OPPO Find X5 Pro
Tech Writers Rating: 8.7/10 (Legacy rating)
Pros:
- Excellent OLED display: bright, 120Hz, accurate color reproduction.
- Great build and design.
- Long battery life, fast wired and wireless charging.
- Good overall camera performance, especially at night.
- Nice haptics, good-sounding speakers.
- Impressive sustained performance.
- ColorOS 12 offers neat features.
Cons:
- Inconsistent camera performance.
- A bit too pricey.
- Most rivals have longer zoom cameras.
- Most competitors have more recent chipsets.
- No ingress protection.
OPPO Find X5 Pro review
Andy Westlake puts the high-end smartphone’s beautifully crafted body to the test as he delves into its Hasselblad-branded triple-camera system, assessing whether it meets expectations.
rewrite £1,049 Android smartphone 6.7in screen 256GB storage Triple camera system 12MP standard output 4K 60p video www.oppo.com/uk
In February 2022, Oppo, the renowned Chinese smartphone manufacturer, revealed its collaboration with the iconic Swedish camera maker, Hasselblad, marking their entry into the realm of smartphone production together. The Find X5 Pro, unveiled as the inaugural result of this partnership, proudly showcases both the Oppo and Hasselblad logos, embodying the essence of this groundbreaking cooperation.
The triple camera system of the OPPO Find X5 Pro integrates ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto lenses, reportedly co-engineered by both Oppo and Hasselblad. But what advantages does this collaboration offer?
OPPO Find X5 Pro: Features and design
In many aspects, the Oppo Find X5 resembles a standard flagship smartphone of 2022. Its dimensions measure 164 x 74 mm, and its front side is predominantly occupied by a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, featuring only a small ‘hole punch’ cutout for the selfie camera. Boasting QHD+ resolution (3216×1440) at 525 pixels per inch, 10-bit color depth, a refresh rate of up to 120 frames per second, and a peak brightness of 800 nits, the screen delivers vivid, detailed visuals, ensuring a seamless user experience.
The Oppo Find X5 Pro is encased in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, offering durability against scratches and drops of up to 2 meters. Moreover, it boasts IP68 dust and water resistance, ensuring survival in shallow water for up to 30 minutes, a feature expected at this price point.
Where the OPPO Find X5 Pro truly shines is in its design. At the back, a slight protrusion at the top left corner houses the main camera system, adding approximately 3mm to its 8.5mm thickness. Despite this, the three lenses and the compact LED flash are nestled within a sleek, finely crafted enclosure, exuding a premium aesthetic. Additionally, the device feels comfortable in hand and subtly guides fingers away from the camera lenses.
The back cover of the device is exceptionally smooth, perhaps even excessively so. This smoothness makes the device prone to sliding off surfaces that aren’t perfectly flat, emphasizing the importance of using the protective case included in the box.
The power button is located conventionally on the right-hand side, while unlike many Android phones, the volume control buttons are situated on the left. These buttons can be double-clicked to activate the camera app when the phone is on standby, and they also serve as shutter buttons for capturing photos.
At the bottom of the device, you’ll find the SIM tray and the USB-C port, which, like most Android flagships, serves as the primary external connector.
Internally, the Oppo Find X5 Pro houses the cutting-edge 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, featuring an integrated Adreno 730 GPU. With a robust 5000mAh battery, the device offers ample power to sustain even the most demanding day’s usage. Notably, OPPO Find X5 includes a substantial 80W rapid charger and USB-C cable in the package, a feature that is becoming rarer in the smartphone market.
OPPO Find X5 Pro: Camera System
Shifting focus to the camera system, OPPO Find X5 has retained a similar setup to last year’s Find X3 Pro but has omitted the gimmicky ‘microscope camera’. The primary camera features a 26mm equivalent view, an f/1.7 aperture, and optical stabilization. It is accompanied by a 15mm equivalent f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and a ‘telephoto’ camera that merges a 46mm equivalent view with an f/2.4 aperture.
