confirmed settings in this Hasselblad Pro mode include controls for ISO, focus, exposure times, white balance, 12-bit RAW format, and more.
Which image sensor does the OnePlus 9 camera use?
Sony’s IMX789 – Camera specifications have not mattered much in the last few years, but the spec sheet is starting to get noticeable again. The OnePlus 9 series will use a custom Sony IMX789 image sensor – the largest sensor that OnePlus has ever placed in a phone. The larger sensor not only means better photos with a higher resolution, but also enhances photos in low light thanks to more light being captured.
The 48-megapixel sensor can shoot 4K video at 120 fps and OnePlus has also confirmed 8K video recording at 30 fps, though this is exclusive to the OnePlus 9 Pro camera.
How will the image quality of the OnePlus 9 camera be improved?
More realistic colors – Android phones are not known for their color accuracy. While OnePlus has reduced the saturation on its phones compared to the more vibrant colors you get on Samsung’s Galaxy phones, it’s still not as natural or lifelike as colors that come from an iPhone camera.
According to Lau, the Hasselblad team will rectify things. “With a camera, you always have to show the world in its natural colors,” Lau tweeted. “And this is one of the first things we worked on by developing a new natural color calibration with @Hasselblad.”
Included in the tweet was a photo he mentions taken with the OnePlus 9 cameras. The photo is colorful and vivid, but it’s hard to say how much editing has been done and how much of the environment’s lighting has been controlled to produce this photo. Needless to say, I look forward to testing the OnePlus 9 Series cameras for myself to see how natural the colors are in a non-professional recording scenario.
How much resolution will the ultra-wide camera have on the OnePlus 9?
50 megapixel ultra-wide camera – It was only a few years ago that ultra wide cameras became a staple on smartphones. Since then, it has been a slow march towards improving image quality, with phone cameras improving the processing of sharper photos (especially on the corners and edges); to enlarge the aperture to allow better ultra-wide shots in low light; and some ultra-wide cameras even have autofocus.
The official OnePlus Twitter account confirmed the ultra-wide camera in the OnePlus 9 series will have 50 megapixel resolution. Lau followed up a tweet and preview photo with the high-resolution ultra-wide. Lau said the OnePlus 9 is ultra-wide “clearer and truer for the world around you.”
Fifty megapixels is an insane leap into detail. Compare that to the 12-megapixels on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, 12-megapixels on the Galaxy S21 Ultra and 48-megapixel sensor with 12-megapixel image out on the OnePlus 8 Pro.
How will the ultra-wide camera on the OnePlus 9 be improved?
The ultra-wide is a ‘freeform lens’ that significantly reduces distortion from 10-20 percent to about 1 percent, according to GSMArena. Below is a video showing the reduction of distortion in the Sony IMX789 image sensor.
Lau also confirmed that the ultra-wide camera of the OnePlus 9 series will have the Sony IMX766 sensor, but it will still have the IMX789’s reduced distortion. Look at this two photos he shared on Twitter:
Will the OnePlus 9 camera take better photos at night and in low light?
We definitely hope so. OnePlus’ Nightscape mode has gradually improved with each new flagship phone and with the new Sony IMX789 sensor and Hasselblad image processing we expect night photography to get even better. It will be a big step backwards if it gets worse.
What are the OnePlus 9 camera specifications?
The full specifications for the cameras on the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro have not been confirmed yet. Rumor has it that the OnePlus 9 has a three-camera rear camera and the OnePlus 9 Pro a quarter-lens rear camera.
The OnePlus 8 Pro has a triple lens camera with a large wide lens, ultra wide lens, 3x telephoto lens. It also got a “color filter” sensor. The OnePlus 8, on the other hand, has a camera system with a large wide lens, an ultra wide lens and a 3x telephoto lens.
OnePlus may include an updated color filter sensor or a macro lens for the OnePlus 9 Pro’s camera.
How many megapixels will the OnePlus 9 selfie cameras have?
There is even less information about the selfie cameras of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. From what we’ve seen floating around, OnePlus will stick with a 16-megapixel selfie camera on the front, just like in the OnePlus 8 series, with a hole-cutout.
When will we know all about the OnePlus 9 camera?
OnePlus will officially launch the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro on March 23 at 10 a.m. ET. We then have all the Hasselblad camera specifications and features.
Where can I get a camera review for the OnePlus 9 cameras?
As usual, Inputs will have an overview with in-depth comparisons as soon as we get the phones in hand for testing. We certainly compare the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro cameras iPhone 12 Pro Max, Galaxy S21 Ultra and OnePlus 8 Pro. Stay tuned.