Chinese smartphone maker Oppo has unveiled its latest flagship phone, the Find X7 Ultra, featuring groundbreaking camera technology with dual periscope telephoto lenses. The phone packs high-end specs and introduces several innovations that aim to redefine smartphone photography.
Overview of Key Find X7 Ultra Features
The Oppo Find X7 Ultra sports a striking design with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and runs Oppo’s latest ColorOS interface based on Android 13.
But the highlight is undoubtedly the rear quad camera system:
- Main 50MP wide camera with 1-inch image sensor
- 50MP ultrawide camera
- Dual 50MP telephoto cameras with 5x and 10x optical zoom
- Advanced image processing powered by Oppo’s MariSilicon X NPU
This makes the Find X7 Ultra the first phone ever released with two separate periscope telephoto lenses. The two lenses allow lossless hybrid zoom up to 120x.
The Find X7 Ultra also introduces Oppo’s HyperSense technology with enhanced haptics and stereo speakers tuned by Dynaudio.Fast charging is covered by 100W SUPERVOOC wired and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging.
Lead Up to the Find X7 Ultra Launch
Oppo has been making strides in smartphone camera technology in recent years. Last year’s Find X6 Pro+ introduced one of the first periscope telephoto lenses paired with a large 1-inch sensor.
With the Find X7 series, Oppo aims to push the boundaries even further. Rumors of the dual telephoto periscope system first started appearing in late 2023. Prominent leaker Ice Universe tweeted that Oppo was working on a phone with two periscope lenses with 5x and 10x optical zoom.
This sparked much speculation and anticipation in tech circles. Finally, earlier this month at CES 2024, Oppo officially confirmed it would be unveiling a phone with quad 50MP cameras and dual optical zooms.
Key Details From the Find X7 Ultra Launch Event
The launch event for the Find X7 series took place on January 8 in China. OPPO CEO Pete Lau hosted the event and spoke in depth about the Find X7 Ultra’s cameras and zoom capabilities calling them “a new era of smartphone imaging.”
He outlined how the two separate periscope systems with independent optical stabilizations can achieve better zoom quality than hybrid zooms on other phones. He also highlighted the large 1-inch sensor size which captures more light and detail.
To demonstrate the zoom, sample photos were shown from the Find X7 Ultra ranging from wide shots to 10x, 60x and even 120x zoom. The clarity and detail at high zoom levels was very impressive with far less noise or artifacts compared to previous generation phone cameras.
The Find X7 Ultra’s camera also introduces Oppo’s upgraded HyperSense Engine which leverages AI for enhanced photography and videography. This includes better HDR and low light performance. Hasselblad color tuning has also been incorporated for more true-to-life colors.
Hands-on Testing Reveals Impressive Camera Performance
In the days since the launch, tech media and journalists have had the chance to go hands-on with early Find X7 Ultra units. The universal consensus is that its camera system delivers stunning results that raise the bar for smartphone photography.
Reviewers praise the sharpness and level of detail captured by the main 50MP camera. The expansive wide angles from the ultrawide lens also allow for dramatic sweeping landscape shots.
But it’s the optical zoom capabilities enabled by the dual periscope lenses that are the real showstopper. Images remain crisp and clear at high magnifications that blur out on other phones. This allows capturing shots like athletes on a field, wildlife, or architectural details with incredible quality from a phone.
Early camera samples already demonstrate photography rivalling that of DSLR cameras. The advanced image tuning also impresses with excellent dynamic range and natural-looking colors without appearing oversaturated.
Low light photography is equally impressive with less noise than one would expect from smaller smartphone image sensors. The expanded light capture abilities open up new creative possibilities.
What This Means for the Smartphone Industry
The Oppo Find X7 Ultra represents a watershed moment for computational smartphone photography. Its unmatched optical zoom and innovative dual periscope lens design set a new high benchmark.
If early testing is any indication, its real world camera performance will markedly improve what’s possible with a modern smartphone. From Instagram posts to professional workflows, it promises elevation for content creators, photographers, and everyday users alike.
This camera innovation paired with high-end power user features also bolsters Oppo’s push towards competing for the Android flagship crown. The Find X7 Ultra brings serious competition to the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra which itself just raised the bar for zoom capabilities.
Other manufacturers will also need to step up their camera games in 2024 if they hope to be considered leaders in smartphone imaging. Having dual periscope lenses could easily become table stakes for premium flagship devices by the end of the year.
Apple is also likely keeping a close eye for how to respond with future iPhones. Though their Pro and Pro Max variants currently lead in areas like video, the Find X7 Ultra brings advantages Apple doesn’t offer yet like the degree of optical zoom range.
What to Expect Next From Oppo and Key Competitors
The Find X7 Ultra also cements Oppo’s partnership with Sony to leverage larger advanced image sensors. This degree of custom sensor development between a smartphone company and leader like Sony is rare.
We’ll likely see Oppo leverage these sensors across more models. Rumors already indicate they are co-developing a new sensor that may end up in the Reno 9 Pro launching mid-year.
Other phone makers partnering closely with Sony includes Xiaomi and their surging X100 Pro flagship also known for standout cameras. Vivo is another Chinese competitor pushing boundaries with zeiss-tuned lenses and gimbal stabilization which they could pair with an enlarged Sony sensor.
Samsung and Apple still command the most sales globally, but competition is heating up. We expect them to push hard with new camera technology and computational photography advancements later this year to meet the new bar set by Oppo’s Find X7 Ultra.
| Specification | Oppo Find X7 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Rear Camera | Quad 50MP (Wide, Ultrawide, dual telephotos) |
| Optical Zoom | 5x and 10x |
| Max Digital Zoom | 120x |
| Display | 6.7″ 1440p 120Hz AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired, 50W wireless |
| Biometrics | In-display fingerprint scanner |
| Launch Date | January 2024 |
Overall the Find X7 Ultra’s groundbreaking dual periscope zoom camera system looks set to shake up the smartphone landscape in 2024. With its unmatched optics and cutting-edge imaging sensors, Oppo has set a new standard for what phone cameras can achieve. And if rivals hope to compete, they will need to achieve similar technical feats with their own upcoming flagships later this year.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
