Not too long ago in November 2021, we took a look at the camera performance of the OPPO Reno6 Pro 5G smartphone. So in this article, we will be doing the same by focusing on the camera performance of the new Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G. The Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G retails for S$999, but from 5 January till 4 March, you can get to purchase the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G at a promotional price of S$919 at OPPO Concept Stores, and OPPO’s Shopee and Lazada Flagship Stores.
Design, build quality, and display
The Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G comes in two colour options of Startrails Blue and Starlight Black, with Laser Direct Imaging (LDI) technology applied to the back case, creating a finish that resembles thousands of comets flashing across the sky. The finish on the back does a great job in preventing unwanted fingerprints. The unit I have is the Starlight Black variant.
Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G sports a new design from its predecessor, now featuring the flat sides, following the design of the Apple iPhone 13. Additionally, there are 2.5D glass applied to both the front and back of the phone. This helps to achieve a sleek and minimal look while at the same time preventing unintended touches of the screen during use. The Reno7 Pro 5G still remains a thin and light smartphone, with a thickness of just 7.45mm and a total weight of only about 180g
As for display, it is more or less the same as its predecessor – the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G features a 6.5-inch AMOLED HDR10+ panel which maxes out at a 90hz refresh rate. Colours are vibrant and the screen does get bright enough to use in direct sunlight.
Camera
The Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G utilises a quad array setup consisting of a 50MP main camera powered by a flagship IMX766 sensor, an 8MP ultra wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a dedicated colour temperature sensor on the rear of the device
For shots with good natural lighting, the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G captures photos with accurate colours and contrast. When comparing an identical shot from an iPhone 11, there isn’t much difference, except that the colours from the iPhone 11 pop more and has more punch. Unless you put them side by side, you’ll be hard pressed to tell the difference.
When it comes to the ultra-wide lens, the differences become a little clearer. The ultra-wide lens of the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G offers less dynamic range from its main lens, and the colours aren’t as vibrant. This can be distinguished when compared to a shot taken on the iPhone 11. Details are also noticeable not as sharp as the main wide lens.
Close-up shots with the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G is also another strength, with autofocus being swift and giving the subject clear focus. In the photo below, the shot from the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G seemed to be a little colour inaccurate as the photo somehow came out more warm than how the actual subject looked. This could be due to Oppo’s ‘AI scene recognition’ feature. The shot from the iPhone 11 produces a more accurate representation of the colour.
Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G is able to capture photos with great amounts of detail and texture. As seen from the pictures below, there really isn’t much differences between the two phones.
When it comes to indoor shots, the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G is as good as the iPhone 11. Colours produced are natural and the details in shadows and highlights are retained well.
Generally, pictures taken at night with good enough lighting on Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G will produce go to use photos. But what I was interested to test was very harsh conditions where there is little to no light source. And as you can see below, the night mode on the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G does a pretty decent job in showing the subject, but loses out to the iPhone 11 by a huge margin.
Conclusion
The camera on the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G is certainly better than its predecessor of Reno6 Pro, and shots taken with enough lighting will typically produce photos that are sharp and colour with good colour representation. For more consistent colours, you might want to turn ‘AI scene recognition’ off. Night mode on the Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G is improved but still cannot compete with the flagships.