Fantastic camera phone with one weird flaw

The vivo X100 Pro and X100 Ultra were two of my favorite camera phones released in 2024. Both phones offered plenty of premium bells and whistles, too, such as fast wired/wireless charging, robust IP ratings, big batteries, and bright screens.

But they were really all about the fantastic camera hardware, with the X100 Pro featuring a versatile 50MP 4.3x periscope lens while the X100 Ultra delivered a frankly ridiculous 200MP 3.7x periscope camera. Unfortunately, the Ultra phone was limited to China. There’s good news, though, as vivo has just launched the X200 Pro and it packs the same crazy telephoto camera. So is this a contender for best camera phone once again? It’s time to find out.

Let’s start with the most significant caveat regarding the X200 Pro’s photography credentials that’s already been doing the rounds. Upon the X200 Pro’s Chinese launch in October, users quickly discovered that the primary camera was prone to lens flare issues. I really hoped the brand would be able to address this problem with global devices.

Unfortunately, I was able to reproduce these lens flare/glare problems on my review unit. This issue seems to occur when you’re shooting with the 1x camera at a somewhat perpendicular angle to the sun. A quick side-by-side with the X100 Ultra reveals that the older phone might show a little lens flare at most, but not to the same extent as the X200 Pro. The glare seen on the newer phone can be downright horrible, as seen in the second and fourth images below.

The good news is that this issue doesn’t pop up often, while secondary cameras are unaffected. Nevertheless, it’s definitely a problem you wouldn’t expect from vivo in light of the company’s efforts with ZEISS to reduce lens flare. Ultimately, it’s a flaw that you’ll likely run into from time to time, but it’s not a constant problem. That’s still a disappointment, given the phone’s hefty €1,299 (~$1,337) price tag.

A company executive previously acknowledged this problem, claiming that it was related to the primary camera’s wide aperture and the type of coating used. vivo’s global representatives reiterated this explanation to Android Authority, adding that it was a “common technical challenge.” Here’s the full statement:

Our technical analysis suggests two main reasons for this challenge. First, it’s related to the f/1.57 aperture, which is the largest aperture on the main camera of this smartphone. While it does improve the shooting performance in low-light environments, the larger aperture and increased light intake make the device more susceptible to external lens flare. Second, it’s our coating technology. X200 Pro’s coating excels at handling radial and petal flares (ghosting) from point light sources in night scenes. It also has industry-leading anti-flare capabilities in many outdoor scenarios with non-specific angle light sources. We are actively researching ways to optimize both of the above.

vivo added that it was “constantly making software optimization updates to address the flare phenomenon.” It also added a Glare Reduction tool (Edit > AI Erase > Glare Reduction) to tackle this issue, although it doesn’t always deliver a significantly better result if it detects the glare in the first place. That said, this tool, which requires an internet connection, can sometimes make a big difference, as seen below.

Furthermore, vivo told us that it added a “photo glare reduction” toggle in the camera app’s settings menu. Our testing shows that the toggle doesn’t require an internet connection. This seems to do a solid job of reducing glare, although it isn’t always eliminated altogether. You’ll also still see glare in the viewfinder before you snap a picture, so you should check the captured image to make sure it looks okay.

Is the X200 Pro still worth it for the cameras?

vivo is switching to a slightly smaller 50MP main camera this time (1/1.3-inch). The company was at pains to point out that this sensor was competitive with first-generation one-inch cameras in photos and could deliver higher-quality video capture.

I was generally happy with the 1x snaps from this shooter (aside from the occasional glare issues) in most conditions. You’ve got three different color profiles once again, but I’m glad to see the return of a few extra sliders (i.e. sharpness, contrast) to help dial in your image. vivo’s handset still tends to over-process images, such as low-light snaps in particular. Check out the overly sharp raindrops in the second picture below; it’s almost as if parts of the picture are snowy, like an analog TV.

The 50MP ultrawide camera is a clear step below the primary shooter. That’s largely due to significant distortion and a noticeably lower level of detail, particularly in mixed lighting.

The phone also sports a landscape mode now, which effectively serves as a hub for various features like Supermoon mode, night mode, perspective correction, panoramas, light painting, astrophotography, and more.

Is that 200MP periscope camera worth the fuss?

That 200MP 3.7x periscope camera is virtually identical to the X100 Ultra’s telephoto shooter. That means a 1/1.4-inch sensor paired with an f/2.67 aperture that’s a little wider than the Pixel 9 Pro‘s 5x camera, for one. Thankfully, image quality is more or less on par with the Ultra phone. I usually captured some detailed 3.7x images that are more or less consistent with the 1x shooter. Noise levels are generally kept in check, while pictures are mostly in line with the primary camera, save for some white balance and minor exposure differences. Either way, I have to admit that I’m once again spending more time with the telephoto camera than the main shooter.

The X200 Pro also excels at 10x for the most part, delivering sharp shots with depth as opposed to the flat images seen on many other phones at this zoom range. Contrast and highlights are also generally kept in check at 10x, although there are some color and contrast differences at 15x and 20x along with some chromatic aberration in some cases. I also found that detail could be a coin toss at 15x and 20x.

Much like the X100 Pro and X100 Ultra, this periscope camera has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. My favorite feature is the macro-focusing capability, allowing you to get a little closer to subjects compared to conventional periscope lenses. This enables macro shots from a distance but also lets you take conventional shots without needing to step back to focus. Macro shots are as good as ever and feature a healthy level of detail, although the focus fall-off can be extreme at times.

