OnePlus started using camera tech from Hasselblad in its latest flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. It'll be some time before we see the full impact of that partnership in the form custom camera hardware. In the meantime, OnePlus is looking to bring more of a Hasselblad feel to its current phones. The latest software update for the 9-series handsets, which OnePlus has started rolling out, includes a setting that aims to replicate the look of Hasselblad's XPan film cameras.
The Xpan Mode includes an aspect ratio of 65:21 and a very wide mode with two focal lengths (30mm and 45mm). The image preview has the frame lines that you'd see through the lens of an XPan camera, OnePlus says, and after you take a shot, you can see an animation of negative film developing. There are two film simulation effects too — color and black and white — with Hasselblad working with OnePlus to create the latter.
The update looks to improve the phones' camera systems in other ways. OnePlus says it has updated the memory optimization solution and shortened the time it takes to launch the camera app by up to half. The company says it has reduced lag in previews and fixed over-sharpening in various auto mode situations. It also claims to have improved dynamic range in low-light conditions and bolstered the success rate when it comes to shooting moving objects, while reducing noise and optimizing HDR frame retrieving algorithms for some scenes.
OnePlus says the update includes some other improvements for OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, including wireless charging optimization and the latest Android security patch. The latest firmware also addresses some known issues and improves stability.