Flagships have reached a point where we no longer see overwhelming changes between generations, but that's exactly what OnePlus is doing with the OnePlus 15. While the OnePlus 13 introduced a new design that still paid homage to the manufacturer's design ethos, the OnePlus 15 does away with all of that entirely, adopting a design that I can only describe as generic.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like OnePlus paid any attention to the design of the OnePlus 15, and if the OnePlus 13s was an iPhone clone, this is but a poor facsimile that isn't even trying. That's just the start of the issues; there's no Hasselblad integration any longer, with the phone instead getting an in-house DetailMax engine.
It's almost as if the OnePlus 15 is relegated to second-tier status within OPPO, as there is no other reason to omit Hasselblad tuning on this device — not when both the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro retain the integration. The camera hardware itself has undergone changes this year, with the OnePlus 15 featuring a 50MP primary camera that utilizes the Sony IMX906 module and a smaller 1/1.56-inch sensor (compared to the 1/1.4-inch sensor used last year).
There's also a "new" 3.5x telephoto lens that uses the 50MP Samsung JN5 sensor, and a 50MP OmniVision OV50D-toting ultrawide-angle lens. I took the OnePlus 15 along with me on a recent visit to the U.S. and Mexico, and shot hundreds of photos with the device — let's get started.
The main camera of the OnePlus 15 gets a lot right
The main camera does a better job than the OnePlus 13, delivering cleaner photos with good dynamic range and color balance. There are issues at times with foliage rendition, and I got a few shots that were overexposed even in daylight scenarios.
What's particularly irksome is the lack of consistency. All three lenses take different calibers of photos, and most brands tune the resultant photos so they have the same tonal balance — but that isn't the case here. In the set of shots above, you can see how the 2x photo looks washed out against the image taken with the main lens. And while the 3.5x photo is better, thanks to the dedicated tele lens, it doesn't quite have the same level of detail as the main camera, and it doesn't convey warm tones nearly as well.
Other than that, I generally like the color rendition, and the main camera holds its own against what Google and Samsung are doing in the sub-$1,000 category. I still don't understand the purpose of the new DetailMax engine, and although it captures higher-resolution photos — they're saved at 26MP instead of the default 12MP — you don't actually gain much in the way of additional details.
The 3.5x telephoto is great — but inconsistent
The JN5 sensor is a known quantity at this point, and it's annoying that OnePlus didn't go with any of the newer modules on the OnePlus 15. While the 3.5x tele lens does a good enough job in its own right, it struggles with color rendition in low-light situations, and takes a second longer to focus than other tele lenses I have used in recent times.
If not the new 200MP Samsung HPB or HP9 modules that are being used on other Chinese phones, I would've at least liked to see a bigger tele lens on the OnePlus 15, as it feels like the device is being limited by the sensor. That said, 2x zoom is done via the main lens using in-sensor zoom, and the resultant shots are quite good.
The ultrawide-angle lens is strictly average — but you knew that
I don't understand why OnePlus struggles to deliver a good ultrawide-angle lens. The OmniVision sensor has been around for a while, so OnePlus should have done a better job tailoring it for the OnePlus 15, but that just isn't the case. The ultrawide-angle lens comes in handy outdoors — particularly at tourist attractions like the Teotihuacán pyramids outside Mexico City — and the OnePlus 15 doesn't quite measure up in this area.
Just like the main camera, the ultrawide-angle lens doesn't quite have the same color balance as the tele lenses, and if you use all four lenses, you'll end up getting four photos that look different. At least it's consistently inconsistent.
Bottom line: The OnePlus 15 has good cameras for what it costs
I'm let down by the OnePlus 15 in general; the design just doesn't do it for me, and it is a poor follow-up to the OnePlus 13. The cameras are technically better than last year, but they don't measure up to the Find X8 or Vivo X300, much less their Pro counterparts.
In countries where OPPO and Vivo sell their devices, the OnePlus 15 comes across as a distinct second-best. However, the phone has an inherent advantage in North America, where it competes against Google and Samsung — it holds up much more favorably in that context.
While it isn't quite as good as the Galaxy S25 Ultra or Pixel 10 Pro XL in all scenarios, it puts up a decent showing — particularly when you consider it costs $899. Google's and Samsung's alternatives cost at least $300 more, and when you pit the OnePlus 15 against the regular Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25, it comes out ahead thanks to its camera versatility.
FAQ
What are the OnePlus 15 camera specs?
The OnePlus 15 has three 50MP rear cameras, a wide-angle, ultrawide-angle, and telephoto lens. The front selfie camera is a 32MP sensor.
What is the optical zoom level of the OnePlus 15 telephoto camera?
The OnePlus 15 has a 50MP telephoto camera with a 3.5x optical zoom level. The phone is capable of taking optical-quality photos at 7x, and digital zoom maxes out at 120x.
Does the OnePlus 15 have a Hasselblad camera?
Unlike its predecessors, the OnePlus 15 does not have a Hasselblad camera this year. Instead, the company is using its own DetailMax camera system and Clear Night Engine (for night-time photos).
