This Ultra phone’s add-on camera lens could put others to shame
Source: Android Authority
TL;DR
- The vivo X300 Ultra could get an optional 400 mm (~16×) add‑on lens, according to a leaker.
- This would be a major upgrade over the X200 Ultra and X300 Pro’s ~8.3× external lens.
Add‑on lenses on flagship Android phones
We’ve seen several flagship Android phones with add‑on camera lenses in recent months. These external lenses enable ~8× to ~10× native zoom for high‑quality long‑range shots.
Leaker claim for the vivo X300 Ultra
Leaker Digital Chat Station posted on Weibo that the upcoming vivo X300 Ultra will offer a 400 mm telephoto extender lens. The post (machine‑translated) is shown in the screenshot below.
“The upcoming vivo X300 Ultra will feature a 400 mm telephoto extender lens.”
A follow‑up comment suggests the new lens could be a “200 mm + 400 mm dual‑lens combination.” The leaker also hinted it might be a single lens with two distinct focal lengths, meaning users may not need to switch between the new lens and the older 2.35× (200 mm) telephoto extender.
Comparison with existing lenses
- 400 mm extender → ~16× native zoom, ~32× zoom at lossless resolution.
- vivo X300 Pro’s external lens → ~8.3× native zoom, ~16× zoom at lossless resolution.
The new lens would therefore be ideal for scenarios like safaris and birdwatching, where even 8× or 10× native zoom may not deliver great results.
Current experience with add‑on lenses
We’ve been pleased with the current crop of add‑on lenses from OPPO and vivo, which allow long‑range photos that are a clear step above typical smartphone cameras. However, image quality tends to drop beyond roughly 800 mm (~33×) on vivo’s handsets, so we’re eager to see how the 400 mm external lens performs.
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