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OnePlus 12 camera samples. Top to bottom: Ultra-wide, primary and telephoto (3X) (tap expand images)
Like the OnePlus Open, the 64-megapixel 3X telephoto camera is the showstopper and manages jaw-droppingly impressive photos in all kinds of lighting conditions. Pictures of objects and subjects come out quite sharp, even under artificial light, with a natural bokeh. It’s excellent for portrait photos of pets and people alike, and I enjoyed using this one to snap photos of my 4-year-old. However, this camera prioritises exposure over shutter speed and cannot handle moving subjects well. So, despite packing OIS, there are chances that your subject may appear a bit blurry if they move during capture. In terms of zoom, the phone manages good photos up to 6X (lossless in-sensor zoom), beyond which image quality begins to deteriorate.
The primary camera (top) captures good photos in low light, but the telephoto camera (bottom) performs even better (tap image to expand)
One detail that OnePlus has, for some reason, still not managed to fix (even on the Open after updates) is the white balance of its telephoto camera. Images captured with it appear quite warm and saturated compared to the primary camera, which is closer to accurate. This results in photos that appear yellowish, especially when shooting something largely white.
Given how well the primary and the telephoto perform, I did expect the ultra-wide to perform equally well (hoping that the new SoC would make a difference), but it handles imaging in the same way the Open did. While they look alright on the phone, they lack sharpness and detail and somehow seem a bit soft, not just in low light but in daylight as well. Indeed, these are far from what Google’s Pixel 8 Pro manages, but it is priced a lot higher.
The OnePlus 12 shoots detailed selfies in daylight (top) but does not perform well in low light (bottom) (tap images to expand)
Macro photos pack in a lot of detail, and the telephoto camera also lets me shoot close-ups that appear quite sharp. Selfies come out well with good dynamic range, accurate skin tones and edge detection in daylight, but low-light shots are quite average and leave a lot to be desired.
Video quality has notable improvements over the OnePlus 11, footage captured at 4K appears very stable and shows slightly vibrant colour as well. Dynamic range is excellent, and so is the bitrate. Quality takes a slight hit in low light, but noise is kept to a minimum. Colours are in check, and stabilisation is also handled well. I also tried out the 8K video, which still feels a bit gimmicky, given that the phone cannot handle a steady framerate while shooting.
OnePlus 12 Review: Verdict
The OnePlus 12 performs well on all fronts and easily outdoes the smartphone it replaces. And so, it’s easy to recommend as an upgrade even for those who own the previous model.
OnePlus has followed its usual formula and delivered a smartphone that fits in perfectly between the sub-Rs. 50,000 premium devices and the high-end sub-Rs 90,000 segment, which includes devices like Google’s Pixel 8 (Review) (starts from Rs. 75,999) and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 (starts from Rs. 79,999). However, both of these contenders do pack some cool AI tricks which the OnePlus 12 properly avoids.
If you are the type that wants to try out something new and hop aboard the AI bandwagon, then the latter two are a better choice. But if you don’t care about AI, it’s really hard to ignore the OnePlus 12 as it offers excellent value for money, getting you a bigger (and better display), better performance, flexible cameras and excellent battery life (with wireless charging) for less.
