While the OnePlus 13R was a safe, well-rounded crowd-pleaser, the OnePlus 15R makes a deliberate, controversial choice: it kills the telephoto lens. In 2025, that is a risky move. OnePlus is betting the house that its new main sensor and “DetailMax” computational photography can fill the gap.
After testing it extensively, the answer is complicated. The main camera is a triumph, but if you love zoom, you are going to feel the loss. Here is the full breakdown.
Camera Hardware Overview
The OnePlus 15R features a dual-camera setup on the back.
- The main camera is a 50 MP Sony IMX906, which is the same sensor used on the OnePlus 15. It is a 1/1.56-inch sensor paired with a 24 mm f/1.8 lens, with OIS and AF.
- The ultra-wide camera remains an 8 MP 1/4-inch sensor with a 16 mm f/2.2 lens. It lacks AF and is clearly the weakest part of the camera system.
- On the front, the OnePlus 15R gets a 32 MP selfie camera with AF, which is a massive upgrade over the 16 MP fixed-focus camera on the OnePlus 13R.
- OnePlus also brings its DetailMax Engine to the 15R, just like the OnePlus 15.
OnePlus 15R vs OnePlus 13R: What changed in camera Hardware?
| Feature | OnePlus 15R | OnePlus 13R |
| Main Sensor | 50 MP Sony IMX906 (1/1.56″, OIS) | 50 MP Sony LYT-700 (1/1.56″, OIS) |
| Telephoto | None (Uses In-sensor Zoom) | 50 MP Optical (2X) (Samsung JN1 Sensor) |
| Ultra-Wide | 8 MP (Fixed Focus) | 8 MP (Fixed Focus) |
| Selfie | 32 MP (Autofocus) (4K Video Supported) | 16 MP (Fixed Focus) (1080p Video only) |
| Video | 4K @ 120fps | 4K @ 60fps |
Main Camera
The Sony IMX906 sensor paired with the DetailMax Engine delivers excellent results across a wide range of conditions. At 1X, images are packed with detail, textures are well preserved, and sharpening is controlled. OnePlus has done a good job avoiding the over-processed look that plagued some previous models.
At 2X, the camera uses a digital crop, but the results remain very strong. In fact, in many cases, the 2X output from the 15R looks as good as, or even better than, the 2X optical camera on the OnePlus 13R. The older telephoto suffered from oversharpening and a noticeable yellow tint. The 15R keeps colors far more natural.
At 3X, detail still holds up surprisingly well. Textures remain intact, and the images are usable without hesitation. You can even push to 4X in good lighting conditions and still get acceptable results.
Beyond that, physics inevitably kicks in. At 5X, 10X and 20X, the OnePlus 13R does retain more fine detail thanks to its dedicated lens. That said, the 15R does allow you to zoom up to 20X, and the image quality at this magnification is not good at all.
If needed, you can use the AI 4K Upscale feature in the Photos app to improve clarity, though this is not something I would recommend relying on regularly. In general, the sweet spot for the OnePlus 15R’s main camera is 1X to 4X, and within that range, it delivers consistently impressive results.
OnePlus also allows the 15R to shoot 25 MP photos at 1X by default, which is commendable. This option needs to be manually enabled in the camera settings, as the phone ships with 12 MP output by default. Once enabled, the extra detail is noticeable.
The OnePlus 15R does not include the Snapshot mode found on the OnePlus 15, but shutter speed is still very fast. There is effectively no shutter lag, which makes it great for capturing moving subjects.
You also get Live Photos, which record a 3-second clip, 1.5 seconds before and after pressing the shutter. Results here are good and genuinely useful. And thanks to AI, you can even generate a slow-motion video using live photos.
Low Light
Low-light performance from the main camera is very good for the price. Images show minimal noise, details are well preserved, and there are no strange artifacts.
Dynamic range is good, and highlights are handled well even in challenging lighting situations. OnePlus uses different algorithms to ensure reliable performance in unfavorable conditions, including backlit scenes, and it shows.
