The camera performance of smartphones from Chinese manufacturers has advanced at a staggering pace, with more products supporting mountable telephoto lenses for ultra-high-magnification shooting.
The Find X9 Ultra, which OPPO released in Japan, is capable of up to 200x magnification.
With the lens attached, its appearance transforms into something that hardly resembles a smartphone at all.
A High-Performance Flagship Ideal for Gaming as Well
The Find X9 Ultra is a high-spec flagship smartphone powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
Its 6.82-inch display boasts a resolution of 3168 x 1440 pixels, a refresh rate of up to 144Hz, and peak brightness reaching 3,600 nits, handling high-end gaming with ease.
Furthermore, its cameras rank among the finest in the industry.
The Find X9 Ultra stands as a true "do-it-all smartphone."
Hasselblad-Inspired Exterior Design
The rear design of the black model features a chic textured faux-leather finish reminiscent of high-end vintage cameras.
The OPPO logo sits on the left side, with camera partner Hasselblad's logo prominently displayed in the center.
Just as Xiaomi partners with Leica and Sony and vivo collaborate with Zeiss, OPPO has forged a deep technical alliance with a legendary camera manufacturer for its top-tier flagships.
An orange button sits on the right side of the chassis.
This reflects Hasselblad's iconic signature color, prominently featured on the shutter button of cameras like the XD2.
This subtle accent immediately communicates the Find X9 Ultra's Hasselblad heritage.
Enhanced AI Features Including Exclusive Mind Space
The left edge features a dedicated button serving as a customizable shortcut to trigger AI features, silent mode, and other key settings.
We strongly recommend assigning OPPO's proprietary Mind Space, functioning as an AI-powered database notebook.
Pressing the button captures a screenshot of your active screen, and the AI automatically summarizes its content.
Long-pressing the button starts audio recording.
You can subsequently search and synthesize all accumulated data via AI.
Whether it's browser news articles or restaurant recommendations found in short-form videos, simply snapping screenshots automatically builds your own personalized knowledge base.
Seamless File Sharing with iPhone
The operating system runs ColorOS 16 based on Android 16.
Beyond blazing-fast screen transitions and fluid scrolling, photo editing is bolstered by advanced generative AI capabilities like AI Eraser and AI Relighting.
ColorOS 16 also upgrades AI-driven summarization and translation.
Furthermore, with the O+ Connect feature enhancing cross-device synergy with iPhone, Mac, and Windows PC, you can seamlessly transfer files across platforms and brands.
Equipped with an Industry-Leading Quad Camera Array
The camera setup on the Find X9 Ultra boasts specs that easily outclass competitors across the industry and among smartphones currently sold in Japan.
The main wide camera features a 200MP 1/1.12-inch sensor with an f/1.5 aperture.
The 3x telephoto camera also utilizes a 200MP sensor, sized at 1/1.28 inches with f/2.2.
Additionally, a 10x telephoto camera offers 50MP on a 1/2.75-inch sensor with f/3.5, while the ultra-wide shooter delivers 50MP on a 1/1.95-inch sensor with f/2.0.
Even the front selfie camera packs 50MP.
Combining for a staggering total pixel count of 550 megapixels, no other smartphone on the market features such an extreme camera array.
Effortlessly Exploring the World of Telephoto Photography
While the built-in camera hardware is already formidable, the Find X9 Ultra further allows mounting an external telephoto lens.
Sold as an optional camera kit, users first attach the dedicated protective case.
The kit includes the case, a decorative bezel ring, and an adapter ring for mounting the telephoto lens.
Though not shown in the photo, the kit also includes a 67mm filter adapter ring.
Flaunting Hasselblad Identity
First, attach the case and decorative ring.
A bezel emblazoned with the prominent Hasselblad H logo encases the camera module.
Every detail radiates Hasselblad character, inspiring confidence that you are about to capture extraordinary photos simply by holding it.
The case features a subtly contoured grip that enhances handheld stability while keeping dimensions compact enough so as not to hinder regular smartphone usage.
While camera grips from competing brands are larger and easy to hold, they often make everyday phone handling somewhat clumsy.
