Oppo Find X9 Pro Hasselblad Telephoto Kit review: Brilliant, bold and a bit of a handful

Smartphone photography has been steadily creeping into territory once guarded by dedicated cameras, but every so often, a brand pushes the boundary hard enough to make you sit up. Oppo’s Find X9 Pro is already one of the most technically ambitious camera phones this year, with its 50 megapixel primary sensor, improved ultrawide and a 200 megapixel periscope telephoto sensor that covers everything from 3X to 6X with surprising confidence.

Then Oppo decided that was not enough.

Enter the Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit. A chunky, purpose-built attachment that promises to extend optical zoom from 3X to 9.6X, create DSLR-like compression, and unlock more realistic portrait perspectives at focal lengths usually impossible on a smartphone. Beyond that, the kit opens the door to capturing subjects up to 200X digitally, supported by Oppo’s Lumo Image Engine and Hasselblad colour tuning.

I have spent a week travelling, photographing street scenes, landmarks and the occasional mischievous pigeon, and there is no question that this is one of the most fascinating smartphone photography accessories I have used. It is also one of the most impractical.

Let us unpack the good, the bad, and the wonderfully nerdy.

Design and Handling: A Phone That Turns Into a Hybrid Camera

The kit includes a teleconverter lens, a slide on metal mount plate, and a special case with embedded magnets that work with AirVOOC and other Qi 2 charging accessories. The build quality is solid and the attachment mechanism is smooth. Align, slide, lock, shoot.

Once attached, the phone looks like a strange compact camera and becomes noticeably top heavy. You will feel it in your wrist if you shoot for long sessions. And because the mount covers the primary and ultrawide lenses, you are locked into using only the 3X periscope lens while the kit is mounted.

There is no quick release option, so if you want to switch to the main camera for a wider shot, you must remove the lens and mount plate entirely. This becomes tiresome very quickly.

At nearly thirty thousand rupees, the kit should have included a carry case. Carrying the lens loose in a bag is not ideal.

Practicality is clearly not the priority here. This is a tool for deliberate photography, not casual snapping.

Optical Performance: When the Teleconverter Snaps Into Place, Magic Happens

The teleconverter works exclusively in a dedicated Hasselblad Teleconverter mode hidden inside the More section of the camera app. The moment you lift the phone with the kit attached, you understand why this mode exists. The image projection from the lens needs internal correction, so using other modes results in inverted or distorted visuals.

Once in the right mode, the results are impressive.

The kit extends the camera’s optical zoom to 9.6X, which translates to a focal length of roughly 230mm. In real world shooting, this creates a level of background compression that phones usually struggle to replicate. Portraits look more natural, with subject separation that feels closer to a dedicated telephoto lens. Bokeh is smoother, transitions look organic, and the compression adds drama without making the image feel artificial.

When shooting at 10X, 20X and 40X, the kit performs considerably better than the native sensor. Images look more detailed, with colours staying authentic and edges holding their shape. At 18 megapixels, the resolution sits below the main sensor’s peak, but the optical purity compensates.

The depth of field at longer focal lengths gives you a pocket sized telephoto system that is a genuine pleasure for wildlife, concerts, architecture, or anything that demands reach.

You can push the zoom up to 200X digitally. At this point, even the smallest movements throw off framing. Processing becomes aggressive, shadows lift or crush depending on the scene, and textures occasionally take on an oil painting effect.

The kit gets you much closer, but this extreme zoom remains a novelty for most users.

Portraits: A Pocket DSLR for Those Who Know What They Are Doing

If there is one use case where the kit shines, it is portraiture. Shooting at 70mm or 85mm on the native sensor already produces excellent results, but the teleconverter takes the background melt to a different level.

Facial features remain crisp, bokeh blooms naturally, and there is none of the haloing or edge artefacts that computational algorithms often create. Skin tones hold up well, colours stay faithful, and the whole image feels more cinematic.

This is the experience enthusiasts will love. It bridges the gap between smartphones and compact mirrorless systems in a way that feels genuinely empowering.

Video: Surprisingly Good and Almost Cinematic

You can record video through the kit, but only via the dedicated Teleconverter mode. The footage is stable, colours remain accurate, and motion feels smooth. Lens flare is controlled well for a telephoto attachment, which surprised me.

The only limitation is low light. The kit does better than expected, but noise starts creeping in early and stabilisation struggles in darker scenes.

Still, as a speciality tool, the video quality is impressive.

Where the Kit Stumbles: Portability and Flexibility

The Teleconverter Kit is exciting, but it has three notable drawbacks.

You lose the other two cameras while it is attached

Since the mount covers the ultrawide and main lenses, swapping back and forth between focal lengths is impossible without dismantling the setup.

The entire top half of the phone becomes heavy

Extended sessions are uncomfortable, especially if you are shooting at awkward angles.

If Oppo refines the mounting system, this accessory could be far more practical. For now, it remains a niche tool for enthusiasts who do not mind the extra hassle.

Add on Features: XPan, Master Mode and Smart Scenes Enhance the Experience

The Find X9 Pro’s camera software is packed with tools that complement the telephoto kit.

XPan mode remains one of my favourite storytelling features. The cinematic 65 by 24 frame feels tailor made for street scenes and sweeping vistas. Master Mode is equally satisfying, giving DSLR like control over ISO, shutter speed and focus. Paired with the teleconverter, it creates a wonderfully manual shooting experience.

Smart Scenes deserve a mention too. The phone automatically suggests Stage, Fireworks or Silhouette depending on lighting. When shooting concerts with the teleconverter attached, Stage mode saved more than one shot by controlling flares and exposure spikes.

Verdict: A Photographer’s Toy That Delivers, if You Are Willing to Work for It

The Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit is not for everyone. It is expensive, heavy, and occasionally frustrating. It turns your phone into a photography tool that demands intentional use, patience and a willingness to carry extra gear.

But when everything aligns, the results are remarkable. The optical clarity, natural depth, extended focal lengths and improved portraits place the Find X9 Pro in a league of its own. This kit is Oppo making a statement, not chasing mainstream convenience.

For creators, travellers and photography enthusiasts, the kit unlocks a layer of visual storytelling that would normally require a dedicated camera. For casual users, it is overkill.

If you know exactly what you want from your smartphone camera and enjoy the challenge of thinking like a photographer, this kit will feel like a gift. If not, the Find X9 Pro’s native zoom is already excellent and far easier to live with.

Either way, Oppo deserves credit for trying something bold. In a world filled with iterative updates, the Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit is refreshingly ambitious.