OnePlus 7 Pro camera review - Average at best - Android

Starting at $669, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the most expensive device the Chinese startup has released. It is a great deal for what we would consider a high-end 2019 device, and you can read more about it in our full OnePlus 7 Pro review. Today, we are here to look at something OnePlus sadly hasn’t been praised for in the past: camera quality.

The good news is OnePlus enters a different league with this device. The OnePlus 7 Pro adopts advanced features like a triple-camera configuration, pixel binning, and an elevating selfie shooter.

We didn’t walk into this review expecting this smartphone to compete with camera champions, but we did hope the nicer camera spec sheet would translate to an experience at least a little better than average. Let’s dig into this OnePlus 7 Pro camera review and find out it OnePlus truly upped its game.

Update October 21: OnePlus is now seeding Android 10 for the OnePlus 7 Pro. The update includes new features specifically for the camera. It should be reaching owners over the next few weeks. 

Moreover, OnePlus has launched the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro. The 7T is available in the US from T-Mobile, while the 7T Pro is reserved for markets outside the US.

OnePlus 7 Pro camera specs

Rear cameras: 

• Standard: Sony IMX586 48MP camera
  • f/1.6 aperture
  • 0.8µm/48M; 1.6µm (4 in 1)/12M pixel size
  • OIS/EIS stabilization
• Telephoto: 8MP camera
  • f/2.4 aperture
  • 1.0µm pixel size
  • 3x optical zoom
  • OIS stabilization
• Ultra wide-angle: 16MP camera
  • f/2.2 aperture
  • 117-degree field of view
• Dual LED flash
• Multi autofocus (PDAF+LAF+CAF)
• Video: 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60/240fps, 720p at 480fps
• Features: Time-lapse, video editor, ultrashot, nightscape, studio lighting, portrait, pro mode, panorama, HDR, AI scene detection, RAW image support

Front camera:

• Sony IMX471 16MP camera
  • f/2.0 aperture
  • 1.0µm pixel size
• Video: 1080p at 30fps
• Features: Time-lapse, face unlock, HDR, screen flash, face retouching, portrait
  

Related Articles

OnePlus 7 Pro review: Bigger and brighter, but is it better?

OnePlus 7 vs OnePlus 7 Pro battery comparison: It all evens out

OnePlus 7 Pro camera app

OnePlus tends to stay very true to Google’s design language, which is made for the average consumer. Google’s camera app is so simple that more advanced users find it lacking. There is no manual mode in the Pixel 3 series, which is a must in modern smartphone cameras. I have wondered why Google didn’t just hide advanced features where they don’t get in the way of its minimalist experience, yet can be found by those of us who want more control. The OnePlus 7 Pro has done exactly that.

The OnePlus 7 Pro camera app strikes the perfect balance between ease of use and advanced feature availability.

Edgar Cervantes

The OnePlus 7 Pro camera app strikes the perfect balance between ease of use and advanced feature availability. Launch the application and you will find the usual camera rotation, shutter, and preview buttons at the bottom. Right above these there are four simple camera modes: video, photo, portrait, and nightscape. Along the top you can find more options that alternate as you switch modes.

Where are the settings and advanced modes? We can find it all by swiping up from the bottom of the UI. Pro, time-lapse, panorama, slow-motion, and other modes will appear, along with the settings. My only complaint is that I did have to look around for a bit before finding these advanced settings, but that is also what I like about the app. It serves the camera geeks while staying out of the average Joe’s way.

• Ease of use: 9.5/10
• Intuitiveness: 9.5/10
• Features: 8.5/10
• Advanced Settings: 8/10

Score: 8.9/10

Daylight

Keeping ISO low and shutter speed fast is a great equation in smartphone photography. This is why daylight shots should be great coming from any modern smartphone.

The OnePlus 7 Pro produces images that are well exposed and feature good amounts of detail. Colors pop without looking artificial, and the phone did a good job displaying a bright blue sky.

It takes a special camera to pull out all the details and balance exposure correctly. The OnePlus 7 Pro is not it.

Edgar Cervantes

Quality drops when we start looking at dynamic range. With bright light comes harsh shadows, and it takes a special camera to pull out all the details and balance exposure correctly. Shadows in these images are very strong, almost to the point where we can’t really tell what’s in the shaded areas.

Score: 7/10

Color