Oppo’s working on a ‘true continuous zoom lens’ for mobile

Since the launch of the modern smartphone, brands from around the world initiated a race to develop the most powerful, feature-packed mobile cameras ever. This is especially true when it comes to Chinese smartphone makers. Now Oppo has revealed the latest in mobile camera innovations at its Future Imaging Technology launch event. Which streamed online today. 

This brand, in particular, enjoys teasing its mobile camera tech before revealing the actual devices — the same is true here. It was the first to show off periscope telephoto cameras and under-display cameras. 

Zooming in on Oppo

One of the main features teased today, is Oppo’s telephoto lens fitted with something called continuous optical zoom. If you use a current-gen flagship phone with optical zoom, you’ll know that image quality differs greatly at different ranges, and some may look grainier or less saturated at further ranges. 

In the concept, the “lens elements move throughout the 85-200mm-equivalent zoom range meaning that the images should be crisp at every focal length without the need for digital zoom, cropping, or artificial sharpening,” The Verge details. 

Using one camera over a range of focal lengths will make for far better quality and consistency throughout the ranges. Something lacking in current smartphones boasting multiple lenses. May we rejoice in the fact that phones could possibly lose a few cameras? Maybe?

As with most teased features, Oppo won’t say when the lens will ship, or in which upcoming device it’ll be fitted. It’s completely possible we’ll see it sooner rather than later, considering the tech has been shown off already.