I have complex feelings towards this phone that has been hyped up half a year in advance: escalating anticipation, slightly helpless anxiety, and gradually settling down. When it was officially released, there was less than a month left before the traditional mid-year sales event for e-commerce, where it would face the challenge of promotional price cuts for other flagship phones that had already been launched. This also made me more curious, can this phone live up to the 'Thanos' title bestowed upon it by the outside world? In the face of a 'surrounded by rivals' environment, what is its 'winning formula'?

After half a month of experience, I would evaluate as follows:

The vivo X100 Ultra is a phone with significant strengths, but there are still areas that need improvement. This phone is suitable for photography enthusiasts who already have a set of professional equipment and are starting to pursue a lightweight and unobtrusive shooting experience. For ordinary users, it is also a powerful tool that can help them easily capture cinematic images.

Advertisement

Daily use brings surprises

Although everyone will focus on the imaging system of this phone, I still want to spend some time talking about its 'phone' attributes. Even if we set aside the imaging for a moment, the vivo X100 Ultra has significantly improved in terms of usability and convenience as a phone.

Improved communication signal: When I used my previous phone, the sound would stutter and even disconnect as soon as I entered an elevator. If I was connected to the company's Wi-Fi, the signal would start to weaken just by being behind a door. The vivo X100 Ultra, equipped with a newly upgraded 25-antenna global signal amplification system, has increased low-frequency signal strength by 91%; it also uses the Snapdragon X75 5G modem and RF system and FastConnect 7800 mobile connectivity system, bringing excellent 5G network and Wi-Fi connection capabilities. With the upgrade of the signal system, the call signal of the vivo X100 Ultra is noticeably better than the previous phone, with no disconnections and unchanged call quality, and the Wi-Fi connection stability is much higher than before.

Design without compromising feel: As a phone positioned as an 'imaging flagship,' balancing feel and performance has always been a challenge. To achieve better image quality, more complex lens structures and larger lens modules are required, and the vivo X100 Ultra is no exception. However, the moment you pick up the phone, your index finger does not feel uncomfortable due to the 'straight up and down' edges of the lens module like other phones, but rather naturally supports the moderately sloped edge of the lens module. The brushed metal ring not only increases friction but also enhances the overall texture.

Of course, the vivo X100 Ultra is not without flaws; at least its weight is heavier compared to other lightweight phones—a tangible difference that can be felt. If users want to increase a sense of security and comfort during use, they might need to purchase a phone strap or hold it with both hands.

Imaging: Catching up on weaknesses, strengthening strengths

(Note: The original text ends abruptly, and the translation provided is incomplete due to the cutoff. The full context and conclusion of the review would be needed to provide a complete translation.)Finally, we come to the imaging section. In pursuit of better image quality, the vivo X100 Ultra had to forgo certain metrics such as touch feel and body thickness. Whether the compromises they made are worth it, and whether the X100 Ultra, with one less lens compared to other brands, can triumph with less, remains to be seen.

Here are the lens specifications for the vivo X100 Ultra:

Lens

Sensor Model

Equivalent Focal Length

Sensor Size / Inches

Aperture

Key Features

Ultra-wide Angle

Sony LYT-60014mm

1/2"

f/2.2

50-megapixel, zero distortion 116° ultra-wide-angle, main camera-level ultra-wide

Main lens (wide-angle)

Sony LYT-900

23mm

1"

f/1.75

50-megapixel, precision leap, CIPA 4.5Telephoto

Samsung HP9

85mm

1/1.4"

f/2.67

200 million pixels, telephoto macro, CIPA 4.5

The trend towards valuing telephoto capabilities has been evident for at least 2 to 3 years. Compared to the exaggerated visual tension and distortion of wide-angle lenses, telephoto lenses are easier to produce good images. From the table above, it can be concluded that the main lens and the telephoto lens will be the key to the entire system of the vivo X100 Ultra. Unlike other 'Ultra' level cameras that retain a mid-range lens of around 50mm, the 28mm, 35mm, and 45/50mm focal lengths of the vivo X100 Ultra are all cropped, and vivo confidently places the 230mm, 300mm, and 600mm focal lengths in the quick keys, indicating their confidence in the image quality of the telephoto.

