In a significant celebration of mobile photography, Oppo India has revealed the winners of its first-ever imagineIF Photography Awards 2024. Out of an impressive 34,000 entries from across the country, six photographers were honoured with Gold, Silver, and Bronze distinctions. The awards aimed to push the boundaries of mobile photography, encouraging participants to showcase their unique stories.
Kolkata’s Arpan Basu Chowdhury has taken the top spot in the ‘Travel’ category with his stunning photo series, “A Forgotten Legacy”, which showcases Bengal’s traditional art form, Bahurupi. Arpan’s work, shot on the OPPO Find X7 Ultra, earned him the Gold award in OPPO India’s inaugural imagineIF Photography Awards. As a result, he and five other talented photographers will be heading to Paris Photo 2024 this November.
Gold: Arpan Basu Chowdhury from Kolkata was awarded the Gold for his evocative series “A Forgotten Legacy,” which documents the traditional Bahurupi art form in rural West Bengal. His work, captured on the Oppo Find X7 Ultra, earned him a cash prize of INR 5,00,000 and an invitation to the prestigious Paris Photo 2024.
Silver: The Silver awards went to Kolkata’s Madhumita Nandi and Aurangabad’s Sanket Joshi. Nandi’s series, “Tongueless Whispering,” delves into the impact of global consumption on human and non-human displacement. Joshi’s “Moments from Wari” captures the spiritual essence of the Warkari tradition in Maharashtra. Both winners received INR 2,00,000 each.
Bronze: Bronze honors were secured by Pralay Jana from Kolkata, Chiranjit Dey from Purulia, and Ajeesh Ajayakhosh from Kollam. Jana’s “Golden Horizons” captures the serene beauty of Chilika Lake at dawn and dusk, Dey’s “Faces Behind the Mask” sheds light on Jharkhand’s Chhau dance, and Ajayakhosh’s “Nature’s Palette” explores the intricate dance of insect courtship. Each Bronze winner was awarded INR 1,00,000.
All six winners will have the opportunity to attend Paris Photo 2024, the 27th edition of the world-renowned photography fair, held from November 7th to 10th at the iconic Grand Palais in Paris.
Sushant Vasishta, Head of Digital Marketing at Oppo India, expressed his enthusiasm for the competition’s success. “We are thrilled with the incredible response to the first edition of the imagineIF Photography Awards. The creativity and passion displayed in over 34,000 entries were truly impressive. Our panellists faced a tough challenge in selecting the winners due to the high level of skill and creativity. At Oppo India, we are deeply committed to nurturing this talent and are excited about the possibilities for future collaborations with these exceptionally talented photographers.”
Reflecting on his win, Gold winner Arpan Basu Chowdhury shared, “I am thrilled to receive the imagineIF Photography Award for 2024. It’s an honour to have my work recognized in the first year of these global awards in India. Capturing ‘A Forgotten Legacy’ on the Oppo Find X7 Ultra was an unforgettable experience; the phone’s advanced camera features made it possible to beautifully showcase the diversity of our country.”
The imagineIF Photography Awards 2024 invited Indian citizens over the age of 18 to submit their best smartphone photos across nine categories: Landscape, Portrait, Colours, Unfading Moment, Fashion, Snapshot, Light, Travel, and Collection. From the initial 34,000+ submissions, 50 entries advanced to the second round, where participants showcased their skills using Oppo’s flagship Find X7 Ultra device. A distinguished panel of photographers, including Celebrity Wedding and Oppo Imaging Expert Joseph Radhik, Wildlife Photographer Aarzoo Khurana, Fashion Photographer Arjun Mark, and other esteemed global jury members, evaluated the entries.4o
Vivo India has recently announced the second edition of the vivo Imagine Smartphone Photography Awards in celebration of World Photography Day. This initiative is aimed at encouraging photographers to explore their creativity and showcase their unique perspectives using smartphone cameras. Esteemed filmmaker Zoya Akhtar will lead the jury, which also includes renowned photographers Vineet Vohra, Rakesh Pulapa, and Aamir Wani.
The awards feature six distinct categories: Nature & Wildlife, Architecture, Portraits, Night & Light, Motion, and Street Photography. Photographers can submit their entries on the official website from August 19 to September 8. Out of all submissions, 30 finalists will be selected by the jury. These finalists will then participate in a final challenge, with their submissions further evaluated.
Winners will be celebrated at a grand finale event in Mumbai. The grand prize includes a cash reward of INR 5 lakhs, while the winners of each category will receive a vivo X100 Pro smartphone. Finalists will also have the opportunity to attend exclusive photography masterclasses led by the jury members to refine their skills.
