As OPPO’s 2025 flagship killer, the main strength of the Reno13 Pro 5G is with its cameras, as they offer flagship-like performance with its 50-megapixel IMX890 main shooter and 50-megapixel telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom.
That setup makes it ideal as one’s go-to camera for travel photography. To prove what the Reno13 Pro 5G can do, I brought it with me to Japan, as I explored bits of Tokyo, different views of Mt. Fuji, and more.
Day 1: Evening Arrival at Shinjuku with a Surprise Plane Ride
I mentioned in my Reno13 Pro 5G AI Editor feature how luck was at my side with my flight to Japan: Aside from getting it at a bargain (roundtrip ANA flight for under Php 18k, anyone?), I was lucky to board ANA’s Pikachu jet, which does rounds around Asia. Outside of the special livery, the plane inside has special details like the Pikachu-themed headrest cover.
If that’s not enough, everyone who boarded the Pikachu jet was handed souvenirs that included a boarding certificate, a sticker, and a wooden charm.
One of the things I love about Japan is how efficient everything is: I landed at Haneda airport at 8pm, finished immigration and baggage claim by 8:20pm, and boarded the 8:30pm bus to Shinjuku. By around 9:30pm, I was already at my hotel. Feeling hungry, I went out to the Ikinari Steak near the hotel, where I enjoyed a steak meal for just a little over Php 700.
Day 2: Around the snow-covered mountains of Nikko
The next day, I embarked on a ride-sharing journey to the snow-covered mountains of Nikko. Seeing them inside the van amazed me, and the Reno13 Pro 5G’s telephoto camera took a great snap of the snow-covered mountains–even if the van was driving at an average speed of 100km/h along the highway.
The first stop of the trip is Toshogu Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s best known to be the memorial grounds of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the prominent Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan. The highlight of the vast complex is Tokugawa’s mausoleum, which is located on a hilltop.
The next part of the trip was a winding drive towards Akechidaira Ropeway, where I rode a cable car to get a stunning view of Kegon Waterfalls and Lake Chuzenji–a scenic lake located at the foot of Mount Nantai. Despite the cloudy weather, the Reno13 Pro 5G took a great shot of the scenic view, balancing highlights and shadows without any adjustments in the camera settings.
After that, I headed down for a closer look at Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Waterfalls. Comparing shots taken using the Reno13 Pro 5G’s main and telephoto cameras, it’s clear that OPPO made an effort to maximize the camera hardware with excellent post-processing of Kegon Waterfalls with snow glaciers.
After the day trip to Nikko, I went on to visit the iconic Tokyo Tower, which looks majestic at night with the lighting highlighting the orange-painted structure. The Reno13 Pro 5G’s low-light performance is excellent, and the best example of its stellar output is arguably the best photo spot for Tokyo Tower: a stairway leading to an underground parking area.
If you’d ask me what my money shot with the Reno13 Pro 5G during my Japan trip, it has to be this photo.
Day 3: Everyone’s must-visit (and must-see) mountain in Japan
Any trip to Japan is not complete without visiting Mt. Fuji, which is what I did on my third day. Before boarding the tour bus at Shinjuku, I dropped by Bunkyo Civic Center to get a quick snap of Tokyo’s skyline in the morning using the Reno13 Pro’s telephoto camera.
It was a good day during that time, as Mt. Fuji was very visible from the bus en route to Kawaguchiko Lake. Both the Reno13 Pro 5G’s main and telephoto cameras were fast enough to take a clear shot of Japan’s iconic mountain while the bus was traveling at speeds of 100km/h.
To continue with my luck streak, there weren’t as many tourists in Kawaguchiko Lake as I expected, which gave me a better opportunity to take stunning photos of Mt. Fuji with the Reno13 Pro 5G. What I like about its telephoto camera is that it has a focal length equivalent of 85mm, which is my go-to focal length for travel photography.
The Reno13 Pro 5G’s main camera is also great: with a focal length equivalent of 24mm, it’s a solid option for taking landscape photography, like this low-angle shot from the base of Kawaguchiko Lake.
Another solid view of Mt. Fuji is through Chureito Pagoda at Fujiyoshida City. It’s a grueling 400-step uphill walk, but upon arriving at the area I understood why tourists and photographers love to see Mt. Fuji from this angle.
After the day trip to Mt. Fuji, I went back to Bunkyo Civic Center to capture Tokyo Skytree at night. Both the Reno13 Pro 5G’s main and telephoto cameras excelled well, showcasing the diverse set of buildings that illuminate Tokyo’s famous skyline.
Day 4: Visiting the place that Slam Dunk made Popular
My fourth day in Japan involved visiting Kamakura, a seaside town that became popular because of Slam Dunk. This small seaside city is likened to Kyoto, and it has notable tourist spots like the Hachimangu Shrine and Kotaku-in temple–the latter being home to the Great Buddha statue.
As someone who travels often to Japan, I highly recommend people to visit Kamakura if they’re looking for an underrated destination that has similar vibes to Kyoto.
Kamakurakokomae station is the exact stop that Slam Dunk references and the crossing was chock full of tourists waiting for the Enoden railway train to cross and channel their inner Sakuragi. The Enoden train goes to Enoshima, an island near Kamakura that’s also underrated.
The uphill street leading to Enoshima shrine has several stalls and restaurants, and my tour guide brought us to this restaurant called Amami, which served delicious ramen and tempura.
Aside from Enoshima Shine, it’s a must to go on top of the Sea Candle, as it gives you a stunning view of Mt. Fuji from the seaside, along with a stunning view of the beaches of Kamakura and Chigasaki.
After the day trip to Kamakura, I visited Tokyo Skytree, which looked stunning up close a night. The OPPO Reno13 Pro 5G’s main camera gave justice to the detailed lattice structure of Tokyo Skytree.
Being the tallest building in Tokyo, the Skytree’s Tembo Galleria stands 450m tall, and its glass floors give you another perspective on the incredible engineering done for one of Tokyo’s most iconic modern structures.
And that wraps up exploring Japan using the cameras of the OPPO Reno13 Pro 5G! Staying true to its promise, OPPO has a solid flagship killer option with the Reno13 Pro, especially if cameras are your main priority.
The OPPO Reno13 Pro 5G is priced at Php 43,999 and available at all authorized OPPO stores nationwide and on OPPO’s official stores in Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
In celebration of 7 Million My OPPO members, an exclusive discount is available to loyal OPPO users who are already registered in the MyOPPO App! Just go to select exclusive OPPO brand stores to redeem a Php 1,000 discount when purchasing the Reno13 Series 5G until March 15.
