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I Was Amazed That this Oppo Digicam Slammed the iPhone 17 Professional in My Assessments

The iPhone 17 Professional is totally worthy of its rating among the many finest digital camera telephones you should buy in 2026. Due to its trio of lenses and options like ProRaw, It is able to taking beautiful photos — in broad daylight or within the lifeless of evening — that might rival skilled mirrorless cameras. However whereas Apple could have held its crown as cell images champ for a very long time, there are an rising variety of flagship Android telephones that provide unimaginable digital camera abilities as effectively — and the Oppo Discover X9 Professional is simply such a tool. Its digital camera setup is superb and I’ve taken some stunning photos with it utilizing each its extensive and 200-megapixel zoom cameras. 

The Discover X9 Professional is a powerhouse telephone in all respects, which is why it scored so extremely in my full evaluation — and why it was given a coveted CNET Editors’ Selection Award. So to see simply the way it stacks up towards the iPhone 17 Professional, I took it out on a collection of picture missions round my stunning dwelling metropolis of Edinburgh. 

Earlier than we dive in, a fast observe in regards to the photos. They have been all shot with every telephone’s default digital camera mode in JPEG with no different settings utilized (the Photographic Type on the iPhone was set to Customary). The photographs have been imported into Lightroom for the needs of comparability and exporting at file sizes that can play properly on the web, however no different edits, sharpening or noise discount have been utilized. 

Watch this: One Month Later: The iPhone 17 Professional Strikes Again

Keep in mind that whereas some choices about which photos look higher could be apparent (comparable to an absence of element or picture processing aberrations), others will merely come down to private opinion. I am an expert photographer, so I sometimes search for a picture that captures the scene extra naturally. You might like a extra vibrant picture with excessive distinction, so take my findings with a pinch of salt.

With that stated, let’s dive in.

Broad cameras comparability

iPhone 17 Professional, shot on the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot on the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Beginning off with this simple snap overlooking the prepare tracks. Each telephones have uncovered their photos above effectively however the Oppo’s shot has extra pure heat tones on the brickwork on the wall — the iPhone’s look extra magenta. The Oppo’s colours are extra vibrant, too, however not overly so. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot on the ultrawide digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot on the ultrawide digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Switching to the ultrawide lens, the blue sky positively seems oversaturated within the Oppo’s shot. And this is the place we’ve got to dive deeper; Oppo’s picture has had extra digital sharpening utilized to it, which helps some particulars look crisp, but it surely’s additionally received a whole lot of noise discount, which smooths particulars in different areas.

Element crop with the iPhone 17 Professional on the left and Oppo Discover X9 Professional on the appropriate.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

If we glance up shut at this part of wall, we are able to see that the sturdy strains of mortar between the bricks look sharper within the Oppo’s picture on the appropriate. However the bricks themselves look nearly polished as they have been stripped of element by the noise discount. The iPhone’s picture has retained that element.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

One other bizarre one to research. The wood field of the library is definitely sharper on the Oppo’s shot, with even the minute scratches on the perspex being clearly seen. However as quickly as we glance additional out towards the sides of the body, that element plummets. 

Element crop with the iPhone 17 Professional on the left and Oppo Discover X9 Professional on the appropriate.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Zooming in shut on a bit to the appropriate aspect of the body, it is clear that the Oppo’s picture severely lacks element in comparison with the iPhone’s picture. Whether or not that is a picture processing subject or as a result of high quality of the lens, I am unsure, but it surely’s stunning to see, particularly given how sharp the remainder of the picture is.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

This indoor shot on the principle digital camera seems like a barely simpler win for the Oppo. Its picture is brighter and colours look richer with out being too punchy. As earlier than, it each sharpens some areas and reduces texture in others. There is a lack of element towards the sting of the body, however you’d solely discover in the event you actually rise up near the pixels. Total, I want the look of the Oppo’s shot. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the ultrawide digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the ultrawide digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

And it is the identical once I switched to the ultrawide lens — the Oppo takes the win right here.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I like the balanced publicity from each telephones on this vibrant outside scene, however I want the hotter tone of the Oppo’s shot. The iPhone’s picture seems prefer it noticed all of the golden colours and set its auto white stability on the cooler aspect to compensate. The Oppo produced a extra true-to-life picture and I believe it is a terrific shot consequently.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I do not just like the Oppo’s effort right here, although. It artificially brightened the shadows means an excessive amount of, giving this scene a faux HDR look that screams, “I took this on an Android telephone.” The iPhone takes a simple win with its extra pure deal with on shadows.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I am conflicted on this one. The Oppo’s shot is brighter and extra vibrant, but it surely’s nearly an excessive amount of. The blue sky is a bit on the electric-blue aspect for my style, whereas the buildings within the heart of the body look barely too vivid. Nonetheless, I believe I want its rendition to the iPhone’s, which does look a bit drab by comparability.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 2x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with 2x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

At 2x zoom, this indoor scene seems stable on each telephones. Total, I believe the Oppo’s shot takes the win because it’s brighter and sharper than the iPhone’s. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 8x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo discover X9 Professional, shot with 6x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Taking every telephone as much as its most default zoom ranges (8x on the iPhone, 6x on the Oppo), the outcomes look fairly dramatically totally different. The colour stability is wildly totally different for one factor, with the iPhone leaning extra into teal tones whereas the Oppo’s picture has a extra magenta solid to it. Actually, neither one seems particularly lifelike, with each telephones going a bit too exhausting in numerous instructions. What I’ve observed is that the Oppo’s picture has gone overboard with the digital sharpening, leading to a crunchiness to the small print that I am not a fan of. 

