Vivo’s telephoto extender makes the world’s best phone camera better

When Both Xiaomi and Realmi shook the Mobile World Congress in February, which includes fantastic camera lenses with fantastic smartphones, Vivo’s executives must know that they are ready to launch the real thing only two months later.

His flagship X200 ultra was sold in China a few weeks ago. Even itself, it’s probably the best camera phone in the world right now, but it is even better through a unique accessories: a customed med of 2.35 X telephoto -exting extended lens, which is a total of 8.7x optical zoom, or 200 mm lens from the current 3.7x telephoto. It seems (and looks) is ridiculous, but it’s a natural move for Vivo, which has created its brand around the long -running partnership with Zeus and the growing reputation of some of the best camera systems in any Android phone.

From the design point of view, Vivo has separated the difference between the two concepts seen in Barcelona earlier this year. Realmi imagined to be connected to the existing camera of a phone with the full size DSLR lenses, and Xiaomi has developed a custom, compact lens with its built -in sensors that can snap magnetically on the back of the phone.

Vivo echoed Xiaomi in making customs hardware. It sits on the upper part of the 200 -megapixel telephone, which has its F/2.3 aperture, but in turn there is to do with its 1/ 1.4 “type of sensor, which is huge for its phone, but uncertainly, according to the camera standards, it is also an unusual version of the company as a unusual version. The clip on lens is an unusual version of companies such as the clip on lens companies are an unusual version.

The X200 Ultra is a prominent camera on its own, which only makes its closest competitor, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and before you put a strap on this extra les. With an extender, I have taken photos and filmmaking videos that I rarely believed that I came out of the phone, and I found peace that I was going to take some stares while doing so.

It performed well in taking shots in conditions from natural depth and impressive accurate colors, from bright sunlight to feeder concert variable lighting. It has limits, and performance drops are in appropriate darkness – night -to -night scenes look better without lining the lens, especially when articles that transmitted subjects like people and traffic were included.

There is also a slightly artificial sheen for some shots, aggressive sharpening and other post processing. The closer you zoom is, the more clear, and pushing the shots on a maximum 1600 mm option of the app produces all the heavy digital zoom tail symbol. But when you are pulling a photo, it does not decrease too much that shows every hair on the back of the bomble, or its wings.

One of the reasons is that I am more affected by video capabilities, which is mostly lacking in artificial capabilities but is not less detailed. The best stability plays its role here, and also keeps the output stable at the zoom level, where a slight hand movement can ruin the shot.

The X200 ultra is already a big, heavy phone, and leaving the telephoto lens to a end does nothing to help its weight or balance. This is better than you think, although, as long as you use it with the rest of the camera kit, which is sold as a part of it, which includes a clip on camera grip, filter color mounts, and wrist and shoulder straps, all of which are for CNY1,699 (about $ 240), including lenses.

Vivo has been more inspiring than just inspiration for his ultra -flagship, which has been sent to almost the same camera grip in the button setting down the bottom button and includes the battery, so that it can double the status of a compact power bank. This may not be real, but being able to steal it is a good design, and when the ed is paired with the on -lenses, it creates weight balance and helps keep it comfortable to use. Without a grip, it feels strange and weighty, unnatural. With the grip, it feels like a strange camera.

Vivo outsources most of the kit designs, and this quality has damaged. After just a few weeks of use, in my case every corner has a fracture, the kick stand feels, and the filter ring and the Quick Release button for the lens mount is occasionally trapped. It is a problem that the lens cannot be ride without any matter – I will be worried that the matter will be broken for a long time, and the lens will completely leave it completely useless. A minor urine is that the lens Mount Capital Yu is ugly, so I refuse to leave it on the phone 24/7. This means that I can’t change the lens without changing the mountain at the same time, adding a bit more rubbing into the process.

And friction, or lacking, is essential for this telephoto appeal. It lives and dies with the idea that it is much easier than a fully manufactured camera (and often cheap, even counting the phone itself). I have met many people who feel doubts about it, but it has won me in just a few weeks. I do not pick up a digital camera by habit, but when I travel, I bring an old 70s movie SLR. It is huge, heavy and takes half my bag, or it has to hang in my neck all day. I like it, but I can’t help but I am a little angry.

It feels different to take around because it is easy to separate. I’m already taking the phone and just a few seconds to slip the glass and camera grip. They will fit into my throwing bag with the room to save sunshine and airbuds. And at risk of something “Is it a vivo X200 Ultra telephoto lens in your pocket or are you happy to see me?” Jokes, I have also succeeded in filling the whole set inside my jeans. You can’t They With DSLR.

And yes, of course, a DSLR will take better pictures. Similarly, without a mirror, and may be that the Canon Power Shot G7 X -Mark III, whose tricktok has been strangely maded. But that’s not. Because it may not be as good as a camera, but it is better than any phone at the same zoom distance. This is a middle point, a half -step from the phone and from the whole camera, whether it wants to lighten up an emerging fans or an experienced photographer who consider investing in a major setup.

It’s not a camera, but it’s not trying to become – it just wants to meet photographers in the middle.

Photography of Dominic Preston / The Verge