If you’ve watched a Hollywood movie in the past few decades, there’s a good chance it was shot on an ARRI camera. The German company is one of the most respected names in cinema, known for its cameras, lenses and especially its colour science.
Now that name is coming to a smartphone. HONOR Malaysia has officially previewed the HONOR Magic9 Pro Max, the first phone from its new collaboration with ARRI. It also marks 10 years of the HONOR Magic Series. The phone launches in Malaysia on 24 November 2026.
HONOR calls it the “King of Cinematic Imaging”. That’s a bold claim, so let’s look at what’s actually under the hood.
Dual 200MP cameras and a dedicated imaging chip
The Magic9 Pro Max has two 200MP cameras: one main and one telephoto. Most flagships pair a high-res main camera with a lower-res zoom lens, so having 200MP on both is a meaningful upgrade for anyone who shoots a lot of zoomed photos and videos.
The main camera has what HONOR calls 3° Gimbal-Level Stabilisation, designed to keep handheld footage steady even in low light. Both cameras are rated at CIPA 8.0 for stabilisation, which is very high for a phone.
Behind the cameras is HONOR’s own 6nm Imaging Chip H1. It processes images at the RAW level in real time, which HONOR says improves noise by 8dB and stretches dynamic range to 14 stops. In plain terms, you should see more detail in bright skies and dark shadows in the same shot.
The ARRI part: LogC3, ARRI Looks and 10-bit video
This is where things get interesting for video creators.
- ARRI LogC3: a “log” profile records flat, washed-out footage that keeps as much detail as possible, so you can colour grade it later. LogC3 is the same curve ARRI uses on its cinema cameras, and many professional editors already know how to work with it.
- APV 10-bit 4:2:2: a high-quality video format that keeps more colour information for editing. HONOR says files are about 20% smaller than comparable formats.
- ARRI CINEMA Mode: one screen where you can switch between ARRI Looks, change lens profiles, shoot in widescreen 2.39:1 and adjust the mic.
- Custom LUTs: you can import your own LogC3 LUTs (colour presets), with more than 10,000 third-party options already out there.
The best part is that you can preview ARRI Looks live while shooting. You see the final mood on screen without having to grade it afterwards.
One honest note: log footage looks flat and grey straight out of the camera. If you just want nice videos for Instagram without editing, stick with the ARRI Looks or standard modes. Log is for people who enjoy grading their footage on a computer.
A shotgun-style directional mic
Good video needs good audio, and phones usually fall short here. HONOR has built what it calls a Cinematic-Grade Directional Microphone, inspired by the shotgun mics used on film sets.
It comes with four presets:
- Long Range: picks up sound up to 20 metres away
- Close Up
- Voice Isolation
- Voice Boost
There’s also a Professional Custom Mode if you want full manual control. For playback, the phone has stereo speakers with a large acoustic chamber, so you can review your clips without reaching for headphones.
4K LiveVideo
Like Live Photos, 4K LiveVideo captures three seconds of motion with every shot, but at up to 4K resolution. You can also apply ARRI Looks and switch between 16:9 and widescreen 2.39:1. It’s a fun touch for anyone who wants their everyday photos to feel a bit more like movie stills.
Teleconverters and a video rig
For serious zoom, HONOR has two clip-on teleconverter lenses:
- 200mm (2.35x)
- 500mm (5.88x)
HONOR says these can push the focal length up to 14,000mm, aimed at wildlife, sports and concerts. You can also mount the phone in the HONOR SmallRig Mobile Video Kit with an expansion cage, which turns it into a proper handheld video rig.
These are accessories, though, and HONOR hasn’t shared pricing for them yet. Budget for them separately if long-range shooting is what you’re after.
My take
ARRI’s name on a phone is a big deal, but it only matters if you shoot video seriously. For creators who already grade footage, LogC3 support plus a proper directional mic is a genuinely useful combination. It could replace a lot of gear for run-and-gun shoots, short films and content work.
For everyone else, the dual 200MP cameras and live ARRI Looks are the more relevant upgrades. Whether the “King of Cinematic Imaging” title holds up will come down to real-world footage, and that’s what we’ll be looking at closely once the phone is out.
Launch on 24 November
The HONOR Magic9 Pro Max launches in Malaysia on 24 November 2026 at 3PM, with a livestream on HONOR Malaysia’s official Facebook page. Pricing and the rest of the specs will be revealed then. For more details, visit HONOR Malaysia’s official website.
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