As GadgetMatch’s Creative Producer for 7+ years, I’ve had my fair share of review phones with me.

However, as I stated in my recent Reno15 Pro First Look, this is only my second time handling OPPO’s midranger.

Being the team’s full-fledged ~camera guy~, it’s the best time to shoot with this smartphone. Now, here’s my Camera Review of the all-new OPPO Reno15 Pro.

Hocus Focus

First in focus is none other than the Reno15 Pro’s main (1x) shooter. On paper, this has the biggest gap between the vanilla and Pro variants of the Reno15 series.

	OPPO Reno15 Pro	OPPO Reno15
Wide	200MP f/1.8 1/1.56” Samsung ISOCELL HP5 sensor	50MP f/1.8 1/1.95” Sony LYT-600 sensor
Ultra-Wide	50MP f/2.0 116º FoV GalaxyCore GC50F6	8MP f/2.2 116º FoV OmniVision OV08D
Telephoto	50MP f/2.8 1/2.75” Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor	50MP f/2.8 1/2.75” Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor
Selfie	50MP f/2.0 1/2.75” Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor	50MP f/2.0 1/2.75” Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor

That 200MP main camera not only has a larger megapixel count, but it also has a bigger sensor size, compared to what the base Reno15 has.

Right off the bat, the Reno15 Pro already serves with its superior image quality.

 

While color output is and will always be preferential, I prefer how the Reno15 Pro doesn’t produce photos that are looking too flat — with the fair share of balance in highlights, shadows, and contrast.

HDR scenes weren’t forgotten as well. There’s a good mix of everything in between despite capturing them against that harsh sunlight behind.

And before I forget, I just want to commend how fast the shutter response time is. Personally, I don’t use burst shooting and only relies on how fast my finger reflexes are when taking photos as fast as possible.

Good thing, the OPPO Reno15 Pro managed to capture this breezing train with ease.

The ability to switch between 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm is also a great feature flexibility especially for users who want to frame their shots properly.

BONUS #1: It also captured my first snow fall experience in Osaka ❄️

Wider than wide

Usually, ultra-wide cameras are something that’s left behind among midrange phones. The case isn’t the same for the Reno15 Pro.

Although I cannot provide any comparison sample, that 50MP sensor obviously has the upper-hand versus the 8MP shooter found on the base Reno15.

Shots taken in the UWA (Ultra-Wide Angle) mode look crisp and clear, no questions asked.

It even managed to snap that flying bird above like a fictional time freeze phenomenon.

That 118-degree FoV squeezes in more details in the frame that cannot be captured by the regular 1x wide camera — unless you physically back off meters away from the subject.

In certain scenarios where cropping in is required, that larger megapixel count means it has gathered more image data — especially in restricting environments.

The Zoom Boom

If you’re coming from last year’s Reno, that 3.5x zoom shooter still remains.

Albeit, from a periscope module, it was returned to a telephoto one (like what’s equipped in the Reno13 Pro). I’m quite unsure how massive or measly that change brings to the table.

And even if that 200MP can bring 2x zoom shots through in-sensor cropping, having a dedicated telephoto lens means clearer shots from afar.

And it’s not just limited to 3.5x telephoto zoom per se (85mm). The OPPO Reno15 Pro can even take as far as 7x with optical-quality zoom (or lossless / hybrid, whatever the best term is). That’s an equivalent of 170mm in camera lens’ focal length.

Good thing or not, it’s the same exact sensor found on the base Reno15 as well.

What matters the most is that I love how this zoom shooter performs.

It even performs snappy when shooting moving subjects — like this deer and tux cat.

I am a firm believer of not taking food shots using the regular 1x view. Thankfully, the excellence of its 2x and 3.5x zoom modes made me capture these mouthwatering photos with enough segmentation.

Also, my new obsession? Turning on the flash when capturing meals indoors for that ✨ 2000s digicam vibes 📸

Low-light that looks right

As I always say, shots taken with no presence of natural and artificial light is what makes or breaks a smartphone’s camera performance.

However, the OPPO Reno15 Pro dared. It was able to capture this Mt. Fuji scene at Tokyo Skytree even when the sun has already set.

With no surprise how it performs during the day, these evening photos provide more than satisfactory quality.

And just to be clear, I never actually switched to Night Mode.

Regardless of the focal length you desire, the OPPO Reno15 Pro delivered well.

OPPO AI instantly detects the scene and kicks in that much-needed algorithm when capturing shots in the low-light. For instance, this part was so dark I didn’t even notice there’s a couple captured in the frame.

Indoor shots weren’t left out as well. Look at how clean these look despite capturing them while being in a ride full of twists and turns.