Geetaj Channana, Head of Corporate Strategy at vivo India, highlighted the theme “Joy of Imagination,” emphasizing the brand’s commitment to merging technology with artistic expression. Zoya Akhtar expressed her excitement about discovering new talent through this initiative, which celebrates the power of visual storytelling.
In this review we are comparing the cameras of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 vs Vivo V30e cameras. Both of these phones come in very interesting price category, between ₹25,000 – 28,000. Now this is a very competitive market and also something that users tend to use a lot. Both these phones are the best variants that the manufacturers offer, 8GB RAM and a 256GB capacity which is expandable to 1TB using an external card. The OnePlus is more affordable of the two coming in with a price of ₹27,000, while the Vivo is for ₹30,000.
Camera Set up
At the back both these come with a dual camera set up which are identical, they both feature a 50-MP main camera and an 8-MP ultrawide camera set up. But there are two major differences between them, one the front camera of the Vivo is also a 50 MP camera while the OnePlus is at 16 MP and the other is that the Nord 4 CE is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 while the Vivo is powered by the 6 Gen 1 processor. Now to the naked eye this might not seem much, but the processor can make a big difference to the performance of the phones, both in the cameras as well as the overall performance.
Both these are powered by the Android 14 with the layer of Oxygen and Funtouch OS.
Daylight Main Camera
A quick look at the sensors of the camera tells us that both manufactures have used different sensors, the OnePlus uses the Sony Lytia 600 sensor which we have now seen on the Open as well as the 12. While the Vivo uses the Sony IMX 882.
In terms of pics, for a camera which offers 50 MP the performance from both of them is ok. The Vivo in some cases boosts the saturation than the actual scene and giving out more reddish tinge to it. On the other hand, the OP was able to give the output as per the original scene. And because of this compensation, the vivo also boosts the contrast of the image leading to the shadow and highlights being blown out. On zooming in as well the images from the OP are sharper than the Vivo.
We put the phones in a challenging shooting scene with harsh light to see multiple things and in this case as well the Vivo was over saturating the pics and also blowing out some details. If you see the wire in this pic then it has blown out coz of the over compensation. I liked the performance of the OP in this case since it didn’t blow out the sky and made it appear bluish which was slightly dull in the Vivo.
But in cases where you are looking for a better saturation and poppy colours then the Vivo would come out on top with the images looking more pleasing to the eye. Although the flare performance could be better.
Daylight Wide
The wide camera of both the phones comes in at 8 MP and its isn’t the best resolution that you get today. But in this price bracket I don’t think the manufacturers can give you much more either.
The images from both of them are ok. The Vivo again displays signs of over saturation but the performance of the flaring is pretty good in this case, much better than OP. But closer to the actual scene, the OP is able to deliver it much better, the Vivo in this case consistently displayed a yellowish or reddish tinge in most cases. I also found the distortion performance of the OP much better.
Daylight Telephoto
In the telephoto category both the phones allow the user to click upto 2x and then shift to digital zoom of 10x for the Vivo and 20x for the OP.
2X5X10X
In this case the performance of both the phones up to 2 to 3x is decent. Anything beyond that I wouldn’t expect a lot. To the naked eye, the OP appears to be sharper on zooming in, but there is hardly any difference between the two honestly. What works for the Vivo in this case is the saturation compensation for vivo which makes some images appear more sharper and pleasing to the eye.
But overall, for zoom purposes and also at high focal ranges the OP is much sharper than the Vivo.
Lowlight Main
In lowlight, the main camera of the OP is again much better giving better sharpness and more saturation as well. The overall image from the Vivo appears to have some sort of a haze due to which the images aren’t looking sharp or saturated. Even on zooming in you can find more details in the pics from the OP. Overall the OP does seem to show a lot more clarity, saturation and also true to scene pics in this case.
Lowlight Wide
And this performance continues in the wide category as well. The Vivo gives a slight reddish tinge to the images while the OP gives a slight yellowing tinge in some cases under ambient light. But under more natural conditions the images from the Vivo seem better than the OP. The images do come slightly underexposed in the OP while they seem well lit and saturated in Vivo.
Lowlight Telephoto
Under this category neither of these phones are that great. At best they are passable.
2X5X10X
At 2x the OP displays much better shapes and quality but anything beyond that, both the phones start losing sharpness and in my mind images under such conditions can be used much. As you go higher into the focal range the difference seems more apparent. And in this case as well the OP has a much better quality than the Vivo.