For many photographers, the latter lens would be deemed a ‘normal’ lens rather than a telephoto, providing a very natural perspective without the extensive reach found in other devices. Neither the ultra-wide nor the telephoto lenses feature optical stabilization, although all cameras include autofocus, as expected.
Both the main and ultra-wide cameras feature 50MP Sony IMX766 sensors, measuring approximately 8.2 x 6.1mm, which is roughly half the area of the 1-inch sensors found in many enthusiast compact cameras. Some smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, opt for larger sensors in the main camera. However, many others, such as the OnePlus 10 Pro (also branded with Hasselblad), utilize smaller sensors in the ultra-wide camera. In contrast, the telephoto camera employs a 13MP sensor that’s approximately a quarter of the area.
All three cameras produce standard 12MP output, although you can also capture native 50MP images with the main and ultra-wide cameras. Additionally, on the front, there’s a fixed-focus selfie camera that captures unnecessarily large 32MP images.
The camera system utilizes Oppo’s MariSilicon X Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for image processing. The company boasts this as a breakthrough for night videography, guaranteeing wide dynamic range and precise colors. Additionally, it introduces the option of AI-based image processing for still photos, typically resulting in a slight saturation boost.
OPPO Find X5 Pro: Camera app
OPPO Find X5 has implemented a conventional Android camera app, featuring a familiar array of options. The majority of users will probably favor the fully automatic Photo mode. In this mode, you can effortlessly switch between the three lenses by tapping icons on the display, with touch buttons available to activate HDR, AI image enhancement, and the 50MP mode.
Additionally, there’s a variety of image-processing filters available, including options like ‘Delight’, ‘Crystal’, and ‘Candy’. Within this set, you’ll also encounter three ‘Hasselblad Master’ options, though despite the branding promise, they may not be to everyone’s liking.
Switching to Pro mode grants you manual control over shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, focus, and white balance. Moreover, you’ll have access to features such as an exposure histogram and focus peaking display.
In Pro mode, switching between lenses is done using a separate touch button located at the top or left of the screen, which may be slightly confusing. The zoom control remains in the same location as in Photo mode, but it now activates digital zoom. Additionally, you have the option to capture images in DNG raw format, and there’s also a ‘Raw Plus’ feature that records extra multi-shot computational data, theoretically providing an extended dynamic range.
Specialist modes encompass Night, Portrait, Panorama, and Long Exposure, the latter offering settings for light painting, traffic trails, and capturing moving water. Additionally, there’s an ‘XPan’ mode, which aims to simulate the experience of using Hasselblad’s renowned 35mm panoramic rangefinder camera. However, in reality, it merely captures a wide, thin crop from the main camera and upscales it into a blurry image. Unlike the genuine XPan, you’re unable to switch lenses in this mode.
In the video department, you’re presented with both Auto and advanced modes. The advanced mode, dubbed Film, introduces additional settings such as HDR recording and a Log mode for color grading during post-processing. You have the capability to record 4K video at 60fps or Full HD at up to 240fps for slow-motion effects. However, the selfie camera is limited to Full HD at 30fps.
OPPO Find X5 Pro: Image quality
Overall, the Oppo Find X5 Pro produces aesthetically pleasing images that appear excellent when viewed on its own display. However, it’s not surprising that the image processing is tailored for this specific viewing experience. When scrutinized at 100% on a standard computer monitor with significantly lower pixel density, the images may appear heavily processed and overly sharpened.
Remarkably, the ultra-wide camera performs just as admirably as the main one, capturing abundant detail from edge to edge with both lenses. However, in bright conditions, the telephoto camera also performs impressively. Yet, due to its smaller sensor and narrower aperture, detail tends to diminish more rapidly in low-light scenarios due to aggressive noise reduction processing.
