{"id":110178,"date":"2025-05-17T22:53:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-17T22:53:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/110178\/"},"modified":"2025-05-17T22:53:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T22:53:13","slug":"the-first-phone-with-an-external-lens-is-so-niche-that-i-had-to-try-it-for-myself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/110178\/","title":{"rendered":"The first phone with an external lens is so niche that I had to try it for myself"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"vivo<\/p>\n

Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Several Android phone<\/a> manufacturers have showcased concept phones with external camera lenses over the years. In fact, realme showed off a concept phone<\/a> with 3x or 10x external lenses at MWC earlier this year. But vivo decided to up the ante with the launch of the X200 Ultra in China last month, and it might be the first commercial phone with an optional (first-party) external lens. Of course, this is a product with extremely niche appeal, and being a bit of a mobile photography nerd, I had to test it out for myself to know if it\u2019s actually any good. Here are my thoughts after spending just under a week with this unique combination of a phone and an accessory.<\/p>\n

Setting up vivo\u2019s external lens<\/p>\n

The X200 Ultra\u2019s lens is an optional accessory that\u2019s available as part of the company\u2019s photography kit. This kit includes a phone case, a Xiaomi 15 Ultra-style camera grip<\/a>, a camera ring, and a shoulder strap. The good news is that all versions of the X200 Ultra support the kit, so you aren\u2019t forced to buy it as part of a bundle. You can also theoretically buy the base storage variant and then purchase the photography kit down the line.<\/p>\n

I found it relatively easy to set things up, although I did have to refer to the review guide at first. The camera case contains a decorative ring that needs to be removed with the aid of a nearby button. From here, you add the camera ring with a simple twist until you hear a click. To add the lens itself, you have to line up a white dot on the lens with a white dot on the camera ring. You then simply twist until you hear a click. It\u2019s pretty easy stuff and reminiscent of proper cameras.<\/p>\n

\"vivo<\/p>\n

Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

This lens is a 2.35x telephoto converter that attaches to the 200MP 85mm periscope camera. Unlike some previous detachable cameras, vivo\u2019s zoom module doesn\u2019t have its own camera sensor. What it effectively does is multiply the 85mm camera\u2019s native zoom level by 2.35. That means you\u2019re getting 200mm native zoom with the aid of this lens.<\/p>\n

The vivo X200 Ultra’s external lens basically turns the phone’s 3.7x zoom camera into an ~8.3x shooter.<\/p>\n

The first thing you\u2019ll notice about the X200 Ultra\u2019s external lens is its massive size. You\u2019re not going to be putting your phone in your pocket while the lens is attached. The X200 Ultra also becomes ridiculously top-heavy when the lens is attached, to the point where I don\u2019t feel completely comfortable using the phone one-handed. You also need to take heed when using the phone in portrait orientation due to this top-heavy design. I tended to shoot with two hands, with one hand holding onto the lens. The combo is heavy in general, but I didn\u2019t feel arm fatigue while shooting for extended periods.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it like to actually use?\n<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t just switch to the periscope camera to use this external lens, though. Shooting like this results in an extremely jittery viewfinder that\u2019s upside-down, too. Instead, vivo offers a discrete telephoto extender mode for the lens, giving you 200mm, 400mm, 800mm, and 1,600mm preset buttons. This mode also gives you access to the stage mode option (used for concerts and similar scenarios), a few sliders for brightness\/saturation\/contrast\/sharpness, and video capture.<\/p>\n

The good news is that 200mm shots (equivalent to ~5.7x on the 35mm X200 Ultra or ~8.3x on any other phone) generally looked fantastic. Images captured via the lens also produced very pleasant bokeh effects compared to the lens-free shots, and this is very noticeable without needing to pixel-peep. Check out the images below, with the lens-free shot featuring blown highlights and a more washed-out look, too.<\/p>\n

\"vivo200mm with lens\"vivo230mm without lens<\/p>\n

I did find that the extra clarity in 200mm images wasn\u2019t always immediately noticeable compared to the lens-free pictures. I had to start pinching in to appreciate the difference here.<\/p>\n

Where the external lens pulls away from the standalone periscope camera is around 400mm (~16x or 17x), which is effectively a lossless resolution crop. Pictures taken at this zoom level still pack a good level of detail. We do see a few more instances of blown highlights, minor cases of color fringing, and the watercolor effect creeping in on occasion. But I found that, more often than not, you could still get a good-quality snap at this level. And there\u2019s often scope for minor cropping too.<\/p>\n

The benefits of the add-on camera lens are far more apparent from the 400mm mark.<\/p>\n

Shooting at 800mm (~33x) becomes a hit-and-miss experience. The company previously claimed that the 800mm focal length was \u201chighly usable.\u201d But I thought that results were 50\/50 and also depended on the subject matter. It\u2019s not uncommon to see blown highlights, edge fringing, and splotchy textures. However, I was pleasantly surprised with many 800mm shots as I often assumed the final image would be unusable.<\/p>\n

As for the 1600mm (~66x) focal length, I\u2019m not really sure why vivo decided to add this as a preset zoom level. I found that 90% of the images taken at this range were blurry and full of fringing, although you do occasionally get a snap that might be okay for an Instagram Story. We also see some weird processing on more complex textures, along with over-sharpening. Check out the mountain in the 800mm and 1,600mm shots below.<\/p>\n

Still, long-range shots taken with the lens were usually more defined and detailed than relying on the periscope camera alone. The example below is pretty notable owing to the more legible letters and the balcony fencing that\u2019s been airbrushed away in the lens-free shot. In saying so, the phone alone can occasionally capture ~600mm to 800mm shots that are comparable to the lens version.<\/p>\n

