Vivo’s “Extremely” telephones have at all times been the corporate’s easiest however this one is the primary to challenge outdoor the Chinese language marketplace. Extra like a telephone in a digicam than the wrong way round, it appears like a digicam machine constructed from the sum of its many portions.

Vivo’s focal point on video with this telephone doesn’t imply it’s paid little consideration to nonetheless pictures. Somewhat the other, if truth be told. Now not simplest is that this necessarily an absolutely loaded telephone digicam by itself, however the pictures equipment with a case, grip, and two telephoto extender lenses broadens the scope of what the instrument is able to. As has been the case for years now, the corporate needs to be the most productive within the trade.

Whilst it used to be a rocky get started for me taking footage with the instrument first of all, two next device updates have addressed probably the most issues I’ll describe beneath. Shooting photographs in puts as numerous as Hong Kong, Toronto, and Mexico supplied greater than sufficient perception into what’s actually conceivable right here.

Vivo X300 Extremely Evaluation: Design and Construct

Vivo doesn’t in reality check out the rest dramatic at the outdoor. Neither the black nor inexperienced variant is especially flashy, while the white one provides just a little aptitude. The acquainted rounded digicam module, whole with branded Zeiss T* Coating, is a triple array that protrudes a good bit from the again panel. Even with a case, this telephone won’t ever lie flat on its again.

The 6.82-inch AMOLED (3168 x 1440) is a colourful panel that’s simple at the eyes and has the way to trade colour mode from Herbal (default, cushy palette), Skilled (higher accuracy), or Vivid (brilliant, extra saturated), in addition to usual reinforce for each Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10+. A 144Hz refresh charge is in reality simplest there for choose video games that may hit that velocity.

The frame has each IP68 and IP69 mud and water resistance, giving it actual sturdiness within the box. That still is going for the longevity courtesy of the sizeable 6600mAh silicon-carbon battery within. Vivo stays one of the vital few to incorporate a charger (Eu in my case) within the field, and the telephone can reinforce as much as 100W stressed or 40W wi-fi charging speeds. Sadly, there’s no integrated MagSafe reinforce, so just a third-party case could make that paintings.

The X300 Extremely additionally deviates from the X300 Professional via the use of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset over the latter’s MediaTek silicon. Configurations additionally get started at 16GB of RAM and 512GB of garage, regardless that my overview unit used to be the 1TB variant. Excellent factor, too, given the entire 4K video I recorded whilst checking out the in depth choices and settings.

Vivo X300 Extremely Evaluation: Digicam Options

The 200-megapixel Sony LYT-901 Kind 1/1.12 sensor with f/1.85 aperture and entire OIS is the center-piece of the rear array. It’s the similar symbol sensor for the primary digicam within the Oppo To find X9 Extremely, apart from Vivo sticks with the 35mm optical an identical it makes use of on its Extremely units, thus slicing out 23mm totally. You’ll, then again, get a 28mm crop from the ultra-wide digicam. Local 35mm is excellent and is my most popular focal vary on a telephone this present day.

Not like Oppo’s flagship, which has two telephoto lenses, or Xiaomi’s 17 Extremely with its steady zoom lens, the X300 Extremely simplest has the singular telephoto (85mm an identical), a 200-megapixel Kind 1/1.4 Samsung HP0 sensor. Co-developed with Samsung, it sounds as if to be an incremental replace from the former HP9 sensor, regardless that it additionally tightens the aperture to f/2.7.

The ultra-wide is a energy — in any case. Its 50-megapixel Sony LYT-818 Kind 1/1.28 sensor is noticeably greater than what competition (and Vivo) automatically be offering at the present time. Such a lot so, in truth, that it’s if truth be told larger than the primary sensor within the iPhone 17 Professional/Professional Max. A 14mm an identical, it has an f/2 aperture and forged autofocus, whilst additionally no longer straying from the dynamic vary and colour science within the different rear lenses.

Granted, Vivo has no integrated optical solution to Oppo’s 10x 230mm an identical telephoto at the To find X9 Extremely, however it objectives to make up for that with the pictures equipment. Thankfully, Vivo doesn’t apply go well with with ridiculous claims that virtual vegetation constitute further “cameras,” since effects can range when introducing them.

