OnePlus 13 camera review: flagship-grade performance

The new OnePlus 13 introduces several upgrades in the design and performance, though the phone more or less features the same camera system as its predecessor, the OnePlus 12 (review). The camera system on the back still houses a 50MP primary camera, utilising the LYT-808 sensor with f/1.6 aperture. The ultra-wide camera still offers 50MP, though the sensor now comes from Samsung instead of Sony. There’s a new 50MP telephoto camera, which might seem like a downgrade from the previous-gen’s 64MP shooter. Still, it leverages a cutting-edge triple-prism design to ensure the same level of performance in less space.

Can the OnePlus 13, with its 5th-gen Hasselblad-tuned cameras, surpass rivals like iQOO 13 (review) and Vivo X200 (review)? We tested the cameras in different lighting conditions and evaluated the shots’ accuracy, sharpness, dynamic range, and more. Here’s what we found.

Verdict

The OnePlus 13 offers flagship-grade cameras, and the phone is capable of capturing crisp and vibrant shots in daylight and low-light conditions. Its upgraded ultra-wide camera also excels at capturing superior details. The phone can occasionally struggle with detecting accurate skin tones when human subjects are involved. Overall, it still captures aesthetically pleasing shots, which matters most to customers.

Pros

• The OnePlus 13 is capable of taking sharp images with all three cameras.
• Its ultra-wide camera excels at capturing sharp details.
• The new iteration also shows significant improvement in balancing dynamic range.

Cons

• The OnePlus 13 can occasionally be inconsistent with colours.
• It does not always detect accurate skin tones

OnePlus 13 camera review at a glance:

Daylight

OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200

While we couldn’t take images in ideal daylight conditions due to Gurugram’s harsh weather conditions, these images still provide a good idea about the camera performance. The OnePlus 13’s daylight shot is noticeably brighter and has better dynamic range, with the white balance slightly leaning towards the warm side.

The Vivo X200 excels at capturing the tiniest details. The smartphone also accurately detects the right shade of the sky and building in the background, whereas the OnePlus 13 remains slightly inconsistent with the colour mapping. Overall, both images look aesthetically pleasing in their own ways.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13

At first glance, the images captured by the OnePlus 13 and the iQOO 13 appear mildly similar. However, the latter plays around with shadows and contrast, at least near the building in the background, for a more dramatic effect. Upon closer inspection, we noticed the iQOO 13 struggled to balance colours and sharpness, leading to an over-processed look. For instance, iQOO has over-brightened the image, resulting in an awkward white sky. The hedge in the foreground also features different shades of green.

The image with the OnePlus 13 looks relatively more natural, though both smartphones overlay a warm layer, which may or may not appeal to some users.

Ultra-wide

OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200

All three smartphones maintain colour consistency across photos taken with their respective 50MP primary and 50MP ultra-wide cameras. That also means that the OnePlus 13 struggles to detect the accurate shade of the sky and red building in the background, while still overlaying a warm layer over its image. The Vivo X200, on the other hand, performs relatively better in terms of colour accuracy.

Notably, the OnePlus 13’s new ultra-wide camera also offers better performance since it captures more details in the foreground and background. It’s mostly a tie between the two smartphones.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13

OnePlus’ upgraded ultra-wide camera captures more details than the iQOO 13’s 50MP shooter. iQOO’s image resembles OnePlus’ output, which means it does not accurately detect the right shade of the sky and red building.

When we zoomed into the trees on the left side of the image, we noticed the OnePlus 13 offered the best dynamic range. This was followed by Vivo X200 and iQOO 13.

Portrait

OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200

We used the telephoto camera’s starting focal to capture portrait shots on each device. The OnePlus 13 uses a telephoto camera with 3x zoom, resulting in a more zoomed-in shot. In contrast, the iQOO and Vivo switch to their telephoto cameras with 2x zoom.

