Find X9 Ultra targets long-range photography with redesigned periscope system

OPPO has confirmed a 21 April global launch for its next flagship smartphone, the Find X9 Ultra, positioning the device around a new telephoto system built to deliver 10x true optical zoom. The company is framing the device as a camera-led flagship, with the zoom system as its defining feature ahead of the full reveal.

The Find X9 Ultra centres on a Hasselblad-branded 50MP telephoto camera that supports 10x optical zoom and up to 20x optical-quality zoom. This places the device beyond the typical 4x to 5x optical zoom range seen in most flagship smartphones, where physical space constraints have historically limited lens design.

A new approach to long-range zoom

OPPO attributes the jump in optical zoom to a redesigned periscope structure that uses five reflections to extend the light path within the phone. The company refers to this as a Quintuple Prism Reflection Periscope Structure, which allows the camera system to achieve the physical requirements of 10x optical zoom while reducing the module length by 30%.

This approach addresses a long-standing trade-off in smartphone imaging, where higher optical zoom levels typically require larger modules that are difficult to integrate into slim device designs. By compressing the optical path through multiple reflections, OPPO aims to maintain a compact form factor while extending focal reach.

Pete Lau, SVP and Chief Product Officer at OPPO, shared, “The pursuit of ultimate imaging has always been the mission of the Find X Series. With Find X9 Ultra, we’ve achieved something truly extraordinary. By introducing the Hasselblad 50MP 10x Ultra-Sensing Optical-Zoom Telephoto, which allows 10x true optical zoom and industry-first 20x optical-quality zoom, we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with smartphone zoom. This is not just another flagship, it’s your next camera.”

The emphasis on “optical-quality” zoom suggests OPPO is also relying on computational methods to extend usable zoom beyond the optical range, although the announcement focuses primarily on the hardware breakthrough.

Optical design and stabilisation

Beyond the periscope structure, OPPO has introduced what it calls a Pristine Optical Path Architecture. The prism is built from three precision components, separated by a nanometre-scale diaphragm and an air capsule designed to maintain image clarity as light travels through the system.

This design aims to preserve signal quality before it reaches the sensor, which becomes more critical at longer focal lengths where small distortions are amplified. The company positions this as a way to ensure cleaner image data for both capture and processing.

Stabilisation is also a key part of the system. OPPO has developed a new sensor-shift optical stabilisation mechanism with an extended stabilisation range, intended to reduce shake at high zoom levels. This addresses a practical limitation of long-range smartphone photography, where even minor hand movement can affect image sharpness.

Imaging platform ahead of full reveal

The 50MP telephoto system is described as the anchor of a broader imaging platform that combines hardware and computational photography, although OPPO has not detailed the rest of the camera system at this stage.

The company has positioned the Find X9 Ultra as a camera-first flagship ahead of its full specification reveal, with the zoom system acting as the primary point of differentiation in early communication.

More details on the device are expected at the global launch event on 21 April.