Vivo X300 Extremely Evaluation: Some Severe Package

I completely loved the best way Vivo carried out its apochromatic (APO) telephoto lens within the X300 Professional however this method appears like extra of an extension of what Vivo did for each that telephone and the X200 Extremely with two lenses this time. The primary is if truth be told a smaller model of the former lens — a 200mm an identical with a 2.35x magnification made up of 2 teams of 15 high-transmission glass parts. The second one is a 400mm an identical with 4.7x magnification that principally has the similar glass parts in conjunction with 5 ultra-low dispersion parts and one glass aspherical part to reduce chromatic and round aberrations.

As ahead of, Zeiss had a large hand in creating those lenses as neatly, each robust and hefty in their very own manner. Vivo properly keeps the similar lens mount, permitting the former lens for use with this telephone’s equipment. For now, the opposite isn’t conceivable, so you’ll be able to’t use both of those two lenses with the X300 Professional till Vivo releases an replace to make that conceivable (coming quickly, it appears).

The equipment additionally features a case, grip, lens adapter ring, filter out ring, tripod rings for each lenses, and wrist and shoulder straps. The grip is if truth be told just a little larger this time, and features a bodily shutter, multifunction dial, zoom lever, video recording button, and usual tripod thread beneath. New to this is a serve as button that may keep watch over sure options or shortcuts to other settings, together with the Album app, Boulevard Images mode, or toggle the teleconverter on/off. Its integrated 2300mAh battery can lend a hand best up the telephone’s personal battery in a pinch. Because the grip has its personal settings, there’s a good bit of customization to be had on best of that.

What makes the program particularly efficient is that you’ll be able to shoot with absolutely anything the digicam app gives whilst the use of the lenses. I will be able to’t understate how creatively enjoyable this is as it actually opens up a lot of chances. It may well be portraits, motion photographs with Snapshot mode, one thing fascinating in Boulevard Images mode, or just getting nearer to a far flung topic the use of Professional Photograph or at 50- or 200-megapixel decision.

As a way to freeze an issue in Snapshot the use of a 400mm an identical lens hand held — and panning to get the shot — feels merely fantastic. I’d draw some surprised expressions when appearing pals and others the lenses and the way they connect however seeing the effects beneath various eventualities is what actually blows them away. That still is going for shooting a landmark or wearing tournament from a distance.

Whilst no self-respecting natural world or sports activities photographer would ever industry in a digicam with forged glass for one thing like this, there’s no query this equipment is more uncomplicated to hold and arrange. Checking out it out in more than a few locales and instances proves to me that there’s so much to love about it.

The one factor is that paying masses extra can be extra palatable to cell photographers than those that need or personal usual tools. By no means thoughts the video rig that prices additional on best of that (I didn’t obtain one to study).

Vivo X300 Extremely Evaluation: Processing and Self-Made Kinds

Vivo’s colour science is improbable and arguably the most productive within the business, so it is sensible to empower customers to take a few of that into their very own palms via developing their very own colour types. Take an to be had one and regulate the more than a few sliders to create your personal glance, which you’ll be able to then regulate anytime later on. It’s simple to do that many times and save a couple of presets, together with sharing them with others. If truth be told, Vivo says some customers in China are already promoting theirs on social media there.

It’s a sensible method that may make a visual distinction, like in the event you’re going after extra of a movie glance or desire a colour pop impact, for example. I wouldn’t put those on par with the granular element you normally get in making a Lightroom preset however it’s under no circumstances gimmicky, both.

My one drawback with it’s that it exposes a big flaw in Vivo’s technique to controlling publicity. Reasonably than have a common slider acceptable to all modes, it hides publicity reimbursement inside each and every colour taste. Don’t get me improper, you’ll be able to nonetheless slide publicity up or down after making use of focal point however the reimbursement you wish to have simplest kicks in when deciding on a method and going into the adjustment settings. It needlessly provides further steps at the fly when you wish to have to make a snappy adjustment in actual time, one thing that, frankly, works splendidly at the Oppo To find X9 Extremely. Plus, Vivo doesn’t have the excuse of a loss of onscreen actual property, particularly when a number of adjustment settings exist already with one faucet — plus the way to customise them on best of that.

I additionally really feel like I’ve long past via one thing of a adventure with Vivo’s processing. To start with, I got here away shocked on the useless dynamic vary that overexposed highlights and underexposed shadows. I’d get very other effects relying on whether or not the photograph used to be 12, 25, or 50 megapixels. Granted, smaller pixels imply much less mild collecting, however the distinctions made no sense given what I may just get with the X300 Professional.

