[OnePlus 9 Pro] Steve0007:
Hi everyone,

We're are so excited to finally bring this update to OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro users. With this upcoming OTA update, in addition to multiple regular system optimizations, we also greatly improved the camera performance for its Hasselblad Camera for Mobile – including the brand new XPan Mode and multiple image quality optimizations.

XPan mode is co-developed by OnePlus and Hasselblad. With this mode, we want to recreate the classic experience of Hasselblad XPan in a smartphone. This includes the unique 65:27 aspect ratio, two different focal lengths (30mm and 45mm) just like the original XPan, a special animation of developing negative film, and two color profiles – an updated color mode and a unique B&W simulation of the classic ILFORD Delta 400 film.

The origin of Hasselblad Xpan

In the mid-1990s, cameras using the 135 film system were mainstream, but the entire camera industry had begun the transition to a new era of digital imaging. On the other hand, with the popularity of wide-screen movies, people became increasingly interested in this aspect ratio for its look and feel, not unlike one's wide field of vision.

Therefore, portable cameras that could take "wide-format" photos became more and more popular. However, in a strict sense, these cameras were based on the premise of sacrificing image quality: By covering the upper and lower parts of an image, and by using cropping, you'd get a "wide" photo.

Hasselblad, who had insight into market changes and user needs in advance, quietly began an action to "subvert the industry", and surprised everyone.

It is known as the bridge connecting the 135 film and the medium format – Hasselblad XPan.

For more XPpan story, please refer to: "Legend Hasselblad, Witness of Human History" or Hasselblad's official website.

OnePlus x Hasselblad x Xpan

The default color based on black and white

When the OnePlus 9 series starts the XPan mode, it is presented in black and white by default, restoring the tone and style of the classic black and white film "Ilford Delta 400". Suitable for photo shooting of different subjects, whether it is portraits, street photography, or architecture, with comfortable, high-quality performance.

For the color profile of XPan, we also optimized the color performance, giving it more accurate and rich color.

Two focal lengths, restoring two classic Hasselblad XPan lenses

In addition, XPan mode also provides shooting with color, and users can choose two focal lengths: 30 mm and 45 mm, corresponding to the classic 30 mm and 45 mm lenses of Hasselblad XPan cameras.

With an ultra-wide movie-level aspect ratio, your photos can tell a better story

Every photo taken by XPan mode has a photo ratio of 65:24 (about 2.7:1), which is completely different from the traditional 3:2 or 4:3 photo ratio. Therefore, photos taken in XPan mode will have a unique look and feel, just like an ultra-wide movie, with more story-telling and more emotion. Besides, through the way of splicing and sharing, it creates new photo forms such as "three stories in one photo" and "cutting the main picture into three parts".

The preview of XPan mode also uses a 65:24 ratio, so users can get a very broad field of view and brand new composition ideas, to use XPan mode to record new vision stories, to make every bit of life more immersive.

In order to create this unique 65:24 photo ratio, we and the Hasselblad Imaging team have spent several months continuously optimizing and adjusting. In the end, we jointly defined a set of technical standards. When users shoot in XPan mode, they can still get a picture of about over 20MP, with a 30 mm focal length of 7552 × 2798 resolution and a 45 mm focal length of 7872 × 2916 resolution.

(Note: the photos taken with XPan are cropped from the 48MP of the main camera and 50MP of the ultra-wide camera instead of the default 12MP mode, thus providing photos over 20MP even after cropping)

Reproduce the ritual sense of film developing

In XPAN mode, when the user presses the shutter, the frozen picture will firstly be presented as a negative film, and then it will turn into a normal photo and be saved on the phone. We hope that through this unique way, users will always feel the ritual of film developing. Whenever they press the shutter, they can always be expectant, and even have a serious attitude toward creations.

Also, thanks to the feedback from our global users, we continue to improve the image quality of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro.

Image Quality Optimization in the OTA

The Hasselblad Camera for Mobile inside the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro is the first camera system that OnePlus co-developed with Hasselblad and is also the most powerful camera system in any OnePlus phone.

But we also know that, as the first-gen product, there are lots of areas where we can improve OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro’s camera system.

After launching the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro in March, we have been gathering global user feedback across all the channels including our Community, social media, after-sales, and e-commerce platforms. By the end of August, we had gathered more than 4000 pieces of valuable feedback and suggestions on the camera system alone.

With your help, we have been continuously optimizing the camera experience, and here are some of the major optimizations and improvements you can expect:

(Please note that some of the optimizations have already been applied via previous OTAs and some will be included in this OTA.)

Image quality optimizations:

Optimize HDR frame retrieving algorithms and reduce noise in multiple scenes

Fix the over-sharpening issues in some scenarios in auto-mode

Improve the stability of auto white balance.

Optimize auto white balance shift between the main and ultra-wide cameras

Reduced the over-brightening of photos taken in Nightscape mode in some scenarios, for more natural night photos.

Improve the dynamic range in low-light conditions.

Camera experience optimization

Improve the success rate when shooting moving objects.

Improve the fluency of the camera preview and optimize the shutter lag in some scenarios.

Update the memory optimization solution and reduce the launch time of the native camera app by up to 50%.

At the same time, we are continuing to gather your input and improve our camera system in OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. Please stay tuned for future OTAs, and do share your thoughts about these improvements and the new XPan mode in the comments below.

Source: HERE

All apk files from Camera OSS 11.2.9.9 : HERE