Camera modules seem to be getting bigger and bigger these days The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a good example of this, with its chunky quad-lens camera very prominent But it doesn't have to be

Oppo has patented a new type of pop-up camera (via LetsGoDigital) It hides the rear camera lens of the phone until it is actually needed

Pop-up cameras typically hide the front camera, allowing for a full-screen display without a notch; the OnePlus 7T Pro is a good example of this

The difference here is that the dual camera lenses are inside the phone, facing up, rather than outward like regular cameras And the phone has a series of mirrors and prisms that allow one to see what is happening in front of and behind the phone

This design appears similar to the periscope lenses that some cell phone manufacturers use for their telephoto lenses This is because the vertical placement of the lens provides more working space and can significantly increase the optical zoom magnification of the camera system [In this example, it also means that the pop-up can function simultaneously as a front and rear camera In other words, there is no need to display the camera module on the back of the phone This is certainly one way to beat Samsung's newly patented rotating camera, which rotates the rear camera to capture the face

LetsGoDigital noted that this system also allows users to capture images to the left and right of the phone, meaning they can capture panoramic shots much easier In fact, to capture a 360-degree photo, one need only move 180 degrees

However, there are several questions about this system The main one is how the phone plans to switch between front and rear cameras; one method proposed by Oppo's patent includes a dedicated button that can be pressed once to shoot from the front and twice to shoot from the back

In other words, the goal is for the camera to shoot from one direction at a time, but the patent does not deny the option to shoot from both Assuming that the lens can capture both images at the same time, there is no reason why this could not be accomplished

Just because a patent is granted does not necessarily mean it will be incorporated into a cell phone Even if it does, the possibility that the rear camera lens will be visible cannot be ruled out After all, most phones these days have three or four lenses, and this design only hides two

Still, it would be a very cool feature, even if the rear camera module doesn't disappear entirely and only gets smaller

Oppo is said to be releasing the Find X3 Pro around spring, but we don't expect it to feature such a pop-up camera system Rather, it is expected to be a refined version of the Find X2 Pro with enhanced specs and camera However, this patent proves that Oppo is a very noteworthy smartphone manufacturer when it comes to doing something new in cell phone design