Vivo X200 Series Camera System Beats iPhone & Samsung

Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir

Vivo has been quietly building something special in smartphone photography, and their latest move might just shake up the entire industry. The X200 series represents more than just another camera upgrade—it's a bold statement that mobile photography can rival traditional cameras. With their partnership with Zeiss deepening and hardware that's genuinely groundbreaking, Vivo is positioning itself to challenge the big three in ways we haven't seen before. Here's what makes their approach so compelling and why it could redefine what we expect from smartphone cameras.

The hardware advantage that changes everything

Let's break down what makes Vivo's camera hardware genuinely different. The X200 Pro's telephoto camera isn't just another periscope lens—it's a "specced-out, near-focusing beast" that puts the competition to shame. We're talking about a massive Samsung HP9 200MP sensor with a 1/1.4-inch size, which absolutely dwarfs what you'll find in flagship phones from Apple, Samsung, and Google.

The numbers tell the story: this sensor is significantly larger than the iPhone 16 Pro's 1/3.06" sensor, the S24 Ultra's 1/2.52-inch sensor, and the Pixel 9 Pro's 1/2.55-inch sensors. But size isn't everything—it's what Vivo does with it that matters. The X200 Pro focuses as close as 15cm with an 85mm equivalent focal length, opening up macro possibilities that most phones can't touch.

This translates to exceptional real-world performance. The large sensor and Vivo's processing result in dynamic range from the 85mm camera in the realm of what we would expect from a primary camera; noise is well handled, and white balance and processing are consistent and balanced. This isn't just about cramming more megapixels into a phone—it's about engineering a telephoto system that actually performs like one.

Why their focal length choice is brilliant

Here's where Vivo shows they actually understand photography. While competitors chase higher zoom numbers, Vivo's 3.7x, 85mm equivalent focal length is more practical than a 120mm, 5x tele camera on flagship phones. That 85mm sweet spot? It's the classic portrait focal length that photographers have loved for decades.

The results speak for themselves. Vivo's portrait mode works exceptionally well at the periscope camera's 85mm focal length, even excelling for moving subjects when the light is right. Meanwhile, when you need that extra reach, the zoom is significantly less noisy at 10x and beyond compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and it beats Apple's Pro line in telephoto video too.

This focal length decision reflects smart business thinking. While extreme zoom capabilities make for impressive marketing material, most people don't need 10x zoom daily—but they do benefit from a reliable portrait lens that works beautifully for everyday photography.

The X200 Ultra: pushing boundaries even further

The X200 Ultra takes things to another level entirely. This isn't just a phone with good cameras—it's a device that "aims to sit on the same bench as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, Oppo Find X8 Ultra, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra" in terms of photography capabilities. What makes it special? It delivers in terms of accessories, allowing users to turn it into a proper point and shoot camera with attachable grips, cases, and super-long periscope lenses.

The camera system showcases Vivo's strategic thinking. Despite the lack of a dedicated periscope, it boasts impressive hardware including dual 50MP cameras with Sony LYTIA-818 sensors. The main camera uses a 35mm equivalent lens, which is more zoomed-in compared to other phones that adopt a wider 23mm-25mm main camera—another decision that prioritizes practical photography over spec sheet victories.

This approach embodies Vivo's "Pro Trinity V Prime" philosophy. The vivo X200 Ultra adopts the "Pro Trinity V Prime" concept, featuring three fixed Zeiss lenses—14mm ultra-wide, 35mm documentary main camera, and 85mm super telephoto—covering the golden focal lengths of professional photography. These aren't arbitrary numbers—they represent the most versatile focal lengths that professional photographers actually rely on in the field.

Real-world performance that delivers

The proof is in the pictures. Testing shows the X200 Ultra performs very well on the main cameras, achieving high scores comparable to its rivals. The ultrawide camera is among the best seen, with image quality comparable to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Most impressive? The main camera can pass as a short telephoto with a slightly more zoomed-in lens, providing wonderful detail without oversharpening or artifacts.

Where Vivo excels is in image processing refinement. The zoom camera of the Vivo X200 Ultra beats the Oppo Find X8 Ultra in tests, with no oversharpening and great detail, while in 28mm mode with an in-sensor 2X crop, the Vivo X200 Ultra produces superb images with exceptional detail.

However, Vivo hasn't perfected everything yet. Video quality lacks detail and has limited dynamic range, often resulting in under- or over-exposed scenes. The overall conclusion is that the Vivo X200 Ultra is a very impressive cameraphone with strengths in still photography, but its video capabilities aren't as strong. This honest assessment shows where Vivo needs to focus their next improvements.

The bigger picture: market positioning and innovation

What's fascinating about Vivo's approach is how it capitalizes on current market dynamics. In early 2025, Samsung and Apple together controlled about 40% of global smartphone shipments, but there's clearly room for disruption. Premium smartphones (≥$600) accounted for about 25% of global unit sales in 2024, and Apple grabbed 67% of all premium-segment sales worldwide.

But here's the thing: the smartphone camera lens market is exploding, estimated to reach over USD 10,116.07 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.7%. This suggests there's massive appetite for camera innovation, and Vivo is positioning itself perfectly to capture that demand.

The market conditions couldn't be better for Vivo's strategy. The increasing adoption of premium and high-priced smartphones among consumers is driving the growth of the market, and premium smartphones feature advanced camera systems with multiple lenses and large image sensors to improve the sharpness of images. Rather than following trends, Vivo is setting them by focusing on what photographers actually need instead of what spec sheets demand.

Where Vivo goes from here

The X200 series isn't just about better cameras—it's about reimagining what smartphone photography can be. The new vivo X200 series redefines the boundaries of smartphone photography with powerful upgrades to the vivo ZEISS Co-engineered Imaging System, integrating hardware and software advancements that deliver genuinely versatile photography capabilities.

What sets Vivo apart is their comprehensive approach. The X200 Pro's exclusive 200 MP ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera significantly boosts long-range shooting abilities, delivering exceptional improvement in capturing details even in low-light conditions. Combined with six industry-leading telephoto capabilities: Telephoto HyperZoom, Telephoto Macro, Telephoto Portrait, Telephoto Nightscapes, and Telephoto Sunset, this represents a fundamental shift in mobile photography capability.

Their software innovation matches the hardware ambition. They've introduced features like Landscape mode, which consolidates a number of essential functions into a single pane, and all these functions are designed to assist landscape photography. Even more impressive, it takes things a step further by building a star chart right into the camera app itself—no need to install additional apps.

Their Street Photography mode shows genuine understanding of how enthusiasts want to shoot. It adds a Fuji-style rangefinder-like overlay to the camera app and makes it easy to swap between 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm focal lengths with precision. These aren't gimmicks—they're thoughtful improvements that respect how photographers actually work.

The bottom line? Vivo's next move in smartphone photography isn't just officially on the radar—it's already here, and it's forcing everyone else to play catch-up. Whether they can maintain this momentum and expand globally remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the smartphone photography game just got a lot more interesting. With hardware that rivals dedicated cameras, software that actually understands photography workflows, and a clear vision for what mobile photography should be, Vivo might just be the wake-up call the industry needed.