Instead of updating my initial review of the OnePlus 10 Pro, I will create a OnePlus 10 Pro Long Term Review. This is just to highlight a few reasons why I like the phone and what I have been using it for. Also a few accessories that I use or are on my list to get. I will make this more of a timeline. Partly because it will be interesting to see if my opinion changes over time. Check out my initial review for the first thoughts and unboxing. Disappointed to see the 12gb model only came in diarrhoea green, I chose the 8gb sexy black. It would have been fantastic to see the rumoured blue at launch too.
A quick timelapse taken on my OnePlus 10 Pro
22/04/2022 – After 2 weeks…
I still stand by everything I said on the first day. This phone has great battery life, I use it heavily and often have 75% or more battery left when going to bed. Strava tends to use battery a lot but this is more about the app than the phone. I like the camera and have some good photos. A JOBY GorillaPod has been my first accessory. I find that I want to use this phone for time lapse videos, maybe even night lapse. I have made one quick video as I haven’t had time to do more but hoping over the next few days I will get chance. Initially I had no intention of using the phone for this but now I want to see how well it does. Can it rival my GoPro Hero 9 ?
Being someone who doesn’t particularly look after phones I need something tough. The OnePlus 10 Pro does well here, after 2 weeks of being handled with dirty hands, dropped once or twice, shoved in bags and pockets there are no visible marks. The case is also clean, mark free and doing well. The screen is remarkably resistant to what I rub on it (so far wood glue, paint and filler, various food too). The fingerprint reader struggles when you dye your fingers black. Not entirely unexpected.
At this time I am not disappointed with anything. Everything works well. It is not wearing or damaging easily. The phone does everything I require well.
This is my opinion on the OnePlus 10 Pro as a real person. I am not being endorsed and I am also not a professional tech reviewer. Just an average user giving an honest OnePlus 10 Pro Review.
After eagerly awaiting the release of the OnePlus 10 Pro to find it was only available in “disgusting green” when going for the 12gb version. I was a little disappointed. So I opted for the beautiful matt black 8gb version. Having pre-ordered the phone I also got the OnePlus Buds Pro.
Unboxing & First Impressions
Firstly, everything arrived well packed and safe. Packaging was not excessive. The phone and buds were each packed in high quality, premium feeling boxes. There were some instructions which I ignored and got the phone out to play with. The OnePlus 10 Pro feels weighty and of good quality but not heavy. It is certainly thinner and lighter than my long lasting Razer Phone 2. This is impressive since a larger battery has been packed inside.
Inside the box with the phone is a charger and type C cable. I was surprised to discover a case too although I also purchased the Sandstone Bumper case. One more is always useful. There is a plastic screen protector already fitted to the phone (or maybe just plastic I am supposed to remove).
Not being much of a headphone user I thought I would sell the Buds Pro but after checking the price decided to keep them. I’m glad I did because the sound quality is amazing.
The screen on the OnePlus 10 Pro immediately made my Razer phones screen feel like a step back in time and although both phones pack 8gb ram, the OnePlus feels much more responsive. That being said my Razer has been well used for a long time and I certainly don’t feel it has been a let down.
The Dog Test Photo
Day One
I made the decision to write down a few thoughts and Impressions at periodic moments. This is partly to show if my opinion changes over time. Currently I have not owned the phone for 24 hours. The Things I like so far are; easy to set up, feels good, camera is a definite upgrade, can go to the kettle and back on a morning and still be on 100% battery, not 90%.
Oxygen OS definitely feels very smooth and responsive. I like this. Waiting for apps to respond is something I find annoying. I like having a flavour of android that is closer to vanilla and doesn’t have bloatware.
The display is good, and so is the audio. There is no reason you can’t take this phone on holiday and watch movies on it. The Buds Pro also add to the experience with good quality sound and noise cancelling. The phone charges very fast and the wireless charger appears to be right in the middle too, I haven’t got the official wireless charger however I am thinking I will upgrade.
I am yet to go give the camera a proper testing but initially happy with a few test photos of the dog. Really like all the settings and versatility it provides in the “pro” setting and that super wide angle is something I will probably use a lot! There may even be some star lapses attempted to see how this stacks up against the mighty GoPro.
Is the OnePlus 10 Pro any good ?