I also found that taking photos of fast-moving subjects was a tough challenge with this lens. I\u2019m guessing that vivo is leaving the shutter open a little longer than if you were simply taking a photo with the periscope camera alone. Nevertheless, I would\u2019ve loved to see a snapshot or sports mode feature incorporated into the telephoto extender mode, as it would\u2019ve made for a less frustrating experience at the race track. This would obviously be a boon for parents and wildlife enthusiasts too.<\/p>\n

As for low-light shots, I noticed that images taken via the external lens could usually hold their own against lens-free shots at a similar focal length. In fact, the image captured with the lens has notably more detail and legible text than the lens-free versions.<\/p>\n

\"vivo200mm with lens\"vivo230mm without lens\"vivo170mm without lens<\/p>\n

Check out the image comparison below to get a better idea of how each approach fared. The difference is pretty stark, with the lens-aided shot offering far more readable text.<\/p>\n

I did find that focusing and blurriness could be a challenge in low-light situations. That\u2019s likely due to the shutter staying open longer to take the shot. So you\u2019ll sometimes need a steady hand to ensure good results when the sun goes down.<\/p>\n

Speaking of a steady hand, the external lens also supports video capture up to 4K\/60fps, Dolby Vision capture, and 2.8K\/60fps Ultra-stabilized video recording. I thought that standard video capture at 200mm looked just fine, albeit with some shakiness now and again, but the stabilization option does a good job of smoothing things out. Unfortunately, it\u2019s hard to avoid extreme judder and instability at 800mm and 1,600mm, particularly when tracking a moving subject (e.g. a jetliner or racecar). At least the included camera grip has a tripod<\/a> mount.<\/p>\n

The external lens also supports the stage mode introduced on the vivo X100 Ultra<\/a> and X200 Pro<\/a>, but I haven\u2019t had the opportunity to try it out just yet. I found that stage mode on the older phone was hit-or-miss, with images at 20x or higher turning people into wax sculptures. So I look forward to trying this phone and lens in a concert environment.<\/p>\n

Where could the experience be better?<\/p>\n

\"vivo<\/p>\n

Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Installing and removing the lens is easy, but the time spent doing this means I\u2019ve missed out on shooting opportunities. You have to be sure that you\u2019ll only be shooting long-range (200mm or higher) pictures, as switching takes 10 to 20 seconds. In fact, it will take a little longer if you\u2019re like me and always put the caps back on the lens. This is compounded by the fact that the rear cameras quickly accrue dust when the camera ring is attached, necessitating a wipe of the periscope camera glass.<\/p>\n

Nothing is actually stopping you from switching to the main or ultrawide cameras while the lens is attached. It\u2019s just that every shot is partially obscured by the lens, as if you\u2019re driving a tank. Check the images below for an idea of what I mean.<\/p>\n

\"vivo\"vivo<\/p>\n

There are also many ways vivo could improve the actual camera software. For one, the telephoto extender mode doesn\u2019t offer pro controls. You\u2019d think there\u2019d be major crossover between people who are interested in an external lens and people who want pro controls.<\/p>\n

I would\u2019ve also liked to see different color profiles\/styles in the telephoto extender mode. This omission means you can\u2019t choose between realistic and vivid color profiles, nor can you use the new styles like classic negative and CCD. It would\u2019ve also been cool to see high-resolution support at 200mm (e.g. 200MP or 50MP), 4K\/120fps slow-motion capture, and focus peaking. Finally, the external lens delivers great bokeh, but it would\u2019ve been fun to use the ZEISS bokeh effects (e.g. Biotar, Sonnar, Planar) with this lens.<\/p>\n

Is an external lens like this a good idea?<\/p>\n

\"vivo<\/p>\n

Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

I\u2019m glad to finally see a commercial phone with an external lens, coming a few years after we first saw concept phones with this tech. It\u2019s clear that this is a step above using a periscope camera alone, particularly at ~15x to ~30x. However, the best camera phones<\/a> on the market still suffice at 6x to 10x, even though the lens will often deliver better image quality.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the big problem: the vivo X200 Ultra\u2019s external lens is the antithesis of the smartphone photography experience. The lens installation\/removal process means you might miss key moments. Furthermore, your main and ultrawide cameras are out of action with this lens attached, which means you really have to be sure that you\u2019ll only be shooting long-range snaps. The overall bulk also makes for a tight fit in your pockets when disassembled. Some key software features (e.g. pro mode) are missing in action, although there\u2019s a decent foundation so far. And finally, it\u2019s a China-only release, but it is available for ~$200<\/a> via resellers like Giztop\u2026 though you\u2019ll still need to import the vivo X200 Ultra as well. That\u2019s a lot of hoops to jump through!<\/p>\n

I\u2019d advise most people to buy an actual DSLR camera if they want a proper camera experience. But if you\u2019re due for a phone upgrade, value great long-range zoom, and really<\/strong> don\u2019t mind a hefty external lens, this combination can deliver top-notch results. It\u2019s also the only option on the market. Still, as impractical as this is, I\u2019d love to see a Google Pixel phone with an optional external lens of its own. A Google-made lens would probably cost more than $200, but the combo of this and Super Res Zoom would be fantastic on paper.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hadlee Simons \/ Android Authority Several Android phone manufacturers have showcased concept phones with external camera lenses over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":110179,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3159],"tags":[547,2249,3649,53,16,15,9398],"class_list":{"0":"post-110178","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-mobile","9":"tag-photography","10":"tag-smartphones","11":"tag-technology","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-vivo"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114525634948685446","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110178"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110178\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}