Vivo has confirmed its cell pictures prowess again and again over time. It set the bar with the X100 Professional’s 1-inch-type foremost sensor in 2024 and has stored elevating it ever since. The brand new Vivo X300 Extremely is not any totally different.
The cellphone provides two 200MP sensors to the digital camera system and brings an all-new 400mm teleconverter lens, in addition to an upgraded second-gen 200mm lens. Many would possibly argue, “What’s the purpose of including an exterior lens to a cellphone?” In any case, cellphone cameras are supposed to be extra pocketable than devoted cameras. So I took the Vivo X300 Extremely and its digital camera package to Hong Kong to seek out out.
I pressured myself to hold the cellphone by means of Ocean Park like a digital camera hanging over my neck with a lanyard (it’s a part of the digital camera package). And I’m glad I did.
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I wouldn’t have gotten the identical panda photographs with digital processing or stabilized footage with out the digital camera grip. After taking pictures tons of of photographs and movies, I’m left impressed. I don’t wish to journey with out these lenses and a digital camera grip anymore.
The {hardware}: extra polished and extra succesful
(Picture credit score: Prakhar Khanna/Future)
Vivo is constructing an equipment ecosystem for its Extremely cellphone. Final 12 months, it introduced a 200mm teleconverter add-on lens for the X200 series, and this year, it’s taking things to the next level with a dedicated camera kit. It consists of:
- A case to mount external lenses
- A lanyard
- Two televonvertor lenses (200mm and 400mm) with protective lens caps
- A protective filter for the phone’s camera lens in two colors
- A camera grip with a built-in battery to double as a power bank
- Two-piece tripod collars, including an Arca-Swiss tripod mounting plate
(Image credit: Prakhar Khanna/Future)
Starting with the camera grip, it has more controls than its predecessor. You get a video record button, a scroll wheel, a zoom lever, a flash button, a shutter button, and an additional customizable function button. It’s more grippy, and you can further fine-tune your experience using software. For instance, you can make it so a double-press on the shutter button opens the Street Photography mode and takes the shot instantly.
I found myself using this grip all the time because it allows for more stabilized video footage. I have a neurological condition where my hands tremble 24×7, so I’m not fond of taking videos without turning on the Action mode. But this camera grip allowed me to shoot some wonderful videos with better stability.
First gen. 200mm lens (left), 400mm and 2nd-gen 200mm lenses (right). (Image credit: Prakhar Khanna/Future)
As for the lenses, the new Vivo X300 Ultra is backwards compatible with the last-gen 200mm add-on lens. However, the 2nd-gen version of this 2.35x 200mm lens is smaller and slimmer.
Vivo says it has re-engineered the glass and lens structure inside to allow for a smaller form factor without losing image quality. It attaches to the 85mm focal length telephoto sensor and converts it to 200mm. On the other hand, the new 400mm add-on lens is comparatively big and hefty. It can go up to (a very capable) 3200mm with digital zoom.
Of course, you will need to carry a sling bag if you want to take these lenses with you all day long. They fit securely and safely in my Orbitkey sling bag.
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The output: pleasing bokeh, rich details, and new compositions
The two lenses mount easily on the Vivo X300 Ultra with a rotate-and-lock system. Once attached, you need to toggle the Telephoto Extender mode in the Camera app. It’ll show a pop-up for you to select the lens you’re using (200mm or 400mm). Select one, and you’re ready to shoot!
I used the new 400mm lens to zoom in on a playful panda (see slide 6 in the above image gallery). It helped me get natural-looking bokeh and more details than you’d expect from a regular phone camera for a subject that far away. You can see individual hair strands on this panda’s fur as he bites his food!
I switched to the 200mm lens when the panda was moving. It was hard for me to focus at first, but the shutter button’s ‘half-press to lock focus and exposure’ feature helped make things easier.
For reference, here’s what you can expect to get out of the 400mm add-on lens:
Image 1 of 4
This was my PoV, standing at the subway. The 400mm lens zoomed in on that red rectangle.(Image credit: Prakhar Khanna/Future)400mm(Image credit: Prakhar Khanna/Future)800mm(Image credit: Prakhar Khanna/Future)1600mm(Image credit: Prakhar Khanna/Future)
The details on all of these shots remain unmatched and can’t be achieved by a phone camera alone.
Vivo has also improved LOG video recording with a higher bitrate. Even without the add-on teleconvertor lenses, you can shoot 10-bit LOG across all three lenses with smoother lens switching. You also get one-tap access to color-grading with two built-in filters and a new “pro video” mode with a camera UI that resembles a cinema camera. All of this makes editing your footage easier than before.
Check out more video samples below:
I am loving shooting more videos on the new Vivo X300 Ultra2nd and 3rd shot using the 400mm teleconvertor lens pic.twitter.com/Op5CkszwVnApril 16, 2026
You’ll be able to’t get this degree of high quality out of a cellphone digital camera with out an add-on lens, nor from AI-based synthetic processing. All of the photographs I took have a extra pure look due to Vivo’s new picture processing pipeline, which reduces digital oversharpening.
I assumed it’d be tedious to hold two teleconvertor lenses on my time out, however they have been completely price it. I had lots of enjoyable, because of Vivo’s conscious implementation on each the {hardware} and software program fronts.
I used to restrict myself to pictures with the perfect cameras, however after seeing the output achieved by the Vivo X300 Extremely, I now wish to exit and shoot extra movies with this wonderful digital camera cellphone.
Proper now, the Vivo X300 Extremely is barely obtainable in China, but it surely simply goes to point out how far Chinese language-made flagship telephones have come lately. Fortunately, the similarly-specced Oppo Discover X9 Extremely is being launched ‘globally’ on April 21, so this is hoping we’ll be capable to put the 2 telephones by means of a correct digital camera shootout within the coming months.
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