Element crop with the iPhone 17 Professional on the left and Oppo Discover X9 Professional on the appropriate.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The large quantity of digital sharpening on the Oppo’s shot is evident if you zoom in on the small print.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 8x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with 6x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

That is an odd one; at max zoom, the Oppo has catastrophically did not render the small print on the aspect of the constructing. 

Element crop with the iPhone 17 Professional on the left and Oppo Discover X9 Professional on the appropriate.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Take a look at this detailed crop; I do not know what the Oppo was doing in its picture, however that constructing has been became a weird, smeary mess. The iPhone has carried out an excellent job of capturing these distant wonderful particulars.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 8x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with 6x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Seagulls on a log. There’s little or no to decide on between both telephone on this instance. Take your choose!

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 8x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the Hasselblad zoom lens.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The Oppo Discover X9 Professional does have a secret weapon in relation to zoom, although, within the type of the Hasselblad telephoto zoom accent. This elective lens attaches to the telephone and offers enormous zoom lengths — as much as 40x — whereas retaining wonderful high quality. You’ll be able to see the distinction right here within the most zoom vary of the iPhone towards the zoom of the Discover X9 Professional with the lens connected; it is each nearer and sharper.

The telephoto lens seems similar to an actual Hasselblad digital camera lens. It is nice enjoyable to play with.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the Hasselblad telephoto zoom lens.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I completely love utilizing the lens add-on for avenue images, as you may get some nice candid moments with out anybody noticing. It is value preserving in thoughts, although, that the Hasselblad lens for the telephone is an eye-watering £435 or $580 (primarily based on a tough conversion of the 499 euro worth), and third-party telephoto lenses from the likes of Sandmarc are additionally out there for the iPhone. 

Night time images

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The iPhone’s evening mode shot right here does look brighter, however I want the richer distinction on the Oppo’s shot. In any other case, it is a fairly even match right here.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

However it’s a a lot simpler win for the Oppo right here. The deeper distinction has helped preserve a few of the flare from the lights at bay, whereas the small print on the entrance of the constructing are a lot sharper. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

This indoor scene is brighter, hotter and extra vibrant on the Oppo and I a lot want it consequently. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

The iPhone’s picture is brighter right here, particularly within the sky, however in the event you zoom in on the small print, the Oppo’s picture is sharper. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the ultrawide digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the ultrawide digital camera, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

And it is principally the identical story if you swap to the ultrawide lens. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 8x zoom, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with 6x zoom, evening mode.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Once we bounce to the zooms, although, the Oppo has ramped up the sharpening once more, leading to a picture that appears reasonably over-processed.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 2x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with 2x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I caught an excellent sundown on one night however solely the iPhone managed to do it justice. I like the iPhone’s pure tones and deep shadows, whereas the Oppo has delivered an oversaturated shot that appears like I’ve utilized a cheesy filter earlier than posting it to Instagram.

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the principle digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

And it is the identical right here with the Oppo’s shot wanting saturated towards the iPhone’s extra lifelike model. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with 8x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with 6x zoom.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

However the distinction was most evident when utilizing the zoom lenses on each telephones. The iPhone’s shot not solely has extra pure colours, however the Oppo’s heavy-handed processing has given the lighthouse an disagreeable halo (a lightweight haziness round its edges) that actually spoils the shot. 

iPhone 17 Professional, shot with the selfie digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Oppo Discover X9 Professional, shot with the selfie digital camera.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

I ended on a selfie and right here each telephones went in fascinating instructions. The Oppo is definitely the winner to my eye — it is shot is significantly sharper (with out overdoing it) with extra pure pores and skin tones and an correct orange hue on my jacket. The background is a bit overly cyan but it surely’s definitely a better-looking try than the iPhone’s.

iPhone 17 Professional vs. Oppo Discover X9 Professional: Which takes higher pictures?

I used to be stunned on the outcomes. Oppo’s telephones — and its sister firm OnePlus’s telephones — have had a historical past of leaning exhausting into picture processing with typically wildly brightened shadows, an excessive amount of sharpening and inaccurate colours that resulted in pictures that have been solely actually okay for informal snaps. The Discover X9 Professional does have a few of that (the picture of the pink restaurant entrance is a very egregious instance of shadow brightening) but it surely’s far more toned down than I anticipated.

In truth, it delivered pictures in lots of cases that I most popular over the iPhone’s. The golden hues of the tree-lined pathway shot appeared chic on the Oppo, whereas the hotter, brighter tones contained in the pub have been a transparent victory for the X9 Professional. Many of the photos from the Oppo’s fundamental digital camera I most popular over the iPhone’s, together with some at evening. It wasn’t a win in each occasion and it simply goes to indicate that every telephone’s picture processing will nonetheless journey up in numerous eventualities. 

However general, I believe I’ve to provide the win to the Oppo Discover X9 Professional. Its skill to seize scenes precisely with simply sufficient processing to assist in giving photos that little pop however with out going overboard is admirable. It is protected to say then, in the event you’re in search of a excessive efficiency Android digital camera telephone, the Discover X9 Professional is definitely one to contemplate.


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