The niche of the OPPO Reno phones is quite specific. These are camera-centric phones, but more specifically, they’re built for users who place a high value on portraits and selfies. The Reno7 series doesn’t veer too far from that, especially this premium midranger, the OPPO Reno7 5G.
Is that all this phone is good for? Read on to find out.
You want pro-looking portraits and selfies with minimal effort
The cameras are really the main draw for the OPPO Reno7, with a 64-megapixel main rear camera paired with an 8-megapixel wide and 2-megapixel macro alongside a 32-megapixel selfie camera. It’s a generally useful set of cameras (except for that macro one) for day-to-day use and social media purposes. It was one of the cameras I took out when I needed to make content for LiTT (like most of the videos in this clip are from the Reno7’s camera). Or this unboxing you see below.
Like the title of this section, there’s really not much you need to do to get good photos and videos out of this phone, especially if you like taking pictures or videos of people. The features you need to be familiar with are the Portrait Mode, Bokeh Flare Portrait, and AI Color Portrait.
But before we go deeper into that, let me just show you some camera samples:
But again, the OPPO Reno7 is best used for social media, especially if you create content for apps like TikTok and Instagram. Even if you shoot directly in those apps, image quality is already pretty great. (You can check our TikTok and Instagram samples linked here.) But I have to circle back to the features I mentioned earlier: Portrait Mode, Bokeh Flare Portrait, and AI Color Portrait.
Those three can help you create better, flattering self-portraits and photos of your loved ones. The Portrait Mode on the front and back have 25 levels of adjustable aperture sizes (ranging from f/0.95 to f/16). It’s designed to capture the depth of field and bokeh level in the background you want. But make sure you set it to what you want because you can’t edit that bokeh or change your focus after taking the shot.
If you want those out-of-focus dazzling lights in the background, try out Bokeh Flare Portrait. This phone’s AI algorithm mimics the DSLR’s capabilities to create those light spots in different sizes and colors. If you want to stand out, the AI Color Portrait leaves you or your subject in color while the background gets a monochrome filter over it.
The great thing about these three features is you can use them for photos and videos on the Reno7. Video recording on this handset is up to 4K at 30 frames per second (fps) with the rear and up to 1080p in front. But when you use these different modes, they vary on what you can record them in.
- Portrait with the adjustable aperture supports 720p@30fps recording with the rear camera but supports 1080p with the selfie camera.
- Bokeh Flare Portrait supports 720p recording with the rear camera and up to 1080p with the selfie camera.
- AI Color Portrait only supports 720p, whether you record with the selfie or rear cameras.
These features encourage you to show your face, so, unsurprisingly, it works better with the selfie camera. OPPO also continues to refine its skin tone detection and retouching effects to help you achieve the look you want in your photos and videos.
Auto (Left) vs. Auto with HDR (Right)
OPPO doubles down on offering improved video capabilities on the Reno7 with AI Highlight Video and Live HDR features. These features use OPPO’s algorithm to help balance and preserve the colors, improve dynamic range in your videos, and brighten those taken in low light. I’ve noticed it’ll do intuitive things like turn on the fill light if I’m recording with the selfie camera in darker environments.
The Reno7’s cameras have features like focus tracking, making it easy to keep subjects in focus while you record. And there’s also Ultra Steady Video for smoother videos, less shaky videos. It’ll be helpful for recording moving subjects or when you’re moving yourself and shooting. Unlike the 1080p@60fps shooting mode on this phone, you won’t be able to zoom in and out while recording. But this mode records in that resolution.
Now, if you want the handy, vlogger-friendly Dual-View Video, that’s available here. It allows the Reno7’s cameras on the front and back to record simultaneously. So, if you want to share your reaction to a live event as it happens, you can do that here.
LiTT Tip #1: If you want to check if focus tracking is enabled on your Reno7, head to the Camera app and tap on the three-dot icon on the upper right corner. Head to Settings and scroll down to Video. Make sure Focus lock is enabled. (The toggle icon should be green.)
LiTT Tip #2: If you want help making photo and video edits for personal use, the OPPO Reno7 has Soloop Templates integrated into the Camera app. Scroll right until you reach More under the different camera modes, and you should see the feature there. You can choose from the preset ones or keep swiping until you see more templates.
Has speedy charging times for your on-the-go lifestyle
If you’re an always-on-the-move kind of person, you need a smartphone ready to go anytime you need it. The Reno7 has OPPO’s speedy 65W SuperVOOC charging tech, which it claims can get you to 100% in around 31 minutes. The closest I’ve gotten to that during my testing is 36 minutes, and the phone was shut off while it charged. You can do without a half-hour of not using your phone. So, I’d recommend doing that.
But charging time during my testing fluctuated between that time and around 45 minutes. That’s still quite commendable and something I expect from devices at the Reno7’s price range. What I am missing from a smartphone at this price point is the option for wireless charging. Unfortunately, if that’s important to you, it isn’t available here.
