Oppo Reno 11 F 5G review: fabulous phone photography

Having recently attended plenty of product briefings and sifted through market research reports, one common trend keeps popping up in the phone market. No, I'm not talking about AI, although that is a popular topic. It's photography: an increasing number of people choose a phone primarily on its camera quality.

Everyone wants to capture precious moments so they can share them with family, friends, and the wider world via social media. Anyone uploading a less-than-stellar image online likely faced the criticism that it was taken using a potato, a toaster, or another device ill-suited to photography. Seemingly to avoid said criticism, people now have less tolerance for poor photo quality.

Priced similarly to the Samsung Galaxy A35, and cheaper than last year's Reno 10 model, the 11 F proves that good-quality snaps are within reach of the masses.

Oppo Reno 11 F 5G review

• First impressions
• Specifications
• Performance
• Camera quality
• Who is it for?

First impressions

Although not as flashy as some of Oppo's famously iridescent phone designs, the Reno 11 F's shimmery Palm Green makes for a nice finish. Smooth yet grippy, it's comfortable to hold, despite its tall 6.7-inch display.

It certainly makes the most of its big display too. Thin bezels surround the screen, providing minimal impediment to how it looks and controls. Not to mention that the smooth 120Hz OLED display is absolutely lovely. Out of the box, the colours look a little over-saturated for my tastes, which is only because - like most phones - it's set to Vivid by default.

There's little to complain about regarding the Reno's daily handling either. It takes on daily tasks without delay, and its biometric authentication - both fingerprint and face are available - speedily unlocks the phone.

Compared to other manufacturers, Oppo adds a bit more bloatware with its phones, like its own web browser and games app. They're easy to ignore but make for a slightly cluttered first experience. Based on Android 14, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G runs on the brand's ColorOS system, which includes some nifty multitasking features, the ability to copy text and visuals between apps, and more.

Oppo Reno 11 F 5G specifications

Performance

Day-to-day use between browsing online, streaming content, and checking socials is comfortably seamless. More complicated tasks, like gaming, aren't the Reno's forte, however.

Running the numbers compared to similarly priced phones, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G is a little on the underpowered side. Even the slightly cheaper Samsung Galaxy A35, on an Exynos 1380, outperforms the Oppo phone's MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chip. In terms of real-world performance, I didn't notice much difference, likely helped by the 8GB of RAM, which you can bolster with an additional 8GB of virtual RAM via unused storage.

It's totally fine for your essentials but more demanding apps don't run as quickly. If you're into games, like me, a great workaround is streaming them where possible. Using a Backbone One controller, I've streamed plenty of games from my PS5 and Xbox Series X to the phone with flawless results.

A big reason why I've enjoyed this so much is the gorgeous OLED display sported by the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G. Watching videos and streaming games is spectacular on this phone. The colours look accurate and vibrant, and the sharp resolution produces pleasingly crisp details.

I also had no battery issues whatsoever. Only well into a second day of moderate use did I need to plug the phone in. And when I did, it barely took any time at all to top up the juice. Oppo is known for its fast-charging SuperVOOC technology, with the Reno 11 supporting a speedy 67W with its included wired charger. Although strange to say, it's a nice bonus to actually get the charger in the box.

Camera quality

Now it's time for the Reno 11's biggest selling point: its excellent camera quality at a mid-range price point, particularly the main lens. On the back, you'll find a rather extravagant-looking camera array. Comprised of a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP wide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor, it's an extremely well-equipped phone for less than $600. You also get a 32MP selfie lens capable of shooting 4K video.

I'd say there are only two things missing from the equation. Optical image stabilisation is one, so you need to have a steady hand. Another missing element is a telephoto lens with optical zoom.

Which, to be fair, is a big ask considering you'll struggle to find a phone with telephoto zoom without spending at least a couple hundred more bucks. Don't be fooled by the 2x zoom option when opening the camera app: it's digital, essentially cropping the image before you take the photo.

Importantly, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G takes a damn nice photo. During the day or in dim night settings, the results are undoubtedly impressive.

Daytime photos

In well-lit conditions, the Reno 11 captures nicely coloured photos that look true to life. I shouted out the phone's main 64MP lens earlier for good reason. It is, without a doubt, the star of the show. While the 8MP wide-angle lens is handy for fitting more into the frame, its photos are less clear.

Compared to the much more expensive iPhone 15 Pro, the Reno 11's beach photos show similar colours. There are more details in the iPhone photos, most obvious in the number of visible footprints in the sand. To put things into perspective, we're talking about phones with a $1,000 gulf between them.

Oppo's wide-angle photos are fine but appear flatter and less detailed than those taken by the main lens. The same goes for pictures snapped at a recent golf tournament: the colours are good between lenses, with the main sensor producing sharper results.

If you look at the clouds, you can see the difference between a $600 phone and one costing $1,600. Here, the iPhone depicts the clouds' wispiness, while the Oppo handset blurs the details together.

As a personal rule, I prefer not to insufferably take photos of food while dining out. But on this occasion, it was for work, you see! Between the Oppo and the iPhone, I preferred the Reno's photo of my pub meal due to the deeper and more natural-looking colours. Even though I took both photos at a similar range, the Oppo's shallow depth of field yielded a nice background blur, enhancing the main subject (and my main course).

As for the selfie lens, the Reno favours a cooler temperature than the iPhone 15 Pro and doesn't capture as much light. Both are totally fine photos, though. A word of warning: if you enable Oppo's portrait mode, it defaults to some pretty heavy airbrushing. You can tweak the intensity or disable it altogether, but seeing your face instantly yassified by the camera app doesn't feel great.

Low-light snaps

At a night game of footy, the Reno impressed once again. The oval looks a more lifelike green, even with the wide-angle lens. Its main limitation is the lack of optical zoom, so you need to be close to the subject to get a crisp shot of smaller details.

Arguably what impressed me the most was this photo of my cat, Billie. Sitting on the bed with only a dim lamp on, her fur looks so detailed and clear. More than just an excuse to show off my cat, the photo perfectly demonstrates where the Reno 11's strengths lie. Its main camera does well, even in dark conditions, to illuminate and depict subjects clearly.

It's also evident when photographing my plush Tyranitar in a dark room. I was impressed by how well the $229 Moto G24 handled the low-light conditions, but you can see that the Oppo picks up even more details. If you look closely, you can even see some loose threads on the plush's shoulders.

Who is the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G for?

An excellent phone for anyone with even a passing interest in taking good photos, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G lives by the adage that the best camera is the one you have with you. And if this phone is what you happen to have on hand, you're gonna take some nice snaps.

It's easy to overlook the fact the Reno 11 F isn't a powerhouse device when it does the essentials so well. Stellar photography and a fabulous screen? Not many people need more than that.

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With class-leading camera performance in its price bracket and a stunning display, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G is a phone for the masses.

Positives

Excellent photo quality

Crisp 120Hz OLED screen

Fast 67W charging via included charger

Negatives

Not as powerful as similarly-priced phones

No optical image stabilisation