OnePlus develops panorama camera for smartphones that uses two sensors
OnePlus shows a panorama camera for smartphones, which uses two camera sensors and two lenses. Images of these are seamlessly combined for panoramic photos with a field of view of 140 degrees.
OnePlus 9 Pro
On the Chinese platform Weibo, OnePlus shares various technical details about the cameras of the OnePlus 9 devices. The manufacturer also shows animations and images of a system of two camera sensors and two lenses to produce a single panorama image with an angle of view of 140 degrees.
The images show that OnePlus places two sensors vertically in the phone. The lenses are also placed vertically, but through prisms at the end the incident light is bent by 90 degrees. According to OnePlus’ marketing, the images from the two sensors are linked together in real-time and seamlessly with no visible transition.
The OnePlus 9 Pro does have two cameras side by side, but that seems to be regular lenses and no prisms. On the OnePlus forum, CEO Pete Lau does mention the development of the panorama camera, but he does not mention it as a feature of the OnePlus 9 series.
OnePlus uses two sensors with prisms for its ultra-wide-angle camera Panorama preview
Sony IMX789 sensor with 16:11 ratio
There are also details about the IMX 789 sensor developed in collaboration with Sony in the messages. OnePlus says that it has paid about 13 million euros for the development. That sensor is coming to the OnePlus 9 and will have an aspect ratio of 16:11. According to the manufacturer, this is useful for shooting both videos with 16:9 ratio and photos with 4:3 ratio. The ratio is roughly equivalent to the 3:2 aspect ratio used in many professional still cameras. Cameras in smartphones usually have a 4:3 ratio.
The sensor can record 4k video at 120fps and has support for HDR processing during the filming. The sensor can also handle Sony’s Digital Overlap HDR. This is a technique in which the sensor records different exposures in one shot, which prevents ghosting in HDR photos. The sensor can capture 12-bit raw files, which should enable a high dynamic range.
OnePlus will announce its OnePlus 9 series on March 23 and the devices should therefore be for sale. The Chinese smartphone brand has entered into a partnership with camera brand Hasselblad, originally a Swedish company but for years in the hands of the Chinese drone manufacturer DJI. OnePlus says in three years $150 million to invest in ‘mobile photography’.
Marketing image about 12bit raw files