This is my favorite new Android phone trend, and I only hope it gets better in 2026

One of many first issues I would pack for highway journeys was my trusty Nikon DSLR. I’ve captured some really memorable moments with the package lens and 70-300mm zoom lens, however I all the time lamented simply how a lot house the latter required.

You may think about my pleasure when pioneering Chinese language corporations began rolling out telephoto extenders that work with their digital camera telephones. The idea definitely appeared ridiculous, however now that I’ve used one for a number of months, it’s by far probably the most thrilling Android phone pattern of the longer term.

For the uninitiated, a telephoto extender (additionally known as zoom lenses, telephoto converters, or teleconverters) is successfully an attachable lens that extends a digital camera phone’s efficient zoom vary. This permits a phone to succeed in additional than it theoretically might with its normal built-in digital camera package. The gadget I’ve been utilizing for just a few months now — the vivo X200 Extremely — mounts its extenal lens to its 200MP periscope digital camera to present an efficient 200mm of zoom. That’s native zoom — no digital trickery is concerned, at the least not initially.

The idea isn’t precisely new — one among my favorite Samsung merchandise was the 2014 Galaxy Okay Zoom. In contrast to trendy gadgets that assist exterior telephoto extenders, it had a retractable lens, which gave it appreciable bulk and an completely foolish profile. Whereas I cherished the brashness of the idea, it’s truthful to say that digital camera {hardware} wasn’t fairly as much as snuff again then.

Greater than a decade later, with telephones now often packing succesful sensors, vivo launched the X200 Extremely. The 2025 phone was one of many first industrial gadgets with a purpose-built teleconverter, and it kicked off a lens rush. The OPPO Discover X9 Professional adopted late final yr with its personal farther-reaching attachable lens, whereas vivo adopted up with the X300 Professional. There’s even a rumor that Apple is contemplating such an adjunct for the iPhone 18 sequence. There’s little question that telephoto extenders are sizzling proper now, however they’re extra than simply hype — they’re sensible, possible, and vastly rewarding for images.

Phone images is thrilling once more!

For the New 12 months break, I took a visit to an apple farm. It was an excellent keep in a cottage surrounded by orchards, the scent of fallen pine needles, and the decision of a very noisy frequent buzzard. I’d usually have my digital camera dangling from my shoulder on these journeys, however I left it at residence — I was intent on utilizing the X200 Extremely for my weekend images.

So I grabbed it, mounted the lens, and pointed on the raptor. The outcomes communicate for themselves:

I might seize an in depth picture of this wonderful hen sitting 20 meters away. This merely wouldn’t be attainable, at the least not with this readability, on every other phone I’ve used earlier than. You may take pleasure in just a few different avian associates captured utilizing this technique under.

With the elevated zoom vary (good as much as 400mm efficient vary, in my opinion), I’ve additionally been challenged to give attention to framing as soon as once more when I’m not snapping singular topics. I have the attain to seize distance scenes, however that additionally means fixing extra fascinating issues with my eye. I cherished enjoying with mild and faraway topics — topics I wouldn’t or couldn’t usually contemplate. It’s been a splendidly refreshing feeling.

Past the outcomes, there are sensible advantages of this technique over my DSLR. Whereas my Nikon is definitely succesful, the vivo X200 Extremely and its lens simply match in my pocket. I don’t must fuss about lint in my pocket — the lens is properly protected, and the sensor lies inside the phone. I’m always involved with the odd grain of sand or speck of damaging mud infiltrating my DSLR’s housing.

And, as it’s a phone, I have entry to 2 different cameras virtually instantly. Twisting off the teleconverter and switching to the ultrawide lens, I can go from capturing a hen perched on a faraway department to a broad shot of the valley unfolding forward of me. This versatility would in any other case require a big digital camera bag and house in my hatchback’s comparatively small boot. All of the phone system wants is a free pants pocket.

As smitten as I am by the telephoto extender pattern, I’ll admit that it has a protracted, lengthy record of snags and shortcomings firms should cope with. Worst of all is the usability, which straight impacts the standard of snaps.

vivo’s lens is cumbersome and heavy, so when it’s hooked up to a relatively balanced smartphone, it makes the system lopsided. This is a detriment when attempting to maintain the digital camera pegged on a topic at excessive zoom — the slightest motion or twitch can lurch the topic out of the body or smear the foreground. A phone with such a system lacks the steadiness of a DSLR perched towards your eye. Positive, the lens package does include a grip package and I’ve been utilizing the tripod assist as handhold, however this presents its personal issues; I now have two further items of package I’d want to hold.

Then there’s the mounting system. I perceive that the X300 Professional largely solves this flaw with a sturdier case, however this is a core drawback with telephoto extenders. You would construct the mount onto the phone itself, however this makes it cumbersome for many who don’t use it. vivo’s answer is a case that homes the mount. Nonetheless, mounting the lens to it is time-consuming and requires fiddly work when time is of the essence. The lens additionally wiggles round when it’s hooked up, which, whereas not affecting picture high quality, isn’t a reassuring feeling in the hand.

I have little question that these and different issues can be ironed out in time. vivo’s software program processing actually must be taken down a number of notches, whereas the lens provides only a few taking pictures modes and no handbook controls. The glass is additionally far too gradual, too delicate to the smallest of actions, and maybe doesn’t attain so far as it might to be really helpful. Maybe 400mm could be a far better place to begin? This is definitely the route that OPPO appears to be heading.

Look, regardless of the quite a few issues, telephoto extenders are inherently fascinating to me. After we’ve seemingly maximized the obtainable house for zoom potential inside the phone’s physique, it’s a pure development in the zoom race to have a extra highly effective exterior lens that doesn’t face the identical house constraints. It seems to be like a foolish gimmick, and it can be for many individuals, however the informal photographer in me can’t assist however get excited by this know-how. After utilizing the vivo X200 Extremely — which is not the perfect instance of this answer — I noticed and felt the tangible advantages a reaching lens has on smartphone images.

Sure, there are kinks to iron out, and sure, this answer is expensive, however I hope the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Google contemplate introducing their very own options in the approaching years. With gadget costs set to spike in the close to future, it’s the proper time for these firms to innovate. The underlying know-how in these gadgets is so related that standout developments, like telephoto extenders, might be the true difference-makers.