Because the grip is non-detachable, there is also no risk of it accidentally popping off.
The grip area integrates a physical shutter button and an adjustment dial for zoom and settings.
Mounting the Telephoto Lens
Attaching the telephoto lens mounting ring changes the appearance considerably.
It lends a distinct mechanical, technical aesthetic, completely shifting the vibe of the Find X9 Ultra.
The lens is custom-designed, securing to the phone via a proprietary three-claw bayonet mount.
The 300mm telephoto lens has substantial physical barrel length, which, paired with the black chassis, exudes an overwhelming presence.
vivo actually pioneered commercial smartphones with attachable telephoto lenses, and we previously published a review of the X300 Ultra, which mounts the 400mm G2 Ultra lens.
Although OPPO's lens has a shorter focal length at 300mm compared to vivo's 400mm lens, its physical body is noticeably longer.
Beyond optical differences, bearing the prestigious Hasselblad branding likely motivated OPPO to maximize its visual heft and presence.
The lens includes top and bottom lens caps stamped with the H logo, and the tip features a detachable lens hood carrying the Hasselblad logo.
Fitting the hood onto the lens makes the assembly longer than the Find X9 Ultra itself.
Its physical footprint is undeniably striking.
It is immediately clear how seriously OPPO and Hasselblad took the design of this optical system.
An Overwhelming Visual Statement
Once mounted to the phone, the setup resembles a classic superzoom bridge camera from years past.
To facilitate stable shooting, the kit also includes a tripod collar mount that securely cradles the heavy lens barrel.
One might assume that mounting such a large lens would make handling cumbersome, but the total weight remains lighter than a high-end dedicated mirrorless setup.
Furthermore, AI-driven image stabilization keeps shake to a minimum during telephoto shooting, producing crisp imagery even at hundreds of times digital magnification.
Benefits of the Telephoto Lens Beyond High Zoom
Attaching the 300mm lens enables digital zoom reaching an equivalent of up to 4,575mm, or roughly 198x magnification.
However, the advantage of this telephoto optic extends far beyond extreme zoom reach.
It also generates true optical depth-of-field and creamy background bokeh.
Comparing a photo taken with the phone's native camera cropped to 300mm equivalent (13x) against a shot captured with the physical 300mm lens attached reveals a stark difference.
Shooting at 300mm with the external telephoto lens attached produces a beautifully blurred background.
Achieving this natural optical bokeh without artificial edge-detection artifacts is a major advantage of the external optic.
While we would love to showcase additional sample photos, the volume would be overwhelming, so this review focuses primarily on the hardware design of the Find X9 Ultra.
Useful International Accessories
Here are official OPPO accessories compatible with the Find X9 Ultra that are not currently sold in Japan or Hong Kong.
First is the OPPO Bubble.
This circular 1.73-inch display connects via Bluetooth.
When launching the camera, it functions as a remote viewfinder, and can also double as a digital pin badge displaying custom wallpaper art.
The back is MagSafe-compatible, snapping easily onto the rear of the phone.
While sold primarily in China and Southeast Asia, it works seamlessly with the Japanese edition of the Find X9 Ultra.
Sold in China, the Hasselblad external light is a covetable accessory stamped with the H logo, available in two designs: an OPPO-branded model and this Hasselblad model.
Its magnetic base is MagSafe-compatible, allowing the light module to tilt upward by 90 degrees.
While you can toggle power and adjust color temperature using the physical switch on the unit, connecting it to the Find X9 Ultra via Bluetooth and enabling the LED flash in the camera app illuminates this Hasselblad light rather than the phone's built-in flash.
It is an ingenious item that broadens creative photographic possibilities with the Find X9 Ultra.
Priced well above 200,000 yen (around 1,249 USD), the Find X9 Ultra is certainly a significant investment.
However, its imaging prowess sits at the very pinnacle of the industry, and the mountable telephoto lens takes mobile photography into unprecedented territory.
For photography enthusiasts seeking the ultimate camera experience on a smartphone, the Find X9 Ultra makes a compelling case.
▼Photo & Written by Yasuhiro Yamane
Blog: http://www.hkyamane.com/
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