I have always been a long-time user of vivo, and the X70 Pro I have has been in service for nearly three years. The previous phone was the OnePlus 5 I bought in 2017, which served for four years. Because I had not experienced better, when I got the X70 Pro in 2021, I was impressed by its active HDR invocation, true-to-its-name night mode, and exceptionally stable micro-cloud platform structure after a few plays.

After using it for these three years, it has become a good companion for my casual recording, with a usable wide-angle and two times mid-range lenses, which have taken on most of the daily recording tasks. However, the shortcomings have also been exposed during use: the ultra-wide-angle focus is weak, and the telephoto color reproduction and sharpness in low light are average, with a serious computational trace. Although the lines look very clear and distinct, there is not much information in the actual image.

Later, I also briefly used the X90 Pro+, where the telephoto was replaced with the then unrivaled OmniVision OV64B, with a sensor size of 1/2", and the telephoto image quality has greatly improved, and the blue tone style color is also eye-catching enough. However, the long image quality optimization time after shooting also has a certain impact on the experience. I usually prefer to use mid to long telephoto lenses to take portraits or humanistic subject photos, so I have higher expectations for this upgrade of the imaging system:Ultra-wide angle: Distortion should not be too extreme, and focusing should be reliable;

Wide angle: The equivalent 35mm and 50mm lenses cropped from the wide angle should not have poor image quality, with color reproduction and sharpness guaranteed;

Telephoto: Solid image quality within the commonly used portrait focal lengths (below 200mm);

For practical testing, I took photos of different subjects in various scenarios to as faithfully as possible reflect the effects of the latest imaging system.

Responsive and instant capture

The vivo X100 Ultra is the first to feature the Blueprint Imaging System, with the third-generation Snapdragon 8 mobile platform based on 4nm process technology supporting Snapdragon Sight Snapdragon Imaging Technology, significantly enhancing operational sensitivity and response speed, and noticeably reducing the computational optimization time after shooting. The device's timely response has a huge impact on photography; the shorter the time from pressing the shutter to the sensor receiving light signals to produce an image, the more the photographer's timing will align with the 'what you see is what you get' intuition. Coupled with the burst mode on the phone, it can basically achieve instant capture.

However, the downside is that in burst mode, if a single shot is taken, HDR effects will still be actively invoked during post-processing; but if multiple shots are taken in succession, the dynamic range of subsequent images will also decrease, and overexposure is easy to encounter in high-light scenarios. It is hoped that with the continuous improvement of the Snapdragon chip's computing power, the phone will also be improved in subsequent iterations.

Portrait 'Blue Tone' stands out, 'Texture' style is rich

Upon opening the camera, I first tried the 'Texture' color style. Compared to the realistic 'Zeiss Natural' and the bright default style, 'Texture' has slightly richer but more restrained color saturation, with good expressiveness for the light and dark relationships of objects, and it does not feel out of place when used for portraits. I tried using it to shoot several scenes, and I prefer to use it for low color temperature warm-toned photos, which have an excellent ability to represent red and orange hues."Blues" can only be invoked in portrait mode. If the color temperature of the scene is around 5500k, the resulting image will appear cool. However, for human faces, it can render a rosy and fair complexion, not the kind of overly saturated red or bloodless white, which is very pleasing to the eye. Additionally, the portrait mode of the vivo X100 Ultra handles the edges of hair more precisely. To achieve a more natural look, I usually set the aperture to f/8, turn off beautification or select "Natural," which also results in a softer transition in the depth-of-field blur.

A small suggestion: It would be great if the "Blues" could be invoked in normal mode as well, as it is a very attractive color tone. Sometimes I don't need such a strong blurring effect, but I want this particular color palette. Of course, currently, I can also set the aperture to the maximum in portrait mode, but this operation is more cumbersome.

85mm Telephoto Image Quality Further Enhanced

The vivo X100 Ultra is equipped with a brand new HP9 sensor and features a telephoto lens with FCD100 ultra-low dispersion fluorite-grade glass lenses, further enhancing the image presentation. The details are solid, and the color reproduction is vibrant and rich. Thanks to the large 1/1.4" sensor size of the telephoto lens, a natural blur effect can be achieved at a distance of about 1 meter from the subject, easily separating the subject from the background. At the same time, constructing a sense of depth in the image through the foreground and background is also more effortless.