Speaking of, these two samples were also taken while the parade floats were in constant motion.

I didn’t fully intend to take as much low-light shots with the OPPO Reno15 Pro. Still, it would be a huge miss not to include these extras.

BONUS #2: I accidentally took this with the flash enabled so it didn’t truly capture the split-second moment of that fireworks. However, IMHO, it still looked postworthy.

Pro-trait Expert

Having a telephoto shooter isn’t just for capturing subjects from afar, it also means better portraits through fixed focal lengths à la prime lenses for professional cameras.

While portrait mode works in both 1x or 2x modes, that 3.5x (or 85mm equivalent) gives the best possible output.

Not only is the Depth of Field (DoF) based on the phone’s distance away from the person, but it also provides a more natural bokeh — even if that means faking the aperture from f/16 to as shallow as f/1.4.

And this expertise isn’t just found on the rear cameras. With the front camera sharing the same sensor as the telephoto camera, quality is more than justified.

Same sensor found on the telephoto unit with a wider aperture clearly means the Depth of Field (DoF) is as natural as it can get.

Selfies are for one, groufies are for another. The Reno15 Pro easily captures human subjects without frills.

Taking low-light groufies in this device weren’t a struggle at all.

BONUS #3: Gen-Z selfie with the rear UWA camera!

#NoFilter shots aren’t bragging rights

What draws the fine line between the Find and Reno line are their camera partnerships (or lack thereof).

While the Find still rocks that Hasselblad partnership since the Find X5 Pro, the Reno class relies on OPPO’s own imaging algorithms.

It’s honestly not the best. However, if you want your photos to look less “generic”, these filters truly give soul to your shots.

All in all, there are 18 filters you can choose from:

Film-Simulated	Classic	Black and White
Neon (800T Film)	Vivid	B&W
Cold Flash (CCD)	Shine	Mono
Warm Flash (CCD)	Natural
Fresh (Film CC)	Food
Vintage (Film NC)	Cool
Clear (Film NH)	Warm
	Vibrant
	Faded

Personally, my frequently used filter is Neon (or 800T Film).

Although it really depends on the subject you’re trying to capture, it performed well during my Japan trip. Either it’s the place, the camera, or both. You be the judge.

Love it or h(AI)te it

Given the unstoppable price hike in memory and other tech components, 2026 seems like a progressive year for AI.

Love it or hate it, AI Tools are getting more advanced — and the OPPO Reno15 Pro isn’t far from the race.

The precise AI Eraser is already given. However, there’s more than just that.

In times when the environment doesn’t fully expose each and everyone’s faces, the AI Portrait Glow feature comes in very handy.

With the right balance, it illuminates faces as if we each had our own fill light. Just be wary if your face gets tweaked and does not look the same way as it is.

Speaking of groufies, the AI Perfect Shot is the perfect companion in fixing those good shots ruined by your friend’s unprepared faces.

For bad photographers, AI Recompose reframes your bad-angled shots based on OPPO’s AI power.

More on the Reno15 Pro’s AI Editor list includes Enhance Clarity to 4K, Reflections Remover, and Unblur.

Pop-out collage is also there to make your Instagram Stories (or Facebook Stories) look more quirky.

Video Versatility

It wouldn’t be a complete camera review without testing out how the Reno15 Pro performs when shooting clips.

At first, I was really skeptical on its performance. But, after having a dead powerbank and flagship phone in my bag, my only recourse was to shoot with the Reno15 Pro during that festive electrical night parade in Tokyo Disneyland.

I’ve also used it to record the “Sky Full of Colors” ending fireworks show as the ending piece of our visit.

While it was cancelled last-minute during our Tokyo DisneySea journey, we were still lucky enough to see it from Disneyland a day after.

If the low-light performance was already commendable to begin with, how much more when it’s daytime?

For a phone in this segment, I was not expecting anything grand. Gladly, it delivered more than what I have imagined.

Zoom cruising, while not perfect, still provided a smoother transition between 1x to 3.5x (compared to phones in this league). Surprisingly, 4K/60fps with HDR is possible so I used it just like in the flagship phones I own.

That goes hand in hand with the Reno15 Pro’s tiny but mighty 6.32-inch AMOLED ProXDR display as it can actually display HDR content without any brute force.

Other Goodies

OPPO Reno15 Pro is more than just your typical midrange smartphone. Diving more into its camera app, there are several features I was not able to explore yet can still be very useful in times of need.

The usual ones are the Panorama, Time-lapse, and Slo-mo. For some fun, there are the Dual-View Video and Sticker modes. Need to scan documents? Document and Text Scanner both exist.