Speaking of that no-fuss, on-the-go lifestyle, you might want a not-so-high-maintenance device. With the Reno7’s OPPO Glow design, the back panel isn’t a smudge magnet. I’ve grown to like the Starry Black option we were lent because it does give me that Ursula vibe. It’s not my favorite smartphone design, but it’s pretty classy. (For my own use, I prefer the more striking, colorful look of the Reno7 Z.) It’s the kind of phone design that can easily blend in with your outfits.
Offers software tweaks to improve your experience
A phone that looks good is just one part of the equation. Another is being able to use it well. “Beauty and brains” and all that jazz. What use is a pretty-looking device if you’re spending most of your time being frustrated with how it performs? Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be an issue for day-to-day use here.
This MediaTek Dimensity 900 5G-powered handset hasn’t really raised any alarms when it comes to performance. OPPO paired that with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage. You can even get the performance boost via its RAM expansion tech. I’ve left it at 3GB, which seemed more than enough for what I needed (you can set it up to 5GB).
Any task I needed to get work done worked just fine (like when I needed to access email, browser, social media, video editing apps, note-taking apps, etc.). I didn’t run into an issue when I played games like Asphalt 9 and Tiny Room Stories: Town Mystery. If I wanted to watch shows or other content on the 6.4-inch AMOLED display, the Reno7 does this without glitches. It gets a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 180Hz touch sampling rate, which you’ll find helpful for gaming or phone use. If you want to watch content in better quality on apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, this phone has been certified for Full HD/HD streaming on these services.
One complaint I have is the single bottom-firing speaker. I mean, it’s loud and all, but I would’ve wanted another speaker by the earpiece. I’m prone to covering that bottom one when playing Asphalt. But they might have just wanted to reserve that for the Pro version of this phone, which isn’t available in the Philippines.
Another gripe I have that the Chinese smartphone brands are prone to have on their devices is the amount of bloatware. Yes, it’s not much of an issue with the large storage capacity, but I’ve just been more partial to the less is more approach. Let me fill up the phones with the apps I want to use, OPPO.
Speaking of software, though, I’m seeing why OPPO wants to emphasize the positives of ColorOS 12. The brand considers it an inclusive and efficient operating system (which you can read more about here). It’s a cleaner interface reminding me of Samsung’s One UI. I like this push to simplify the UI.
But also, it has features I hope I see more on devices. Thanks to the Background Stream feature, if you’re the type to watch/listen to podcasts on YouTube, you can leave the app and have the audio playing in the background as you use the phone. That’s actually one of the features of YouTube Premium. So, if that is the only reason you’re subscribing to the service, you might be able to skip out with this phone. I’ve had it work on YouTube and Netflix.
Another feature I’ve been happy to see is support for casting the Reno7’s display on computers. I love using this feature when it’s available because it means I don’t need to pick up my phone to check and reply to messages while at my desk. The slight downside is you still have to install the PC Connect app on your laptop, but it’s just a minor inconvenience, especially since you can access most if not all your phone’s features. I like how it even took up the entire screen when I launched a game. If you want a bigger screen to play games on or use the keyboard and mouse, you can do it with the Reno7.
This feature also makes it easy to move files to and from your phone and PC. I’m all for OPPO continuing to offer this.
LiTT Tip #3: To access PC Connect, make sure you’ve downloaded the app and installed it. And then, head to Settings > Connection & Sharing > PC Connect. The feature is also accessible through your Control Panel when you swipe down.
LiTT Tip #4: Don’t want nosy people taking a look at your notifications? The OPPO Reno7 has an Anti-Peeping for Notifications feature. It’s designed to hide the contents of banner notifications when the front-facing camera detects you aren’t the one looking at your phone. To access the feature, head to Settings > Notifications & status bar > Manage notifications > Anti-peeping for notifications.
What’s lit and what’s not?
What’s lit about it:
- Camera features geared towards producing pro portrait photos and videos
- Wide range of adjustable aperture sizes
- The flexibility of the retouching features
- AI Highlight Video & Live HDR for improved mobile video use and quality
- Quick charging speed
- Starry Black option looks sleek and easy to blend in with your look
- Stable performance for day-to-day tasks
- 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate
- Excellent AMOLED display with Full HD support for apps like Netflix
- Handy Background Stream option
- PC Connect for phone/PC use
What needs the extra spark:
- The macro lens feels a bit unnecessary
- Wished we could edit background blur after taking the photo
- Kinda looking for wireless charging
- Also looking for a stereo speaker setup
- Could still do with fewer pre-installed apps
- The price might be prohibitive for some
Final thoughts
The OPPO Reno7 delivers on its promise as a Portrait Expert. And it does that for you without needing much intervention on your part. And for regular people interested in selfies and portraits but don’t have the skills to do this on their own, that will be an enticing feature. It is also a decent smartphone with unique software features. But outside of the specific users who need the features mentioned, it might be a tough sell at its price.
If what the Reno7 offers has many features you need and works with your budget, it will be a great device to get.
The OPPO Reno7 5G retails for PHP 26,999.
Buy the OPPO Reno7 from Lazada HERE. *
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