vivo has built a strong reputation for smartphone photography, and with the new X500 Pro Series, the company is putting much more attention on video.
Launched recently in Shanghai, the series is designed to improve both photography and video performance. I had the opportunity to spend some time with the top-end vivo X500 Pro Max, and the camera system is easily one of the most interesting parts of the phone.
Compared with the standard Pro model, the Pro Max features a larger display, a bigger battery and a larger telephoto sensor. Both phones use MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro chipset and vivo’s Origin OS 7, based on Android 17.
A Premium but Heavy Design
The first thing I noticed about the X500 Pro Max is its size and weight. At around 250g, it feels like a substantial flagship smartphone, and the large camera system makes it slightly top-heavy.
The rear design is familiar but still attractive. Its two-tone finish has a glittery effect that gives the phone a subtle starry-night appearance. The metal frame also adds to the premium feel.
The phone feels smooth and responsive during everyday use. App switching and multitasking are handled well by the Dimensity 9600 Pro.
The global version of Origin OS 7 also includes Google Services. There is some pre-installed software, but thankfully, it isn’t excessive.
Strong Photography Performance
The X500 Pro Max is clearly built for people who care about smartphone photography.
All three rear cameras produce impressive results, with the 200MP periscope telephoto camera being one of the highlights. Images look sharp and detailed, while colours and contrast are generally well balanced.
I also like the consistency between the three rear cameras. Switching between lenses doesn’t result in major differences in colour or image processing, which makes the camera system feel more polished.
HDR performance is another strong point. In difficult lighting conditions, the phone does a good job of keeping the subject visible while preserving details in brighter areas.
vivo uses its LOFIC-based Ultra High Dynamic Range technology for this, and importantly, the technology isn’t limited to photographs.
It is also used for video recording.
Video Is the Big Focus
Video is arguably where vivo wants the X500 Pro Max to stand out.
The phone includes a Portrait Video mode that adds cinematic background blur and professional-style colour processing. It supports recording at up to 4K at 60fps, while the standard video mode can record at up to 8K at 30fps.
During my hands-on testing, I found the video performance quite impressive.
The phone can automatically handle challenging lighting conditions while recording. Instead of completely blowing out bright areas or making darker subjects difficult to see, it attempts to balance the exposure and preserve details.
For everyday users and content creators, this could be particularly useful because it reduces the need for complicated manual camera adjustments.
Powerful Telephoto Zoom
vivo also offers an optional photography kit with a telephoto extender and a dedicated case.
With the extender attached, the 200MP periscope telephoto camera can reach an equivalent focal length of 400mm. Digital zoom can extend this further to 800mm, 1,600mm and even 3,200mm.
In my view, 1,600mm is probably where things become more practical. At 3,200mm, image compensation becomes more noticeable and fine details can start to look less natural.
Even so, having this much zoom capability on a smartphone is impressive.
A Few Things Still Need Improvement
The X500 Pro Max isn’t perfect.
The Ultra High Dynamic Range feature can sometimes take a moment to adjust, particularly when capturing a scene quickly. There were also situations where the telephoto camera struggled to focus.
On one occasion, the camera app also crashed back to the home screen.
The 50MP selfie camera produces good images, although its colour consistency isn’t quite at the same level as the rear cameras.
The positive side is that these issues appear to be largely software-related. Since the phone has not yet reached all international markets, vivo still has an opportunity to improve the experience through software updates.
Final Thoughts
After spending some time with the vivo X500 Pro Max, it’s clear that vivo is taking smartphone video more seriously.
The phone combines a powerful chipset, premium hardware and an impressive camera system. The 200MP telephoto camera, strong HDR performance and advanced video features make it particularly interesting for people who enjoy photography and video creation.
There are still a few software issues that need attention, but the overall camera experience is promising.
The vivo X500 Pro Series is expected to make its international debut, including in Malaysia, around late October, with pricing and local availability expected to be announced closer to launch.
For now, my biggest takeaway is simple: vivo isn’t just trying to make a smartphone that takes great photos. It’s trying to make the phone a more capable video camera too.