The images captured by the OnePlus 13 and Vivo X200 look impressive, but the latter provides more prominent facial details. If you observe the subject’s eyes, Vivo maintains exposure slightly more efficiently without brightening the complexion. OnePlus’ performance is more or less similar.

The Vivo X-series smartphones are also known for their crisp portrait shots, and the X200 takes the legacy forward. It offers the best edge detection around the subject, followed by the iQOO 13 and the OnePlus 13.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13

As I mentioned, the iQOO 13’s telephoto camera does a better job with edge detection, but it fails to capture facial details and the right shade of the subject’s complexion. You will also notice a strange yellow hue across the face.

I found the bokeh effect of the OnePlus 13 to be the most natural. However, competing smartphones offer options to adjust the bokeh intensity.

Selfie

OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200

While the OnePlus 13 captures stunning photos with human subjects via the telephoto camera, its selfies look decent, if not the best. Compared to Vivo’s selfie, its image looks flat as the colours aren’t balanced effectively.

The Vivo X200 balances exposure on the subject’s face and background much better.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13

Similarly, iQOO 13’s image looks relatively better than the OnePlus 13’s selfie, but it also lacks details and accurate colours.

The phone again softened the subject’s facial, which some users might appreciate. You will again notice a subtle yellow hue across its image.

Low-light

OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200

OnePlus smartphones increase exposure in low-light conditions by default, and the story remains the same with the OnePlus 13. You can disable the feature while clicking the photo, though the option does appear all the time. As a result, you will notice the OnePlus 13 managed lens flare intensity more effectively. In contrast, the Vivo struggles slightly to control flare, though the difference isn’t significant.

Similar to daylight performance, Vivo leads at capturing the best sharpness and colours. The OnePlus 13 also does a good job, if not better. However, the latter does not consistently balance exposure in the areas that are directly beneath/near the light source. Both smartphones also excel at minimising noise from their low-light shots.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13

The OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 deliver similar exposure levels in most areas of their low-light shots. However, the iQOO 13’s boosted colours may give it a more visually striking appearance. I prefer the OnePlus 13’s shot for its more natural look.

When it comes to sharpness across the entire image, the Vivo X200 provides the best result, followed by the OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13.

Low-light (night mode enabled)

OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200

With night mode enabled, the OnePlus 13 brightens the scene, though the improvement isn’t dramatic. It continues to handle lens flare well, but Vivo’s image also shows noticeable enhancement.

Overall, the OnePlus 13’s shot looks more or less similar, while Vivo improves light control and sharpness with night mode enabled.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13

As mentioned, Vivo leads again in terms of exposure control, followed by OnePlus. iQOO struggles with over-brightening, particularly evident in the overly illuminated crates near the floor. To be fair, the iQOO’s photo remains visually striking.

That’s because iQOO aggressively reduces noise by smoothening key areas. This way, it offers a more social media-ready image. Vivo, on the other hand, strikes a better balance between noise reduction and sharpness.

Final verdict

The OnePlus 13 is fully capable of taking aesthetically pleasing and detail-rich images even with simple point-and-shoot. Its new ultra-wide camera in particular offers considerable improvements over its predecessor. I am also equally impressed by the new telephoto which proves that higher megapixels always don’t matter.

There’s still a lot to talk about its cameras, as OnePlus continues its partnership with Hasselblad for the fifth year. The brand has also introduced several AI features for a more enjoyable camera experience. Make sure to follow our review for thorough coverage.

Here’s a quick recap of where the OnePlus 13 stands out:

• In daylight conditions, the OnePlus 13 sometimes struggles with colour consistency, but it provides excellent dynamic range and captures sharp details.
• Its ultra-wide camera particularly excels in capturing details. There’s also colour consistency between the primary and ultra-wide cameras.
• The phone can occasionally struggle with human subjects, as the phone doesn’t always capture accurate skin tone. However, the phone offers plenty of options for colour corrections. It also offers a very natural-looking bokeh in portrait mode.