Professional-grade shooting? There’s the Pro mode for stills and Movie mode for, you guessed it, video recording.

Scene-strict modes? Night Mode and Underwater Mode both save the day and the night. After all, the Reno15 Pro is IP66/IP68/IP69-certified.

And, even in low-light shots, OPPO Reno15 Pro’s AI capabilities already does the job for you — even without switching to Night Mode that’s hidden in that vault anyway.

Is the OPPO Reno15 Pro your GadgetMatch?

With a staggering pricing of PhP 49,999, the OPPO Reno15 Pro isn’t a totally easy recommendation for users who want capable cameras in a phone for less.

However, looking at what the OPPO Reno15 Pro offers, it’s imaging prowess is more than justifiable. It’s more than just a “Portrait Expert.”

Now onto my bold excerpt:

Why is this even considered a “Reno”?

While it’s clearly still under OPPO’s midrange line, the Reno15 Pro already feels like a flagship. Honestly, it could have just been named as the “Find X9 mini” not just for its sheer size, but for all the flagship-grade qualities it possesses.

While I’m talking about its fast 4nm Dimensity 8450 SoC, 12GB memory, 6200mAh battery capacity, alongside the oh-so-fluid ColorOS 16, its superior cameras are for another — just without the Hasselblad branding and novelties on it.

(Re)volutionary and in(no)vative

While OPPO was vague with how they actually named “Reno” as their midrange line, I have thought of my own meaning: (Re)volutionary + in(no)vative.

If my memory serves me right, the first series of OPPO Reno that came out last 2019 had an unusual pop-up camera mechanism alongside that 10x hybrid zoom capability. Those two unique features embody what the Reno line is — or so I thought.

While I may not have experienced each and every Reno model ever released, my colleagues’ pieces are proof that the line isn’t totally consistent with what they wanted to deliver.

My memory with the Reno10 Pro back in 2023 is still vivid though. It felt like a midranger slapped with a mix of cameras that performed just right — much like any other mid phone in its prime. However, I cannot say the same for the Reno15 Pro. It was surprisingly delighting and more than satisfying.

Almost three years after, OPPO set the record straight. They finally delivered a midranger that doesn’t feel mid with its excellency in smartphone-tography. That’s minus the intimidating flagship price tag of its “Find” lineup.

READ: Match Pulse: OPPO Reno15 Pro

THE Michael Josh puts AirTags in his bags, suitcases, keys, heck, even his TV remote.

They’ve saved him many times and keep anxiety at bay when it comes to delayed or missing baggage.

And just about last month, Apple announced a new model — the same size, shape, and price. But, it comes with a whole bunch of improvements that make it more findable.

So, should you rush out to get the new ones? In this review video, we test the range and sound of the all-new AirTag 2 in the real world.

As someone who tells stories for a living, I’ve always stood behind the camera.

I know all too well that I’m exceptional at framing people and landscapes, capturing moments that make sense later.

When I flew to Northern Mindanao, I told myself I was going for a change of scenery. I wanted to exist inside my own narrative, too.

Bukidnon became the perfect backdrop for getting to know myself in and behind the frame. In my pocket was the OPPO Reno15 5G in Aurora White.

There were no expectations of the smartphone being part of the story. I just wanted to see if I could trust it to document my adventures.

Surprisingly, it did.

Refinement over noise

I’ve always been drawn to designs that stand out. Covering the Reno series from its earliest iterations up to the Reno15 has been a hallmark of my career in journalism.

I like pieces that catch attention. As a Leo, I’ve always loved it — in how I dress and in the items I carry. In the past, that meant bold finishes and loud statements, much like the Reno lines before this.

As I grew and aged gracefully, my taste evolved. I still want to demand some form of presence. I just don’t want it to feel abrasive.

The Reno15 demands attention without being loud. The Aurora White finish looks clean and polished from afar. Up close, the surface shifts under light and a shimmer reveals itself only when you move it.

The glass back flows seamlessly into the camera module, so the silhouette feels cohesive rather than decorative. It still carries that flat-edge familiarity people love to compare to an iPhone, and I get why.

In hand, the Reno15 5G feels substantial at 197 grams, yet it never became uncomfortable during long days of recording across different adventures.

The 6.59-inch frame sits comfortably when I’m scrolling one-handed or holding it up to film while moving, like when I rode a 4×4 to a ranch, gripping it tightly as rough terrain threatened to jolt everything out of place.

That said, I live actively. I move between environments without babying my devices. My arsenal looks like gear ready for battle, and that sums up what I need from a smartphone.

