Vivo Extender’s telephoto lens makes the best phone camera in the world better

When Xiaomi and Realme both switched to the February Mobile World Congress with conceptual smartphones with ties of tie, Vivo leaders had to have a silent laugh knowing that they were ready to launch the real thing two months later.

Its X200 Ultra lighthouse I went on sale in China a few weeks ago. Even in itself, it is probably the best photo phone in the world at the moment, but it is still improved by a unique accessory: a telephoto lens of telephoto lens of 2.35x custom, which is fixed to the 3.7x telephoto -resets existing of the telephone for a total of optical zoom of 8.7x, or the equivalent of a 200 mm lens. It seems (and seems) absurd, but it is undoubtedly a natural decision for Vivo, which has built its brand around a long -standing partnership with Zeiss and an increasing reputation for making some of the best cameras systems in any Android phone.

From the point of view of the design, Vivo divided the difference between The two concepts I saw in Barcelona Earlier this year. Realme has imagined attaching full -size DSLR lens on the existing camera of a phone, and Xiaomi launched a personalized compact lens with its own integrated sensor that could be magnetically on the back of a phone.

Vivo echoes Xiaomi in the creation of personalized equipment – co -commissioned with Zeiss – but followed the kingdom by pushing the sensor and other equipment already in the phone. This is above the 200-megapixel telephoto lens, reflecting its f / 2.3 opening, but consequently must be satisfied with its type 1 / 1.4 “sensor, which is large for a phone, but undeniably small by camera standards. The cynical could say that this is not a more extravagant version of the addition of the air conditioning, although neither one nor the other.

The X200 Ultra is an exceptional camera in its own right, simply pouring its nearest rival, the Xiaomi 15 UltraAnd it is before tackling this additional goal. With the extension, I took photos and filmed videos, I barely think I was out of a phone, and I made my peace that I will have looks by doing.

He excelled in taking plans in conditions ranging from bright sunlight to variable lighting of an eater concert, with natural depth and impressive colors. He has limits and performance reductions in the appropriate darkness – the street scenes at night were more beautiful without the attached objective, especially when subjects of moving like people and traffic were involved.

There is also a slightly artificial radiance with certain plans, signs of aggressive sharpening and other post-treatments. The more you zoom in, the more obvious it is, and push shots to the maximum 1600 mm option of the application creates all the revealing signs of heavy digital zoom. But that still does not harm too much when you take photos that show each hair on the back of a Bumblebee, or the translucent texture of its wings.

This is one of the reasons why I am more impressed by video capabilities, which lack most of this artificiality but which are no less detailed. Excellent stabilization plays its role here, keeping the stable outing even at the zoom levels where the slightest movement of the hand could ruin a shot.

The X200 Ultra is already a big heavy phone and attaching a telephoto lens at one end does nothing to help its weight or its balance. It is better than you think, as long as you use it with the rest of the camera kit with which it is sold in the frame, which includes a handful of clip camera, filtering ring supports and bracelets and bracelets, all for 1,699 CNY (around $ 240), including the lens, although American importers like Giztop offer it for $ 399.

Vivo took more than the inspiration of Xiaomi photography kits For its ultra flagship products, shipping an almost identical camera handle, up to the arrangement of the button and includes the battery, so that it serves as a compact power bank. It may not be of origin, but it is a design good enough to worth the trouble to fly, and all the more important when associated with the complementary objective, balancing the weight and helping to keep this comfortable to use. Without adhesion, it seems clumsy and weight, unfortunate to hold; With the handle, it looks like a slightly strange camera.

Vivo outsourced most of the design of the kit to Pgytech, and the quality has suffered. After only a few weeks of use, my case has fractures in each corner, the kickstand is fragile, and the quick release button for the filter rings and the rise of the lens is sometimes stuck. This is a problem given that the objective cannot be mounted without the case – I would be quite worried that the case breaks for too long, leaving the entirely useless objective. A minor overview is that the lens frame is in ugly capital, so I refuse to leave it on the phone 24/7. This means that I cannot exchange the lens on and deactivate without changing the frame at the same time, just adding a little more friction to the process.

And friction, or its absence, is essential to the appeal of this telephoto lens. He lives and dies through the idea that he is more practical (and often cheaper, even counting the phone himself) than a camera in its own right. I have met a lot of people who seem skeptical about it, but it has already won me in a few weeks. I do not wear a digital camera per habit, but I bring an old film film from the 70s when I travel. He is bulky, heavy and takes half of my backpack, or he has to hang around my neck all day. I love it, but I can’t help but want it a little too.

Transport is different because it is easy to disassemble. I already wear the phone and it’s only a few seconds to slide the lens and the adhesion of the camera. They will integrate into my sling With room to lose for sunglasses and headphones. And at the risk of a few “is it a vivo x200 ultra telephoto in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” Jokes, I even managed to fill the whole in my jeans. You can’t do that with a digital reflex.

And yes, of course, a digital SLR would take better photos. The same goes for a mirror without a mirror, and perhaps even the Canon Powershot G7 x Mark III that Tiktok was strangely obsessed with. But that’s not the point. Because it may not be as good as a camera, but it’s certainly better than any phone at the same zoom distance. This is a point halfway, half a-pass beyond the phone and towards the full camera, whether for a budding enthusiast planning to invest in a wider configuration or an experienced photographer who wants something lighter.

He’s not a camera, but he doesn’t try to be – he just wants to meet photographers in the middle.

Photograph by Dominic Preston / The Verge