Imagine capturing breathtaking photos with your smartphone, but with a twist—a bizarre-looking, detachable telephoto lens that turns your device into a mini-telescope. That’s exactly what the Oppo Find X9 Pro’s Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit promises, and I’ve spent some time putting it to the test. But here’s where it gets controversial: while this accessory unlocks incredible zoom capabilities, it’s not without its quirks. Is it a game-changer or just a pricey novelty? Let’s dive in.
The Oppo Find X9 Pro already packs a punch with its 200-megapixel telephoto camera and 3x optical zoom, offering features like 6x zoom for 50-megapixel shots and computational photography that claims ‘lossless zoom’ up to 13.2x. But this is the part most people miss: Oppo takes it a step further with an optional Hasselblad telephoto lens accessory, pushing the boundaries of what a smartphone camera can do. When attached, this lens protrudes several inches from the phone, resembling a miniature telescope—it’s undeniably unique.
Oppo isn’t the first to experiment with detachable lenses; Vivo and Xiaomi have tried it before. However, Oppo’s approach is distinct. Instead of a camera grip with a shutter button, the Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit relies on the phone’s Quick Control button or on-screen shutter. Here’s the catch: while innovative, this setup can feel cumbersome. The lens is heavy, making the phone unwieldy, and the lack of a dedicated grip means framing shots can be tricky. After a day of use, I found myself wishing for a more ergonomic design.
Setting up the kit is a bit of a process. It comes in three parts: a snap-on camera module, the telephoto lens, and a tripod-compatible brace. You’ll also need Oppo’s Magnetic Photographer Case, which is essential for attaching the lens securely. Once assembled, the lens twists into place over the phone’s 200-megapixel camera. While the process isn’t complicated, it’s not exactly seamless either.
And this is where it gets polarizing: despite its flaws, I found myself loving the Hasselblad lens. The first time I attached it, the viewfinder appeared upside down—a minor hiccup fixed by switching to Hasselblad Teleconverter mode in the Camera app. This mode unlocks 10x, 20x, and 40x zoom options, with a slider for adjustments up to 200x. During a day of shooting in Barcelona, I was impressed by the natural depth it added to portraits and its surprising low-light performance.
For instance, I captured a skateboarder in motion with zero blur, thanks to the lens’s fast shutter speed at 10x zoom. The colors were vibrant, the contrast sharp, and the bokeh stunning—all without a portrait mode. At 20x zoom, I photographed a yacht, but the faces lacked detail due to slight camera movement. However, the sunset colors were breathtakingly accurate. At 40x, images soften, but the lens retains the mood and feel of the scene, prioritizing ambiance over sharpness.
One standout feature is the DSLR-like shallow depth of field for still subjects. I captured a woman’s hair strands in a windy setting, achieving a natural bokeh reminiscent of a mirrorless camera. The lens also excels in handling exposure and white balance, as seen in a photo where the lighting was perfectly balanced without overexposure.
But here’s the controversial part: in low-light conditions, the lens introduces noise reduction, giving photos a soft, almost watercolor-like quality. While some might see this as a drawback, I found it added a unique, artistic touch. Additionally, the lens’s face-tracking works impressively well, even at 50x zoom, ensuring sharp focus on moving subjects.
The Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit is undeniably a niche accessory. At 499 euros (around $575), it’s one of the priciest phone add-ons available. For that price, I’d expect smoother integration, like automatic detection of the lens to launch the correct camera
