As with anything in 2025, the solution is AI. However, it’s also considerably more than that for the Honor Magic V5.
The designation of “thinnest smartphone on the planet” is not one that is easily claimed. Honor has secured the, ahem, distinction of this title for two consecutive years, initially with the Magic V3 in 2024 and now with the vegan leather Magic V5 this year.
Yet, that accolade often comes with undesirable compromises. Fortunately, with remarkable battery technology and leading camera AI, Honor has managed to create a super-slim foldable device that doesn’t feel like an assortment of unwelcome concessions.
I had the chance to delve deeper into this topic with Luo Wei, Chief Imaging Architect at Honor, to uncover what drives the Honor Magic V5’s cameras and how they consistently outperform the competition.
Zoom in on that detail
While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a remarkably designed device that competes with the Magic V5’s slim profile, its 3x telephoto camera is somewhat lacking due to its small 1/3.94-inch size. In contrast, devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold accommodate a superior 5x telephoto camera within a bulkier frame, which is logical as the sensor is a larger 1/3.2-inch.
On the other hand, the Honor Magic V5 features a substantial 1/2-inch 64MP sensor paired with a 3.5x telephoto lens. Moreover, Honor is debuting its new AiMAGE software backend with the Magic V5, providing it a significant physical advantage, along with a proven AI-driven computational element.
Wei described AiMAGE by stating: “Building on the imaging breakthroughs of the HONOR Magic7 Pro and HONOR Magic V3, the HONOR Magic V5 achieves even finer detail via an AI RAW model supported by device-cloud synergy. Whether capturing images with the main or telephoto camera, this intelligent model enhances texture and definition with remarkable precision.”
The photo I captured above perfectly illustrates Wei’s point about AiMAGE “enhancing texture and definition with remarkable precision.” The detail in the Honor Magic V5’s image, particularly when compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, is simply extraordinary.
The use of physically larger sensors also guarantees that the Honor Magic V5’s images resemble those taken with a dedicated camera rather than a smartphone. The image I snapped of a blueberry bush at 3.5x in the standard photo mode exemplifies what a large sensor can achieve: stunning depth of field without relying on software portrait mode calculations.
Curiously, Wei mentioned that he believes “2025 signifies a pivotal moment where AI advancements enable smartphones to surpass hardware limitations, making high-end photography simpler and more accessible, even for novice users. With more direct and intuitive interactions, AI undertakes the heavy lifting once reserved for expert photographers.”
And that brings me back to AI, naturally. Honor introduced AI Super Zoom with the Honor Magic 7 Pro earlier this year, but the Magic V5’s version takes it a step further. “It represents the industry’s first solution that utilizes a robust fusion of multi-frame super-resolution and generative reconstruction, powered by various transformer-based algorithms active in the cloud. This innovation allows HONOR to significantly elevate image clarity and fidelity, particularly at extreme zoom levels.”
I chose not to enable AI Super Zoom for the majority of the photos on this page, except for this one, where I specifically aimed to identify a detailed subject at 100x zoom to assess its capabilities. The results were impressive.
As a photographer, employing generative AI to produce images feels a bit disingenuous. However, I believe there’s a place for AI enhancement when it is appropriate, particularly at extreme zoom levels with a smartphone camera sensor.
Wei shared this perspective and elaborated, stating, “while generative AI tools like Midjourney are now frequently utilized for text-to-image, image-to-image, and even video creation, we feel that photography is ultimately about being immersed in the moment. Completely AI-generated visuals can often seem impersonal and lack emotional resonance. That’s why we think that real-world capture, paired with AI-powered enhancement, yields the most meaningful outcomes.”
Much of this hybrid AI strategy occurs behind the scenes, even in processes you may not anticipate. “On-device AI handles time-sensitive functions like focus tracking, exposure adjustments, real-time semantic segmentation, and initial enhancement, ensuring immediate feedback with minimal power usage,” Wei informed me.
The Magic V5 automatically captured the image you see above. I didn’t press the shutter button at all; I simply pointed the camera where I anticipated my son would jump, and I ended up with a fantastic shot.
This guarantees that your data remains local whenever you desire it.
