Review | Oppo Reno 10x Zoom full review: camera zoom is up there with Huawei P30 Pro, and it’s much cheaper
- For those drawn to the prowess of the Huawei P30 Pro’s zoom lens but put off by its price – not far off that of the iPhone X – Oppo phone is great alternative
- It includes a pop-up selfie camera, seamless glass back with no camera bump, and improved ColorOS Android skin
For two years, Oppo has been teasing breakthrough mobile camera technology that offers lossless optical 5x zoom and near lossless 10x zoom (very minimal loss of quality when zooming in). The tech is finally ready, but unfortunately for Oppo, Huawei has beaten it to the punch by introducing the same tech in its P30 Pro last month.
Still, despite missing out on the “world’s first” label, there’s plenty to like with the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition – it is a viable alternative not just to Huawei’s flagship phone, but Samsung’s too. This review is of the model that comes with the 10x zoom lens.
Design and hardware
The design of the Oppo Reno is mostly understated. Its back is almost entirely smooth, with no protruding cameras. The black version I tested has a gun metal finish to the glass that, coupled with a minimalist logo and labelling, makes for a clean yet stylish look.
The main camera module on the back houses three lenses: a 48-megapixel Sony IMX 586 sensor; an eight-megapixel wide-angle lens; and a zoom lens.
The tech behind this lens is identical to the “periscope” zoom lens found inside the Huawei P30 Pro: the L-shaped sensor pulls light and directs it sideways through a series of lenses across the phone to an image sensor that is placed perpendicular inside the phone. This, plus plenty of digital algorithms, allow the Reno to achieve its zoom results.
Software and features
The Reno runs on Android 9 with Oppo’s ColorOS software on top. I’ve been critical of ColorOS in the past for being counter-intuitive, but in the new version 6, the Android skin has been fine-tuned and improved.
The biggest improvements to ColorOS 6 is the addition of the app tray (a staple of Android phones) – so we no longer have to keep all apps on the home screen like iPhones – and an overhaul in design aesthetic to better match Google’s “Material Design” vibe. Gone are the garish skeuomorphism app icons, replaced by flat design icons.
In terms of additional software features, ColorOS offers a short cut menu that can be swiped from the side of the screen, which allows quick access to specific actions within apps.
Performance and battery life
The biggest thing to test with the Reno, in my opinion, is the new 10x zoom camera, and how it stacks up against that of the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro. Overall, the Reno’s periscope zoom works as advertised, and can mostly keep up with Huawei’s.
With just a couple of taps in the camera app viewfinder, the Reno can essentially magnify a faraway object tenfold. Look at the photo sample below: the left-hand image is taken without zoom, and the one on the right used the 10x zoom.
The level of detail and clarity in the right-hand image was previously unattainable with a smartphone camera. For example, here’s the iPhone XS attempting the same 10x zoom.
When compared to the P30 Pro, the Reno’s zoom tends to be slightly less detailed, but generally brighter due to the higher f-stop of the Reno lens (f/3.0).
The wide-angle lens – a first on an Oppo device – works fine without the barrel distortion seen in the Samsung Galaxy S10. The main 48-megapixel camera is solid, but images are downscaled to 12 megapixels for extra image information.
That “shark fin” selfie camera is easy to use – the pop-up module feels sturdy and can go from recessed state to elevated and ready to shoot in half a second – but Oppo’s image processing tends to heavy-handed, as is usual with Chinese handsets.
General performance is fast and smooth as expected. This phone runs on the same Snapdragon 855 processor found in most flagship Android phones, and either 6GB or 8GB of RAM; its 4,065mAh battery is enough to power the phone all day with ease.
Conclusion
It lacks wireless charging and waterproofing, but this phone ticks all the other boxes otherwise. And at a starting price of 3,999 yuan (US$595), the Reno should be an easy consideration for those interested by the Huawei P30 Pro’s recent headline-grabbing zoom prowess but found its near iPhone-level prices too steep.
Key specifications
Dimensions: 162mm x 77.2mm x 9.3mm
Weight: 210g
Display: 6.6-inch 1,080 x 2,340 OLED panel
Battery: 4,065mAh
OS version reviewed: Android 9 with ColorOS 6 on top
Processor: Snapdragon 855
Main camera: 48-megapixel f/1.7 sensor; 13-megapixel f/3.0 telephoto lens; 8-megapixel f/2.2 wide-angle lens
Front camera: 16-megapixel pop-up camera
Memory: 6GB/8GB of RAM; 128GB/256GB ROM
Colours: Black, green
Price: 3,999 yuan (6GB RAM, 128GB ROM); 4,799 yuan (8GB RAM, 256GB ROM)