I took it to capture the Victoria Harbour at dusk. At this moment, the sun had just set, with a myriad of atmospheric phenomena and vibrant colors. Warm and cool tones; pink, orange-red, yellow, blue, cyan... The sky was painted like a huge palette, and the 85mm telephoto could effortlessly present the vivid transition from the colorful sky to the dark red sail of an old sailboat on the water.

Moreover, due to the floating periscope design of this lens, which includes a macro function, the minimum focusing distance has been significantly reduced. It is more actively used in daily scenarios compared to the previous generation, greatly expanding the range of use. When passing by interesting shops or shooting food, I prefer to use the telephoto for a more microscopic perspective to showcase the beauty of small objects or ingredients. During shooting, I no longer have to keep moving closer to accommodate the focusing distance, nor do I have to keep moving back to avoid being too close to trigger the telephoto lens, providing greater flexibility.Additionally, thanks to the super-resolution algorithm, even when zooming in to 300mm, the image is still very usable. Both the clarity and color reproduction of the image are quite excellent. However, it should be mentioned that when zoomed to 600mm, magnifying the image may reveal jagged edges on the contours of objects, and it is hoped that future firmware updates can further optimize this issue.

Gimbal-level stabilization, capturing night scenes with a lightweight setup

I have always enjoyed taking photos at night, observing and documenting the buildings and people under the night sky. While taking good photos during the day requires favorable weather, at night, once it gets dark, it doesn't matter whether it's clear or cloudy. However, good night scene effects are not just about simply brightening the image; they also require accurate color reproduction and proper light-dark relationships to maintain a sense of depth in the image, allowing viewers to see clearly while also preserving the atmosphere of the night.

Humanities Street Photography Camera: An Attempt at Ritualistic Experience

By swiping on the camera interface, one can enter the humanities street photography mode. From the final displayed effect, it actually changes the logic of photography. The 'point-and-shoot' default mode is simple to operate, but it often does not provide enough room for the photographer to maneuver; photographers can, of course, also use the 'PRO' mode to gain maximum control, but adjusting parameters requires a two-step process of 'click' - 'adjust', which significantly reduces efficiency.The Human Street Photography camera mode, as a new control method, integrates commonly used parameters and redesigns the interface, similar to the arrangement of the screen and parameter buttons on the back of a camera. On the left is the parameter adjustment, and on the right is the 'dial'. If the photographer holds the phone horizontally, they can easily select the parameters that need to be adjusted with the left hand, while the right hand simultaneously makes adjustments, effectively improving efficiency.

Additionally, the interface design includes some thoughtful touches, such as the ability to save two presets and the option to add a signature on the shutter button, adding a sense of ceremony to the photography process.

AI Erase: A Simple and Easy Regret Medicine for Photography

Thanks to the more powerful AI capabilities of the third-generation Snapdragon 8 mobile platform, which supports the operation of models with 10 billion parameters on the terminal side, the AI computing power output is robust, and the AI experiences of the vivo X100 Ultra are also very intelligent and fast. When taking photos, it's rare to encounter a perfect scene, and it's inevitable that there will be some obstacles or passers-by that 'intrude' into the frame. At this time, we can use AI Erase to remove unwanted parts of the image.

The vivo X100 Ultra currently offers two methods for erasing: manual brushing and erasing, and circle recognition and automatic erasing. From my personal experience, after roughly circling the area I want to erase, the phone can accurately recognize the parts I want to remove. If the area is not large, it can be cleaned up in one go, and it will also recognize the texture of the nearby area for filling. Users can also upload images in 'Blue Heart Little V' for removal.

Performance and Battery Life

The vivo X100 Ultra features a 5500mAh Blue Ocean endurance system, with the second-generation semi-solid silicon Blue Ocean battery achieving a balance between capacity and thinness, and also supports use in ultra-low temperature extreme scenarios. There is no problem with continuous use for six to seven hours in daily life and office scenarios. In addition, the gaming experience and daily use of the vivo X100 Ultra are also very smooth, and it can handle heavy productivity scenarios with ease.

