The X-ray function is accessible via the Photochrom mode in the smartphone’s camera app. With the mode activated, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s camera is able to see through certain types of objects, such as an Apple TV unit or a Nintendo Switch Pro controller.
— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) May 13, 2020 According to DigitalTrends, the camera could only see through plastic that lacks any Infrared (IR) shielding. Aside from revealing the innards of certain devices, it could also see infrared LED lights and other things that can’t be seen by the naked eye. And no, this feature does not see through fabric or the likes – just in case you’re wondering (and I bet you are). This feature is made possible by utilising the camera’s IR technology, which itself is not something new to smartphone camera systems. In fact, certain phones such as the iPhone 11 series use IR for facial recognition, while some others utilise it to aid their cameras to take photos in low-light conditions. That said, the OnePlus 8 Pro is probably one of the first to allow this feature to be used as is, albeit perhaps unintendedly. Aside from enabling the camera to see through certain objects, there is really nothing much to it apart from that. But hey, at least you get to show off X-ray shots of some devices on Instagram. Unfortunately, this feature is not available on the non-Pro variant of the OnePlus 8 as it lacks the colour filter camera module. (Sources: Ben Geskin / Reddit / DigitalTrends)
