Following Vivo’s lead, Chinese Android manufacturers have introduced “teleconverter” lenses as add-ons for their top phones in recent years, allowing for long-range photography that the phones alone could never equal. Huawei outperformed everyone today with the add-on lens for its flagship Mate 90 Pro Max, which has its own image sensor in addition to a hilariously large zoom lens.
Because the Ruiying Z10’s 1-inch-type, 50-megapixel RYYB sensor is larger than any found inside the phone itself, adding this lens not only improves your glass but also completely transforms the camera’s capabilities. Additionally, this teleconverter is a genuine zoom lens that covers 24–240mm with a variable aperture of f/2.0–f/4.5, whereas previous teleconverters have had set focal lengths. With just the phone’s power, processor, and software, this is practically a camera unto itself.
It is particularly impressive that Huawei seems to have engineered the lens to mount straight to compatible phones rather than requiring a case in between. The Z10’s obvious drawback is that, even by teleconverter standards, it is incredibly large; you will not be able to fit it in your pocket. However, at 346g, it is still more compact and portable than even the majority of mirrorless cameras, and you will likely be able to bring it to events like sporting events and concerts where cameras are not allowed. Then there is the cost, which is higher than some flagship phones at ¥5,999 (about $895).
According to Huawei, the Z10 is compatible with the Mate 90 Pro Max collector’s edition and its Mate 90 RS variation, which are the only two models in the new Mate 90 series that have a screw-mount surrounding the camera island. They have remarkable cameras of their own, including a 40-megapixel ultrawide, a 200-megapixel 4x periscope telephoto with the same size sensor, and an f/1.4-f/4.0, 50-megapixel, variable aperture primary camera using a 1.1.28-inch-type sensor. Huawei’s Kirin 9050 Pro chip and a 6,800mAh battery power the 6.9-inch OLED display, which has a maximum brightness of 12,000 nits. Both the Mate 90 and Mate 90 Pro have streamlined specifications and are marginally smaller.