For me, Yes. When upgrading from an aging phone that I held on to for a long time because I loved it I can see the advances. I didn’t shop around too much, the OnePlus 10 Pro just appealed as I like all the features. I am a little disappointed that the 12gb version only came in a colour I can’t stand but I am not disappointed with the 8gb option. It is early days but so far so good.
In addition to this review I have decided to do a Long Term Review. Check out whether I have/will change my mind as time goes on. Can the OnePlus 10 Pro keep up with my lifestyle ?
Check out my Instagram to see how I am using the OnePlus 10 Pro !
Firstly I would like to declare now that I am not a professional photographer. Furthermore I don’t really have that much of an idea of how to use most settings on a camera. But it has never stopped me capturing what I want. So this is the Guide to Outdoor Photography My Way.
Being a firm believer that good photos come from being in the right place at the right time, I have little reason to learn about tweaking all the settings. In addition, I don’t spend a lot of time editing photos. I feel like this makes them more of a drawing than a photo. A photograph should be a capture of a moment in time. Just to clarify, I don’t have a problem with heavily edited/filtered images. It just isn’t my way.
Star Topping – GoPro Hero 9
So what Camera should you buy ?
I’m not much of an expert about cameras or lenses. Personally I favour the GoPro for versatility and quality. A lot of the more serious photographers may laugh at this. Packing a versatile number of settings/lens modes means you have a pocketful of tough, light equipment in one device. I have spoken about mods and accessories in my post about the GoPro Hero 9. Think of the camera and settings as your particular style. Not as a level of quality. If you like the results from an old film SLR with a damaged lens then use it. Use the camera you feel most comfortable with (it may even be the one built into your phone).
Furthermore, I feel as though the camera plays little part in the overall results. Aside from having the capability to capture the type of images you are looking for and in a high enough resolution for the device it is intended to be viewed on.
So what is the Key part of getting good photos ?
Time and place. There is no substitute for getting out more and at different times. The worst weather can make the greatest photos. In addition you will never catch lightning, if you don’t sit out in a thunderstorm. A photo is a snapshot of a moment in time at a certain location. Especially in outdoor/landscape photography it is unlikely that someone will capture an identical scene to what you are currently seeing.
On occasions you will have to plan photos. Watch the weather, wait for the right time of day (or night) and look at other factors such as geomagnetic activity. Sometimes a good star lapse can take months of waiting. On the other hand you can just be lucky and get a great picture by chance. The more you practice, the better you will get at spotting good pictures and capturing them.
Atomic Sunrise – Razer Phone 2
My Summary of Outdoor Photography
Sometimes great photos just happen. Sometimes you have to go out and chase them. Either way, the more you get out, the more likely you are to get good photos. If this is something you really want to do and be proud of, You just have to get out there and play. Make the most of every opportunity.
Finally if you found this at all helpful or inspiring, support me by visiting my shop !
The GoPro Hero 9 Black is my go-to camera. It is Agile, Adaptable and Capable. Essentially, it does everything I need and more. At the time of writing this the Hero 10 is available. Naturally I would love one and I will more than likely invest one day. However, it is hard to improve on perfection.
Although this post is all about the Hero 9 and why it is still a great choice. I’ll talk about how I use it from the perspective of a complete amateur. I am far from a pro when it comes to photos and videos but the Hero 9 gets results I am always more than happy with. If you’re anything like me and lack skill, you can make up for this with more cameras !
Night Lapse taken on the GoPro Hero 9
The Hero 9 as a Still Photo Camera
Firstly, photos on the Hero 9 never disappoint. As a typical non-manual reader I cast instructions aside and just get on with doing. I made a post on Instagram a while ago to show what happens when you take the same picture with an SLR and a GoPro. This was done with my Hero 9. The intention was not to call one out as better than the other. But if you grab a camera, leave everything in default settings and just point and shoot what do you end up with. You can narrow the lens and remove the fisheye effect on the GoPro if you want. Importantly, unlike an SLR, it does just fit in your pocket without making you look very happy to see other people.
GoPro Hero 9 – Landscape Photo
I found the superphoto setting on the Hero 7 a little problematic. Although colours were great, it required holding the camera very still until the photo had finished being taken. Leading to a quick photo on the move being blurry and unusable. On the other hand the Hero 9 is more responsive and processes the image faster, leading to better photos more often.
