Today we are going to talk about the camera of a phone that can make a place in the hearts of bloggers and content creators – maybe not! Yes, I am talking about the OnePlus Nord 5 Camera Review. If you are looking for a phone for vlogging, then this post is for you. I have tested the camera of this phone from every angle – low light, daylight, portrait, selfies, and even videos. So, without any excuses, let’s come to the point and see whether this phone meets your expectations or not.
OnePlus Nord 5 Camera Specifications: Let’s clear the basics first
The camera setup of OnePlus Nord 5 looks quite promising on paper. It has dual rear camera:
- 50 MP primary sensor (Sony’s sensor, which is famous for sharp images)
- 8 MP ultra-wide sensor, which is perfect for wide shots
For selfie lovers, it has a 50 MP front camera that uses Samsung’s sensor. Both these rear and selfie cameras support 4K 60fps and Full HD 60fps video recording. And yes, there is also the option of high-res photography and slow-motion. Sounds good, right? But the real test is in real-world performance. So let’s see how this camera performs on the ground.
Low Light Photography: A Little Shortcoming
Let’s start with low light, as this is the area where phones often struggle. I tried this phone’s 2x portrait mode and normal portrait shots in low light. Result? Honestly, a little disappointing.
- Detailing is not as good as it should have been. Details around my beard get blurred, and there is a lot of noise.
- Edge detection is also weak, especially in portrait mode. Even if there is a little light in the background, the reflection comes on the face, which does not look natural at all.
- Normal rear camera shots also tell the same story – there is noise, and this phone is not able to optimise the background light.
The selfie camera performs slightly better in low light. Edge detection and detailing are slightly better than the rear camera, but reflection of background light creates a problem here too. Overall, OnePlus Nord 5 is average in low light photography.
This can be a bit of a problem for bloggers who focus on night shots or indoor photography. If you want to shoot in low light, then some editing will be required. You can improve your shots by reading low light photography tips.
Daylight Photography: Somewhat good, somewhat bad
The camera of OnePlus Nord 5 leaves a slightly better impression in daylight, but there are some issues here too.
- In rear camera portrait shots, edge detection is better than in low light, and colours are also quite accurate. The colours of my t-shirt and the detailing of the trees or sky in the background look realistic. This is a plus point for bloggers who want vibrant and natural shots.
- But in normal human samples, background detailing gets a bit blurry. The texture of the sky or trees does not appear as crisp as it should be.
- In 2x portrait shots, detailing is good, and colours are realistic. Edge detection is also mostly optimised, but in a couple of shots I noticed that it is not perfect.
- In natural samples (like flowers or scenery) the camera boosts colours a bit too much, especially in harsh sunlight. This is good for social media-ready shots, but if you want natural tones, you will need to do some editing.
Overall, the rear camera performance is decent in daylight, but background detailing is a bit lacking. For vloggers who want vibrant and colorful shots, this is a good option.
Selfie Camera: Hit or Miss?
The portrait mode of the selfie camera is okay in daylight, but the edge detection is not perfect here either.
- It gets overexposed if there is sky in the background and reflection comes on the face.
- Detailing is good in normal selfie shots – the colours of my beard and t-shirt were accurate, and the beauty mode isn’t too aggressive, which is a good thing.
- But detailing of the background, especially the trees or sky, is a bit blurry.
If you’re looking for a phone for vlogging or selfies, this camera gives average performance. You can further improve your selfies with the Selfie photography guide.
Video Recording: A little lag
The Nord 5 gives mixed results when it comes to video recording as well. I shot videos in Full HD 60fps with both the rear and selfie cameras.
- There’s a lot of noise in night videos, and the footage looks a little laggy and shaky. This is bad for bloggers who want clean night vlogs.
- Daylight videos also feel a bit laggy and suspicious, which is disappointing. I did multiple takes, but the result was the same. Future software updates may fix this, but for now it is an issue.
- There are features like slow motion (Full HD 120fps) and dual-view video mode, which can be useful for content creators. The high-res mode is also good, but the file size is quite large, so keep storage in mind.
If you create video content, you can improve your footage by reading video recording tips.
Dynamic Range: A Big Plus Point
One thing I really liked is the dynamic range of this phone. This phone handles dark areas or black portions quite well. In daylight shots, the black areas are visible and detailed, which is a big advantage for bloggers. This feature is perfect for landscapes or high-contrast scenes.
Should I buy this phone for blogging?
So the question is – is OnePlus Nord 5 a good choice for bloggers? My answer is: depends on your needs. If you want a phone with vibrant daylight shots and decent dynamic range in a budget, then this phone will do the job. But it falls a bit short in low light photography and video recording. Noise, edge detection issues, and laggy videos can be dealbreakers for bloggers, especially if you create professional-grade content.
Final Thoughts
The OnePlus Nord 5 camera looks quite promising on paper, but lacks a bit in real-world performance. It takes decent shots in daylight, and the dynamic range is quite impressive. But low light photography, edge detection, and video quality need optimization. For bloggers, this phone is workable, but if you focus on low light or high-quality videos, you may want to do more research.
What do you think? Will you be satisfied with the camera of OnePlus Nord 5, or will you try something else? Do let us know in the comment section, and also share your favorite shots or vlogging tips! If you find this review helpful, don’t forget to share it with your friends.
