Vivo wants its new smartphone to replace your camera

With an optional Photographer Kit that adds a grip and zoom lens, the Vivo X200 Ultra looks and feels much similar a DSLR camera. | Image: Vivo

Following several weeks of teases, Vivo has announced each the details of its caller X200 Ultra smartphone which is launching successful China. The X200 Ultra runs Qualcomm’s newest high-end  Snapdragon 8 Elite processor with up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. But what truly sets it isolated is its backmost triple camera array, which tin beryllium upgraded with accessories designed to not lone grow the phone’s zoom capabilities to beryllium comparable to a standalone camera, but besides amended its ergonomics erstwhile taking photos oregon signaling video.

The Vivo X200 Ultra starts astatine 6,499 yuan (around $890) for a mentation with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of retention and maxes retired astatine 7,999 yuan (around $1,096) with 16GB and 1TB. It includes a 6.82-inch OLED screen, an nether show fingerprint sensor, 90W charging speeds with a USB-C cable, up to 40W wireless charging with a compatible charger, particulate and h2o resistance, and silver, red, and achromatic colour options. (There are presently nary plans for merchandise extracurricular China.) It hasn’t released specifics connected artillery beingness — often an contented with smartphones that are expected to treble arsenic different gadgets — beyond saying users tin “rely connected their instrumentality passim the day.”

For 2,598 yuan (around $356) oregon successful a 9,699 yuan (around $1,329) bundle with the 16GB/1TB version, you tin adhd the Photographer Kit, which is wherever the telephone gets interesting.

Even without immoderate of the kit’s accessories, the X200 Ultra’s photography capabilities could springiness you capable crushed to permission your dedicated shooter astatine home. On the backmost of the telephone you’ll find a brace of cameras with 50-megapixel 1/1.28-inch Sony sensors and optical representation stabilization. One is paired with a 14-millimeter f/2.0 wide-angle lens, portion the different has a 35-millimeter f/1.69 lens utile for representation photography and capturing a shallow depth-of-field. A 3rd camera uses a 200-megapixel 1/1.4-inch Samsung HP9 sensor and an 85-millimeter f/2.27 telephoto zoom lens with macro capabilities and representation stabilization. On the beforehand of the telephone you’ll besides find a 50-megapixel selfie camera.

All 3 rear cameras tin seizure 10-bit 4K video astatine 60 fps with slow-motion capabilities that max retired astatine 4K/120 fps. Vivo says representation and video prime is enhanced done the usage of 2 “newly developed” dedicated chips: the VS1 that pre-processes RAW information consecutive disconnected the cameras’ sensors, and the V3+ that handles post-processing tasks specified arsenic filters and colour correction. Similar to the Camera Control diagnostic connected the iPhone 16 lineup, the X200 Ultra besides features an enhanced shutter fastener that tin beryllium utilized to set vulnerability oregon zoom by sliding your digit crossed it.

The optional Photographer Kit further expands the X200 Ultra’s photography and video capabilities. The kit adds a grip featuring a dedicated video grounds button, a settings dial with customizable functionality, a zoom control, and an further 2,300mAh artillery extending the beingness of the phone’s 6,000mAh battery. Vivo hasn’t revealed however overmuch value each of the kit’s components volition adhd to the 232-gram smartphone, but the improved ergonomics, and the inclusion of a enarthrosis strap, could marque it easier to grip erstwhile afloat accessorized.

The kit besides includes a Zeiss 2.35x telephoto converter lens that attaches to the telephone utilizing adapters to boost the zoom capabilities of the X200 Ultra’s 200-megapixel camera from 3.7x to up to 8.7x.

Will Vivo’s X200 Ultra wholly regenerate the request for a dedicated camera? With sensors that are overmuch smaller than what you’ll find successful modern DLSR oregon mirrorless cameras, nonrecreational and adjacent amateur photographers volition inactive privation to clasp onto their cameras that connection amended low-light performance. The enactment to boost the phone’s zoom capabilities by adding a telephoto lens is useful, but Vivo needs to present a larger postulation of add-on lenses that gives photographers much originative choices if it wants the X200 Ultra to genuinely beryllium considered a viable camera replacement. Even so, it’s much camera than you’ll get with conscionable astir immoderate different smartphone connected the market.