I didn’t plan to spend my trip to Sweden relying solely on a camera phone to capture images. In my bag was my Fujifilm X100F, a compact camera that I’ve trusted for years, a tool I love for its tactile dials and the simple satisfaction of working through its manual settings.
The Oppo Find X8 Ultra was brought along to test its camera capabilities, a pocket convenience for moments when pulling out a 'real' camera might feel impractical. Yet, as I wandered through the streets of Gothenburg, chasing the Scandinavian light, I found myself reaching for the Oppo.
By the second day, the X100 remained in the hotel room, untouched. Every frame I shot while on my trip came from the Find X8 Ultra, and I didn’t miss the compact at all.
The Oppo Find X8 Ultra isn’t just another high-end smartphone. It’s a device with a camera system that feels designed for people who care about photography; a system shaped by a genuine, and recently renewed, collaboration with Hasselblad. I’ve used countless phones over the years and always viewed them as tools for convenience rather than creativity.
Even last year, when I tested the Oppo Find X8 Pro, I was pleasantly surprised, enough to rethink my stubborn stance on mobile photography. But the Ultra? This one didn’t just challenge my expectations, it reprogrammed them.
It’s easy to talk about specs, and the X8 Ultra’s are impressive. A 50MP main camera with a 1-inch sensor and f/1.8 aperture, a 50MP ultra-wide lens with a sweeping 120° field of view, dual 50MP telephoto periscope cameras at 70mm (3x) and 135mm (6x), both with optical image stabilisation, and a 32MP front camera.
Video is equally strong, with 4K Dolby Vision at up to 120p and 4K 60p across all cameras. On paper, this is a camera array that could easily rival a compact camera setup. It’s no wonder the Find X8 Ultra currently sits at the top of DxOMark’s camera rankings.
But numbers and technical specs only tell part of the story. What really struck me was the character of the images once reviewed at the end of the day. The colors have that Hasselblad depth, rich but not overcooked, with subtle gradations in tone that feel cinematic.
Oppo’s True Chroma Camera, with its nine-channel multispectral system, handles color temperature with uncanny accuracy, while the HyperTone Image Engine lifts shadow detail without flattening the scene. Whether I was photographing the soft evening light on Gothenburg’s canals or catching a quick street scene, I trusted that the phone would deliver the image I envisioned.
Then there’s the shooting experience that, for me, is just as important as the final file. Using the Find X8 Ultra, I felt like I had all the creative control I’d expect from a dedicated camera.
Master Mode provides full manual control of ISO, shutter speed and aperture, while Portrait Mode creates a beautifully natural bokeh that doesn’t look fake or over-processed. The 6x telephoto lens gave me framing flexibility I rarely get from a compact camera, while AI Zoom helped push beyond that without sacrificing clarity.
But what I didn’t expect, and what ultimately made me choose the Oppo over my compact camera, was how much fun I had with it. There’s a freedom in using a device that doesn’t weigh you down, that’s always with you, ready in a split second.
I wasn’t fiddling with lenses or worrying about settings slowing me down. Instead, I was immersed in the act of seeing, responding to the scenes around me, capturing fleeting gestures, reflections, and shadows. Photography felt playful again, and that was addictive.
There’s also the simple fact that shooting with a phone made me invisible. In Sweden, I blended in – just another traveller tapping on their phone. That sense of discretion is something I’ve learned to value in street photography; it enabled me to capture candid, unguarded moments I might have missed with a more obvious camera.
Of course, I’m not saying the Oppo Find X8 Ultra will replace my cameras entirely. My Fujifilm GFX system remains my go-to for assignments, print work and projects where I need the depth and resolution of a larger sensor. But for day-to-day shooting, travel and anything destined to live on social media, this phone is now my go-to.
The only thing I kept wishing for was a proper camera grip. Something like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra Photography Kit would turn the Find X8 Ultra into a hybrid between a phone and a compact camera, and I hope Oppo introduces something similar.
When I got home and looked through my images, I realized I didn’t feel like I’d compromised. The photos were sharp, rich and full of character, and the whole process of capturing them had been effortless and enjoyable.
As a professional photographer, I’ll always appreciate my 'real' cameras, but this trip to Sweden was the first time a phone has made me leave my camera behind. After this trip, I truly feel the gap between camera phones and compact cameras has all but disappeared.
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If you're thinking more seriously about phone photography, I recommend checking out our guide to the best camera phones for photography and the best smartphone gimbals. We also have a tutorial on the 12 essential mobile photography tips!
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