Thankfully, Vivo’s device updates in large part clear up the issue, however there’s crucial nuance that isn’t transparent up entrance. Vivo showed to me that it tunes the Subtle and Zeiss types “to be extra herbal and nearer to human belief of sunshine and shadow somewhat than ‘see the whole thing’ HDR”, while Brilliant follows the former HDR and colour science.

Possibly no longer sudden given movie inventory’s affect on telephone cameras at the present time however the symbol pipeline undoubtedly processes photographs just a little in a different way right here on account of Vivo’s VS1+ imaging chip. It’s worthwhile to argue there’s a better emphasis on controlling noise and sharpness over dynamic vary, simplest the latter is beginning to steadiness issues higher after the ones updates.

AI isn’t entrance and middle right here, bearing in mind Vivo tucks the ones options into a brand new Gen AI Ingenious mode, however the symbol pipeline makes it really feel adore it’s taking part in a job in sure eventualities, too. As an example, pass into the digicam settings beneath Photograph > Good optimization > Tremendous telephoto enhancement and “Excessive” is ready because the default. This “considerably complements telephoto readability” in Photograph, Panorama, and Night time modes with the caveat: “some scenes would possibly appear unnatural”. Pixel peep and there’s no query they appear unnatural, nearly turning parts of footage into automatic art work. Standard tones it down however I selected to depart this off after checking out it out as a result of it could mess with topic separation.

Professional Photograph mode cuts clear of numerous this however isn’t totally immune in the event you don’t know the main points. SuperRAW is a full-resolution 50-megapixel symbol at 16-bit, however it’s also doing that via bracketing 3 photographs in combination, as is conventional of JPEGs at the instrument. You have got to make a choice simply RAW to get a unmarried seize with out the additional processing.

Vivo X300 Extremely Evaluation: Symbol High quality

So A lot to Make a choice From

To position it bluntly, the X300 Extremely can take lovely impressive footage. However I additionally anticipated that, which is why I couldn’t shake my preliminary bewilderment on the shaky get started. Now, after a month of capturing with it, it’s laborious to argue with the effects, regardless that I do have my nitpicking moments.

First, it’s the flexibility that sticks out. Quite a lot of modes end up their value in no longer simplest generating nice photographs but in addition doing so with some vital keep watch over on your palms. Vivo’s puzzling person interface alternatives however, the colour science hardly ever means that you can down, and the velocity of each the shutter and processing mid-press aid you consider that you are going to get fascinating photographs.

A real mark of what I’m speaking about here’s that sure topics don’t divulge gaping flaws. This telephone captures other people, animals, landscapes, structure, boulevard scenes, interiors, meals, or even the moon with outstanding steadiness. Shifting topics are a large one via Snapshot and Professional Sports activities modes, the latter of which is a toggle inside Photograph. Whilst an identical in goal, they’re if truth be told very other in that Snapshot is generalized for all motion, together with sports activities, while Vivo says Professional Sports activities is principally tuned for capturing in stadium lighting fixtures to take away flicker from floodlights, in conjunction with AI movement monitoring autofocus.

Thoughts you, toggle on Good Focal point within the settings and double tapping locks focal point onto an issue in both mode. The one drawback is that it gained’t be as sticky if there are different gamers in the best way, so it’s just a little hit and miss in sports activities eventualities.

Granted, dynamic vary too can fight with sure lighting fixtures eventualities, like clipping a flame or no longer going too vibrant on lighter pores and skin tones hit with sturdy synthetic mild. Moreover, I’d like to peer Vivo refine Lengthy Publicity mode to incorporate 0.5-second periods as a result of full-second shifts make an excessive amount of of a distinction. Sure, there’s a guide shutter possibility for that however tapping the shutter a moment time on occasion throws off focal point, specifically in low-light stipulations.

I’m coming with those gripes on account of how excessive the bar is right here. To me, the X300 Professional used to be the most productive digicam telephone of 2025, so with an Extremely, I be expecting exceptional effects. This telephone delivers in spades when you dive into the settings and learn to bend it extra for your personal inventive will. I’m no longer simply referring to making customized colour types but in addition using the never-ending settings and contours to make the processing ship. That I will be able to do this regardless of the place I’m or what I need to shoot is a testomony to what’s conceivable.

