Vivo’s telephoto extender makes the world’s finest telephone digicam higher

When Xiaomi and Realme each rocked as much as February’s Mobile World Congress with idea smartphones that includes attachable digicam lenses, Vivo’s executives will need to have had a quiet chuckle understanding they have been able to launch the true factor simply two months later.

Its flagship X200 Ultra went on sale in China a number of weeks in the past. Even by itself, it’s in all probability the perfect digicam telephone on the earth proper now, nevertheless it’s made even higher by a singular accent: a custom-made 2.35x telephoto extender lens, which attaches to the telephone’s present 3.7x telephoto for a complete of 8.7x optical zoom, or the equal of a 200mm lens. It sounds (and appears) absurd, nevertheless it’s arguably a pure transfer for Vivo, which has constructed its model round a long-running partnership with Zeiss and a rising repute for crafting a number of the finest digicam methods in any Android telephone.

From a design standpoint, Vivo has break up the distinction between the 2 ideas I noticed in Barcelona earlier this 12 months. Realme imagined attaching full-size DSLR lenses on a telephone’s present digicam, and Xiaomi pitched a {custom}, compact lens with its personal built-in sensor that might magnetically snap onto a telephone’s again.

Vivo echoed Xiaomi in creating {custom} {hardware} — co-engineered with Zeiss — however adopted Realme by piggybacking on the sensor and different {hardware} already within the telephone. This sits on prime of the 200-megapixel telephoto, mirroring its f/2.3 aperture, however because of this has to make do with its 1/1.4”-type sensor, which is giant for a telephone, however undeniably small by digicam requirements. The cynic would possibly say it is a extra extravagant model of the clip-on lenses corporations like Moment have been promoting for years, or that Nothing sells as low cost add-ons to its price range CMF Phone 2 Pro, although neither operates on fairly this scale.

The X200 Ultra is an impressive digicam in its personal proper, simply edging its closest rival, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and that’s earlier than you strap on this further lens. With the extender, I’ve taken pictures and filmed movies I scarcely imagine got here out of a telephone, and made my peace that I’m going to get some stares whereas doing so.

It excelled at taking pictures in circumstances starting from brilliant daylight to the variable lighting of a Feeder live performance, with pure depth and impressively correct colours. It has limits, and efficiency drops in correct darkness — avenue scenes at night time regarded higher with out the lens hooked up, particularly when shifting topics like individuals and visitors have been concerned.

There’s additionally a barely synthetic sheen to some pictures, indicators of aggressive sharpening and different post-processing. The nearer you zoom in, the extra apparent that’s, and pushing pictures to the app’s most 1600mm possibility creates all of the telltale indicators of heavy digital zoom. But that also doesn’t detract an excessive amount of whenever you’re taking pictures that exhibit every hair on a bumblebee’s again, or the translucent texture of its wings.

That’s one purpose I’m extra impressed with the video capabilities, which lack most of that artificiality however aren’t any much less detailed. Excellent stabilization performs its half right here, preserving output regular even at zoom ranges the place the slightest hand motion may smash a shot.

The X200 Ultra is already a giant, heavy telephone, and strapping a telephoto lens to at least one finish does nothing to assist its weight or steadiness. It’s higher than you would possibly assume, although, as long as you employ it with the remainder of the digicam equipment it’s bought as part of, which features a clip-on digicam grip, filter ring mounts, and each wrist and shoulder straps, all for CNY1,699 (about $240) together with the lens, although US importers like Giztop are providing it for $399 all in.

Vivo has taken extra than simply inspiration from Xiaomi’s images kits for its Ultra flagships, delivery an nearly equivalent digicam grip, proper right down to the button format and included battery, in order that it doubles as a compact energy financial institution. It will not be unique, nevertheless it’s a ok design to be value stealing, and all of the extra essential when paired with the add-on lens, balancing the burden and serving to to maintain this comfy to make use of. Without the grip, this feels awkward and weighty, unnatural to carry; with the grip, it simply looks like a barely odd digicam.

Vivo outsourced a lot of the equipment’s design to PGYTech, and the standard has suffered. After just some weeks of use, my case has fractures in every nook, the kickstand feels flimsy, and the quick-release button for filter rings and lens mount often will get caught. That’s an issue given the lens can’t be mounted with out the case — I’d be fairly fearful that the case will break earlier than too lengthy, leaving the lens completely ineffective. A minor peeve is that the lens mount is capital-U Ugly, so I refuse to go away it on the telephone 24/7. That means I can’t swap the lens on and off with out altering the mount on the identical time, including just a bit bit extra friction to the method.

And friction, or lack thereof, is important to this telephoto’s enchantment. It lives and dies by the concept it’s extra handy (and infrequently cheaper, even counting the telephone itself) than a completely fledged digicam. I’ve met lots of people who appear skeptical about that, nevertheless it’s already received me over in just some weeks. I don’t carry a digital digicam round by behavior, however I carry an previous ’70s movie SLR after I journey. It’s cumbersome, heavy, and takes up half my backpack, or it has to hold round my neck all day. I adore it, however I can’t assist however resent it just a little, too.

Carrying this round feels completely different as a result of it’s straightforward to disassemble. I’m already carrying the telephone and it’s just a few seconds’ work to slide the lens and digicam grip off. They’ll match into my sling bag with room to spare for sun shades and earbuds. And on the threat of some “Is {that a} Vivo X200 Ultra telephoto lens in your pocket or are you simply joyful to see me?” jokes, I’ve even managed to stuff the entire set inside my denims. You can’t do that with a DSLR.

And yeah, after all, a DSLR would take higher pictures. So would a mirrorless, and possibly even the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III that TikTok has been unusually obsessive about. But that isn’t the purpose. Because this may not be pretty much as good as a digicam, nevertheless it’s for positive higher than any telephone on the market on the identical zoom distance. It’s a halfway level, a half-step past the telephone and towards the complete digicam, whether or not for a budding fanatic contemplating investing in a bigger setup or an skilled photographer who needs one thing lighter.

This isn’t a digicam, nevertheless it’s not attempting to be — it simply needs to satisfy photographers within the center.

Photography by Dominic Preston / The Verge