OPPO Reno2: First Camera Samples

OPPO is marketing the new Reno2 as a smartphone for content creators.

OPPO Reno2, an all-around mid-range camera phone?

Related: OPPO Reno2 Unboxing and First Impressions

Why? Coming from its predecessor, the first Reno, it has a lot of cameras and camera modes designed to help its users take great images and videos in many scenarios.

A versatile 48MP quad-camera setup

At the back, OPPO Reno2 is equipped with a 48MP f/1.7 Sony IMX586 primary shooter with PDAF, CAF, OIS, EIS. It is paired with a 13MP f/2.4 5x Hybrid Optical Zoom camera, 8MP f/2.2 116-degree ultra wide-angle camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 mono camera.

Thanks to its hybrid-zoom technology, it can do up to 20x digital zoom. The ultra-wide cam has a mode for macro shots up to 2.5cm close and a 2MP monochrome sensor to help aid in portrait shots.

It also has OPPO's usual AI scene detection together with the auto HDR, Dazzle Color, and Night mode. But this time, its Night mode has been upgraded to Ultra Dark Mode tech that can let you capture images even in close to pitch-black scenarios.

It also has a dual-tone LED flash when needed.

Rear Camera Samples

Daylight

As expected, the Reno2 takes images nice details and decent colors with a wide dynamic range and no visible noise.

Ultra-wide

The ultra-wide camera is also quite nice and it is really wide. What I like is the distortion is not that bad. Colors and dynamic range are similar to the main cam as well.

Regular close-up vs the macro mode

The main cam can take neat close-up images with plenty of details and good depth of field. But it can't go as close as the up to 2.5cm macro shot using its ultra-wide camera. This is actually quite respectable.

Ultra-wide vs 20x digital zoom

The zoom works. It is lossless up to 5x. The 20x zoom is soft, but at least it can let you see objects from afar. The zoom is grainy in low light conditions though.

Pretty good bokeh shot

The bokeh shot with the help of the main cam and mono sensor is actually decent. As expected, it has good amount of details. But, what I like more is the edge detection and subject to background separation. It works decently 8/10 times.

Indoor dim main cam

Indoor dim ultra-wide cam

For indoor dim shots, the main cam retained most of the details. It isn't too bright as well which I like as it is more natural-looking versus overprocessed indoor shots from other phones. The ultra-wide is also respectable, but it doesn't have the same amount of details of the main cam.

Low light normal

Low light Night mode

Low light Night mode ultra-wide

Like other devices with 48MP Sony shooters with 4-in-1 pixel binning solution, the Reno2 can take decent night shots even without the using the Night mode. But with the Night mode, the shot will be crisper with wider dynamic range and punchier-looking colors.

By the way, I like that there is an option to use the Night mode for ultra-wide shots even if it is not as detailed as the main cam.

Close to pitch-black scene

Ultra Dark Mode

The killer feature of this device is the Ultra Dark Mode. It allowed me to take a Night Vision-like shot in near pitch-black lighting conditions. Even my eye had a hard time in the scene above.

For selfies, it has a 16MP f/2.0 snapper with AI Face Beauty and Portrait modes. It also has a selfie LED flash.

Selfie Camera Samples

Daylight selfie

In daylight, the selfie cam is okay for me as it has sharp details and natural-looking colors without the Face Beauty mode. However, its HDR is not as great as I wanted. This shot showed overexposed edges and background.

Selfie bokeh

For the portrait mode with Face Beauty, my skin looks noticeably softer here. The bokeh is actually decent for a single camera. But, don't expect it to be as great as the main cam.

Selfie dim

Selfie low light with flash

In low light, my selfie is even softer. It has grain as well. Fortunately, it is one of the few with a good type of selfie flash that allowed me to take a more respectable selfie in the dark.

For videos, it has up to 4K 30fps using the main cam and 1080p 60fps Ultra Steady Video mode with the help of IMU, OIS, and EIS. There is a 5x Hybrid Zoom and 720p Slo-Mo option as well. The best part? It has  that will help you take 1080

Using the wide-cam, you can take up to 1080p 30fps videos. It can also capture 1080p wide Time-Lapse videos.

For selfie videos, it has up to 1080p 30fps, 1080p Time-Lapse, and 720p Beauty with Bokeh videos.

Video Samples

I'm quite pleased with the videos that I took. I just wished that the Ultra Steady Video works in 4K mode. But, on 1080p 60fps mode, it is really stable. I like that there's a macro mode as well. The transition while doing zoom is not perfect, but at least it can do up to 5x decent video zoom. I like that I can shoot 1080p ultra-wide videos as well even if there's minor barrel distortion.

It can also shoot 1080p 30fps selfie videos with respectable crop and bokeh video for selfies at 720 is cool.

Quick thoughts

So far, this is one of the most versatile shooters for the price. It takes respectable photos and videos in a lot of different scenes. It is not perfect, but for me, it is one of the most capable camera phones under PHP 30K.

Stay tuned for our full review!