OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro get panoramic Hasselblad XPan shooting mode in latest update

OnePlus today is shipping out a rather intriguing update for the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. Today's update is bringing a new Hasselblad XPan mode to both phones, allowing users to take photos that mimic those produced by the classic camera. Like the cameras on the back of the device, OnePlus said that it worked with Hasselblad to create this new shooting mode, so it looks like that partnership is being put to good use.

As detailed on the OnePlus forums, this new XPan mode will allow users to take panoramic photos with an aspect ratio of 65:24. OnePlus attempts to set the proper expectations for these photos by saying they will look "completely different" from more traditional 3:2 or 4:3 pictures and that they'll have a feel more in line ultra-wide movies. The company shared some sample shots taken in the XPan mode, and the results seem to be pretty impressive.

By default, photos taken in XPan mode will be in black and white, though users can also choose to shoot in color. In addition, there will be two focal lengths to choose from – 30mm and 45mm – which reference the different lenses that were available for the original XPan camera. Finally, when users snap a picture, they'll even see an animation that will first show the picture as a negative before transforming it into a finished photo.

"In order to create this unique 65:24 photo ratio, we and the Hasselblad Imaging team have spent several months continuously optimizing and adjusting," OnePlus camera product manager Jimmy Z wrote on the OnePlus forums today. "In the end, we jointly defined a set of technical standards. When users shoot in XPan mode, they can still get a picture of about over 20MP, with a 30 mm focal length of 7552 × 2798 resolution and a 45 mm focal length of 7872 × 2916 resolution."

In addition to this new XPan mode, today's update also features several other optimizations for the camera, including improvements to dynamic range when shooting in low-light conditions and fixes for over-sharpening in some auto-mode photos. You can read more about the update over on the OnePlus forums, but otherwise, keep an eye out for it to land on OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro devices beginning today.