Oppo's Find X9 Ultra is a camera-first smartphone that aims to elbow its way into the spotlight alongside Vivo and Xiaomi. With a 50MP 10x optical zoom telephoto camera, it's an impressive addition to the market, but is it worth the hype? In my opinion, the Find X9 Ultra is a powerful camera phone that takes the competition seriously. The design changes, including the two color options, are subtle but effective, with the Canyon Orange and Tundra Umber options offering a nod to the brand's recent flagships and the Hasselblad partnership, respectively. The camera array on the Ultra has a subtle hexagonal design, which is a nice touch. However, the phone is big and thick, with the camera unit protruding noticeably from the back. The new telephoto converter kit is a welcome addition, but it's not without its flaws. The Find X9 Ultra has a 200-megapixel main camera, which is impressive, but I noticed some differences in color temperature and light sensitivity as the phone hopped between different camera sensors while I tested different zoom levels. The 10x zoom camera is impressive, but the results didn't blow me away in early testing. The Find X9 Ultra can capture 4K 60 fps video with Dolby Vision, and it's the first Oppo smartphone capable of recording 8K video at 30 fps. The display is also impressive, with a 6.82-inch 144Hz display that can reach up to 3,600 nits of peak HDR brightness. However, the Find X9 Ultra is not without its flaws. The lack of cross-compatibility among previous Oppo teleconverters and phones is a disappointment, and the price of £1,449 is steep. Overall, the Find X9 Ultra is a powerful camera phone, but it's not without its flaws. The telephoto converter kit is a welcome addition, but it's not perfect. I'm excited to see how the Find X9 Ultra's photos fare against images from the Vivo X300 Ultra, but for now, it's a solid addition to the market.
