Oppo lately renewed its partnership with the legendary pictures firm, Hasselblad. To mark the event, I used to be invited over to Hasselblad’s hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden, and I spent the week taking pictures images on Oppo’s strongest digicam cellphone, the Discover X8 Extremely.
The cellphone initially launched again in April, but it surely’s solely formally out there in China. So, till now, I hadn’t been in a position to totally check its capabilities. Some are calling it one of the best digicam cellphone ever made, however the competitors from the likes of Google, Samsung and Apple is extraordinarily fierce, so how good is that this factor, precisely?
The digicam {hardware}
Beginning with the primary digicam, the Oppo Discover X8 Extremely utilises a 1-inch kind sensor, the biggest you’ll discover on a contemporary smartphone. For reference, it’s round 30% bigger than the primary sensor on mainstream flagships just like the iPhone 16 Professional Max or Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely.
Because of this the X8 Extremely will carry out higher in low-light situations, and it’s able to producing extra background blur on close-up photographs – identical to you’d see with a mirrorless digicam or DSLR.
It’s clear that some very intelligent engineering went into this handset
Luke Baker
This large essential sensor is joined by a 15mm-equivalent ultrawide, a 70mm (3x) periscope telephoto and one other 135mm (6x) telephoto. There’s additionally a devoted color spectrum sensor to assist guarantee appropriate white stability, even in scenes with difficult multi-coloured lighting.
All of those cameras have a 50Mp decision sensor, and most use considerably bigger sensors than their mainstream competitors. Across the entrance, there’s a 32Mp selfie snapper with autofocus.
It’s a critically spectacular array of lenses, however what shocked me extra is that the digicam bump isn’t gigantic. Subsequent to telephones just like the Xiaomi 15 Extremely and Vivo X200 Extremely, the Oppo Discover X8 Extremely appears shockingly slim. It’s clear that some very intelligent engineering went into this handset.
Luke Baker
After all, {hardware} is just a part of the story; digicam telephones depend on picture processing to get one of the best outcomes, and that’s the place Hasselblad’s experience comes into play.
The collaboration has resulted in a Hasselblad-tuned Grasp Mode, in addition to movie simulations and really in-depth guide management choices.
The outcomes
Irrespective of the lighting circumstances or topic, I used to be regularly impressed with the images I shot on the X8 Extremely throughout my journey. Whether or not zooming over lengthy distances or capturing an intimate close-up, these cameras deliver out all the main points, with a really interesting color palette.
Luke Baker
The cellphone positively favours the cooler tones, and that’s much more obvious when utilizing the Hasselblad movie simulations. On this scenario, it labored in my favour, I feel the cool tones and wealthy blues marry effectively with Swedish structure.
Nonetheless, I don’t really feel it’s precisely true-to-life. To my shock, it was really scorching sizzling in Gothenburg, and I don’t assume the blue tones of my images at all times replicate that. The precise heat of the summer time solar wasn’t as straightforward to convey utilizing the cellphone’s filters and film-sims; as a substitute, you’d must tweak manually.
The 3x telephoto is outstanding for close-ups of meals and nature, whereas the 6x helps you to digitally zoom as much as round 20x with barely any perceivable loss in high quality
Luke Baker
Actually, although, that’s one of many solely downsides. The 3x telephoto is outstanding for close-ups of meals and nature, whereas the 6x helps you to digitally zoom as much as round 20x with barely any perceivable loss in high quality. When you zoom additional, AI picture enhancement makes an attempt to select up the slack, and it does a good job, however any severe photographer goes to scoff at that.
The principle digicam can deal with some critically low-light taking pictures, making it nice for indoor areas and late nights in town. That stated, the 3x isn’t far behind, and also you is likely to be shocked by how effectively it retains up.
The selfie digicam isn’t an enormous draw for this cellphone, however I used to be pleasantly shocked by the standard. It captures glorious pores and skin tones, sharp element, and handles low mild higher than most. After all, for actually beautiful portraits, the rear cameras are nonetheless the way in which to go.
The ultrawide is the one digicam that didn’t “wow” me. It’s completely respectable and matches the opposite cameras effectively, but it surely’s nothing too distinctive. Actually, that’s normally the case with ultrawide cameras; it’s solely actually Vivo that’s pushing the envelope right here.
Is the Oppo Discover X8 Extremely one of the best digicam cellphone?
As I’m certain you’ll be able to inform, I’m fairly taken with the Oppo Discover X8 Extremely. Whereas I may not be able to declare it one of the best digicam cellphone ever, it’s definitely up there with the likes of the Xiaomi 15 Extremely, Vivo X200 Extremely and Huawei Pura 80 Extremely.
Sadly, most of those telephones a fairly exhausting to get your arms on within the West. Xiaomi’s greatest is offered within the UK, however in any other case, you’d have to take a look at importing. And within the States, the scenario is even harder.
Nonetheless, that is probably not the case for for much longer. After pulling out of Europe altogether throughout a patent dispute with Nokia, Oppo got here again with a bang late final 12 months.
It launched its Discover X8 Professional within the UK, however sadly, the Extremely didn’t comply with go well with. There’s a glimmer of hope that we would see the following Oppo Extremely cellphone launch internationally.
If it does, that might be very thrilling certainly, particularly as we now know that the Hasselblad partnership will proceed. For now, I’m certain Apple and Samsung‘s dominance will proceed, however for those who’re a severe photographer, neither is coming near matching China’s newest batch of Extremely flagships.
