The OnePlus 15 has arrived, ushering in a new era for the major Chinese smartphone company. The latest flagship phone marks the end of OnePlus’ Hasselblad partnership, but instead of starting a new strategic collaboration with a different photo company, OnePlus is going it alone with a brand-new in-house mobile photography system: DetailMax Engine.
OnePlus 15 Features an All-New Camera System
When OnePlus began teasing the OnePlus 15 earlier this fall, one of the biggest pieces of news was that the device would no longer feature a camera system co-developed with Hasselblad. OnePlus’ Hasselblad partnership expired, and the companies opted to part ways rather than renew. OnePlus characterizes this change as an opportunity to revisit its approach to mobile photography and double down on computational photography.
Gone is the circular camera system and the Hasselblad branding.
After years of, like most major smartphone makers, chasing larger and larger sensors, OnePlus says that its new flagship camera system “proves that exceptional photography is achieved not just through larger hardware, but through smarter software.” To that end, the OnePlus 15 features a triple 50-megapixel camera system, each pairing the latest hardware with the most advanced software OnePlus has offered to date.
The main camera features a new 50-megapixel Sony IMX906 (Type 1/1.56) image sensor and a wide-angle f/1.4 lens. The OnePlus 15’s predecessor, the OnePlus 13 — it’s not unusual for Chinese companies to skip the number “14” — featured a larger Type 1/1.4 Sony LYT-808 sensor and 23mm f/1.6 equivalent lens. However, OnePlus argues that image quality from its new main camera is better: sharper and with improved dynamic range.
A big part of the promised image quality is the DetailMax Engine, “an advanced suite of computational algorithms that work in concert to maximize the potential of the camera hardware.” The OnePlus 15’s Ultra Clear 26MP mode is a good example of this. In this mode, the camera rapidly captures and fuses multiple 12-megapixel frames with a single 50-megapixel frame to expand dynamic range while still offering “stunning clarity.”
Another example of the benefits of new hardware and more advanced software is the camera’s Clear Burst mode. This mode shoots dual-exposure photos at up to 10 frames per second. Each photo combines a short-exposure, action-freezing photo with a longer-exposure one to improve overall image quality. The OnePlus 13 could do this too, but only at 6 frames per second.
Yet another instance where OnePlus says its new phone excels is night and low-light photography. The OnePlus 15 features what OnePlus calls the “Clear Night Engine,” which uses Dual Analog Gain — a specialized dual-exposure mode — to deliver cleaner night photos. Again, the core concept here is combining a longer exposure shot with a shorter one, and taking the most essential data from each. A shorter exposure ensures the photo is sharp, while the longer image brings back detail and reduces the noise. OnePlus says the gap between frames has been eliminated, resulting in better, more consistent performance.
There’s also a new ultra-wide 50-megapixel camera with a 116° field of view and f/2 aperture. This camera has an OmniVision OV50D sensor, which is Type 1/2.88, a bit smaller than the Samsung ISOCELL JN5 used in the OnePlus 13’s ultra-wide camera, which is Type 1/2.75.
Rounding out the trio is the telephoto camera, powered by the very same ISOCELL JN5 sensor removed from the ultra-wide camera. The Type 1/2.75 50-megapixel sensor is paired with a 3.5x optical zoom lens, which offers an “optical-quality” 7x digital zoom option. The OnePlus 13 used a Sony LYT-600 Type 1/1.95 sensor with 3x optical zoom, so this is yet another new camera.
The OnePlus 15 is a rare flagship smartphone these days, featuring an entirely new triple-camera imaging system. It’s not unusual for a new phone to change just one or maybe two of its cameras. Sometimes, even none.
There are new video features on offer as well. The OnePlus 15 is among the first Android smartphones to record 4Kp120 video with Dolby Vision HDR.
It also introduces real-time tone mapping to video recording.
“This advanced process intelligently isolates the subject from the background, applying optimized tonal adjustments to each in real time,” OnePlus says. The company promises improved image quality and more consistent color in rapidly changing lighting conditions.
Like most smartphones, the OnePlus 15 is designed so that anyone can pick it up and use it to capture great photos and videos. However, it also offers advanced controls for enthusiasts and pros. The OnePlus 15 records Log video in its proprietary O-Log color space, and it features the industry’s first relax-time LUT preview while shooting. Its Portrait Mode for photos now includes continuous optical zoom from the main camera to the telephoto one using clever digital cropping.
There is also an Underwater Mode, which is actually useful on a device like this because it can be used safely underwater, and its touchscreen still works. When in Underwater Mode, the volume keys become shutter controls. Once shooting is complete, the phone’s integrated water ejection system clears any residual water.
A Powerful Flagship Smartphone
The camera system is far from the only significant change on offer with the OnePlus 15. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5-powered handheld has the world’s first 1.5K 165Hz display, what OnePlus promises is the world’s most precise gyroscope, and a massive 7300mAh battery.
OnePlus describes its new device as “a power trinity.” On top of the chipset itself, which is definitely fast, the device also promises “lighting-fast touch response,” and industry-leading connectivity, including a 50% faster Wi-Fi chip than before.
The 6.78-inch display has the industry’s highest touch sampling rate — 3200Hz versus a more typical 1440Hz or 2400Hz — and it still works even when it’s wet. Speaking of water, the OnePlus 15 has IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings. The IP69K rating means it can withstand high-pressure water jets up to 80° C. The display maxes out at 1,800 nits and can drop to 1 nit for more comfortable use in dim conditions.
Sleek New Design
The smartphone also sports a sleek new design, with meticulously rounded corners and very flat edges on both the front and back. The new camera module, while it protrudes from the rest of the phone’s body, is flat on its surface. The OnePlus 15 also has the narrowest bezels ever on a OnePlus device, measuring just 1.15 millimeters on all four sides. OnePlus notes that this achievement is the result of advanced Low Injection Pressure Over-molding (LIPO), which protects the display’s integrated circuits during resin injection, enabling more screen in less space.
The OnePlus 15 also introduces a new finish innovation, at least for its new Sand Storm colorway. This color is the first smartphone to feature Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO) technology on its frame. This plasma-based electrochemical process creates a ceramic-grade coating on a metal surface. It is very hard, tough, and very smooth and cool to the touch.
The OnePlus 15 also comes in Infinite Black and limited-edition Ultra Violet colorways.
Pricing and Availability
The OnePlus 15 starts at $899.99 for the 256GB version with 12GB of RAM. The OnePlus 15 with 512GB of storage has 16GB of RAM and is $999.99. The OnePlus 15 runs on OxygenOS 16, the latest version of OnePlus’ custom Android operating system. As expected, it incorporates a wide range of new AI tools.
The OnePlus 15 is technically available to order now in numerous markets, including Canada. However, customers in the United States will have to wait a bit longer.
“As is the case with every smartphone manufacturer, the United States’ Federal Communications Commission certifies OnePlus devices before they are sold in the U.S. As a result of the government shutdown, device certifications have been delayed. Subsequently, U.S. sales for the OnePlus 15 will be postponed until they have been secured. The OnePlus 15 has already finished all the required tests from the FCC’s recognized labs and the certification application has been formally submitted. We are hopeful that approvals can be generated quickly and as a result, we can bring the OnePlus 15 to our customers in the U.S. expeditiously,” says Spenser Blank, OnePlus North America’s Head of Marketing and Communications.
Customers who are interested in purchasing the OnePlus 15 as soon as possible in the U.S. are encouraged to go to OnePlus.com/us and enter their contact information.
Image credits: OnePlus
