We all know how good the iPhone 17 Pro's cameras are, but if you're looking for the absolute best in mobile photography, you'll need to look a little further afield. Vivo has just unveiled its X300 series phones, along with some serious accessories, and these phones truly blur the lines between smartphone and professional camera.
If you live in the US or the UK, you might not be too familiar with the Vivo brand, but among Android enthusiasts, it's quickly gaining a reputation for its stellar image processing and top-tier camera hardware. Take the company's latest flagship, the Vivo X300 Pro: it comes with Zeiss-certified optics, brand-new image sensors developed in collaboration with Sony and Samsung, and a photography kit that transforms it into a compact camera.
So, how does the Vivo X300 Pro compare to Apple's latest flagship? I've spent the last couple of days shooting photos and videos on the streets of Shanghai in an effort to find out.
The hardware
The Vivo X300 Pro comes with a brand new processor co-developed with MediaTek, the Dimensity 9500, and it slaps Vivo's renowned image processing chip right in the SoC.
Without getting overly technical, this change unlocks the ability to record 4K video at 120fps with both electronic and optical image stabilization on all rear lenses, as well as the ability to shoot portrait video at 4K 60fps for the first time.
Aside from imaging, the X300 Pro could be among the best gaming phones, too. I haven't had much time in my schedule for Genshin Impact sessions, but early benchmarks suggest the Dimensity 9500 is an incredibly powerful and efficient chip.
The phone's display is also a first of its kind. Vivo worked with BOE to develop a new OLED panel that offers both DC dimming and 2160Hz PWM dimming, making it one of the best panels available for those who suffer from eye strain.
Simultaneously, this screen can boost to 4500 nits for easy visibility in bright sunlight, and dim all the way down to 1 nit to keep your peepers feeling fresh during those late-night scrolling sessions.
Of course, the main attraction is the camera system. This model boasts a brand new 1/1.3-inch main sensor with gimbal-grade image stabilization, and a fresh 200MP 1/1.4-inch 3.5x telephoto.
If you're keeping score, the iPhone 17 Pro also got a new telephoto this year, and while it's a big improvement on the iPhone 16 Pro's long-range snapper, Vivo's sensor is over twice the size and over four times the resolution.
Vivo's telephoto camera was already widely regarded as the best around, but for this new version, the brand worked directly with Samsung to take the quality to the next level. A new material increases the light-gathering capabilities, new lenses increase clarity, and the stabilization has been boosted to match.
The Vivo X300 Pro might not offer the same square-format Center Stage selfie camera as the best iPhones, but it has been significantly upgraded on this model. It's the first Vivo selfie camera to get the Zeiss seal of approval, and it's also the first Pro-series front camera to come with autofocus.
The photography kit
What really makes the Vivo X300-series stand out from the crowd is the optional photography kit, which is available for both the Pro model and the more compact X300. By snapping on a few accessories, you can effectively transform this smartphone into a full-on compact camera.
The kit consists of a case, a snap-on ergonomic grip with physical camera controls and a two-stage shutter button, an adapter ring for photographic filters, and a 2.35x Zeiss teleconverter lens.
You may have already seen the kit that was available for the X200 Ultra, which I absolutely loved, and this is a very similar offering. However, there were a few flaws with that original kit, and this subtle redesign solves almost every shortcoming.
The case has been remodeled to make it stronger, there are new metallic accents that give it a more premium sheen, and the mounting system has been engineered to remove any slop.
The most impactful change, though, is how the teleconverter is accessed in the camera app. On the Vivo X200 Ultra, you had to enter a special 'Telephoto Extender' mode in order to shoot with it, which had far fewer options available compared to shooting with the built-in cameras.
Now, the teleconverter can be used in any mode by tapping a little icon. This means you can shoot at the full 200MP resolution, use Pro mode, and access Portrait mode effects, too. It's also a huge win for video shooters, as the new system allows you to capture at up to 4K 120fps for epic slow motion shots and even record in 10-bit Log.
Camera performance
Vivo's cameras have been my favorite for a while now, so I had high hopes for the X300 Pro, and it's safe to say it has not disappointed.
As you can see in the gallery of images above, performance is exceptional in all lighting conditions, and there are endless tools available to refine the look of your images.
My favorite lens to shoot with is the 200MP 85mm-equivalent telephoto. It can focus super close-up to capture tiny macro details and gives you enough reach for some candid street photography snaps.
Especially when combined with portrait mode and Vivo's Vintage filter, photos from this setup look like they were taken with a professional mirrorless camera, rather than a phone.
Photos are brilliant in darker conditions, too. A combination of large sensors and clever image processing makes for impossibly clean and noise-free images.
I immediately noticed that the autofocus has improved, too. It's now lightning quick, even with the teleconverter attached. Previously, the teleconverter would hunt a bit, which made action shots extremely challenging – now, though, it might work quite well for sports shooting.
As for the downsides, the ultra-wide is good, but it's far from the best in the business (Vivo's X200 Ultra still holds that honor), and while the selfie camera is greatly improved, it's still not my favorite among the best camera phones.
As a complete package, though, the X300 Pro is easily one of the best smartphone camera systems of 2025. And while there may be a few more late entries before the year is out, they'll have a very tough time knocking Vivo off the top spot.
How can you get one?
Intrigued? Well, I have good news and bad news. This Vivo X300 Pro is, thankfully, launching outside of China (unlike the Ultra model), and it seems like it'll arrive in international markets sooner, rather than later. The model I've been testing is the global variant, complete with Google services, but at the time of writing, I haven't been given an exact release date or concrete pricing.
The bad news is that Vivo's global availability tends to be quite limited. In recent years, Vivo flagships have made their way to certain European regions, but the US and UK have never received a proper launch.
Who knows? Maybe Vivo could finally enter the UK market with the X300 Pro. But given the current tariff situation, I can't imagine the US will be seeing an official Vivo launch anytime soon.
In any case, if you're serious about mobile photography, this is one phone that you should really try to get your hands on. I'll need to test more before I'm comfortable calling it the best camera phone ever, but the fact that I'm even thinking about that title means it's close.
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