If you switch the output of the main or ultra-wide camera to 50MP, you’ll notice that it can provide additional detail in favorable lighting conditions, although perhaps not as much as anticipated. However, it doesn’t come close in quality to that of a high-resolution DSLR or mirrorless camera. So, while it’s a convenient option to have, I personally wouldn’t find myself using it extensively.
Colors appear vivid and saturated, and the auto white balance typically produces natural-looking images without unsightly color casts. However, the high dynamic range processing can be inconsistent. While it effectively enhances color and detail in bright skies that would otherwise be over-exposed, it may sometimes render other images flat and unnatural. Therefore, it’s advisable to experiment with toggling it on and off in high-contrast scenarios.
The wide camera is promoted as serving a dual purpose for macro photography simply because it focuses the closest of the three lenses. However, seasoned photographers won’t be shocked to discover that the most successful close-up shots often come from longer zoom settings. Among other reasons, getting too close can often obstruct your own light. If you attempt to capture close-ups with the telephoto camera, the device will automatically switch to using the main camera with digital zoom. The outcomes are still acceptable, particularly for social media sharing.
Low-light images are impressive, thanks to the Mari Silicon NPU effectively preserving color and detail. In fact, I seldom found the need to utilize the specialized Night mode, as the regular Photo mode performs admirably on its own.
I was also thoroughly impressed by the Panorama mode, which captures an abundance of detail without any visible stitching artifacts. It’s significantly superior to Samsung’s version, for example.
Portrait mode effectively detects subjects and blurs backgrounds, with the option to adjust the intensity of the effect using a virtual aperture slider. However, as usual, the cut-out around fine details like hair appears unnatural upon close inspection of the images.
The mode isn’t limited to humans and can produce convincing results with other subjects as well. However, unlike a real large-aperture lens, it struggles with complex and finely detailed subjects such as flowers. At times, the visual effect may resemble ‘fake miniature’, but even then, the outcomes can be intriguing.
Video quality is also commendable, delivering ample detail and clear sound. Additionally, the stabilization feature effectively maintains watchable footage when walking with the camera or panning across a scene.
However, what impressed me the most was the low-light performance and how the camera can accurately render a full range of brightness and color even under streetlights at night. It’s not magic— if there’s insufficient light for you to see anything, the camera won’t either—but I haven’t encountered another smartphone capable of delivering this level of low-light video quality.
OPPO Find X5 Pro: Value for Money
Priced at £1049, the Oppo Find X5 Pro falls in line with the cost of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro when both are equipped with the same 256GB memory capacity. This positions it as notably more affordable than the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which retails for £1249 for the same storage capacity. However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a four-camera system with two telephoto lenses, offering significantly greater optical zoom capabilities. In comparison to the Google Pixel 6 Pro, theOPPO Find X5 Pro comes at a £100 premium but offers a distinctly more stylish design. Overall, considering its feature set and design, it presents a competitive price point.
OPPO Find X5 Pro: Our Verdict
In the OPPO Find X5 has crafted an impressive Android flagship that boasts stunning aesthetics, impressive performance, and exceptional camera capabilities. It occupies an appealing middle ground between the competently functional yet modestly styled Google Pixel 6 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which excels in lens range and features but comes with a hefty price tag.
One aspect I truly appreciated is the equilibrium OPPO Find X5 has achieved among the three cameras. While some companies tend to prioritize loading marketing-friendly specs onto the main camera alone, OPPO Find X5 has ensured that the ultra-wide camera is equally impressive. Additionally, it has delivered commendable quality from the telephoto lens. However, the telephoto lens also happens to be the main weakness of this camera system, as it lacks the same level of zoom capability as those found in competing devices.
Ultimately, the Oppo Find X5 Pro may not be the most affordable flagship smartphone on the market, nor does it boast the most extensive features. However, it remains a highly impressive performer with a well-balanced specification. For Android users seeking a high-performance smartphone camera, it certainly deserves consideration and a spot on the shortlist.