You can also shoot at a full 200MP resolution if you’d like, giving you an ultra high-resolution image at 3.7x. The amount of retained detail can be very impressive, although you really need ideal lighting for this option. These 200MP shots are still prone to blown highlights in some situations, ostensibly due to little or no multi-frame processing.

The vivo X200 Pro also retains the X100 Ultra’s stage mode, which is meant to capture optimized images of concerts and live gigs from a distance. But much like on the earlier phone, this mode tends to make subjects look like wax. This is particularly evident at 20x and higher, while the 10x shot (first image below) is definitely more usable. NVIDIA’s CES 2025 event made for a stiff challenge as we were in the last few rows of floor seats in an arena. But this was clearly too far away for vivo’s software to make a major difference, giving Jensen Huang a plastic jacket instead. I also took the phone to a Green Day and Offspring concert. I was able to get decent 10x images, but my nosebleed tickets meant that 20x shots were often akin to paintings.

Much like the Ultra model, you can expect loads of video capture options here. There’s 4K/120fps slow-motion capture for both the 1x and 3.7x cameras, 4K/60fps Dolby Vision recording across all three lenses, a 4K Cinematic Portrait mode akin to iPhones, LOG video recording, and more. I’m also glad to see that vivo has managed to tame (but admittedly not eliminate) the judder I noticed when panning on previous phones.

Moving away from the cameras, the vivo X200 Pro is a premium offering through and through. The phone has a 6.78-inch LTPO OLED screen (2,800 x 1,260, 0.1 to 120Hz, 4,500 nits peak brightness) with a micro-curved display. That means you’ve got very subtle curves that are restricted mainly to the bezel, but a flat display otherwise, effectively giving you the best of both worlds. The phone also packs IP68/IP69 ratings, a flat aluminum frame, and a glass back.

This is one of the first phones powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset. Benchmarks show flagship-tier performance, but it’s still a step below the Snapdragon 8 Elite when it comes to CPU performance. The X200 Pro beats the ROG Phone 9 Pro when it comes to the ray tracing stress tests but either remains level with the ASUS device or lags behind in the other GPU stress tests. It also runs hotter than the Snapdragon phone, although it doesn’t reach the highs of the realme GT7 Pro. The Dimensity-toting Find X8 Pro delivered better, more stable results, but it’s not a surprise as vivo’s recent MediaTek-powered phones have all struggled in this regard. Perhaps this is a sign that the company needs to focus on sustained performance and cooling.

Real-world performance is another matter entirely; I didn’t encounter any issues with system performance (multitasking, launching apps, switching screens) while games like Genshin Impact ran at a smooth 60fps. The only time I saw any performance issues was when I tried taking multiple full-resolution 200MP shots in a row, as there was a multi-second delay between snaps. But this is something you’ll notice on most phones with a 200MP option.

The phone is also equipped with an impressive 6,000mAh silicon battery. It wasn’t uncommon for me to get roughly eight hours of screen-on time, which isn’t amazing but is still pretty good. I used the X200 Pro during a recent work trip to Denmark. The busiest day of the trip saw us attending a media event in the morning, taking loads of snaps, filming several videos, and uploading said media. The rest of the day involved a sightseeing tour until roughly 5 PM, taking tons of pictures, followed by dinner and taking photos around an adjoining amusement park. The good news is that by the time I walked back to my hotel after 11 PM with the aid of Google Maps, the phone still had ~30% juice left. More moderate usage equated to charging the phone every other day. So you still won’t get three days of typical usage despite the battery capacity upgrade, but it’s got some legs nonetheless.

vivo also offers 90W wired charging via an included adapter, and the phone’s battery can be fully charged in under an hour. Unfortunately, the bundled charger doesn’t support PPS charging and comes with a USB-A to USB-C cable, which feels a bit outdated. At least there’s 30W wireless charging as well if you prefer to go cable-free.

Fun Touch OS continues to be a middling Android skin, offering a mostly stock-like aesthetic with plenty of unnecessary bloatware. The latter includes third-party apps (Facebook, Lazada, Truecaller, LinkedIn) as well as first-party junk like the Hot Apps/Games shortcuts and Lockscreen Poster ads. What’s even worse is that the phone later prompts you to download a ton of bloatware, although you can choose to hit the tiny “skip” button at the top of the prompt. vivo has promised four major OS upgrades and five years of security patches, which isn’t on par with Google or Samsung but is the minimum update policy I’d expect from a phone in this price bracket.

We’ve also got some AI features now, such as object erasing, photo upscaling/enhancement, people removal, and recorder summaries. Unfortunately, most of these features require an internet connection, while recorder summarization requires a vivo account. You can manually brush objects out of your image when offline, but these results don’t look great.

The vivo X200 Pro follows in its predecessors’ footsteps by largely delivering one of the best camera phones of the year. That’s mostly due to the excellent telephoto camera and a wide variety of photo/video features. The durable design, good battery life, great screen, and flagship-tier performance all add up to a phone that’s worth considering if it’s in your market.

Unfortunately, the glare issue is something I couldn’t forget about, and you’ll have to take into account if you’re looking to pick one up. It doesn’t occur often, and vivo has introduced a couple of tools in a bid to deal with it, but this is still annoying when it does happen. Furthermore, you’ll have to deal with plenty of bloatware and a dearth of on-device AI features that don’t add up to much when compared to Google or Samsung’s suites.

The vivo X200 Pro isn’t available in the US, but you can find it in the likes of Europe, India, South Africa, and several other markets. Expect to pay €1,299 (~$1,337) in Europe, making it a little cheaper than the Galaxy S24 Ultra launch price.