Sometimes when I go out to take photos without a laptop, I can directly edit videos on my phone. Thanks to the powerful performance of the phone, even adding some simple animation effects and rendering poses no problem, and it does not pose a significant threat to the battery life.

Under normal use, I set the screen to 2K resolution and engage in high-intensity shooting from 1 pm to 9 pm. The battery level only drops from 100% to 70%, during which I took 200 photos and frequently used the camera, but the overall temperature remains controllable, and with the phone case, it is slightly warm. If it's just for daily work and occasionally taking photos on the go, there is even less need to worry about the battery life.

A Few Minor FlawsWhite balance and color temperature accuracy need improvement.

Let's briefly discuss areas where the vivo X100 Ultra could be enhanced. First, the white balance tends to 'drift'. When I take several photos in a row, or use different focal length lenses to shoot the same scene, there is a slight inconsistency in the white balance and color temperature. It is recommended that future firmware and models could strengthen the uniformity of white balance across different lenses.

Street photography camera mode needs optimization.

Although the street photography camera has made beneficial attempts to maintain a balance between operational freedom and efficiency, I still believe there is room for improvement in subsequent iterations. Like a regular camera, it still provides a 'DISP' button to select different display formats. After clicking, it switches to a histogram. However, it is somewhat puzzling that the histogram occupies too much of the entire screen area, or it could be overlaid on the regular shooting page with a certain level of transparency.

This time, the street photography camera also introduced 'hyperfocal distance'. This is an interesting feature in itself. In the era of film cameras where autofocus was still immature, photographers could bypass the cumbersome focusing process by adjusting the aperture and observing the depth of field scale. As long as the subject enters the set focal distance, or roughly estimates the distance of the subject from the focal plane, and adjusts the appropriate aperture to keep the subject within the focus range, a sharp image can be obtained. This focusing method was widely used in street photography and other scenarios where there was not much time for focusing.

However, I am a bit puzzled about whether it is necessary to set a hyperfocal distance function for mobile phone lenses with small sensors and a wide physical depth of field range, which mainly relies on computation to produce post-processing bokeh. Or could the focus range be more intuitively displayed through focus prompts?

In summary, the pre-heating period of the vivo X100 Ultra cannot be said to be short. A lot of effort has been poured into it by engineers and product designers, who have idealistically added many new technologies to this phone, bringing many new experiences to consumers. However, new technologies are often immature, but who among those willing to pay for a 'photography flagship' does not have a bit of 'crazy' pursuit of perfection in their hearts? The recent frequent OTA updates are also gradually making the operation experience of this phone better.The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 brings a comprehensive enhancement to vivo's imaging system. With the support of AI algorithms, it carves out a unique ecological niche in the race of imaging flagships, allowing users to capture 'good-looking' photos without complex processes. Some friends might say that such bright and sunny photos have a 'flavor enhancer' taste, but it cannot be denied that such photos are eye-catching. Moreover, the vivo X100 Ultra also attempts to break away from a singular color style. It does not replicate the most loyal Germanic hues, nor does it have the best encoding format, but it lowers the barrier to photography, enabling users to easily capture low-noise photos in low-light environments or record 4K 120 frames per second videos. It makes the visual effects that used to require certain knowledge or equipment readily accessible, making people think, 'Oh, I can take such good-looking photos too,' inspiring a general interest in photography and adding happiness and satisfaction to life, which is also a great virtue.

The essence of a smartphone is portability, but the enhancement of imaging inevitably involves the integration and addition of physical materials. The balance and fusion of the two seem impossible, but vivo has been 'romantically' defying the laws of physics in recent years, delivering impressive results. Whether it's 'Captain America' or 'Thanos,' they are not without flaws, but this does not affect them being outstanding smartphones with imaging as their strong suit. This is the X100 Ultra, and it is foreseeable that the X200, X300, and so on, will have increasingly advanced technology, and the technology will keep getting better. Consumers only need to consider whether the imaging advantages they gain are worth sacrificing other aspects (such as thinness, feel) to achieve.

In conclusion, here's to vivo, may you 'climb to the top of the pole at 100 feet and make further progress.'