Those identical ideas practice when capturing with all 3 rear lenses, in addition to with the APO teleconverters. Certainly, I may just write a separate overview simply on what it’s like to make use of the pictures equipment however I’m happy to peer that the use of it appears like a herbal extension. I’m no longer loopy about probably the most bokeh processing when going past the optical vary however so as to shoot hand held at 1,600mm hybrid zoom is simply loopy.

Professional Photograph, RAW, and Prime Answer

Capturing 50-megapixel RAWs is at all times nice with me, and whilst a Kind 1 sensor would’ve been higher, I will be able to’t say the result is unhealthy in spite of that. If the rest, it’s typically very good, with various retained element to make Lightroom edits really feel expansive. I credit score Vivo with its forged noise relief in serving to make that occur. The one manner I may just keep away from clipping a flame from the glassblower used to be to shoot in RAW in Professional Photograph.

Vivo makes all 3 lenses to be had to seize RAW or JPEG photographs at that decision, works with period capturing, and all types are readily to be had if you wish to have RAW with a base glance. It even integrates the Zeiss viewpoint correction that’s the hallmark of the Panorama and Night time mode. Professional guide controls also are to be had in that mode with the similar processing, simplest JPEGs are processed just a little in a different way in comparison to Professional Photograph.

Boulevard Images has its personal RAW seize, regardless that processing doesn’t transform there. It in reality simply comes all the way down to how you select to compose a shot. Focal point peaking can be great in Professional Photograph, regardless that a minimum of there’s a histogram and metering choices, plus the facility to arrange bracketing at a couple of other EV periods.

Vivo neatly integrates Prime Answer into the Photograph mode, the place you simply faucet the icon on the best and pick out the decision you wish to have. By way of default, you get pixel-binned 12.5-megapixel photographs, however you’ll be able to trade it at any time to twenty-five, 50, or 200 megapixels. Those at all times pop out as JPEGs in Photograph mode, and prefer every other shot, you’ll be able to select the colour taste you wish to have, regulate any parameters, and take it from there.

It’s a ordinary theme with the X300 Extremely however one of the vital easiest portions of all that is what I’m noting right here applies to the APO telephoto lenses as neatly. The optical vary makes an enormous distinction when shooting one thing at 200mm or 400mm at 50 or 200 megapixels. It nearly feels surreal from time to time.

Boulevard Images

Talking of surreal, Vivo likes boulevard pictures to the purpose it places it in each one in all its telephones. This being a flagship, Boulevard Images mode crams in a load of options to make it a singular a part of the entire revel in. Apparently, it’s the one one to have focal point peaking for some reason why, and provides 3 distinct “humanistic” colour types (way of life, portrait, boulevard) designed to emulate movie. Just like the others, you’ll be able to regulate those 3 in the similar manner simplest you’ll be able to’t save your combine as a preset to get right of entry to later. They only reside on this mode.

What’s great, but maddening the entire identical, is how this mode items an publicity reimbursement slider that’s at all times there. With the similar guide controls present in Professional Photograph, there are severe inventive chances wandering via a town or the town with it on. Because the telephoto lenses additionally paintings with the mode, shooting slices of existence from a distance is straightforward to do. I will be able to see personal investigators liking this setup as it’s much less evident than a complete digicam.

If no longer for the total balance — lenses connected or no longer — the X300 Extremely would possibly fight in fast-moving scenes however it steadily holds up neatly. You do want a tripod in the event you plan on shooting a cityscape at evening with lengthy publicity kicking in, or to zoom manner in on a development or construction. It’s additionally useful at a live performance or wearing tournament, regardless that hand held photographs are nowhere close to as laborious as they in a different way can be with large lenses connected to different telephones, particularly the iPhone.

Video Options

Given Vivo’s focal point on video with this telephone, I recorded heaps of photos via taking part in round with the other options to be had. It’s so in depth that I may just do a overview totally at the video features by myself. The common Video mode will get two cinematic LUTs you’ll be able to choose between: Movie Glance and Movie Taste, the latter of which defaults to 16:9 at 24fps. I fell for each as superb techniques to make in a different way mundane photos glance fascinating and creative.

