2022 was a strange year for
OnePlus 11 5G main camera sample (tap to see full size)
OnePlus 11 5G main camera sample (tap to see full size)
OnePlus 11 5G main camera sample (tap to see full size)
OnePlus 11 5G main camera sample (tap to see full size)
Images shot with the main camera in the daytime were quite good. Colours are vivid but not oversaturated, HDR is handled well, and the autofocus is reliable. In landscape shots, the finer details on distant objects have slightly better definition compared to shots taken with the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. Close-ups look good too with sharp details and a smooth background blur. At night, the 11 5G automatically takes long exposure shots that pack a decent level of detail with little to no noise.
OnePlus 11 5G ultra-wide camera samples (tap to see full size)
OnePlus 11 5G macro camera samples (tap to see full size)
The ultra-wide camera on the OnePlus 11 5G is a marked improvement over the one on last year’s 10 Pro 5G. Colours and textures on objects are clearer and more vivid. Even low-light photos look very good with sufficient exposure and punchy colours. The camera app will automatically switch to the ultra-wide camera for macro shots once you get close enough to an object. If you find auto-switching annoying, you can disable it from within the app. Macro shots look good although I did face some focusing issues at times, and the focusing distance is not as tight as what the iPhone 13 Pro offers.
OnePlus 11 5G telephoto camera samples (tap to see full size)
Images shot with the telephoto camera have also improved slightly. Details, textures, and the colours of objects are better at all magnification levels when compared to what the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G can capture. In low light, the camera app usually uses digital zoom through the main camera unless the subject is well lit. Night mode still works even at 2X magnification.
The selfie camera produces usable images during the day and in low light. As long as you don’t zoom in to crop photos too much, most users should be happy with the results. There are plenty of filters and skin retouching tools to play with if you want. However, compared to the 10 Pro 5G, selfies shot with the 11 5G tend to have paler skin tones and weaker textures.
OnePlus 11 5G selfie camera samples (tap to see full size)
The OnePlus 11 5G can record video at up to 8K 24fps, although I don’t think a lot of OnePlus users would actually use this. Most people should be happy with 4K 30fps as you can switch to the ultra-wide camera or zoom up to 10X while recording. It’s worth noting that magnification at any resolution and framerate, except for 1080p 30fps, is done digitally using the main camera rather than the telephoto one. Stabilisation is good and footage taken in daylight packs good details. Low-light videos are also decent but they can look a bit noisy, and walking while recording does introduce some jitter in the footage. ‘AI Highlight’ video works at 4K but when enabled, you cannot zoom in or out while recording. It didn’t seem to make much difference during the day but it does help brighten videos taken in extreme low light, at the cost of added noise.
One thing worth pointing out is that 8K video recording is actually usable on the 11 5G, unlike the 10 Pro 5G which would overheat after a few minutes, at least at the time we reviewed it. On the 11 5G, I was able to record 20 minutes straight in 8K and the phone only got sightly warm.
Verdict
The OnePlus 11 5G comes in at a fairly aggressive price, starting at Rs. 56,999. Even the top-end variant that we reviewed is well priced at Rs. 61,999, undercutting the iQoo 11 5G (Review). The OnePlus 11 5G also makes the higher variants of the OnePlus 10T redundant. The one feature that would have made the 11 5G a complete package is wireless charging, but if you don’t much care about this, it shouldn’t matter. I think the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is still relevant as it’s only slightly behind the new model but (unofficially) offers better waterproofing and very fast wireless charging.
For all those waiting to upgrade to a smartphone with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, the OnePlus 11 5G is a solid offering that builds on the strengths of the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G and is priced attractively.
