Huawei Launches Pura 80 Ultra with Innovative Dual-Lens Telephoto Camera

Huawei has officially announced the launch of its Pura 80 flagship smartphones in China, with the Pura 80 Ultra standing out due to its innovative camera technology. The Ultra model features a “switchable” dual-lens telephoto camera that allows two different lenses to utilize the same sensor, enhancing its photographic capabilities.

The design of the Pura 80 Ultra includes two lenses positioned side-by-side within the largest of the three camera rings located on the rear of the device. These lenses share more than just a housing; they are connected to the same set of periscopic elements and utilize a single image sensor. A movable prism directs light from the selected lens, which differs from traditional systems that typically employ a single lens and adjust the periscopic structure to modify the zoom distance.

The Pura 80 Ultra’s dual lenses provide optical zoom capabilities of 3.7x and 9.4x, equivalent to 83mm and 212mm, respectively. This range surpasses that of previous models from competitors such as Sony. The shorter lens features an f/2.4 aperture and is identified as a 50-megapixel camera, while the longer lens has an f/3.6 aperture and is listed with a lower resolution of 12.5 megapixels. This discrepancy suggests the possibility of sensor cropping or additional pixel binning when utilizing the longer lens.

The integration of two telephoto lenses serves multiple purposes beyond mere marketing appeal. Image sensors are among the most costly components in modern smartphones, and utilizing a single sensor for multiple lenses can lead to significant cost savings. Additionally, this design approach conserves space, allowing for a slimmer phone profile while accommodating larger and more advanced components. The Pura 80 Ultra is equipped with a 1/1.28-inch-type sensor, which is larger than most telephoto sensors currently available, potentially made possible by this innovative design.

In addition to its unique telephoto capabilities, the Pura 80 Ultra is equipped with a 50-megapixel main camera that features Huawei’s dynamic aperture technology, along with a 40-megapixel ultrawide camera. The device boasts a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display, a robust 5,700mAh battery, and is rated IP68 and IP69 for water and dust resistance. It comes with 16GB of RAM and offers storage options of up to 1TB. However, Huawei has not disclosed the specific chipset powering the device, a decision that has raised questions as the company continues to develop its own chips in response to US sanctions.

The Pura 80 Ultra has been launched alongside three other models: the Pura 80, Pura 80 Pro, and Pura 80 Pro Plus. All models share a similar design aesthetic, with the base Pura 80 featuring a triple rear camera setup, a slightly smaller 6.6-inch LTPO OLED display, and a 5,600mAh battery. The Pro and Pro Plus models match the Ultra in size and share its main and ultrawide cameras, but each is equipped with a single 48-megapixel telephoto lens. The Pura 80 Pro Plus offers additional RAM and supports two types of satellite communications, while all Pura 80 models are compatible with the Beidou satellite system.

All new Pura smartphones will operate on HarmonyOS 5.1, the latest iteration of Huawei’s operating system, which is no longer based on Android. The starting price for the Pura 80 Ultra is CNY 9,999 (approximately $1,390), while the Pro models begin at CNY 6,500 (around $900). The standard Pura 80 has not yet been released for sale, and its pricing details remain undisclosed. Last year’s Pura 70 series launched internationally a few weeks after after its debut in China, leading to speculation about whether a similar rollout will occur this year.