I compared the OnePlus 12 and 12R cameras. The results were surprising

By all accounts, the OnePlus 12R seems to be to be the reincarnation of the unique OnePlus One in a really palpable approach. It’s $300 lower than the superb OnePlus 12, but nonetheless gives an excellent show, a near-identical-looking construct, an excellent speedy processor and charging velocity, and what seems to be a superb digital camera expertise on paper.While you need to by no means count on a $500 cellphone to maintain up the tempo with an $800 cellphone, the OnePlus 12R does a exceptional job of delivering a strong digital camera expertise regardless of the extra budget-friendly worth. Both telephones function a similar-looking digital camera island, however the {hardware} contained inside might be fairly completely different.I put each telephones head-to-head to search out out if it is value spending the additional $300 on the OnePlus 12 to get a greater digital camera or in the event you ought to simply follow the extra inexpensive OnePlus 12R.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryOnePlus 12OnePlus 12RRear digital camera 150MP f/1.6 Sony LYT-808, 1/1.4-inch sensor, 23mm focal size, OIS, 8K at 30fps50MP f/1,8 Sony IMX890, 1/1.56-inch sensor, 4K at 60fps, OISRear digital camera 248MP f/2.2 Sony IMX581 wide-angle, 1/2-inch sensor, 14mm focal size, 114-degree FoV8MP f/2.2 wide-angle lens, 112-degree FoVRear digital camera 364MP f/2.6 OmniVision OV64B telephoto, 1/2-inch sensor, 70mm to 140mm focal size, 6x optical zoom, 120x digital zoom, OIS2MP macro lensFront digital camera32MP f/2.4 Sony IMX615, 1/2.74-inch sensor, 21mm focal size16MP f/2.4, 1080p video at 30fpsMain and ultrawide camerasFrom a branding standpoint, you’d completely count on the OnePlus 12 to ship a superior digital camera expertise in each approach. The Hasselblad branding means the OnePlus 12 enjoys extra choices within the Pro digital camera mode — it is really referred to as Master mode on the OnePlus 12 — and sports activities a further XPAN mode the OnePlus 12R does not have.In brief, XPAN makes use of each the principle and ultrawide digital camera sensors to create one film-like facet ratio photograph, one thing movie and digital camera nerds will definitely salivate over.But I used to be stunned when I discovered that I most well-liked pictures captured from the OnePlus 12R’s predominant digital camera over the OnePlus 12’s, regardless of the automated Hasselblad shade and publicity tuning from the dearer cellphone.Image 1 of 6OnePlus 12R predominant digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 predominant digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R predominant digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 predominant digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R nighttime predominant digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 nighttime predominant digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)What makes this extra attention-grabbing is that the OnePlus 12 makes use of a more moderen sensor, whereas the 12R makes use of the identical IMX890 discovered within the OnePlus 11 and 11R. OnePlus has had extra time to tweak the imagery from this sensor than it has with the OnePlus 12’s newer sensor, nevertheless it’s all the time a shock from a spec standpoint when the most recent and best does not outperform one thing that is been round for some time.Image 1 of 4OnePlus 12R ultrawide digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 ultrawide digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R nighttime ultrawide digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 nighttime ultrawide digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)Likewise, photograph efficiency from the ultrawide-angle cameras is almost similar in high quality, buying and selling blows relying on the shot taken. Notably, the ultrawide digital camera on the OnePlus 12 offers a barely wider-angle lens. So, whereas the standard is actually similar between the 2 telephones, you may seize a barely wider picture from the OnePlus 12.The OnePlus 12’s ultrawide-angle digital camera doubles as a macro mode digital camera, whereas the OnePlus 12R has a reasonably ineffective 2MP devoted macro digital camera. Worse but, it is advisable to manually swap to the Macro mode on the 12R to take macro photographs. The OnePlus 12 robotically switches to macro scene adjustment once you get shut to things whereas utilizing the cellphone’s auto mode.In brief, do not hassle with macro photographs on the 12R. They’re not value your time.Telephoto camerasZooming in on a topic utilizing the viewfinder is a typical tactic used to get a transparent image with out getting bodily nearer to the topic, and one among these telephones clearly does a greater job than the opposite.Zoom element stays pretty similar within the brief to mid-range — from 1x to 5.9x — however at 6x and past, the OnePlus 12 trounces the OnePlus 12R because of a devoted 3x periscope digital camera, able to in-sensor zoom as much as 6x.Image 1 of 6OnePlus 12R telephoto 10x digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 telephoto 10x digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R telephoto 10x digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 telephoto 10x digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R nighttime 2x digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 nighttime 2x digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)This distinction holds up between each day and nighttime lighting circumstances, and I used to be impressed at how clear and clear the imagery was from the OnePlus 12, even past 10x zoom.Front-facing and portrait modePortrait mode is superior on the OnePlus 12 however that comes with some caveats. The OnePlus 12 gives 1x, 2x, and 3x presets in its portrait mode from