Tecno announces Freeform and Dual-Mirror Telephoto designs

Tecno has introduced two new camera technologies called Freeform Continuum Telephoto and Dual-Mirror Reflect Telephoto during its 5th Tecno Future Lens event, showcasing the company’s upcoming smartphone imaging features.

The Freeform Continuum Telephoto is a single camera module that can smoothly zoom from 1x to 9x. This means phones may no longer need a separate telephoto camera, since one module can act as the main camera and also zoom farther than most current fixed telephoto lenses. Using one camera also helps avoid the image “jump” that happens when phones switch between cameras, and it reduces differences in color tones.

Tecno’s second innovation, the Dual-Mirror Reflect Telephoto, is a telephoto module that is 50% smaller than traditional lens-based systems. Instead of using only lenses, it uses two mirrors to focus light. This design creates a special donut-shaped bokeh effect, similar to mirror lenses used in DSLR and mirrorless cameras. However, this system may lose one stop of light, which can affect low-light shooting.

Tecno expects the Dual-Mirror Reflect Telephoto to be used in smartphones as early as next year, depending on testing and market feedback. Meanwhile, the Freeform Continuum Telephoto is more complex and is still under development, with commercial use expected at least a year away. Tecno also confirmed partnerships with Samsung and Largan for lens manufacturing.