HDR performance is particularly impressive. The camera handles harsh lighting well, balancing shadows and highlights without overdoing the processing. However, there have been some misses, so hopefully that can be fixed.
Portrait Photography
Portraits are another area where the OnePlus 15R excels. The phone can shoot portraits at 1X and 2X, and unlike fixed focal lengths on some other phones, the zoom is continuous between these levels. This gives you more flexibility in framing your shots, which I really appreciate.
Edge detection is excellent. The camera can accurately identify and separate strands of hair in most lighting conditions but there are issues with backlit scenarios.
Skin tones remain natural, and skin texture is preserved rather than being smoothed out aggressively. In low light, portraits still look good, though they do get a bit soft at 2X since this is a digital crop. Thankfully, there is no yellow tone issue here like the 13R.
Selfie Camera
The selfie camera on the OnePlus 15R gets a massive upgrade. It is now a 32 MP sensor with autofocus, up from the 16 MP fixed-focus unit on the 13R. The sensor size is now 1/3.1-inch, and the aperture is a fast f/2.0. The field of view is very wide at 21 mm, making it excellent for group selfies and capturing more of the scene.
Autofocus makes a huge difference here. Close-ups and product showcase videos are much easier to shoot, and focus accuracy is excellent.
Image quality is very good. Details are sharp, HDR performance is decent, and colors look natural. In some situations, you may notice a slight halo effect around subjects, and low-light selfies can get a bit soft, but overall, this is a strong front camera for the segment.
Ultra-wide
The ultra-wide camera is the weakest link on the OnePlus 15R. It is an 8 MP 1/4-inch sensor paired with a 16 mm f/2.2 lens and lacks autofocus. While results are acceptable in good daylight, it’s not good for anything else.
Low-light performance is poor, noise creeps in quickly, and detail drops significantly. Real-time HDR preview on this lens is also quite poor. At this price point, an 8 MP ultra-wide camera should not be a thing. OnePlus really needs to ditch this sensor and move to at least a 50 MP unit in future models.
Video
Video performance on the OnePlus 15R is a clear upgrade over the 13R. The main camera now supports 4K video at 120 fps, which works well in daylight and allows you to create smooth slow-motion footage later. Video quality at 4K60 and 4K30 is also very good, but there are some issues with exposure management.
The selfie camera finally supports 4K video recording, capped at 4K30. Quality here is good, stabilization works well, and dynamic range is decent, though noise becomes visible in low light.
You can also switch between the main and selfie cameras during 4K30 recording, which is a welcome addition.
Ultra Steady video is supported up to 4K60 on the main camera. Dual-view video is available at 1080p30, and cinematic video with portrait blur is also limited to 1080p30.
Ultra-wide video remains limited to 1080p30, and quality is below average. Noise appears quickly, even indoors, and this lens is best avoided for video unless absolutely necessary.
Unlike the OnePlus 15, the 15R does not get Master Mode or Pro Video mode. There is a Film Mode, which allows manual controls, but it is restricted to a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, and you cannot control resolution or frame rate. LOG video recording is also not supported.
For photos, Pro mode is available on the rear cameras, and you can shoot in JPG or RAW. There is no option for high-resolution RAW or JPG + RAW capture.
Camera Verdict
The OnePlus 15R is a camera setup that has its highs and lows.
If you are a casual shooter who lives on the main camera and takes a lot of selfies/portraits, this is a huge upgrade over the 13R. The main sensor is fantastic, and the video improvements are genuine.
But the omission of the telephoto lens and the weak ultra-wide sensor will be deal-breakers for enthusiasts. The DetailMax engine saves the day for 2X and 3X zoom, but it can’t perform miracles.
You can read our complete OnePlus 15R review here for the full breakdown of design, display, performance, software, battery tests, and overall verdict: OnePlus 15R Review: Several Steps Forward, But Two Steps Back.
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