Compact and Advanced Periscope Telephoto Lens Design
The OnePlus 13 features a new periscope telephoto camera that utilizes a groundbreaking "Triprism" design. Unlike traditional periscope lenses which require considerable space, this Triprism lens bends light three times inside the module. The innovation results in a telephoto lens that is 24% smaller and 30% lighter than typical periscope telephoto lenses. This compact design allows for a longer focal length without compromising the phone's slim profile, making it more practical for everyday use while maintaining excellent optical performance. The lens also has a bright f/2.6 aperture complemented with optical image stabilization (OIS) to support clearer images, especially at zoom levels.
Superior Optical Zoom Capability with 3x Optical Zoom and Beyond
The telephoto lens offers a 73mm equivalent focal length, which translates to a 3x optical zoom. This allows capturing subjects at a distance with minimal loss of detail compared to digital zoom. The OnePlus 13 further extends its zoom capability via AI-powered telephoto modes, enabling digital zooms up to 120x. Users have noted that this high zoom level maintains decent image quality, especially when stabilized, providing impressive zoom shots that reveal fine details even at significant distances. The digital zoom quality benefits greatly from the Snapdragon 8 Elite platform's AI image processing.
Enhanced Image Quality in Zoomed Shots
Thanks to the combination of the Triprism optical design, a 50MP Sony LYT-600 sensor, and advanced AI processing, the OnePlus 13 delivers exceptional image quality at various zoom levels. The camera excels in producing sharp, clear images at 3x zoom and even up to 6x zoom. The design retains enough brightness and stabilization to reduce noise and blurriness during zoom captures. Early reviews also mention a bit of sharpening applied in images which may improve further with software updates. Overall, the telephoto camera is trusted for both everyday zoom photography and more challenging telephoto shots.
Improved Burst and Action Photography with Dual Exposure Algorithm
The telephoto camera benefits from OnePlus's new Dual Exposure Algorithm, which significantly enhances burst photography. When users hold the shutter button for burst shots, the camera captures two images simultaneously with HDR, leading to sharper and more detailed frames even in fast-moving scenes. This feature is complemented by the Clear Burst and Action modes, allowing continuous shooting up to 60 frames per second, double the speed of typical burst modes. These technologies improve photo quality in dynamic environments, making the telephoto lens highly effective for sports, wildlife, and other action photography.
Versatility and Advanced Features for Mobile Photographers
Mobile photographers get a high degree of control over the telephoto camera's output using OnePlus's Master Mode. Adjustments for tint, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and vignetting are available, allowing manual fine-tuning of photos. Exposure and other camera settings can also be managed to suit different shooting conditions. This flexibility enables photographers to optimize the telephoto lens for diverse scenarios, from portraits with natural bokeh to detailed distant landscape shots. The telephoto camera is often praised as a favorite lens among OnePlus 13 users for its sharp portraits and rich detail retention.
Video Recording Consistency Across Lenses
The telephoto camera on the OnePlus 13 is capable of recording 4K video at 60 frames per second with Dolby Vision HDR, the same specs as the main and ultra-wide cameras. This capability allows smooth and consistent video capture when switching between lenses seamlessly during recording. The high-quality video performance ensures that telephoto zoom videos are stabilized and bright, preserving clarity and color fidelity even at longer focal lengths. This is beneficial for users who want versatile and professional-grade videography from a single device.
Compact Size Without Compromise in Performance
The innovative Triprism design of the OnePlus 13's telephoto lens not only reduces physical size and weight but also maintains high optical standards. This reduction in lens bulk improves the overall device ergonomics, making it easier to handle while shooting telephoto images. Despite the smaller and lighter lens, the camera provides strong optical image stabilization and a wide aperture for better low-light performance compared to traditional periscope lenses. Users benefit from this efficient design as it marries portability with powerful zoom and image clarity.
Overall Photographic Experience Enhancement
The integration of the periscope telephoto camera into the OnePlus 13's triple camera system enhances the device's overall photography capabilities. It works in harmony with the 50MP main and ultra-wide cameras, each with high-quality sensors, allowing for versatile shooting options. The telephoto camera's zoom strengths, burst mode innovations, and manual controls enrich the creative potential for users, supportive of both amateur and seasoned mobile photographers. Its combination of advanced optics and AI processing sets a competitive standard in the smartphone camera space for optical zoom and telephoto photography.
These benefits collectively position the OnePlus 13's new periscope telephoto camera as a high-performing, compact, and versatile tool for capturing detailed images and high-quality zoomed photos and videos in a smartphone form factor. The innovation in lens design, along with the computational photography features, distinguishes it in the current flagship smartphone market.