OnePlus 8 Pro’s 5MP Color Filter Camera Has A Secret X-Ray Feature

Update: OenPlus has announced on Weibo that it would be disabling the X-ray feature on the OnePlus 8 Pro's color filter lens in an upcoming update. While earlier it was noted that the X-ray feature couldn't see through clothes, it's now been reported that the color filter lens can see through a few materials, including black-colored clothes, sending waves of privacy concerns. The update is expected to rollout next week.

Camera technology on smartphones has advanced in multifold, close enough to replace point and shooter cameras for regular use. Today, we got to know that the cameras on the OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone have a unique feature. A tweet from Ben Geskin has brought to light that the OnePlus 8 Pro comes with an X-ray feature.

OnePlus 8 Pro Camera

The OnePlus 8 Pro comes with a quad-camera setup with dual 48MP cameras, where one is a Sony IMX586 primary sensor with f2.2 aperture and the other is an ultra-wide-angle Sony IMX586 sensor. The other two cameras include an 8MP telephoto lens with 3X hybrid and 30x digital zoom, and a 5MP color filter camera along with an LED Flash.

The key findings are related to the 5MP color filter camera on the back of the device. The tweet reveals that this lens can see through a few types of plastic. Users can switch on the Photochrom mode in the OnePlus 8 Pro camera app and see through a few gadgets like the computer keyboard or even the Apple TV.

One of the best examples 🤯#OnePlus8Pro Color Filter Camera can see through some plastic pic.twitter.com/UkaxdyV6yP

— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) May 13, 2020

The tweet reveals how the electronics inside the device are clearly visible through the OnePlus 8 Pro camera. Thanks to the X-ray feature on it, various circuit boards and components can be easily seen through the plastic.

It's Safe

Seeing through things with the camera certainly raises a lot of security questions. But rest assured, the OnePlus 8 Pro cameras can't scan through people or clothes. It's like a neat trick and works only on certain kinds of plastic. For instance, users can't see through devices that use an IR shield like a TV remote or even a set-top box.

As the tweet went live, a lot of users tried out the OnePlus 8 Pro camera on various objects. Interestingly, it even works its magic on things like cola and wine. Infrared LEDs that are invisible to the naked eye can further be spotted with the OnePlus 8 Pro camera filter.

Camera Technology On Smartphones

As noted, camera technologies on smartphones are constantly evolving. We already have 108MP shooters on the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. Also, Samsung is working on further advancing its camera with a 600MP shooter. While the uses of the X-ray feature on the OnePlus 8 Pro camera filter is limited, it sure is a fun trick to play around with.