HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max First Shots - Truly awesome zoom!

The new HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max is now official, and as expected, it has the strongest camera specs from the series.

One of the best for zooming today?

It isn't using a 1-inch sensor and a switchable telephoto camera like the Pura 80 Ultra, but they compensated for it with a 1/1.28" LOFIC RYYB 50MP f/1.4 to f/4.0 sensor and the 200MP 1/1.28" RYYB telephoto sensor w/ up to 4x optical zoom and telephoto macro, which is the largest in the industry, while making the overall physical footprint and protrusion slightly more subdued.

This is capable of delivering 10x and 20x lossless zooms and up to 100x digital zoom. For videos, it records up to 30x zoom.

Back design of the phone

Other camera sensors include the 40MP f/2.2 RYYB ultra-wide-angle camera and the 13MP f/2.2 selfie camera.

Close-up to the camera sensor and the UI

On top of having 5G again, the feature that caught my attention the most is the zoom performance of the handset. Here's what I think about it.

The super zoom is legitimately good

1x to 10x

These are the first two photos I took with the Pura 90s Pro Max. On the left is 1x mode, a photo with plenty of details and nice colors, but nothing special. But with the help of its telephoto shooter, I was able to take a cinematic-looking 10x zoom photo of Buzz Lightyear with impressive clarity.

4x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom

4x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom

Both the 4x optical and 10x hybrid zoom modes can also turn ordinary-looking food shots into mouthwatering snaps in great detail with dreamy bokeh blur even in dim lighting conditions.

4x, 10x

4x, 10x

I even pushed it to macro‑like shots of ultra close‑up subjects—and the sheer clarity, detail, and wow factor feels almost impossible to imagine just a few years ago.

4x and 10x Portrait mode

The HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max is also incredible on human subjects. Skin tones are warm and rich. Details are extra crisp even at 4x and 10x modes.

4x Portrait mode (hair-level edge detection)

Portrait mode is still a bit of a hit-or-miss, as there are occasions where its edge detection won't be hair-level, but when it hits, the shot will look spectacular.

4x, 10x stage (normal mode)

This also appears to be great on stage shots, making it truly awesome for stage shots during concerts, product launches, and other events.

1x, 20x zoom

Up to 20x zoom, the quality is near lossless. This is surprisingly easy to frame and not that shaky, unlike other super zoom phones.

4x, 10x Hornbill shot

1x, 4x Ostrich shots

10x, 20x Ostrich shots

We tested its zoom at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, and it instantly became the highlight of the trip. Despite our limited time, the shots came out stunning. Keep in mind these were live birds—fast‑moving subjects—yet the camera phone’s autofocus and shooting speed kept up effortlessly.

The zoom quality is remarkable, delivering DSLR‑like bokeh even at extra‑long ranges of 10x to 20x.

Quick thoughts

In our first week with it, HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max undeniably cemented itself as one of the most capable zoom camera phones today.

With its truly awesome 200MP telephoto sensor, near‑lossless 20x zoom, and DSLR‑like bokeh even at long ranges, it delivers clarity and versatility that rivals even the most expensive camera phones today.

While Portrait edge detection can be hit‑or‑miss, the overall zoom performance is nothing short of spectacular. Color tones sometimes lean a bit warmer than expected, but overall reproduction is vibrant and consistently impressive—making zoom shots look cinematic and lifelike.

This handset will go official in the Philippines soon, and it might be one of the must‑consider camera phones today. Our test is still ongoing, and I’ll update this with the full review soon.