{"id":74003,"date":"2025-12-09T00:27:39","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T23:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=74003"},"modified":"2026-03-23T12:42:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T11:42:29","slug":"vivo-x200-ultra-the-death-of-the-compact-camera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/vivo-x200-ultra-the-death-of-the-compact-camera\/","title":{"rendered":"Vivo X200 Ultra – The Death of the compact Camera"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra with Photography Kit Case<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am not someone who buys a new smartphone every year – quite the opposite actually – but when I need a new one I always look for the one with the most capable cameras. I did that in 2019 and ended up with the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and when I needed a new phone in 2025, after a lot of research, I decided to go with the Vivo X200 Ultra. On paper this looks like the death of the 1″ sensor compact camera segment, so let’s have a closer look at this intriguing device.
\nUpdate 12\/25:<\/strong> Extender lens sections added
\nUpdate 01\/26:<\/strong> Extender sections additional information added<\/em><\/p>\n

Sample Images<\/h2>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 2.35x Extender Lens | 200mm f\/8.5 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 14mm f\/6.9 equiv | Ai Denoise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 35mm f\/5.9 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 85mm f\/8.5 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 14mm f\/6.9 equiv | Ai Denoise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 85mm f\/8.5 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 35mm f\/5.9 equiv | Landscape & Night Mode | no tripod<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Vivo X200 Ultra | 35mm f\/5.9 equiv | Landscape & Night mode | from airplane window<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 35mm f\/5.9 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 85mm f\/8.5 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 35mm f\/5.9 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 85mm f\/8.5 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 2.35x Extender Lens | 200mm f\/8.5 equiv<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 14mm f\/6.9 equiv | Ai Denoise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can find many of the sample images in full resolution here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

General Remarks<\/h2>\n

From 2019 to 2025 I was using a Huawei Mate 20 Pro as smartphone, which in 2025 I replaced with this Vivo X200 Ultra. When I bought the Huawei it was one of the top of the line choices among the camera phones and same is true for the Vivo X200 Ultra in 2025.<\/p>\n

As most of the readers here are fullframe camera users I will usually use the fullframe equivalent focal length and aperture value for the phone’s lenses. When the “Portrait Mode” has been used to alter the bokeh in the picture this will also be stated under the corresponding pictures.<\/p>\n

\"vivo
Vivo X200 Ultra | 85mm | Portrait Mode: Distagon f\/0.95<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of the pictures in this review have been taken in the Raw\/DNG format and edited in Adobe Lightroom.  The raw format is only available in the “Pro Mode”, so the pictures where the usage of the “Portrait Mode” is being mentioned have been taken as Jpegs that might have also seen minor adjustments in Adobe Lightroom.<\/p>\n

While the sensors offer staggering megapixel counts of 50 and even 200mp, the standard setting is that the files will be resized to 12mp via pixel binning. I recommend not to waste any time and space with the 50mp and 200mp files, they are simply too mushy, trust me on this one. So I will talk about the quality of the 12mp files here. <\/p>\n

In the meantime a “Super Raw” function was added that allows to create highly detailed high resolution images due to combining several exposures. Taking a single picture takes around two seconds even in broad day light in this mode.<\/p>\n

I will almost solely focus on discussing the camera functions of this phone and only about the rear cameras. If you are looking for some CPU or game benchmarks or what apps the phone comes with or if you can use the phone in < insert your country > I recommend to look for another review with a stronger focus on these aspects. <\/p>\n

Specifications<\/h2>\n

The Vivo X200 Ultra has the following specifications:<\/p>\n