Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Redefines Zoom Tech With Dual Telephoto Camera
If you’re wondering what makes the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra stand out in today’s crowded smartphone market, the answer lies in its revolutionary camera setup. Huawei’s latest flagship features a unique dual telephoto camera system — not two separate cameras, but two zoom lenses that share a single sensor through a movable prism. This innovative design not only improves image quality and zoom flexibility but also reduces bulk, making it one of the smartest implementations of periscope zoom we’ve seen yet.
Dual Telephoto Camera: One Sensor, Two Zooms
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra’s dual telephoto lens system is a world-first in smartphone photography. Rather than placing two independent zoom cameras inside the phone, Huawei uses a switchable periscope system where both a 3.7x and a 9.4x optical zoom lens feed light into the same large 50MP sensor. A mirrored prism shifts between lenses to manage the optical path. This breakthrough offers crisp images at varying distances without sacrificing space or quality — a clear edge over competitors like Sony’s variable zoom tech.
Better Images, Smarter Engineering
By having two lenses share a sensor, Huawei achieves something exceptional. It avoids cramming two bulky periscopic structures into the phone and instead uses one large sensor — a 1/1.28-inch type — which enhances low-light performance and detail retention. The f/2.4 aperture for the short zoom and f/3.6 for the long zoom allow for versatile shooting in different lighting conditions. While one lens uses the full 50MP sensor, the second offers a cropped 12.5MP output — likely due to smart pixel-binning or selective cropping — another sign of thoughtful engineering.
Flagship Specs Beyond the Camera
Of course, Huawei didn’t stop at the camera. The Pura 80 Ultra features a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display, a massive 5,700mAh battery, and IP68/69 ratings for durability. It includes 16GB RAM, up to 1TB storage, and runs HarmonyOS 5.1 — Huawei’s post-Android operating system. Although details about the chipset remain under wraps due to US trade restrictions, performance is expected to be competitive. The phone launches alongside the Pura 80, 80 Pro, and 80 Pro Plus — all with strong specs, but only the Ultra includes the headline-making camera tech.
What It Means for the Future of Smartphone Cameras
Huawei’s dual-lens telephoto approach may set a new standard. As smartphone makers search for better zoom without bloating devices, Huawei’s single-sensor, switchable-periscope solution is a glimpse of what’s next. It balances performance, cost-efficiency, and design, creating room for larger sensors and more battery without sacrificing camera quality. If photography is your priority, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra with dual telephoto camera is one of 2025’s most exciting devices.