Huawei Ruiying Z10 Brings Massive 10x Optical Zoom to Mate 90 Pro Max

Huawei is expanding the accessory lineup for its upcoming Mate 90 Pro Max Collector's Edition flagship phone. New details about an external camera module called the Huawei Ruiying Z10 appeared this week on the Chinese social network Weibo. The module is expected to come as part of a camera kit bundled with the 16GB RAM plus 1TB storage version.

It's important to clarify one thing right away. The Ruiying Z10 is not a built-in phone camera. It's a separate accessory with its own image sensor. It works much like other standalone camera modules, such as those offered by OPPO or Huawei's earlier accessories for the P and Mate series. It attaches to the phone and adds photography capabilities that simply couldn't fit inside a slim smartphone body on their own.

At the core of the module sits a 1-inch sensor, which on its own captures noticeably more light than typical phone sensors. The physical focal length ranges from 9.1mm to 91mm. Converted to full-frame equivalent, that comes out to 24mm through 240mm. In other words, it offers 10x optical zoom. The aperture ranges from f/2.0 to f/4.5, and the module uses an electrically powered zoom mechanism.

The optical system includes special glass elements called Red Maple Lens. This is a proprietary optical coating that, according to Huawei, helps deliver more accurate colors and reduce unwanted glare. The module's design is described as creative and has a luxurious feel, though Huawei has not yet revealed the specific materials or dimensions.

The Huawei Mate 90 Pro Max Collector's Edition is one of five planned models in the Mate 90 series, expected to launch as early as late September 2026. According to some leaks, the Mate 90 Pro Max itself will feature a 50MP main camera, a 40MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 200MP periscope telephoto lens, along with support for XMAGE image processing. However, other leaks still disagree on the exact camera setup.

The Ruiying Z10 essentially builds on top of this camera system, focusing mainly on delivering high-quality telephoto zoom. By using an external module, Huawei can separate part of the optical system from the phone itself, offering a longer focal length without needing to fit the entire mechanism inside the smartphone's thin body.