Honor Magic9 Pro Max features ARRI’s iconic three-lens turret

The  flagship model from the upcoming Magic9 series from Honor, built with ARRI, will feature the “Cinema Triple Camera System” and a wide range of ARRI Cinematic Looks. 

Following their partnership announcement, last March, Honor and ARRI introduced, last August, the first smartphone with ARRI Image Science, the Honor Robot Phone, which features a 200 MP camera that produces cinematic videos with a “natural color, gentle highlight roll-off, and a sense of depth that feels authentic to how stories are meant to be seen”, according to ARRI VP Dr. Benedikt von Lindeiner.

 The HONOR Robot Phone marks the first product milestone under the Cinematic Imaging Partnership between HONOR and ARRI, the world-renowned designer of professional cinema cameras. Moving beyond simple filters, the device adapts selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional cinema workflow for use in a smartphone. 

The rear camera setup of the HONOR Robot Phone is anchored by a Dual 200MP Camera system, featuring a 200MP Agile Gimbal Main Camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and f/1.6 aperture, paired with a 200MP Periscope Telephoto Camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor and 2.7x optical zoom. The 200MP Agile Gimbal Main Camera supports 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording in ARRI CINEMA mode, while a 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera with a 122° field of view completes the versatile imaging system. 

Through the HONOR–ARRI Cinematic Imaging Partnership, the Robot Phone combines ARRI LogC3, ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and ARRI Looks with the HONOR H1 Image Chip. AI noise reduction improves video SNR by 8 dB, while AI dynamic range optimization supports up to 14 stops of dynamic range. 

According to the company, “the video pipeline performs noise reduction earlier in the RAW domain, processes data in 14-bit 4:4:4, and outputs 10-bit LogC3 and 4:2:2 video, preserving more usable image information for post-production. ARRI Looks can also be previewed in real time, helping creators achieve a controlled cinematic look more easily.” 

For creators, the company adds, “ARRI LogC3 preserves more highlight and shadow information for post-production, while ARRI Wide Gamut 3 provides a broader color space and ARRI Looks offer controlled cinematic color styles. Footage can also be taken into professional editing tools such as DaVinci Resolve, where creators can directly apply ARRI LUTs as part of a complete mobile capture-to-post-production workflow.” 

Honor noted, then, that “technologies developed through HONOR’s Cinematic Imaging Partnership with ARRI will continue to evolve and will be further showcased in the upcoming HONOR Magic9 Series” and that “as part of this ongoing work, the companies will continue to refine and advance the integrated imaging technologies and workflows based on technical validation and real-world use.” The next step is introduced this month, in China, with the Honor Magic9 series.

Drawing from the iconic three-lens turret of a classic cinema camera, the Magic9 Pro Max will feature a camera island with a 200 MP 1/1.28-inch sensor paired with a f/1.6, 23mm wide lens, a 200 MP 1/1.4-inch sensor paired with a 85mm described as a “super-night” telephoto and a 50 MP 1/2.88 sensor paired with a f/2.0 12mm ultrawide lens. The smartphone will also be compatible with the existing 200mm teleconverter kit and a new 500mm teleconverter kit, accessories that extend the focal range of the device.

With ARRI Movie Mode, ARRI LogC3 video pipelines, cinematic-grade camera recording, peak autofocus, false color monitoring, the Magic9 Pro Max features powerful filmmaking tools, all at your fingertips. Honor says that “paired with a professional video expansion kit, it holds securely and moves the camera smoothly, easily handling complex scenes.” The Honor SmallRig illustration on the launch announcement page is a clear indication of what Honor means…

The company claims that “selected elements of ARRI’s renowned image science and professional cinema workflow have been adapted for use in a smartphone, giving creators greater flexibility during production while preserving creative control throughout post-production”.

Now the company announced that “the HONOR Magic9 Series lets you switch between a wide range of ARRI cinematic Looks however you like. Start recording with one tap and get a cinematic look in an instant” showing a video of singer and actor Xiao Zhan, HONOR Flagship Smartphone Global Ambassador, shot in Venice during the recent film festival, “bring a unique character to every frame, capturing different emotions in different cinematic colors and effortlessly turning every frame into a scene worthy of the screen.”