I gave up my iPhone for this Android smartphone’s cameras | Vivo X300 Pro Malaysia review
On a recent holiday, I made the tough choice of swapping out my iPhone for the vivo X300 Pro. Having daily driven it through my vacation and a few weeks more after that, I was thoroughly impressed by how advanced the imaging capabilities of flagship level smartphones are today. Android flagships like vivo X300 Pro are giving the iPhones a good run for their money with many user-friendly features and going beyond the usual phone hardware with additional accessories such as an external telephoto lens.
In this review, I will dive into the key camera features of the vivo X300 Pro and additional software features and why I think this is one of the best mobile phone cameras in the market today.
vivo flagship phones of recent years have been marketing themselves as the ultimate “concert” phone with stunning photos and videos in low-light conditions which many phones tend to struggle with. The vivo X300 Pro takes all that from the previous generations and goes a step further with an additional telephoto lens and photography kit (made with well-known camera accessories manufacturer PGYTech) to make it the ultimate ‘camera’ phone.
Built around a triple-lens system and leveraging the power of the new Dimensity 9500 (3nm) chipset and OriginOS 6, this device delivers a top-tier photography experience that sets a new bar for mobile flagships.
The Lenses: Unmatched Versatility
The heart of the X300’s magic lies in its versatile lens array:
- 200 MP Periscope Telephoto f2.7, 85mm: With OIS and a remarkable 3.7x optical zoom, the quality of pictures taken far away is simply awesome—there is virtually no loss in quality at its native zoom. It even features a close-focus macro capability (2.7:1), making it a true all-in-one zoom lens.
- 50 MP Wide f/1.6, 24mm: The main sensor is fast and sharp, ensuring superb low-light performance thanks to the wide aperture.
- 50 MP Ultrawide f2.0, 15mm: Offering a sweeping 119 degrees field of view with autofocus, this lens captures expansive scenes with excellent detail.
- 50 MP Front camera: Capturing selfie photos and videos crisply with ease.
Telephoto Kit: Taking Zoom to the Next Level
For serious photographers, the add-on Telephoto kit adds versatility with 200mm to 4000mm shots optically and up to 5400mm digitally. Costing an extra RM999, it comes with a lens compatible phone case and strap. The lens adds considerable weight to the phone when attached so 2 hands are needed for balance to get a stable shot.
Each time when I was putting on the lens, it felt like putting on the scope on a sniper rifle while playing Counterstrike, ready to see something far away and be surprised by what is on screen. The software also has another image to tell you which part of the scene you are looking at to hone in on the target faster.
For an additional RM799, one can also get the PGYtech camera grip which comes with the standard camera shutter button and scroll wheels, and doubles up as a powerbank. This grip makes holding the phone more like a camera and the buttons can be configurable via the settings menu. The quarter inch screw below ensures secure mounting onto tripods and other accessories.
Photography software: Smart Modes for Perfect Shots
The X300 Pro is packed with smart modes designed to simplify complex shooting scenarios:
- Full Screen Capture Mode: Utilizing the phone’s entire screen real estate to capture the scene – longer than the usual 16:9 but less than panoramic mode. I used it to capture landscape and bigger buildings easily; making the whole photo more dramatic.
- Smart scene modes: The phone can detect scenes automatically (e.g. landscape, beach etc) and adapt the filters / colors accordingly.
- Erase Crowd: A fantastic AI feature that automatically removes unwanted people from your background, perfect for busy tourist spots.
- Concert Mode: Optimized for low light and high motion, this mode is a lifesaver for getting clean, sharp shots of your favorite performers and reliving the stage.
- Portrait Mode: Produces beautiful, professional-looking bokeh, but it’s worth noting that it has an added layer of beautification processing that tends to slightly soften skin tones.
- Focal lengths/zoom options with 1 touch: 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm focal lengths were all accessible easily with the touch on the screen, allowing me to take different shots of the same scene quickly to compare easily.
Video: Stability and High Resolution
Video capabilities were equally impressive, it can shoot up to 8K30fps and offers various 4K options up to an incredible 120fps, including 10-bit Log and Dolby Vision HDR. On my trip, I generally used 1080p 60fps and the footage was sharp and rich in colors.
The footage is incredibly stable thanks to the sophisticated gyro-EIS and OIS on the telephoto.
During my usage I found that in darker shooting conditions, the camera tends to overbrighten the scene, occasionally sacrificing realism for visibility. To tone it back down to match reality, a tuning down of the exposure to -0.3 to -0.7 will generally do the trick.
Beyond the Camera: A Flagship Experience
The X300 Pro backs up its powerful optics with a flagship experience:
- Battery: The massive 6510mAh BlueVolt battery is built to last the whole day, I did not have to use an external powerbank thanks to the additional photography kit add-on. On most days, the battery life on the camera will be left with about 40% and at night I can charge both the handle grip and camera together thanks to pass-through charging.
- Like most Android phones, there is also a fast charge capability of up to 90W to top up the battery quickly within minutes when it runs low.
- Chipset: Running on the top-of-the-line Mediatek Dimensity 9500, I had no issues multitasking, and navigating apps on the phone while on the move.
- OS: OriginOS 6 debuts for the first time in Malaysia in the X300 series, this software bridges the gap from FunTouch OS and makes it more iOS-like.
- Other awesome vivo X300 Pro features:
- File transfer wireless via Easy Share: An awesome addition that allows you to effortlessly share files with Apple iOS users via hotspot, breaking down ecosystem barriers.
- Action Button: A customizable physical control for quick access to key camera features.
- AI features for Writing and Photo editing further streamline your workflow.
My Wishlist
If I could add one feature to this powerhouse, it would be to integrate the Selfie timer with the flashlight as a countdown timer. It’s a small but highly practical feature for back-camera group shots that can enhance the overall user experience if one is really using it as the main tool for taking photos.
Price & Availability in Malaysia
Available in stunning colorways like Phantom Black, Mist Blue, and Dune Brown, the vivo X300 Pro is priced competitively for a device offering this level of professional-grade imaging. It launched at RM4,699 for the base 16GB Ram + 512GB storage model.
The vivo X300 Pro and the add-on photography kit truly stands out as a top-tier camera phone, especially for those who value the ability to capture distant subjects with spectacular quality.
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