Portraits
In terms of portraits the Vivo gives you the option to use the aura light to shoot more warmer portraits if you want. But the images from that are warmer and the fill of the light can be much better. Also, by default the setting for skin smoothening is on for the Vivo so if you are someone who doesn’t like that then you should put it off in settings.
In general, the images from either of the phones are decent. The output is sharp in most cases, but the edge detection could be better. Now with these types of phones I don’t expect them to have excellent output in terms of bokeh and depth, but in this case as well the OP is visibly much better. The depth is more real and better than the Vivo.
Front Camera
The front camera has quite a bit of difference between both of the phones. The vivo has a 50-megapixel camera, whereas the OnePlus has a 16-megapixel camera in terms of resolution, and the Vivo definitely has an advantage in this case on paper.
But despite the resolution advantage, the images from the OP are well saturated and good. In terms of portraits as well the pictures from both the phones are decent. The have a decent edge detection, especially in backlight scenarios and can be passed at decent images.
Video
When it comes to Videos, both the phones can shoot 4k upto 60 fps and the output from both of them is good. In daylight there is very little to choose between either of them, but in lowlight the OP seems much better than the Vivo. The stabilisation also works better in the OP as you can see from the samples.
Conclusion
So which phone has the better camera? The OnePlus or the Vivo? They both have something that works well for them, but in this case for me the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is the winner, not only because the camera is better under most conditions, but also since it features a much faster processer, specs and also is more economically priced than the Vivo.
The smartphone industry, particularly in the mid-range segment, has become a hotbed for innovation, with camera technology playing a pivotal role. As manufacturers strive to offer premium features at competitive prices, the camera has emerged as a key differentiator for consumers ranging from avid photographers to social media users. We’re examining two new releases priced at ₹69,999 each: The Xiaomi 14, launched in March, and the OnePlus 12, released in January. Positioned below flagship models from Xiaomi and OnePlus, these phones not only compete with each other, but also showcase their prestigious partnerships with iconic camera brands – Xiaomi with Leica and OnePlus with Hasselblad.
In this test, we’ll compare the camera performance of the Xiaomi 14 and OnePlus 12, exploring how these collaborations influence their photographic capabilities. Read the full article to find out which smartphone better suits your photography needs.
8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240/480fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision
Front Camera
32 MP, f/2.4, 21mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm
Auto-HDR, panorama
4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS
Daylight Main Camera
In the main camera, both phones are equipped with a 50-MP sensor, but the actual output is what truly matters. In this regard, the OnePlus produces images at 14.3 MP while the Xiaomi 14 delivers slightly lower at 14 MP. However, the Xiaomi 14 might have a slight edge in processing due to its use of the latest Omni Vision sensor, compared to the more established LYTIA sensor in the OnePlus.
When it comes to the quality of pictures, both phones seem to provide good results. The images appear sharp and detailed to the naked eye, making it hard to prefer one over the other. Upon closer inspection, however, the OnePlus photos tend to be slightly more saturated, giving them a reddish tinge. Conversely, the Xiaomi produces images that are more natural and true to the original scene. Additionally, the Xiaomi shows superior performance in handling glare, successfully reducing it in most instances where the OnePlus might display some glare. The handling of highlights and shadows by the Xiaomi is also commendable; thanks to a balanced tonal range, it manages to reveal more details in the images.
Daylight Wide Camera
Regarding the ultra-wide cameras, the OnePlus employs a 48 MP Sony IMX581 sensor, while the Xiaomi 14 uses a Samsung ISOCELL sensor. The actual output from the Xiaomi is approximately 14 MP, and the OnePlus produces an output of 13.2 MP. In this aspect, Xiaomi has a clear advantage.
The difference is also visible in the quality of the images. Xiaomi’s images show more natural whites compared to those from OnePlus. However, despite having a lower megapixel count, OnePlus excels by delivering sharper images upon zooming. This suggests that OnePlus has very effective backend processing, though its images are slightly more contrast, which could be a disadvantage.
In indoor settings, Xiaomi occasionally produces images with slightly more contrast than OnePlus, which was unexpected. Moreover, OnePlus images sometimes appear to have a reddish tinge.
Daylight Telephoto Camera
When it comes to telephoto capabilities, the two phones use different sensors. The Xiaomi is equipped with a Samsung ISOCHELL 50 MP sensor that produces a 14 MP output, whereas the OnePlus has a 64 MP OmniVision sensor with an output of 17.6 MP. Their zoom capabilities also vary. The OnePlus offers a zoom range of 3x and 6x, extending up to 120x, while the Xiaomi provides zoom levels of 3.2x, 5x, and 10x, with a maximum of 60x.
