Did you know? Why flagships like the OPPO Find X10 are racing for zoom and the Hasselblad badge

Phones keep getting thinner, yet their zoom keeps reaching further. How does that fit? The answer is an old submarine trick: the periscope. And with the OPPO Find X10 Pro Max just landing in Malaysia with three 200MP cameras and a Hasselblad badge, it's the freshest example of why flagships are now in an all-out camera arms race.

OPPO Find X10 Pro Max: three 200MP cameras, one Hasselblad badge

OPPO launched the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max in Malaysia on 22 October 2026. The Pro Max uses three 200MP rear cameras: a main camera, a 124° ultra-wide, and a 3x optical telephoto that can focus as close as 10cm for macro shots.

The regular Find X10 gets a 200MP main camera, a 200MP 2.8x telephoto and a 50MP ultra-wide. Both can be paired with an optional Hasselblad Teleconverter accessory for extra reach.

OPPO's Chief Product Officer Pete Lau summed up the mission: "Find X Series has always been driven by our commitment to push mobile imaging forward."

What is a periscope phone camera?

The problem is simple: optical zoom needs a long lens. Mount a telephoto lens the usual way (front to back) and you top out at around 2 to 3x before it pokes out of the phone.

A periscope camera gets around this with a clever bit of folding:

• A small prism bends incoming light by 90 degrees.
• The lens and sensor lie sideways inside the phone.
• So the lens can be nearly as long as the phone is wide, not as thick as it is deep.

There's a catch, though. Periscope sensors are usually much smaller than the main camera's. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, for example, pairs a 1/1.3-inch main sensor with a 1/3.52-inch periscope sensor, less than a quarter of the area. Smaller sensors mean more noise, especially in dim light.

That's why phone makers are now racing to fit bigger, higher-resolution telephoto sensors, like the 200MP telephoto on the Find X10. For the record, OPPO's official spec sheet doesn't explicitly say whether the Find X10's telephoto is a periscope design.

Did you know? The phone sometimes credited as the first with a periscope lens is the Sharp 902 from 2004, with 2x zoom. The idea took off again when the Huawei P30 Pro (2019) brought 5x zoom, followed by the P40 Pro+ (2020) with 10x.

Why are camera brands like Hasselblad in such demand?

In February 2022, OPPO announced a three-year strategic partnership with Swedish camera maker Hasselblad for its Find series, starting with the Find X5. One confirmed feature was Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad, colour tuning aimed at more natural skin tones.

OPPO wasn't first. OnePlus had already teamed up with Hasselblad on the OnePlus 9 in 2021.

So what does Hasselblad actually do? OPPO hasn't shared every detail, but the clear parts are colour tuning and photo modes. On the Find X10 Pro Max, for instance, you get a Hasselblad Hi-Res mode and Hasselblad Teleconverter support. And a camera brand's logo on the back sends buyers a simple signal: this phone takes photography seriously.

OPPO Find X10 price in Malaysia

Official Malaysian prices (checked on 25 October 2026):

Pre-orders run until 29 October 2026, with pre-order gifts that differ by model. Promotions can change, so check with official stores before you buy.

Want the full breakdown of both models? Read more about the OPPO Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max.

Do you actually need a zoom camera?

If you're always shooting concerts, sports, animals or buildings from afar, a good telephoto makes a real difference. But if most of your camera roll is food and selfies, the main and ultra-wide cameras are probably more than enough.

Are you a zoom-everything person, or a "just walk closer" person?