There are some incredible camera phones coming out of China right now, including the Xiaomi 15 Ultra with its 1-inch sensor and Leica lenses and the Vivo X200 Ultra with its innovative add-on lens, but Huawei’s latest offering could just top the lot.
Unveiled on June 11, the Pura 80 Ultra seemingly features a triangular triple camera unit, but a second glance reveals one of those lenses does, in fact, host twin telephoto optics that share the same 1/1.28-inch sensor.
The switchable telephoto lenses offer a particularly versatile reach – the 3.7x zoom is an 83mm f/2.4 prime ideal for portraits, while the 9.4x zoom is a 212mm f/3.6 equivalent – plus they share that 1/1.28-inch sensor, which is larger than most others used for telephoto lenses, and shouldn’t sacrifice quality.
Could this be the world’s best camera phone?
As a photographer, the telephoto lenses look genuinely useful, but I’m just as impressed with main camera. It’s a 23mm lens with variable f/1.6-4 aperture, utilizing a larger-still 1-inch sensor for 50MP stills.
What’s more, Huawei says that the main camera is capable of capturing 16 stops of dynamic range, which would be a record for any smartphone.
The wider the dynamic range a camera is able to capture, the more perceivable detail you get across highlights and shadows, which should make for more natural-looking images.
Completing the camera array is an ultra-wide 13mm lens with 40MP stills, though Huawei doesn’t list the sensor size for this camera. It’s a safe bet that it won’t match the quality of the main camera.
Unlike the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which I’ve been using for months and is a genuine alternative for my premium compact camera, I haven’t got my hands on the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra yet, so I can’t be sure if it’s one of the best camera phones.
Its specs are certainly eye-catching, as is the optional photography edition kit by Tilta (see above). Add-on grips that mimic the camera experience are becoming a thing – Xiaomi and Vivo’s aforementioned smartphones have their own versions. However Tilta’s looks gloriously over-the-top.
It includes a large grip, case, extra power supply, continuous light, and additional wooden handle. There’s more to the case than meets the eye, too – it not only provides extra power, but can keep the phone cool and it allows follow focus functionality, which is a boon for filmmakers. The kit also allows the use of additional lens filters, such as NDs, plus it comes with a portable carbon fiber tripod.
Like previous Huawei phone launches, the Pura 80 Ultra is currently only available in China, and it costs CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,400 / £1,050 / AU$2,150). It’s touted for a wider release, though not in the US.
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