Chinese phone cameras overwhelm iPhones

The iPhone 17 Pro is still considered the benchmark for mobile photography. However, the high-end Android segment is facing fierce competition, with the Oppo Find X9 Pro being the standout. The device is notable for its quality triple rear camera cluster, especially the 200-megapixel telephoto sensor, which provides impressively sharp zoom and high-quality wide-angle photography. Photographer Andrew Lanxon from CNET believes the Oppo Find X9 Pro is a direct competitor, ready to change Apple's leading position in the field of smartphone photography. Photo: Prakhar Khanna/CNET.

With a simple photo taken at the railway area using the main camera, both show good exposure. However, the photo from Oppo Find X9 Pro (Right) shows superiority in color. The bricks on the wall have a warmer, more natural tone, while the photo from iPhone 17 Pro (Left) is slightly purple. In particular, the colors in the photo of Oppo Find X9 Pro are more vivid but still retain their authenticity, not pushed too far. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

Zooming in on the wall details, the grout lines between the bricks in the Oppo Find X9 Pro's photo (right) look sharper thanks to the processing. However, the bricks themselves lose significant detail, almost "polished" due to the over-aggressive noise reduction algorithm. In contrast, the photo from the iPhone 17 Pro has preserved the surface detail of the material more realistically. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

In a close-up zoom test of a photo with a fence and colorful foliage, the photo from the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Right) shows a serious lack of detail compared to the photo from the iPhone 17 Pro (Left). This is a surprising result, especially considering the overall sharpness when shooting normally. It is not clear whether it is due to image processing or lens quality, but it is clear that the Oppo Find X9 Pro has revealed weaknesses in the ability to reproduce detail when zooming. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

In indoor photography with the main camera, the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Right) has a clear advantage. The Oppo photo has better brightness and rich, saturated colors while still maintaining harmony. However, similar to previous tests, the image still shows processing intervention: some areas are sharpened, while other areas have reduced surface detail. Overall, the Oppo Find X9 Pro photo is still rated higher visually. Similarly, when switching to the ultra-wide lens, the Oppo Find X9 Pro continues to show superiority. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

In bright outdoor scenes, both phones showed balanced exposure. However, the photo from the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Right) was rated higher thanks to its warm and realistic tones. The photo from the iPhone 17 Pro (Left) tended to adjust the white balance towards the cool side to compensate for the yellow of the scene, causing the colors to be off. In contrast, the Oppo created a more realistic photo, with superior quality. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

In the photo of the river scene, the photo from the Oppo Find X9 Pro (right) shows a much brighter and more vivid image. However, the brightness is a bit too much: the sky is a bit too blue and the buildings in the center of the frame are also overexposed. Still, Lanxon rates the Oppo photo higher than the iPhone 17 Pro, which looks pale when placed next to it. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

When zooming to the default maximum (iPhone 8x, Oppo 6x), the results show a clear and unnatural difference. The biggest difference is in color balance: the iPhone 17 Pro's photo (Left) leans toward blue tones, while the Oppo Find X9 Pro's photo (Right) tends toward purple-red. Lanxon said both devices over-process, making the colors unrealistic. Notably, the Oppo Find X9 Pro's photo shows excessive digital sharpening, making the details "hard" and unnatural. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

In night mode and backlight conditions, the iPhone 17 Pro (Left) photo appears brighter, but the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Right) is rated higher thanks to its good contrast. This high contrast helps to control glare from light sources well, and the details on the building facade are also reproduced significantly sharper. Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

In the selfie test, both phones showed different approaches. However, the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Right) was the clear winner: the photo was significantly sharper, skin tones looked natural, and the orange jacket was accurately reproduced. Despite the slightly blueish background in the photo, the overall image quality of the Oppo was still considered to be superior to the iPhone 17 Pro (Left). Photo: Andrew Lanxon.

Source: https://znews.vn/camera-oppo-find-x9-pro-ap-dao-iphone-17-pro-post1598461.html