The Reno15 5G’s IP66, IP68, and IP69 protection means this beauty is tougher than it looks. It resists dust and handles water exposure. Add Splash Touch support, and even slightly damp fingers don’t interrupt what I’m doing.

Light under pressure

For someone who practically lives under the sun, the display became both a companion and a challenge.

When I was filming in open fields, the Reno15 5G’s screen sometimes struggled against harsh midday light. Even at 1200 nits in high brightness mode, the glare could be relentless.

I found myself stepping into pockets of shade, tilting the screen at careful angles, squinting just to confirm whether a shot was framed properly.

On days when there was no escaping the sun, I trusted the camera and my instinct for composition. I mounted the phone on my Ulanzi tripod, positioned myself in the scene, and focused on performing rather than obsessively reviewing every second.

There was a learning curve, but it reminded me that sometimes you have to let the moment unfold and stitch the story together later from whatever you captured.

Now Playing: Undercover Miss Hong

My life as a creative director isn’t all shooting and exporting. I consume as much as I create. Inspiration has always come from film and television.

Lately, I’ve been watching Undercover Miss Hong on Netflix, with Park Shin Hye playing Hong Keum-bo, an elite securities inspector who goes undercover as a rookie employee inside a suspicious investment firm.

Set in 1997 Seoul during the Asian Financial Crisis, the series commits fully to its time period. The palette leans into muted browns and dusty blues that echo economic tension.

Interiors feel dim and textured and office spaces look rigid. The fashion reflects the late ’90s without turning into a costume. Nothing is polished for surface appeal because everything feels rooted in its world.

On the Reno15 5G’s 6.59-inch AMOLED display, those tonal differences came through clearly. Dark scenes retained shadow detail instead of collapsing into flat black, while warm tungsten lighting looked rich without veering orange.

Beyond inspiration, I trim clips and scrub through footage I captured during my trip. The 120Hz refresh rate makes swiping and scrubbing feel fluid.

Where nothing lags

As someone fond of flagship devices like my OPPO Find X9 and iPhone 16 Pro, I know immediately when a smartphone feels like a compromise. The OPPO Reno15 5G is technically midrange, yet it never felt like one.

From setup to day-to-day use, everything felt smooth. Apps opened quickly so I switched between shooting, editing, messaging, and uploading without hiccups.

My neurodivergent brain appreciated that it could keep up with the constant mental tabs I have open.

The 6500mAh battery lasted about a day and a half after shooting across cities and mountains. Charging took around 45-50 minutes from zero to 100% with 80W SUPERVOOC.

What I appreciated most was O+ Connect. I’ve used it before on the Find X9 and previous Reno devices, and it continues to make my workflow seamless.

It’s no secret that I exist deep within Apple’s ecosystem. My MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro are cross-functional tools for my work. I even switched to Apple’s Creator Studio.

Using the Reno15 5G as my primary content device during testing could have felt disruptive. Instead, O+ Connect allowed me to move files across devices easily.

I treated the Reno15 5G like a mirrorless camera, then refined everything on a bigger screen.

A playground for precision

Artificial Intelligence has ingrained itself into our devices in ways that don’t always feel natural.

I’ve seen AI productivity tools work well for people in high-pressure professions. For me, efficiency doesn’t mean teaching a system how to think before it works for me.

What stood out in the Reno15 series was AI Mind Space. It allowed my scattered brain to consolidate screenshots, schedules, references, and fragments of information into one hub that actually mirrors how I operate.

As someone who saves everything for later, it felt less like automation and more like organization that understands me.

Then there’s AI Motion Photo Popout. As a creative director, I don’t like posting stories the way everyone else does. I have a desire, deep in my bones, to stand out.

Popout lets me lift subjects out of the frame and turn them into layered visuals. I used it for Instagram Stories and thumbnails instead of settling for a random still from a Reel.

Being able to refine directly in the Gallery — erasing distractions or turning motion into cinematic snippets — meant I could act on impulse without sacrificing my love for curation.

Learning to be seen

During my time in Northern Mindanao, I stopped pretending I didn’t want to be in the photos.

For the longest time, I’ve been more comfortable orchestrating the frame than occupying it. I knew where to stand and how to direct, or where the light should hit… but for everyone else.

This past year, I’ve been learning to own the space I’m in and not dimming my light simply because I’m afraid of how bright it might be.

The OPPO Reno15 5G’s 50-megapixel ultra-wide front camera made that easier than I expected.

I told OPPO’s Creative Manager in passing that I genuinely liked the new hardware when he asked how the experience had been so far, and I meant it.