They’re my favourite portions of the broader video bundle, however I’m in reality simply scratching the skin. There’s no technique to regulate them as LUTs since they’re baked in until you pass into the Albums app’s enhancing stack and make granular changes there. Need just a little extra saturation or to tweak colour temperature? Do it there, and also you get a distinct glance with out affecting the cinematic aesthetic. It simply feels good and best for the ones much less skilled with capturing in Log.

Professional Video mode takes issues up a number of notches, no longer simply with Log recording however with the sheer stage of keep watch over and customization. Log and Dolby Imaginative and prescient paintings throughout the entire rear cameras and resolutions apart from for 8K (which isn’t in reality nice anyway). There’s Rec.709 in conjunction with the way to import what (.dice document) LUTs you wish to have to have a small library to paintings with. Samsung’s personal APV codec could also be within the combine right here.

I believe the photos usually seems to be nice, regardless that there’s room for growth, specifically in sharpness. The cinematic LUTs quite difficult to understand imperfections like that as a result of 24fps naturally softens tonality that’s extra glaring when viewing clips on a TV or greater display screen. I’m nitpicking to some degree however there’s no query it appears like a stride ahead, to the purpose the place Apple can not really feel comfy as a cell video stalwart.

Vivo X300 Extremely Evaluation: A Contender for Highest in Magnificence

The X300 Extremely doesn’t simply really feel like a telephone digicam, it appears like an entire machine constructed on a sprawling basis. This overview, as detailed as I’ve performed it, doesn’t duvet each unmarried side of what modes are to be had and the overall gamut of chances. Merely put, it’s a beast, and the kind of cell pictures that humiliates the most productive Apple, Samsung, and Google lately be offering.

As I at all times say, it’s the variation between snapshots and footage. Vivo’s flagship obviously falls within the latter class via generating effects which might be so numerous and in depth, you come back away stunned at what it could actually do, even weeks after the use of it. It excels in stipulations that others fight in, and whilst you throw within the telephoto lenses and pictures equipment, it opens the gates even wider to provide actually spectacular effects.

I may just pick out 50-100 footage worthy of being integrated on this overview. And more than likely dozens of video clips, too. I’m going over extra of those examples in my video overview, highlighting why and the way this telephone manages to do it. Vivo nonetheless has some paintings to do, and I urge extra streamlined UI choices to aid you in finding issues.

Are There Choices?

A lot of what I believe about this instrument applies to the Oppo To find X9 Extremely, probably the most direct competitor to the X300 Extremely. They each got here to marketplace in a brief window and use the very same Sony LYT-901 sensor for his or her major cameras. Is Vivo higher in that regard? Possibly to a point on account of the colour science, however no longer via a lot. I believe the telephoto cameras are the larger battleground, whilst the ultra-wide is obviously higher right here.

I wouldn’t rule out the Xiaomi 17 Extremely given how significantly better the dynamic vary is in comparison to earlier fashions, whilst the Xiaomi Leitzphone co-engineered with Leica is indisputably distinctive on account of the unique Leica types to be had in it. Movie simulation is the entire rage for Chinese language manufacturers at the present time and it stays one of the vital easiest there’s presently.

Past that, the space in output and function grows. The Honor Magic 8 Professional is infrequently a foul shooter, with a very good Portrait mode and forged dynamic vary, regardless that processing lays a heavier hand on output. In the meantime, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely has a quite deep digicam UI that comes with Knowledgeable RAW and higher mild collecting for the primary and telephoto lenses. It’s simply simple to really feel dejected when the X300 Extremely is the use of an offshoot symbol sensor that Samsung gained’t even installed its personal units.

Just like the S26 Extremely, the Google Pixel 10 Professional takes extra of an AI-driven method in lieu of any actual {hardware} upgrades. The Not anything Telephone 3 continues to be a greater telephone than many understand, partly on account of an efficient digicam machine.

Then there’s the iPhone 17 Professional or Professional Max, neither of which has any likelihood of matching the intensity or high quality of Vivo’s complete array, particularly at the telephoto and ultra-wide cameras.

Must You Purchase It?

Sure. Even with out the pictures equipment and telephoto lenses, this is an outstanding cell pictures device. Upload them in, and it appears like one thing altogether other. The €1,999 ($2,350 USD) worth with out the equipment is hard to swallow, so you almost certainly simplest take the overall plunge in the event you in reality need to carry your cell pictures recreation.