Amateur Photographer verdict
Lighter, slimmer, better cameras, a bigger battery and more… If you have a bigger budget and can compromise slightly on image quality this is a great folding option- Ultra slim and light
- Good camera performance
- Great sized, bright screen
- Expensive
- Unavailable in the US
- Unpredictable low light results
Folding phones have quickly become a growing part of the smartphone industry, and the latest addition to its market is the Honor Magic V5. Honor took the title of the world’s thinnest vertically folding phone with the Magic V3 (4.4mm unfolded) in 2024, and has continued to hold it against competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and OPPO Find N5, with the Magic V5 (4.1/4.2mm unfolded). Going up against some of the best smartphones for photography, further improvements have also been made in the rear cameras and battery, all within a lighter body.
The HONOR Magic V5 16GB+ 516GB folding smartphone is available at £1,699.99 / €1,999 (at the time of review) and comes in three colours: Ivory White, Dawn Gold and Black. Unfortunately, the Honor Magic V5 is not available to buy in the US. I have been using the Black version for this review, the Ivory White version is the thinnest and lightest of the options. So, let’s look at how it performs…
At a glance
- 50MP main camera f/1.6 OIS
- 50MP ultra-wide camera f/2.0 OIS
- 64MP 3x zoom telephoto f/2.5 OIS
- 2x 20MP Front Cameras f/2.2
- 4K 30/60fps video, 4K 30fps selfie camera video
- Ivory White version: 4.1mm unfolded 8.8mm folded, 217g
- Black and Dawn Gold versions: 4.2mm unfolded, 9mm folded, 222g
- 7.95” OLED internal display, 2352 x 2172 pixels, 120Hz LTPO, 5000nits peak brightness, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Inner Display Panel and HONOR Anti-scratch NanoCrystal Shield
- 6.43” OLED external display, 2376 x 1060 pixels, 120Hz LTPO
- HONOR 5820mAh Silicon-carbon Battery
- Android 15, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, 7 years of OS and security updates
- IP58 & IP59
- Ivory White, Black and Dawn Gold
How I test phones
I review smartphones from the perspective of choosing one for its photography and camera performance. I’ve had a look at what the Honor Magic V5 offers, and the features included for photography, paying particular attention to the cameras on the phone, the output from each different lens, and features offered.
Features
There’s a great solution for photography in this phone. Named the new ‘AI Falcon’ set-up, the triple camera set-up consists of a 50MP f/1.6 main camera, 64MP f/2.5 periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom, and 50MP f/2.0 ultrawide. The telephoto and ultra-wide cameras have had an upgrade since the Magic V3, previously 50MP and 40MP respectively, giving a stronger camera experience for photographers.
There are two selfie cameras – one on the inner screen and one on the outer. These have have remained at 20MP f/2.2.
Enhanced by the AI HONOR Image Engine, other features include AI Enhanced Portrait, AI Super Zoom, and Motion Sensing Capture. Plus, the AI Image to Video feature as seen on the HONOR 400 series.
The battery has improved since the Magic V3, now at 5280mAh from 5150mAh, which is the largest seen in a folding smartphone. It offers 66W HONOR SuperCharge and 50W wireless charging, as seen on HONOR Magic V3.
Handling and design
The design and aesthetic of the phone is minimal and aesthetically appealing. Having seen all three colours, black, white and an ombre rose gold, users won’t be disappointed – I’d personally be tempted by the Dawn Gold version.
The Honor Magic V5 opens out like a book, but when folded looks like a standard smartphone. At 4.1/4.2mm unfolded and 8.8-9mm folded thick (not including the camera bezel), the Honor Magic V5 is labelled the world’s thinnest folding phone. Taking over from the Magic V3, though virtually identical to thickness of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 on paper. The new Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a whopper in comparison at 10.8mm folded.
I have been using the Black version which is 222g (217g for the Ivory White version). Which feels very light and the weight evenly distributed – even lighter than some non-folding phones like iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the OPPO Find X8 Ultra that I have also used recently at 226g. But not quite as light as my OnePlus 13 (213g), though in the hand I can’t feel much difference. With a 6.43” screen when folded the Magic V5 is smaller than these other phones, so is pocket friendly.
