As if phone makers don’t have enough trouble with the foldable phones already – hinge, display, form factor, weight, durability, pricing (as in: ‘Can we overprice this thing even more somehow?’)...
99% of those who dare produce foldable phones have 99 problems and now, they have one more to deal with – it’s called competition.
Gee, thanks, OnePlus!
Remember how you used to feel back in school (or it’s not yet “back” for you?) when this particular kid politely reminded the teacher that you had homework assigned? This is exactly how Samsung, Google and practically every other manufacturer that’s in the foldable business has felt like for the last few months. From late October 2023, to be precise – when the OnePlus Open debuted.
See, the kid in the story who refuses to go along with the rest of the class when no one else has had their homework done… is OnePlus.
We’re not talking about the OnePlus Open’s bright large screens, its exceptionally user-friendly and multitasking-encouraging interface, the great overall performance, the reliable battery, or its lightweight design with a sturdy hinge that’s set to endure a million foldings… (Wow, imagine how I’d paint the OnePlus Open if they paid me on the side!)
None of the above matters (it does, but not for this article’s purposes), it’s the camera that’s the biggest star on the OnePlus Open. Its main camera is so good that it's on par with that of non-folding phones. A quick note: fold-capable phones are complex creatures and as such, they rarely have a space to fit too much. That’s why compromises have to be made in some areas.
That’s why it’s nothing short of hilarious how the 10x digital zoom photos from the OnePlus Open from its 3x zoom telephoto rival the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its dedicated 10x optical zoom camera.
It seems that the rest of the foldables haven’t done their camera homework, and while they did get away with it until now, 2024 and beyond might become challenging for them in a way no brand wants to be challenged.
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Even if you don’t take any pictures and couldn’t care less about mobile photography, the OnePlus Open’s camera achievements are something you should be thinking about day and night.
No, seriously. I’ll tell you why.
A quick check on the competition (and some fortune-telling)
First, let’s have a quick look at the state of foldable phones and their cameras:
The Pixel Fold didn’t have enough space for a full-fledged camera system and Google once again used the protruding camera bulge. It’s cool.
What is not cool is that Fold incorporates lower-level cameras than the Pixel 7 Pro from 2022. For example, the Fold’s 48MP main shooter sports a smaller sensor compared to the Pixel 7 Pro (a smaller sensor usually means photos can be of slightly lower quality, especially at night). The Fold also uses a 10.8MP 5X zoom telephoto camera and that one also has a smaller sensor size than the 48MP 5X zoom one on the Pixel 7 Pro (the sizes are 1/3.1” vs 1/2.55”).
If that’s a relief, the ultra-wide cameras are of a similar size on the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7 Pro. Sorry, don’t get relieved yet: they are in fact different sensors and the Pixel Fold does not get as wide as the 7 Pro does.
Apart from some minor improvements from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 image tweaking, the Galaxy Fold 5 is the same as the Galaxy Fold 4 (hello, 2022!) in terms of camera performance. Interestingly enough, our Galaxy Z Fold 5 testing unit in fact produced worse results than the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
All in all, here are the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s cameras (minus the selfie cameras): a main shooter (50MP), the obligatory ultra-wide (12MP) and for final, the 3x telephoto (10MP).
The super sexy Mi Mix Fold 3 almost didn’t make it to this very list. It is a China-exclusive device, but the upcoming Mi Mix Fold 4, however, could see a global release this time around. So, let’s throw it in!
The Mi Mix Fold 3 has a quad camera on the back, designed in collaboration with Leica: a 50MP main camera, a 10MP telephoto, another 10MP telephoto (periscope for greater zoom), and a 12MP super wide-angle with OIS (optical image stabilization).
Here’s the fortune-telling part: the upcoming Pixel Fold 2, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 better straighten up because I can think of no scenario where the OnePlus Open 2’s camera will be a disappointment whatsoever.
OnePlus Open
The setup on the current OnePlus Open shines with the 48MP main camera sensor with a large 1/1.43" Sony LYT-T808 stacked sensor. Long story short, this is how the sensor can capture more light (good for photography) and deliver a much better overall picture. It’s so good it rivals phones with huge (for mobile tech) 1-inch camera sensors despite being smaller.
The telephoto camera on the Open is a 64MP one with native 3x optical zoom that sensor-crops to 6x and looks amazing. The telephoto is also capable of zooming up to 120x (digitally), which accounts for more than one plus for the OnePlus Open.
‘Where’s Honor and its Honor Magic V2?’ Jeez, relax, we can’t fold everything into one single article!
The demoralizing morals of the story (ending on a high note)
So, if the OnePlus Open can do such a stellar job on its foldable debut, why can’t Samsung or Google, for crying out loud, do it as well? One is in the folding game for five years straight now, the other has all the money in the world.
It’s funny when you think of how one “lesser” brand is able to outdo the giants. Fair enough – Samsung and Google simply may have lost their mojo. They could actually be unable to put a top-notch camera setup in their foldables.
Or – that’s a bit demoralizing, actually – they can, but concisely decide not to.
That’s why the OnePlus Open’s achievements in camera are essential, even if mobile photography is not essential for you. The fact that they can do it, means the rest will no longer have any excuses left and, instead, will get on with cutting-edge innovation as they should.
The time of the 10MP telephoto shooters or main camera sensors from 2022 is over.
The foldable game is changed. It’s not solely about the hinge anymore.
In a broader perspective, it’s not about “folding” as a phenomenon anymore. It’s about being a great phone in the first place. And for many, “the best phone” often means “having the best camera”.
Gee, thanks, OnePlus!
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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.
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