If you think that the vivo X200 Pro was the pinnacle of smartphone photography, well you’d be wrong…
When the X200 Pro launched, we thought that that was the end of the story, but we were dead wrong. There’s an even crazier smartphone targeted at the pinnacle of mobile photography, the vivo X200 Ultra.
The X200 Ultra still has the top-tier specs that you would commonly associate with flagships these days like having a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a premium design and build. But the star of the show is the ZEISS co-engineered triple rear camera system.
Unconventional Main Camera
The X200 Ultra boasts an unconventional main camera which uses a 35mm equivalent focal length through the large 1/1.28-inch Sony LYT-818 sensor. This focal length is often used by photographers to create a more natural perspective than wider lenses.
Same Ultra-Wide Sensor
The same large Sony LYT-818 sensor is also used as an ultra-wide camera, paired with an f/2.0 aperture. This step could lead to a significantly better ultra-wide image quality, especially in dimly lit conditions, which smaller sensors tend to struggle with.
200 MP Periscope Powerhouse
Now, this is where it gets saucy… The X200 Ultra packs a massive 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP9 sensor (1/1.4-inch type) with an 85mm equivalent focal length (approx. 3.7x optical zoom) and an f/2.7 aperture for its telephoto lens.
Dual Imaging Chips
Of course, all of this power would be moot if it didn’t have great processing which vivo made sure to include. Image processing will be handled by the vivo VS1 and V3+ chip which will manage exposure, focus, and stacking raw data. And other advanced post-processing tasks.
Beyond Still Photos
Still photography is one thing, but video recording is another. Which is why vivo decided to cover all the bases by enabling 4K recording at up to 120fps on all three cameras, alongside 4K/60fps 10-bit Log capabilities for a more serious videography.
If you still aren’t convinced that this phone is a camera powerhouse, vivo is offering an optional “Photographer Kit” that includes a camera grip with physical controls (shutter, zoom, custom dial, video record button) and, most notably, an add-on ZEISS 2.35x teleconverter lens that turns the already outrageous setup into a 200mm equivalent focal length or around 8.7x optical zoom.
Flagship Foundation
While this is a camera-focused smartphone, vivo didn’t forget to include flagship-level specs on the vivo X200 Ultra. These specs include the following:
- Performance: It utilizes Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and up to 1TB of fast UFS 4.1 storage.
- Display: A large 6.82-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED display promises vibrant visuals with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a very high peak brightness of 4500 nits.
- Battery: A substantial 6000mAh battery powers the device, supported by 90W wired and 40W wireless fast charging.
- Build: The phone features premium materials and boasts IP68/IP69 ratings for robust dust and water resistance.
Unfortunately, the phone is China-only as of this writing. While this sort of phone primarily targets enthusiasts and professionals who prioritize mobile imaging, we still would’ve loved to see it in the Philippines.
Would you buy the vivo X200 Ultra?
If you liked this article, brush up on our other articles on the X200 Series.