Every year I test a handful of smartphones that promise to be the next big leap in mobile photography. Most of them are good, some of them are forgettable, and a few manage to surprise me. The HONOR Magic8 Pro fits the third category. It is not just another flagship trying to stand out in a crowded field. It is very clearly built for photography fans who care about sharp telephoto shots, clean night photos, and real detail that holds up when you zoom in. HONOR even secured the role of official smartphone camera for Tourism Malaysia 2026, which tells you exactly how serious they are about this device.
After spending a good amount of time testing the cameras in real world situations, from bright daytime scenes to dimly lit alleyways, here is my full breakdown of the Magic8 Pro’s camera setup and how it performs in normal photography and night shooting.
A camera setup that means business
The Magic8 Pro comes loaded with a triple camera array that takes photography seriously. There is a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP ultra wide, and the headliner of the show, a 200 MP telephoto camera. On paper, this kind of setup sounds like marketing sugar, but after using it for a while, it becomes clear that HONOR is pushing the telephoto experience forward in a way that most brands only flirt with.
Let’s start with the main camera. The 50 MP Ultra Night Main Camera uses a wide f/1.6 aperture, and that detail matters a lot more than it sounds. A wider aperture lets more light hit the sensor, which is crucial when you are shooting at dawn, dusk, indoors, or anywhere with mixed lighting. Pair that with Optical Image Stabilization and you get a main camera that is well equipped to handle shaky hands and moving subjects without turning your shot into a blurry wash.
Sharpness holds up in daytime, colors stay consistent from shot to shot, and dynamic range feels solid. I especially like how it handles shadows. It does not crush them into deep blacks, but it also does not brighten them so much that everything looks flat. It hits a good middle ground that feels natural.
Next is the ultra wide camera. It is also a 50 MP sensor with a generous 122 degree field of view. This is wide enough to pull in sweeping landscapes, unique architectural angles, and dramatic interior spaces. Ultra wides often soften at the edges, but the Magic8 Pro does a decent job keeping distortion under control. It is still a smartphone ultra wide, so corners are not always razor sharp, but it is more than good enough for travel and creative shots where you want scale, space, and impact.
The Istana is about 12km away from my location.
Now the telephoto sensor. This is where the Magic8 Pro clearly wants to prove a point. The 200 MP Ultra Night Telephoto Camera feels like HONOR’s way of saying they want to dominate the zoom game. Resolution is incredibly high, and while not every shot uses the full 200 MP, the extra data helps produce zoom photos with better clarity and detail retention than what many competitors offer at similar zoom ranges. The result is a telephoto system that is not just for daytime use. It actually functions well after sunset too, which is usually the Achilles heel of high zoom smartphone cameras.
Stabilization that performs like a DSLR standard
One spec that deserves real attention is the CIPA 5.5 level stabilization on the telephoto lens. This is a certification from the Camera and Imaging Products Association, which is the same standards body used for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Many smartphones hover around the CIPA 3.0 to 4.0 range, so crossing past 5.0 puts the Magic8 Pro in rare territory.
This matters more than you might think. Telephoto shooting is where every micro movement gets amplified. At higher zoom levels, even holding your breath does not guarantee a stable frame. CIPA 5.5 level stabilization helps counter that. During my testing, I could take slow shutter telephoto shots handheld without the usual smearing or double edges that show up when the phone cannot compensate for movement. It works nicely for still subjects at night and gives you confidence to push the limits a bit more.
There are a few clear benefits here:
You can shoot distant subjects at slower shutter speeds without mudding the details.
Maximum zoom shots come out sharper because the camera does not fight against your hand shake.
Macro shots with the telephoto lens also benefit, especially when you are moving in close and every tiny shift becomes visible.
This stabilization system is genuinely impressive and is one of the biggest reasons the Magic8 Pro feels like a serious tool for hobbyist photographers who love zoom photography.
Night photography that actually holds up
HONOR did not slap the Ultra Night label on these sensors for fun. Both the main camera and the telephoto camera feel tuned with night shooting in mind.
Let’s start with the main camera again. Thanks to the wide f/1.6 aperture and solid stabilization, it handles low light with confidence. Noise stays under control, details remain usable, and colors do not fall apart into muddy tones. The best part is that it achieves this without needing a tripod. Handheld night shots often look surprisingly clean, even when shooting fast moving scenes like night markets or dimly lit streets.
The telephoto camera surprised me even more. Long zoom lenses typically struggle in low light because they have smaller apertures and capture less light by design. HONOR’s stabilization, paired with the 200 MP sensor, helps counter that. Shots at 5x or even 10x zoom at night are better than expected. They are not on the same level as the main camera, of course, but they do not suffer from the usual mess of digital noise or excessive smoothing.
The processing speed helps too. Many phones slow down dramatically when handling night telephoto images. The Magic8 Pro stays fast. You tap the shutter, it processes, and you are ready for the next shot without waiting. That responsiveness makes a real difference when shooting on the go.
Image processing that boosts vibrancy and detail
A lot of the Magic8 Pro’s performance comes from computational photography. HONOR uses AI driven tools to enhance images after the shot is captured. Normally I approach this with caution because heavy handed processing can make photos look artificial. HONOR mostly stays on the right side of the line.
The most noticeable enhancement is the new Magic Color feature. It appears to analyze the scene and adjust vibrancy, contrast, and overall color mood in a way that creates photos with more pop. It is similar to having a built in preset that changes based on what you are shooting. Landscapes and street scenes often come out with more saturation and an almost HDR style brightness. Colors jump out more, which works well for travel photos and scenery.
However, the processing behaves differently when humans enter the frame. Skin tones stay close to natural but sometimes lean slightly harsh. Trained eyes may pick up on a tiny green tint in certain portrait shots. It is subtle, but present. If you shoot a lot of portraits, you might need minor edits to soften skin tones or warm up the colors.
Bokeh performance is good at some zoom levels and inconsistent at others. Portrait mode at 1x and 2x looks natural enough, with soft blur and clear subject separation. At 3.7x the effect becomes a bit unreliable, almost as if the software hesitates between optical and digital blur. Then at 10x the creamy bokeh returns, which is interesting but inconsistent. Portrait enthusiasts will probably prefer sticking to 1x or 2x zoom for the most reliable look.
Final thoughts: a strong choice for photography enthusiasts
The HONOR Magic8 Pro clearly feels designed for people who love taking photos, especially zoom shots and night shots. HONOR is aiming to give users something closer to DSLR style capabilities in a smartphone, and the combination of high resolution sensors, excellent stabilization, and responsive processing gets them pretty far along that path.
The telephoto camera is the real star. The 200 MP sensor with CIPA 5.5 level stabilization puts it ahead of many competitors in long distance shooting. The fact that it holds up in low light makes it even more appealing.
The main and ultra wide cameras deliver consistent results, good color, and enough detail for everyday shooting. Night performance is reliable and tripod free, which helps when traveling or shooting on the move.
The Magic Color processing adds some punch for landscapes and city scenes, though portrait shooters may want to fine tune skin tones in post.
Overall, the HONOR Magic8 Pro is a strong contender in the flagship camera space. If you love photography and want a smartphone that treats telephoto and night shooting as top priorities rather than afterthoughts, this device deserves a real look.
More info: https://www.honor.com/my/shop/new-launch/