OnePlus 16 main camera leaks, and we’re not sure if it’s an upgrade or downgrade

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• The OnePlus 16 is tipped to arrive with a 50 MP main camera.
• There’s no word if this primary camera sensor will be larger than the OnePlus 15’s shooter.
• It’s also believed that the phone could have a 3× 200 MP periscope lens.

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

We thought the OnePlus 15 was a bit of a disappointment on the camera front compared to the great OnePlus 13. However, initial leaks suggest that the OnePlus 16 is getting a significant zoom upgrade. Now, a tipster has dished out another notable OnePlus 16 camera leak.

Leaker Yogesh Brar has echoed earlier rumors that 200 MP main cameras are being tested on the OPPO Find X10 series, IQOO 16, vivo X500 series, and Xiaomi 18 range. He also claimed that the OnePlus 16 will ship with a 50 MP main camera.

Brar didn’t reveal more details about this 50 MP shooter, such as sensor size or other capabilities. So we don’t really know if this will be an upgrade or downgrade compared to the OnePlus 15’s 50 MP 1/1.56‑inch primary camera and the OnePlus 13’s 50 MP 1/1.43‑inch sensor.

What do you want to see most from the OnePlus 16 cameras?

A 50 MP main camera isn’t necessarily a downgrade over a 200 MP primary sensor. 200 MP cameras enable higher‑quality cropped zoom out to 3× or 4×, but they come with the trade‑off of tiny pixels. Small pixels capture less light, resulting in darker, noisier photos. Smartphone makers mitigate this issue by using pixel binning (combining data from adjacent pixels into one pixel). It’s also worth noting that the best 50 MP cameras tend to offer advanced HDR and autofocus features before 200 MP sensors become mainstream.

This isn’t the only notable OnePlus 16 leak in recent days. We previously heard that the phone could get a 200 MP telephoto camera, and Weibo leaker Smart Pikachu has now claimed that OnePlus is testing a 3× 200 MP shooter, a 185 Hz screen, and AI buttons. We also heard that the phone could ship with a ~9,000 mAh battery, a huge upgrade over the OnePlus 15’s already massive 7,300 mAh battery.