The 7.95inch inner screen when opened, is an almost-square small tablet – ideal for watching videos, editing photos, gaming etc. Both the inner and outer displays can reach up to 5000 nits of peak brightness and look good even in bright sunlight.
Heavy emphasis has been placed on the hardware of this phone, namely the Super Strong Hinge that holds everything together. The hinge has been redesigned to make the crease 30% smaller than the Magic V3. While I can still see some evidence of a crease, it’s not offensive. On a press briefing day, I saw it clamped to a tabletop with various items being suspended in a test conducted by HONOR. In a day-to-day scenario, it’s possible you wouldn’t be using the phone like this, but suggests that it is strong and sturdy against regular opening and use.
The body is IP58 & IP59 rated for dust and water resistance, giving even more protection day-to-day than the Magic V3, but not as protected as other high-end phones with the IP68/69 ratings. On the side of the body, we have standard volume and power buttons.
Native camera app
A wide range of shooting modes are available within the native camera app. The default shooting mode is Photo where you can access all the of the phone’s lenses, including the digital zoom option up to 100x. The camera is also accessible from both the inner and outer screens.
Pro mode, like on other phones, gives you the option to manually control settings such as ISO, shutter speed and white balance. You can also shoot in raw in this mode.
Macro mode automatically kicks in when you have the phone close to a subject. The Super-Macro mode tucked away under the ‘More tab’. Also within the ‘More’ tab are some other standard features – timelapse, long exposure, pano and dual-view modes.
Image performance and quality
The photographs taken on the HONOR Magic V5 overall are really good. Bright and bold colours are captured, with only some oversaturation and over processing seen where there is blue sky and surrounding colours (e.g. green grass or trees).
The best results are seen on the main camera. The zoom lens options are also quite good, with sharp shots from 2-6x zoom and 10x zoom. Digital zoom goes up to 100x, but the detail and quality drops dramatically, so is best avoided.
The images taken with the ultra-wide camera lack the details and quality of the main camera, and there is a more noticeable difference between the colour and tones. In terms of low light images, the better results come from the main camera and 2x zoom. With the main difference between quality and colour dropping at 3x zoom.
Some nice images can also be captured in the macro mode and portrait mode. In portrait mode, some details are lost around hair and fur but the results are generally pretty good. There are also ‘Artistic’ and ‘Film Simulation’ filters which can be added, which allows you to get more creative and stylistic with your photos.
Selfies are generally good, there could be more clarity and detail in facial features – particularly the eyes. When you zoom in there is some lost detail. I mainly used the selfie camera on the outer screen, rather than on the fully opened inner screen. The experience of trying to take a selfie with the screen unfolded is rather awkward. I can see how this particular camera may be used though – think online meetings on the go.
Value for money
At the time of review, and launch, the Honor Magic V5 is priced at £1,699.99 / €1,999. Folding phones have tended to be on the more expensive side but this phone has been released at the same price-point as the Honor Magic V3 at launch.
The phone is slimmer than the V3 and other competitors, has higher performing cameras and the largest battery seen in a foldable phone. There are also seven years of updates in key markets, i.e. UK and EU. Given the features available and updates from the V3, it’s a welcome upgrade and worth the cost.
It’s also of a similar price to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and other foldable phones on the market. It is however, still cheaper than the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold alternative and more widely available than the OPPO Find N5. However, the Honor Magic V5 is unfortunately unavailable to purchase in the US.
Verdict
The Magic V5 has seen some changes and improvements from its Magic V3 predecessor. The Honor Magic V5 is lighter, slimmer, better cameras, a bigger battery and more. It can produce some decent images, as seen in good lighting, but some inconsistent results in low light. There are plenty of phones out there, at a better price, with better image quality and specs.
While photography isn’t necessarily the primary focus for folding phones, the convenience of having a larger screen takes greater priority and I can definitely see the appeal. If you are after a folding phone specifically, can compromise on camera quality and have a higher budget, this is a great option.
