A new leak suggests that OPPO may be the only major smartphone brand still actively evaluating a very ambitious camera idea: a 200MP super periscope built around a massive 1/1.12-inch sensor. On paper, that kind of hardware could push mobile long-range photography to another level. In practice, it may simply be too large for most phone makers to package comfortably inside a modern flagship.
According to the source report, tipster Digital Chat Station said this unusually large periscope project now appears to have only one company still seriously developing it, with the discussion pointing to OPPO. The appeal is obvious. A 200MP sensor of this size could deliver much stronger telephoto image quality, especially in difficult lighting or at longer focal lengths where smaller sensors usually give up more detail and dynamic range.
The real problem is thickness. The article says the module is approaching the limits of what current phone designs can realistically accommodate. Internal stacking becomes more difficult, and the rear camera bump could become dramatically more pronounced. The leak compares the resulting protrusion to a cookie-like lens hump, which is a vivid way of saying buyers would need to accept a camera module much chunkier than what most current flagships use.
This rumor also fits into the broader picture of OPPO’s current imaging push. Based on previously circulated leaks, the upcoming Find X9 Ultra is expected to use a dual-200MP camera strategy. The main camera is said to rely on Sony’s LYT-901 sensor in a 1/1.12-inch format, while the 3x telephoto camera could move to a 200MP OV52A sensor at roughly 1/1.28 inch. A separate 50MP 10x optical periscope telephoto camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera are also rumored to be part of the package.
To make a system like that fit, OPPO is reportedly exploring a five-reflection inverted periscope structure. The idea is to compress what would normally require a roughly 41mm optical path down to about 29mm, helping the company control the overall device thickness. Previous leak images have also pointed to a stepped volcano-style camera island that tries to make the bulge look less abrupt.
The wider context matters here too. Since vivo helped push 200MP periscope cameras into the spotlight in 2025, other brands including OPPO, Honor, and Xiaomi have all been linked to more aggressive ultra-high-resolution telephoto strategies. The source article adds that OPPO may not stop with one flagship, claiming that 200MP main cameras could eventually spread into future OnePlus flagships and Find N foldables as well.
Still, this entire concept comes down to a trade-off that smartphone makers cannot avoid. The very best mobile photography hardware usually wants more physical space, while buyers keep rewarding slimmer and cleaner phone designs. If OPPO really is the last company still exploring this oversized periscope path, the final decision may depend less on engineering feasibility and more on whether customers are willing to live with a much larger camera bump in exchange for better long-range imaging.