The wider field of view meant I didn’t have to overthink whether everyone fit into the frame. I didn’t have to do that subtle, Gen-Z arm stretch or step back awkwardly just to make room for the scenery.

I could capture more of the background without looking hideous in the process. The frame felt immersive, yet balanced: Faces looked natural and proportions didn’t warp.

There’s something powerful about not having to choose between yourself and the scenery. You can be the subject, or you can be part of the story. With this smartphone, you’re allowed to coexist with both.

I even asked my photographer friend, Neil Jimenez, to take my portraits using the 50-megapixel telephoto portrait camera.

Holding still in front of the lens felt unfamiliar. I tried to remain statuesque, composed, trusting him to see what I usually see in others.

The portraits came out vivid without distortion. The backgrounds softened, but never stretched or exaggerated.

It was strange to watch myself in those frames. To notice how the light rested on my cheeks, and see how my smile shifted when something genuinely amused me. To observe expressions I never see because I’m usually the one observing.

There’s another side of you that only appears when you let yourself be seen.

Behind the lens where I’m most comfortable

If being in the frame felt vulnerable, being behind it felt like home.

Bukidnon still feels like a dream when I replay it in my head: Horses moving across open fields, mountains layered into one another like watercolor washes.

I shot wide and then cropped in. The main camera gave me enough details to experiment. Whether I stayed at 1x or zoomed into 2x or 5x, I shaped the narrative the way I wanted people to experience it.

I framed lines and symmetry, and leaned into negative space. I played with contrast, like the way Alpine Village’s architecture stands against the surrounding greenery in Dahilayan.

There was room to explore. Room to make mistakes. It felt like the device in my hand wasn’t just a tool, but a collaborator responding to the way I see the world.

Filmed and directed by yours truly

After leaving the love of my life last year, I began documenting my trips. Maybe it was for content or healing. But I started treating my life like a film I had to direct and star in.

Acting in your own story while directing it at the same time is harder than it sounds. It requires vulnerability and believing that your perspective is worth documenting.

Bukidnon became my practice. I recorded clips using the OPPO Reno15 5G in 4K HDR because I wanted the footage to be stable and detailed even when I was moving.

I remember stressing over file sizes, wondering if I had overcommitted to quality. But when you care about storytelling, you’d rather have too much detail than not enough.

There were pine-lined roads. Snippets of conversations. Landscapes that felt cinematic without trying. And of course, me being a dramatic, slightly unhinged main character like I was starring in a Taylor Swift music video.

Getting out of my comfort zone meant taking the Reno15 5G — mounted securely on a tripod — to a 350-meter zipline ride. For a brief moment, I imagined I was Elphaba flying away from the Emerald City.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by mj (@hemjaye)

I also brought it to the Razorback ride, using Dual-View Video to record the mountains stretching in front of me while capturing my own reaction at the same time.

I’ve done something similar during an ATV ride in Bohol, but this felt different. Higher stakes (and chances of falling if I abruptly stop). Faster wind (and a cold one, because we’re high up in the mountains). More nerves (because I’m not in control).

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by mj (@hemjaye)

I was terrified. The accelerator felt awkward under my control and the seatbelt didn’t feel secure. I’m short, so even sitting comfortably required adjustment.

There was a moment where I questioned whether I had overestimated my courage. But I survived. This story is published. The video is up.

Sometimes, being able to capture how a place made you feel — not just how it looked — is priceless. Vulnerability and honesty matters.

The courage to step into your own frame matters. It just helps when the device in your hand is capable enough to keep up with the story you’re brave enough to tell.

Is the OPPO Reno15 5G your GadgetMatch?

The OPPO Reno15 5G isn’t perfect. Priced at PhP 36,990, it sits a few thousand pesos higher than its predecessor, so the jump asks you to think twice.

What you’re really paying for is refinement. It has smarter AI integrations and a more cohesive overall experience.

But here’s the thing: this is the first Reno in a while that feels grown up. It makes storytelling easier for people who live half their lives online, with a camera system and performance that feel steady enough to rival devices in higher tiers.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s your GadgetMatch, consider a Swipe Right if you’re a content creator who values camera versatility, especially a strong front camera. If you move between Android and Apple ecosystems and need something that lets you shoot, edit, and publish on the go, this fits that workflow.

Swipe Left if you’re extremely price-sensitive or if you rarely go beyond basic point-and-shoot and don’t see yourself using the AI tools built into the system.

The OPPO Reno15 5G won’t transform your life. But if you’re already in the middle of writing your own story, it’s a dependable co-director and co-producer.

And sometimes, that’s all you need.