To conclude, yes. The Hero 9 is a good camera. I find it better than my phone and it’s not an inconvenience to carry. I haven’t taken it on holiday yet but I see no reason that I wouldn’t take it in preference to my SLR.
Time/Night Lapse
These are the game changing features for me. As I love compressing time down into bite size chunks, these are features I use to extremes. I find a time lapse can make you aware of how much things move and the scene changes without your eyes noticing. Having an extra source of power comes in great here so you can keep the GoPro filming around the clock.
To give a really quick overview of the time lapse modes and sum up what they do:
Time Lapse – This is for creating footage where the camera is stationary or moving very slowly. To film movement over time from a fixed point.
Time Warp – Opposite of the time lapse, best used where the camera is moving. Setting the time warp speed to a higher value (slower capture) does seem to make the end result smoother.
Night Lapse – Probably my favourite setting of all. There is nothing like the feeling of pulling off a good night lapse after many hours in an exposed place. Always seems to yield satisfying results although not always what you would expect !
Mods and Accessories
Although the GoPro is great as standard, straight out of the box, there are a few things you can do to adapt it to your own style/use. I will expand more upon these in their own sections as I get chance. The list will likely grow over time too. You don’t have to do this but these are the things I use from time to time to make the GoPro do what I want:
Extend Battery Life
Battery life is fine when simply used as an action camera. On the other hand when you want continuous footage over hours, an issue arises. You can not swap batteries mid time lapse. With a couple of cheap additions you can boost the battery life to over 24 hours. Both the GoPro Hero 9 & 10 use the same removable battery door. By removing the door you gain access to the charging port but your camera is no longer waterproof and the battery is free to drop out.
In the event you have a 3D printer you can make your own door with charging hole. Otherwise you can buy one from Amazon. This will hold the battery but beware your GoPro is no longer waterproof !
When it comes to portable chargers, I like Anker. They come up on offer on occasions and they do the job well. I have a couple 20,000mah which seem to last me fine, more than 24 hours, when I remember to charge them. Depending on what you’re doing you can go bigger for more battery life or smaller for more compact size. There is a huge range of options out there. Try and get something that will go longer than you need.
Lens Mods
Having not yet tried the official Max Lens Mod I can’t comment on how good it is. I am dying to get my hands on one and see what I can achieve. On the other hand I went straight for the Skyreat Anamorphic Lens. I am currently a little obsessed with it and trying to use it for everything I can.
Anamorphic lenses squeeze more footage in horizontally without warping the image. They also create great lens flare but make sure the colour settings are Flat and not GoPro, otherwise you will end up with a lens smear. Using the anamorphic lens will restrict hypersmooth and so you need to switch the GoPro to Linear or Narrow. In addition the image will need to be “desqueezed”. This means footage will be squeezed in from the sides and you need some video editing software to return it to the correct aspect ratio. I found about 82% reduction of height is optimal but you will end up with the black bars at the top and bottom. This does give a wider, more cinematic feel over all.
To conclude lens mods, check out a few reviews and sample videos, get the ones you like and have a play with them. The worst thing you can do when it comes to lenses is stick them on, not adjust the GoPro settings and expect them to just work. Be patient, test lots, find out how they impact your footage. Make a new settings profile for each lens so you can tweak it.
So is a GoPro Hero 9 worth it ?
A very strong yes. I find I use mine for everything. I’m happy with it, I would like a Hero 10 and if I find I need 1 more camera this may be the choice. It is hard to be disappointed with the Hero 9. It does everything well, much better than its predecessors. If you have a Hero 7 or 8 and want to upgrade, think strongly about whether you will use the upgrades on the 9 & 10. For me the 7 is still great and I use it a lot. The Hero 9 definitely has the edge though.
Often branded as “Just a toy” by some but a very effective, reliable and capable tool in the hands of those who just get out and find amazing wherever they go. Easy to use, easy to adapt, plenty of accessories available. Great out of the box with no extras but a few add-ons can transform it.
Lastly, if you found this useful drop me a comment. Support me by buying Grizzly Wears Clothing. There will be a few more additions and updates to this post. Along with some more in depth posts about what gear I use.
