OnePlus 15T camera leak reveals disappointing lack of upgrades

A new leak from China has revealed the alleged camera specifications for the upcoming OnePlus 15T, and it's shaping up to be a disappointing upgrade for photography enthusiasts. According to the leak, the OnePlus 15T will retain the exact same camera hardware as its predecessor, the OnePlus 13T, with only minor aperture adjustments.

The leak claims the OnePlus 15T will feature a 50MP main camera using Sony's 1/1.56" type Lytia 700 sensor with OIS, identical to the 13T. The telephoto camera will also remain unchanged at 50MP, using Samsung's 1/2.76" type ISOCELL JN5 sensor. The only difference appears to be the telephoto aperture, which is reportedly changing from f/2.0 in the 13T to f/2.8 in the 15T.

This means the main camera's f/1.8 aperture remains unchanged, while the telephoto camera actually loses some light-gathering capability with the narrower aperture. For users who valued the 13T's camera system, this suggests the 15T will offer virtually identical photographic performance, with the telephoto potentially performing worse in low-light conditions.

Beyond the camera, the leak suggests the OnePlus 15T will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC and feature a 6.32-inch AMOLED screen with "1.5K" resolution. The device is also rumored to sport the biggest battery ever seen in a smartphone of its size, which could be a significant selling point for power users.

A 16MP selfie camera rounds out the specifications, though this represents a downgrade from the 32MP front-facing camera found in some competing devices. The OnePlus 15T is expected to launch in early Q2, following the typical release pattern for the company's T-series devices.

For context, the OnePlus 13T launched last April with these same camera specifications, and the 15T's rumored specs suggest OnePlus is taking a conservative approach to this mid-cycle refresh. While the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and larger battery could make it an attractive option for performance-focused users, photography enthusiasts may want to look elsewhere or consider sticking with the 13T, which should see price drops following the 15T's release.

The leak comes from Chinese sources and should be treated as rumor until officially confirmed by OnePlus. However, if accurate, it represents a missed opportunity for OnePlus to compete more aggressively in the camera department, where competitors continue to push forward with new sensor technologies and computational photography features.