OPPO just hosted the Future Imaging Technology Launch Event in Shenzhen, where it showcased several new phone camera innovations. The company gave XDA Developers a closer look at its third-gen under-display camera solution, along with a new RGBW main sensor, an 85-200mm continuous optical zoom camera, and a five-axis OIS solution.

From XDA Developers:

OPPO’s new 85-200mm continuous optical zoom camera module uses a combination of glass and plastic lenses to offer smooth optical zoom. The module features two ultra-thin, high-precision aspheric glass lenses to boost optical effects, such as minimizing stray light. It also features a tunnel magnetoresistance sensor (TMR sensor) that ensures more stable and precise movement of the lenses within the module. Additionally, the module includes an upgraded guiding shaft motor that increases the dynamic tilt at which the lens system can be moved, thereby offering continuous optical zoom at higher magnification.

The aforementioned innovations support continuous optical zoom at equivalent focal lengths between 85-200mm, offering a smooth transition throughout the zoom range. The upgrades also help the module avoid common issues like jumping, white balance inaccuracy, and color bias that plague conventional multi-camera zoom systems on smartphones.

Five-axis OIS

OPPO’s new five-axis Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) allows the camera system to receive movement data from the gyroscope and use it to offer better stability. The data is passed onto the two moveable components of the module — the lens and the image sensor — which are driven by ball-bearing motors and shape memory alloys, respectively.

In cases where the movement is relatively minor, the system uses lens-shift OIS (X and Y-axis shifting) for stabilization. But when the amplitude of movement is large, the system also utilizes sensor-shift OIS (X and Y-axis shifting, and rolling) along with algorithm compensation for stabilization. This system allows for a maximum stabilization angle of ±3°, which is three times more than traditional OIS technologies found on other devices. In addition, OPPO’s proprietary algorithm for night-time or motion shots can further improve stability, clarity, and color performance, increasing the vibration compensation by up to 65%.

Read on in the full XDA article.

All good stuff, I love the return of proper continuous telescopic zoom in phone cameras, plus combining OIS and sensor-shift stabilisation in the same phone camera is going to be... interesting!