The OnePlus 10 Pro (UK launch page here) has been highly anticipated by myself since rumours began earlier this year. It’s no secret that I haven’t had any interest or invested in a flagship phone since the Samsung Galaxy S5. This was 8 years ago. Half that time I used my S5 until it started to give up on life. I then made ends meet with 2nd hand or cheaper phones. However, I am interested in this. This is why I want the OnePlus 10 Pro…
Social Media
Since starting Grizzly Wears, social media has become a part of my life. I don’t always have my GoPro or my camera to hand but I do usually have my phone. The ability to take good photos at all times is what drives success on social platforms. In addition the photos can be published directly with a phone and I don’t need to do much else. Simpler is always better. If I can get good enough pictures on my phone, I can publish more content, more often and never miss a moment.
Importantly this improves quality of my content and frequency. Another great feature is the warp charging and huge battery. Having a phone that might last a day with little use makes me less likely to use it. Not from fear of being disconnected from the world but fear that something amazing may happen and my phone will be dead.
As someone who has gone from zero presence to maximum Instagram and YouTube, the right tool is important now. Essentially there was no reason for me to own a good phone but there is now. Rumour has it this phone was made for the content creators and I intend to take my content to the next level by using it.
Lets talk about that Camera…
The camera has multiple lenses, plenty of other people have gone into the technical detail. I won’t bother and don’t care either. Some of the photos I have seen have been good. My current phone was not made to be good at photos or have a good battery life. The OnePlus 10 Pro seems to have that wide angle fish eye type lens that I love the GoPro for. This gives my content a little more consistency. but you can also turn that off and just take photos through a normal spherical lens.
I would definitely be interested to see if any lens mods come along for this phone. However, If I go on a trip for a break and to create content whilst there, would I leave the GoPro’s at home ? Probably not. They do things well that a phone just can’t do at all. Also tying up your phone for 12 hours to take a time lapse video isn’t practical.
Either way the camera is the tipping point for me to invest in this phone.
OnePlus 10 Pro example photo
What else is Important ?
Battery life. To have a phone that can last a day on one charge is a luxury I have gone without for a long time. My S5 could go several days in ultra power saving which made it great when spending days away from electricity. These days I either need a portable charger or I turn my phone off. Being cut off from the world for a while is not hard for me anyway. Battery life definitely drops in cold temperatures though so the more, the better.
Durability is a factor I like, I haven’t ever broken a phone. Not entirely sure how but my phones tend to get scrapes and dents without ever breaking glass or worse. Maybe I have been lucky, maybe I am careful. Either way it is nice to have a little durability for when accidents happen. Having had my hands on a few previous OnePlus models they seem well built and sturdy so hopefully this won’t be the first phone I break !
Performance. I am inpatient, don’t like phones that freeze, crash and are slow to use. I would rather go back to my Nokia 3210 because it did very little very well. Not packing a phone with bloatware and features I have no need for is why I like OnePlus. The operating system is clean and light. I like this.
So when is the UK release date for the OnePlus 10 Pro ?
Currently I have no idea. I have read rumours it will be this week (21st March 2022). Unfortunately this seems to be in an article made by one of this clickbait content creators. In other words, he made it up and I doubt it will happen. OnePlus have been quiet and not announced anything. Until you hear it from them it is probably best to ignore any dates from the “make stuff up” people on TikTok. Let’s just make good quality content instead !
Further Update…
OnePlus did not release the 10 pro on the 21st, 22nd or 23rd March. I’m not sure where the March release came from but people are definitely plucking random dates out of the air. There seems to be a prediction of every day in March being the release date. If this is the month it is being released, someone has a 1 in 31 chance of being right. There seems to be a trend of releasing new phones on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday so it may not appear until April 6th. Don’t hold your breath. Will the rumoured “extreme edition” be available at launch is what I wonder. This certainly is a closely guarded secret. Along with the yet unseen blue colour.
Final Update…
Following the (painful) launch event on 31st March I am in no rush to buy this phone now. Sadly the only colour available if you pre-order the 12gb version is “Disgusting Green”. I did however call the release date roughly which is 5th April so the day you would receive the OnePlus 10 Pro would be the 6th April if you can live with the green. I definitely can’t. Although the phone is a great price for the features packed into it, it is still a lot of money for something you hate the colour of !
Please check out my socials and the content I make, have a look at my online shop. Also check out my other blogs if you’re a fellow adventurist !
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