Background information
The unknown smartphone kings of Africa
by Jan Johannsen
New lens design promises 9x optical zoom for smartphones
9/12/2025
Translation: machine translated
A telephoto lens that is shorter thanks to a mirror and a lens system with real optical zoom. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Tecno has presented new technologies for smartphone cameras.
At its fifth «Future Lens» event, Tecno presented two new technologies. These are designed to offer new possibilities for the camera in the limited space of a smartphone. «Freeform Continuum Telephoto» and «Dual Mirror Reflect Telephoto» promise a real optical zoom and telephoto lenses in a smaller design.
Alvarez lenses for more focal length with less movement
For the sake of simplicity, I also often refer to smartphones as zooms. I try to avoid the addition «optical». This is because smartphones currently have up to four cameras with different focal lengths. I can switch between them and calculate how much longer the focal length of the telephoto camera is compared to the main camera. However, the focal length ranges in between are only digital magnifications. For example, if I zoom with my fingers on the touchscreen, the image section jumps when I switch to the area of another lens. With Freeform Continuum Telephoto, all of this should be a thing of the past.
Tecno uses so-called Alvarez lenses for its camera lens with a ninex optical zoom. Thanks to their cubic shape, it is sufficient to move them sideways for a different focal length. Unlike with conventional lenses, the distance between the lenses does not increase. And space for the currently widespread fixed periscope lenses is limited in smartphones. In order to achieve the overall large difference in focal length, the manufacturer installs two pairs of lenses in its camera module.
One mirror and the telephoto lens is only half the size
The second new lens shape also serves to save space with telephoto lenses. The Dual Mirror Reflect, which was developed in collaboration with Samsung and Largan, works with reflections. The centre of the lens does not let any light through. This falls around the centre onto a reflective dish. It directs the light onto the back of the cover in the centre. From there, the light passes through further lenses onto the sensor.
Compared to conventional periscope lenses, the mirror lenses are only half as long and almost ten per cent thinner. The manufacturer touts a donut bokeh and even promises improvements in image quality in the dark. At least the artefacts disappear in the sample image in the video.
Tecno has not revealed when and in which smartphones the new lenses will be used for the first time. In Western Europe, even more patience is likely to be required: although Tecno is the market leader in Africa and also active in Eastern Europe with its low-cost smartphones, it has so far shied away from the markets where many high-priced smartphones are sold.
Header image: Tecno
Jan Johannsen
Senior Editor
Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.deAs a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
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