Life is happening at this very moment – as I am typing this story, and as you read these words, life is now.

The best moments cannot be put on hold just to be captured in pixels and frames. In my recent travels, I found myself snapping more photos using my smartphone – it is convenient, easily accessible, and lighter to bring around as I explore and welcome new experiences.

Although I still enjoy taking photos using my mirrorless camera, I wanted to be more “in the present” and just take quick photos of memories I want to keep with me. I keep a balance on how I enjoy life and take materials for my work as a content creator which requires me to have clear and crisp photos to tell a more engaging story.

I recently got acquainted with the new OPPO Reno8 Z 5G. It is marketed as the Portrait Expert which is powered with 64MP AI Triple Camera that allows me to be creative with my photos, in different scenarios and lighting.

Unboxing | OPPO Reno8 Z 5G

It is my first OPPO phone unboxing and I am excited about what the Portrait Expert can offer. The packaging is simple and straightforward. The box comes with the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G unit, charger and cable, silicon cover, pin, and warranty and guide. It doesn’t come with earphones that you can buy separately.

OPPO Reno8 Z 5G Specs

Here is a quick view of the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G Specs:

Reno8 Z 5G Specifications
Platform Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 695 5G Mobile Platform
Front Camera 16MP Front Camera
Rear Camera 64MP Main Camera + 2MP Depth Camera + 2MP Macro Camera
Color Dawnlight Gold & Starlight Black
Size 6.4” AMOLED Display
Thickness Approx. 7.66 mm
Weight Approx. 181 g
Display 60Hz refresh rate
Battery 4500mAh, 33W SUPERVOOCTM
Storage 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM , RAM Expansion can be manually enabled
Connectivity 5G
Operating System ColorOS 12.

The Design | First Impressions

The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G has an ultra-slim body and premium feel with its glass back cover. It fits perfectly and comfortably to hold measuring approximately 7.66mm in thickness and around 181g in weight.

Reno8 Z 5G is the first OPPO smartphone to adopt a 0.5 mm anti-glare glass back cover. It is also the first smartphone in the industry to adopt a spliced matte-glossy cover to replace the heavy camera base. The spliced layer is extended to the edge of the frame to elevate visual unity and create a refreshing yet dynamic look.

The beautiful casing is also fingerprint and scratch-proof.

By default, I might have probably chosen the Starlight Black color that fits my style and aesthetics, but I welcome the Dawnlight Gold that gives different shades and tones – a good compliment to my simple style. A rich purple, cyan, gold, and pink colors illuminate when struck by light from different angles. It is like a painting of a beautiful dawn glow with a background of the ocean and clouds.

The Integrated OPPO Glow Design on the Dawnlight Gold version extends from the back cover to the side buttons and frame for a more integrated visual effect. This is the first smartphone I reviewed with such thoughtful detail.

Something to talk about the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G is the iconic Dual Orbit Lights which are placed under the
dual camera module to keep the phone sleek and slim. The industry’s first ring-shaped prism light plate, a high reflection light guide film, and a shading film. This new structure is adopted to ensure the lights appear uniformly in intensity and chromaticity while avoiding light bursts. When turned on, the Dual Orbit Lights light up or blink depending on different scenarios. It has a durable life of 50,000+ hours.

Lifestyle photos by Sir Noel Amata

The Dual Orbit Lights give me a feeling that my phone is breathing, and somehow communicating with me when processing different functions like charging, incoming call, unread messages notifications and entering games. If this is the way of Oppo to humanize the product, I guess the brand is successful at the goal.

Performance

The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G features the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 695 5G Mobile Platform built on a 6nm process, providing an efficient performance and compatibility with seamless app usage, graphics rendering, web browsing, and video playback with comparatively low power consumption.

I love that I can also personalize it with different fonts, display and color scheme. It is nice to be able to express our style through our smartphone.

For the tech geeks, the standard build comes with 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM. When the smart RAM Expansion feature is activated, the 8GB RAM can borrow up to 5GB from the unused ROM for smoother phone performance. The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G is also equipped with 6-Layered Multi-Cooling System and combined with AI System Booster, which can intelligently reduce memory usage and background power consumption.

Since I started doing most of my content via a smartphone (I used to transfer my files to my laptop to edit videos), it is important to have powerful specs working in the device to expedite processes allowing me to post materials timely.

I brought it during my recent travel, and the 33W SUPERVOOCTM flash charge works effectively in powering up the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G to 100% in 63 minutes. A 5-minute charge alone is enough for a 3-hour long phone call or 2.2 hours of YouTube videos. But since I mostly use it to take photos, I got the whole day power to explore its features.

