Oppo phones will soon have 5x lossless zoom
You'll be able to get even closer to subjects without losing details when the Chinese manufacturer eventually releases a phone sporting this tech.
Your phone could soon stand in for a compact camera if Oppo 's new camera tech lives up to its hype.
The Chinese manufacturer showed off a new dual-camera module at Mobile World Congress that features 5x lossless zoom. It and lets you zoom in further without having to worry about the smudging that usually occurs with digital zooms.
As competing phones have shared similar specs and features in recent years, manufacturers have been searching for something unique to help them stand out. Dual cameras can provide extra features such as a wider angled shot, as in the LG G5 , or the optical zoom capabilities you get with the iPhone 7 Plus.
Like many of its rivals, Oppo has focused on its phones' cameras. This new module is just 5.7mm (0.22 inches) thick, and is the result of over a year of development by its engineers, the company claims.
To accommodate a slightly longer telephoto lens in its slim form factor, the module uses a periscope design to divert the light 90 degrees to the sensor. As you zoom in, an optical image stabilization kicks in to keep your shot steady.
The new camera is a product of a joint partnership with Corephotonics, an Israeli startup that showed off a similar camera module called Hawkeye Camera last year at MWC. Oppo told us that it licensed the original patent from Corephotonics, which worked on the same principles as its new tech. Oppo's engineers worked on the project for over a year and the company has since applied for 50 new patents.
Oppo did not disclose when a new phone featuring its new camera module will debut, but it's a good guess that it could show up in this year's flagship. A new flagship phone may also include last year's battery charging technology that races from zero to full in 15 minutes.