The OnePlus has a higher sensor resolution, which results in sharper images across its entire range. As the zoom level increases, the difference in sharpness between the two phones becomes more apparent. For those who prefer sharper images, the OnePlus would be the better choice. However, when it comes to overall image quality, especially at high zoom levels, there is little to distinguish between the two phones as both generally produce good results. Nonetheless, the OnePlus shows some inconsistency in tonal range as the zoom increases, an issue that is not present in the Xiaomi. The Xiaomi may not capture the sharpest images, but it maintains more consistent quality.
Lowlight Main Camera
Recently, there has been an increase in people taking pictures in low light settings, such as during dinners and social outings. In these situations, the Xiaomi’s performance is comparable to the iPhone, as it tends to produce more neutral and natural images. On the other hand, the OnePlus tends to saturate the pictures, which might be preferred by some users because it makes the colours more vivid, and many people like such vibrant pictures.
When it comes to details and sharpness, both the Xiaomi and the OnePlus perform similarly, though the OnePlus might have a slight advantage.
Lowlight Wide Camera
In terms of performance in low-light conditions, both cameras are decent. However, the OnePlus tends to oversaturate the pictures more than the Xiaomi, affecting the visibility of shadows and highlights. Despite this, the OnePlus still produces sharper images in this category.
It’s important to note that the overall performance of both phones varied. Sometimes, the Xiaomi’s images were overexposed, while at other times, the OnePlus’ images were underexposed. Therefore, neither phone delivered flawless results in this segment.
Lowlight Telephoto Camera
Much like its performance in daylight telephoto shots, the OnePlus produces a much sharper image. As one zooms in further, this becomes more evident. At the maximum zoom range of each phone, the images tend to be blurry, yet they appear significantly clearer on the OnePlus.
Although it was anticipated that the OnePlus might display varying colour tones in this aspect, the actual performance was surprisingly better than expected.
Portraits
Xiaomi has consistently performed well in portrait photography over the years, and this was also true for the Xiaomi 13 Pro, which received positive reviews. The brand’s portrait mode, although good, takes a unique approach by incorporating Leica filters, which might be confusing to new users who could initially think there are only two shooting options available.
Both Xiaomi and OP deliver high-quality images that are sharp, well-saturated, with good edge detection and bokeh effect. However, Xiaomi’s portraits are particularly appealing, especially in how they handle skin tones, making them appear more natural, saturated, and warm, thus pleasing to the eye. In contrast, OP offers better blur and sharpness, especially at higher focal ranges, but sometimes struggles with inconsistent tonal ranges.
Front Camera
Both phones feature a 32-megapixel front camera; however, the OnePlus offers only a single setting for taking pictures, while the Xiaomi 14 provides options for both wide-angle and standard (1X) shots. An interesting feature of the Xiaomi 14 is that it uses a timer when the volume down button is pressed to take a picture.
In terms of image quality, the OnePlus produces more natural-looking photos, whereas the Xiaomi enhances the exposure to make the images appear more striking. The Xiaomi 14 also has skin smoothing turned on by default, which users may want to disable for a more natural appearance. When capturing portraits, both phones deliver good detail and edge detection, but the Xiaomi slightly outperforms in terms of the sharpness of the details.
Video Performance
Both phones can record video up to 8K at 24 fps, though this feature has not been tested as it is unlikely to be used frequently by most consumers in the near future. When recording in 4K, both devices can shoot up to 60 fps. In this mode, the OnePlus generally produces better videos. Video stabilization is effective on both devices, but the Xiaomi tends to display more contrast, which can make some videos look underexposed. This was observed with HDR turned off as well, and some glare was noticeable in the videos shot with the Xiaomi 14.
In low-light conditions, however, the increased contrast in Xiaomi’s videos results in better visual quality. Additionally, the Xiaomi outperforms the OnePlus in terms of flare handling in these settings. It is also worth mentioning that Xiaomi’s sound recording quality is superior.
Overall, the OnePlus is favoured for its better overall performance.
Conclusion
Which phone has the better camera, the Xiaomi or the OnePlus? In this comparison, the Xiaomi 14 seems to have the advantage. It captures neutral photos under most conditions, which is highly appreciated. Additionally, it produces warmer-looking portraits, which seems to be popular among users. Although it doesn’t perform as well as the OnePlus in video recording, its superior macro capabilities contribute to it having a better camera overall.
The choice might differ if considering the overall quality of the phone, where factors like the operating system, usability, and display come into play. However, it’s worth noting that the Xiaomi 14’s user interface has improved significantly with the introduction of Hyper Touch OS. Expectations are that it will continue to get better with future updates.
