Recently, many people have been sharing news about a smartphone with a camera that can see through objects or clothing, based on a specialized “color filter” of the OnePlus 8 Pro similar to an X-ray camera: it can see through plastic and even clothing. Many felt concerned after hearing this feature due to the potential for misuse.
So is it true that the OnePlus 8 Pro can do this? The truth is that the camera’s color filter only allows you to see through “transparent objects you don’t realize” because your eyes cannot see the same type of light as the camera.
To explain it more clearly, the camera lens of the OnePlus 8 Pro is designed to capture different types of light into the sensor, therefore, when combined with the filtering software on the phone, it can provide more impressive colors and effects. Most notably, this camera lens does not block infrared light, unlike most camera lenses which try to filter infrared light because it can cause image noise.
Normally, our eyes cannot see infrared rays. This is one of the main reasons why infrared light is used in TV remotes or sensors in smartphones. Essentially, if infrared light can pass through a surface, the OnePlus 8 Pro camera can “see” through that surface. For example, you can look at the front of the TV remote, where the top cover is usually made of black plastic, a material that allows infrared rays to pass through.
But what about clothing? Fabric is a material that allows light to pass through the gaps between the fibers, and in the case of very thin fabrics, it can allow more light to pass through. If a camera is designed to enhance its vision of infrared light, clearly seeing through clothing is possible and no different from the OnePlus camera.
However, fortunately for anyone worried about their privacy, the “color filter” camera of the OnePlus 8 Pro is very poor. It is a very weak camera sensor behind a lower quality lens, resulting in quite poor images. Therefore, you should best use the main camera of the product to take quality photos.