the rear cameras, however I discovered the cellphone was very choosy with topics. Often, the software program wasn’t capable of determine a topic for portrait mode until I bodily moved nearer, and the software program clearly informed me this whereas taking the photograph.Meanwhile, the OnePlus 12R solely gives a 1X zoom portrait mode however appears much less finicky with distance. There had been nonetheless occasions when the software program would ask me to maneuver nearer nevertheless it wasn’t as frequent.Both telephones provide similar background cut-out high quality and I discovered portrait mode from both cellphone was superior to what Samsung or Google can do even on every respective firm’s finest telephones.Image 1 of 6OnePlus 12R nighttime portrait digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 nighttime portrait digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R front-facing portrait digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 front-facing portrait digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R front-facing portrait digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12 front-facing portrait digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The front-facing digital camera on the OnePlus 12 is healthier in all areas and lighting circumstances however, as with the portrait mode, it is not considerably higher. Both front-facing cameras ship glorious picture high quality each day and evening.The OnePlus 12’s front-facing digital camera is barely wider, bringing in additional of the environment into the body, and it gives higher publicity and white stability. I significantly observed the publicity variations at evening, particularly when close to any type of mild supply.The OnePlus 12R’s front-facing digital camera does not assist picture stabilization whereas recording, that means video from the OnePlus 12’s front-facing digital camera will likely be loads smoother when filming and strolling round.Video and software programOnePlus’ digital camera software program may be very related between the 2 telephones, however there are some notable variations in capabilities. The OnePlus 12’s handbook mode, referred to as Master mode, permits the usage of RAW seize from the entire cellphone’s rear cameras. The OnePlus 12R’s handbook mode gives Raw and Raw Plus choices however solely from the principle rear digital camera.It actually feels unusual for the 12R to supply Raw Plus whereas the dearer 12 solely gives RAW, however I did not discover Raw Plus to be a lot of a bonus, anyway. Largely, it acts as a type of hybrid between RAW and JPG modes, delivering some mild post-processing and 12MP JPG decision with the added bonus of being editable as a RAW DNG file. If I’m taking pictures RAW, nevertheless, I’d reasonably simply have the full-resolution photograph.If you open up the full-resolution variations of the photographs beneath (faucet on the picture, then faucet authentic decision), you possibly can see how far more detailed the RAW model is than the RAW Plus one.Image 1 of twoOnePlus 12R predominant RAW Plus digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)OnePlus 12R predominant RAW digital camera pattern(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Being ready to make use of the ultrawide and telephoto cameras in RAW decision can also be an enormous benefit for the OnePlus 12, particularly in the event you’re attempting to take the very best high quality pictures out of your cellphone.Similarly, the OnePlus 12R can’t swap between any cameras whereas recording in 4K. You’ll have to dumb down the standard to 1080p 30fps with a purpose to do this.Neither cellphone can swap between the entrance and rear cameras whereas recording, however many different telephones do not provide this, both. Notably, Samsung’s Galaxy line will typically provide the power to change between entrance and rear cameras whereas recording video.The OnePlus 12 additionally gives the power to report in Dolby Vision 12-bit HDR, whereas the OnePlus 12R doesn’t.Slow movement video seize decision and framerates are similar between each telephones, however the 12R’s seize is extra cropped than the OnePlus 12. That means you may get a a lot wider view of the OnePlus 12 on the similar decision and framerate.Conclusion(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)It ought to come as no shock that an $800 cellphone has a greater digital camera than a $500 cellphone, however the cheaper OnePlus 12R holds up surprisingly effectively in numerous areas. Photo seize from the principle rear digital camera sensor is almost similar between the telephones regardless of the OnePlus 12 having a more moderen sensor.Surprisingly, I most well-liked the look of the OnePlus 12R’s photographs from the principle digital camera. Similarly, the ultrawide-angle digital camera may be very related and delivers near-identical high quality between the 2 telephones. The predominant benefit of the OnePlus 12’s ultrawide-angle digital camera is that it is acquired a barely wider FoV.Likewise, the front-facing cameras provided almost similar high quality, even when the OnePlus 12’s delivered barely higher white stability and publicity. Portrait mode additionally gives related high quality between the 2 gadgets, however the OnePlus 12 gives the power to make use of a 1x, 2x, or 3x zoom to copy the look of various Hasselblad cameras.The actual benefit of the OnePlus 12 is available in its capability to zoom additional whereas nonetheless delivering crisp imagery and video, seize Dolby Vision HDR video, swap between cameras whereas recording at 4K decision, and provide up a greater RAW handbook mode since you should utilize all of the rear cameras.It’s unlikely some individuals will care about these variations for $300, however OnePlus actually gives extra potential on the dearer cellphone digital camera.