vivo X200 Extremely Pictures equipment hands-on evaluate
Few issues go hand in hand higher with an Extremely, than a Pictures equipment. Xiaomi has been placing these out for a number of generations of its final flagship, whereas vivo had a third-party choice for the X100 Extremely final 12 months. For the X200 Extremely, they’re making an official one, and it is one-upping Xiaomi.
The vivo X200 Extremely Pictures equipment is made by PGYTech, a well known firm within the digicam accent area. The set features a protecting snap-on case that additionally serves as a mount for the opposite bits, a battery grip, a number of rings with totally different performance, and some straps. Then there’s the star of the present and what no Xiaomi Extremely has had – a telephoto extender lens.
That lens carries Zeiss branding, extending vivo’s continued collaboration with the German optical glass firm a notch additional. It provides 2.35x magnification over the 85mm-equivalent lens of the cellphone’s telephoto digicam (it may possibly solely be used on that digicam, do not get any concepts), taking the optical zoom vary to 200mm. It is a comparatively massive chunk of glass and steel (209g, plus 2.5g and 1g value of caps) and leaves a really strong impression all by itself.
The accent lens mounts onto a bayonet socket in a devoted black steel ring (18g), which itself bayonets to the cellphone’s case. For those who take away the telephoto extender, however maintain the extender’s attachment mount, you should utilize all three cameras as if there’s nothing mounted on the again. For those who mount the add-on lens, nonetheless, it will get into the sector of view of the 14mm and the 35mm cameras.
For those who take away the lens mount fully, you may exchange it with one other steel ring (11.3g) that may settle for common 67mm screw-on filters. Then there are two plastic rings (2.6g every) for these situations when no precise performance is required, and also you’d desire to attenuate dimensions whereas nonetheless utilizing the case.
The case itself is a slightly sturdy and well-made piece (33g). It has a fake leather-based backing, a kick-up stand for propping up the cellphone, and two lanyard eyelets. There are additionally two slide-in attachment factors for the battery grip, which latches on in a 3rd spot, contained in the kickstand.
The battery grip (94g) accommodates 1,500mAh value of juice and a handful of controls. The 2-stage shutter launch is surrounded by a zoom rocker (zoom solely, non-customizable at this level, steady versus switching between cameras). There’s additionally a video file button and one other button that allows the battery contained in the grip to work as a powerbank to feed the cellphone.
Moreover, there is a dial that defaults to publicity compensation (works in most modes), however can be set to alter shutter velocity, ISO, white stability, or guide focus (all of those solely in Professional mode), or the extent of background blur (in Portrait mode). The dial is not clickable although – a missed alternative should you ask us.
The battery grip makes for fairly safe dealing with – it provides wonderful buy on the cellphone and extender meeting although you’d nonetheless desire to assist the extender itself – utilizing each arms is extra professional anyway. Alternatively, you should utilize the included Arca Swiss tripod collar (57g) onto the lens itself.
In operation, the lens attaches to the black bayonet mount with a optimistic click on although it does keep there with a tiny little bit of wobble. The truth is, it is the black ring itself that’s considerably extra fiddly to mount onto the case – it takes some wiggling to get it to lock.
At this level, the cellphone does not know it is acquired the lens hooked up so should you change to the telephoto digicam you will have an the wrong way up and possibly very blurry out of focus picture within the viewfinder. That you must change to the Telephoto extension mode from the additional modes and it is acquired each picture and video tabs.
Extender hooked up, Photograph mode • Pop-up to substantiate going into the devoted mode • Mode UI
vivo Telephoto extender digicam samples
We shot a number of samples with the telephoto extender to see simply how good it’s and the way it compares towards the cellphone’s native 85mm telephoto lens plus some added digital zoom.
If you’re taking folks photographs, the 200mm focal size is finest suited to tighter framing, or for these situations while you simply cannot get nearer to your topic, however both approach the standard is great in these photographs. The photographs taken utilizing the extender will not be solely tremendous sharp, however additionally they have superior topic separation, in comparison with the common ones.
Portraits, 200mm: Extender • No extender (digital zoom)
Now, you could possibly transcend 200mm, although capturing distances begin to get out of hand, and 1:1 high quality deteriorates. Possibly you need to persist with the native 200mm and go away the additional zoom for when no different choice is obtainable.
Portraits, Extender: 200mm • 400mm • 800mm • 1600mm
Capturing distant topics can be higher with the add-on lens, after all. The cellphone does alright by itself, significantly with topics consisting of straight strains, however should you go taking a look at random element within the bricks or foliage, you will discover the benefit within the photographs taken with the additional glass.
Daylight photographs, 200mm: Extender • No extender (digital zoom)
Zooming in additional, the 400mm stage is trying alright, with even 800mm being fairly usable, whereas 1600mm is considerably hazy, however fully throwaway high quality.
Daylight photographs, Extender: 200mm • 400mm • 800mm • 1600mm
In the dead of night, we might say the extender makes an much more pronounced distinction in high quality, letting the vivo seize very superb element that is in any other case smoothed out by the mixed results of digital zoom and noise discount.
Low-light photographs, 200mm: Extender • No extender (digital zoom)
Relying on lighting and subject material, chances are you’ll even get away with zooming in even additional, with 400mm being, once more fairly first rate.
Low-light photographs, Extender: 200mm • 400mm • 800mm • 1600mm
The telephoto extender may also be your pal for video recording, each through the day, and at evening.
Daylight video framegrabs: Extender, 200mm • No extender (digital zoom), 230mm
Low-light video framegrabs: Extender, 200mm • No extender (digital zoom), 230mm
Wrap-up
The vivo X200 Extremely is a exceptional cameraphone by itself, with a number of the business’s best {hardware} paired with skilled processing. Including an adjunct lens to its telephoto makes for an much more versatile setup. It enhances the cellphone’s already nice portraiture capabilities and brings distant topics even nearer – with wonderful pixel-level high quality.
For those who’re going by way of the difficulty of getting your arms on the smartphone, maybe spending the additional money to get the Pictures equipment may not sound too outlandish. It provides about €200 on high of the worth of the 16GB/1TB model of the X200 Extremely (which is seemingly the one model that vivo will promote you the equipment with), making the overall round €1200.
That is earlier than no matter import charges you will must incur to get it to the doorstep, although, and let’s not overlook that you just may need to simply get the 16GB/512GB cellphone at €860 (once more, earlier than taxes and whatnot).
We’ll admit that it requires a little bit of a billionaire mindset to drop that sum of money on a handset with some software program limitations and primarily no after-sales assist, however you probably have cash to burn, you will not less than be pleased with what you get in return, by the appears to be like of it.