The Visualized Battery Dashboard and Power Consumption Notifications also help users to understand how we can effectively maximize and use the remaining power. We can easily turn off apps that consume more power – this is especially helpful when we are out and waiting for an important call.

I can also easily connect with my hotspot just by scanning the QR code and not exposing my password. While the Air Gesture feature is performed by the front camera with an AI intelligent sensing algorithm allowing you to control Youtube play control, answer or mute calls, and scroll up and down through apps. These simple tricks truly solve life’s simple problems.

Camera and Sample Shots

The Oppo Reno8 Z 5G is powered with 64MP Main Camera 16MP Front Camera, supported with Ultra-Clear 108MP Image, 2MP Depth Camera and 2MP Macro Camera.

I took it to my recent travel and event coverages and here are some of the photos I took highlighting the unique features of the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G.

Bokeh Flare Portrait

The Bokeh Flare Portrait feature of Reno8 Z 5G gives a dramatic effect on a photo, giving it a more interesting story. The Bokeh Flare Portrait is available in both front and back cameras that can be adjusted accordingly. On Reno8 Z 5G, the algorithm has been trained on more than 100 scenes to
enhance the portrait recognition and portrait cutout abilities.

Here is the selfie photo I took at the Jewel Airport. I love the effect that it created making the fountain appear like a beautiful background, while still capturing the details of my face – wrinkles and lines included.

AI Portrait Retouching

I rarely take selfies, but when I feel like I need to take a beautiful memory (just like a recent travel), I indulge myself and take one for my personal consumption.

The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G is equipped with AI Portrait Retouching optimized to intelligently retouch the skin tone and makeup (lipstick and blush) without any artificial or excessive brightening. The AI blemish removal algorithm can accurately identify the facial features and blur out imperfections like pimples, acne scars, and sunspots, whilst keeping the naturally beautiful features. This algorithm can be applied to 4 types of lighting environments, including normal, high color temperature, low color temperature,
and backlit.

Here is a sample selfie that I took while I enjoyed my time lounging in the pool area of the hotel.

Selfie Portrait with Retouch
Selfie with new-found friends (in group selfies, the phone can apply different retouching effects
to each person individually)

AI Color Portrait

Creativity with photos doesn’t end with a good shot. The post – production or editing can enhance a photo and highlight specific story, angle or subject.

The AI Color Portrait feature of the Oppo Reno8 Z 5G allows me to apply black and white filters to the
background while retaining the original color of the portrait subject. A much easier approach in editing photos, instead of using software or app.

Night Shots

Taking photos at night can be tricky – unless you have a powerful camera, or smartphone that can take clear and crisp images. Most often, I just keep the memories in my head, or live through the blurry photos. Here are some quick photos I took during our last night in Bali, Indonesia.

Dual-View Camera

The Dual-View Camera is one of my favorite features in a smartphone. It allows me to share my experience (what I see and what is in front of me), and at the same time capture my reaction. I mostly use it for personal consumption – perfect to use when riding exciting rides in a theme park or seeing/experiencing things for the first time.

Aside from documenting my travels and taking OOTDs, I also used the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G to take photos of the events I covered. Sharing some of the photos I took (which I also shared on Instagram @ruthilicious).

In real life, we take photos and document memories in different lighting conditions. I love that OPPO Reno8 Z 5G takes crisp photos in different environments and settings.

What I Like About the Oppo Reno8 Z 5G

• Premium glass-like cover
• Powerful Portrait Camera and Night Mode
• The Dual Orbit Lights that makes the smartphone more interesting
• The EyeCare Display
• The smooth and comfortable feel in the hands

The only recommendation I hope to see as an improvement to this series is the wide-screen camera angle that perfectly captures scenes and landscapes during travels. This is one of the camera features I look for in a smartphone – and one I love using.

The battery drains fast, but thankfully that Fast-Charge feature compensates for this. It might be good to always have a powerbank with you.

The Verdict

The Oppo Reno8 Z 5G is a sleek smartphone that offers powerful camera features, perfect for shooting in Night Mode, at an affordable price. The Dual Orbit Lighting is an interesting addition to its design. It is a smartphone with its own personality and style.

Follow me @ruthilicious for more stories!

The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G retails for Php 19,999 and is now available in all OPPO partner stores, and official OPPO e-comm stores such as Lazada and Shopee.