Huawei has officially unveiled its new flagship smartphone series in China, headlined by the innovative Pura 80 Ultra, featuring a unique “switchable” dual-lens telephoto camera system.
The Pura 80 Ultra’s telephoto setup integrates both lenses with a shared set of periscopic elements and a single image sensor, allowing the system to alternate between 3.7x and 9.4x optical zoom. A movable prism directs light from the selected lens, corresponding to focal lengths of 83mm and 212mm. This offers a wider range compared to some variable telephoto implementations seen in competitor devices.
The shorter telephoto lens features a 50-megapixel resolution with an f/2.4 aperture, while the longer telephoto lens is listed with a lower resolution of 12.5-megapixels and an f/3.6 aperture. This disparity suggests potential sensor-cropping or additional pixel-binning when using the higher zoom lens.
The decision to consolidate two telephoto lenses onto a single sensor is not merely a marketing tactic. Image sensors represent a significant cost in modern smartphones, and this approach could lead to cost savings and efficient use of internal space. By avoiding two complete periscopic systems, Huawei may have created room for other components, such as the relatively large 1/1.28-inch-type sensor used for this telephoto system. This sensor is notably larger than those typically found in smartphone telephoto cameras.
Beyond its novel telephoto capabilities, the Pura 80 Ultra is equipped with a 50-megapixel main camera featuring Huawei’s dynamic aperture design and a 40-megapixel ultrawide camera. The device boasts a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display, a substantial 5,700mAh battery, and robust IP68 and 69 ratings for water and dust resistance. It comes standard with 16GB of RAM and offers storage options up to 1TB.
Huawei has not explicitly detailed the chipset powering the Pura 80 series, aligning with the company’s recent practice, believed to be influenced by US sanctions and its development of proprietary chip technology.
The Pura 80 Ultra is joined in the lineup by three other models: the Pura 80, 80 Pro, and 80 Pro Plus. These models share a similar design language with the Ultra. The base Pura 80 includes a triple rear camera system, a slightly smaller 6.6-inch LTPO OLED screen, and a 5,600mAh battery.
Both the Pura 80 Pro and Pro Plus are the same size as the Ultra and share its main and ultrawide cameras. However, they each feature a single 48-megapixel telephoto camera instead of the switchable system found on the Ultra. The Pro Plus distinguishes itself with additional RAM and support for two types of satellite communications, although every Pura 80 model can connect to the Beidou satellite system.
All new Pura phones launch pre-loaded with HarmonyOS 5.1, the latest iteration of Huawei’s in-house operating system. In terms of pricing in China, the Pura 80 Ultra starts at CNY 9,999. The Pura 80 Pro and Pro Plus models begin at CNY 6,500. The standard Pura 80 is not yet available for purchase and its price has not been announced.
International availability for the Pura 80 series remains to be seen. The preceding Pura 70 series saw an international launch several weeks after its debut in China, setting a precedent that could be followed this year.
