Vivo's X500 Pro shoots 4K at up to 240 fps and ships with an official DaVinci Resolve color transform. The X500 series reaches Europe on 27 October.
While phone makers have been happy to talk about pro video for years now, there's a reason why you tend to find iPhones performing such roles rather than anything else. However, Apple is increasingly not having everything its own way, as a new generation of Chinese phones are looking surprisingly capable when it comes to video work.
Vivo's X500 Pro is a case in point. The phone, announced in China at the end of September and the X500 series is due a European launch on October 27.
The headline numbers are 4K at up to 240 fps for slow motion, 4K at 120 fps with autofocus tracking, and 8K at 30 fps. Vivo says the Pro model offers 17 stops of dynamic range from a new 50 MP Sony LYTIA L910 main sensor (1/1.28 inch), records 10-bit 4:2:2 Log, and supports ACES color management.
Vivo also supplies an official DaVinci Resolve color transform, which saves the usual hunt for a community LUT. The Log profile runs through a hardware-assisted pipeline at 4K120.
The lens system covers 15mm, 24mm, and 85mm equivalents, with a 64 MP periscope telephoto at the long end. The main camera carries ZEISS T* coating. For those who want a bit more, the Pro line supports Vivo's Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra, an optional add-on that takes the reach to a 400mm equivalent.
The larger X500 Pro Max goes further, with a 200 MP telephoto and a three-degree gimbal-style stabilization system on the main camera. It only comes in at CNY 500 more (about $75) too, which makes it a bit of a no-brainer.
The physical package is compact: the X500 Pro measures 151.8 x 71.9 x 8.1 mm (5.98 x 2.83 x 0.32 in) and weighs between 192 and 197 g (6.8 to 6.9 oz), with IP68 and IP69 ingress protection. It uses a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED display running at up to 144 Hz and a 6510 mAh battery with 90 W wired and 40 W wireless charging. The processor is MediaTek's Dimensity 9600 Pro.
The screen itself is a 3.92-inch AMOLED touchscreen running at 419 PPI. It's essentially a selfie screen that lets you use the rear camera for selfies or vlogs, and mirrors the phone's camera app as well as providing touchscreen camera controls. It attaches magnetically or works as a remote within Bluetooth range.
Price is CNY 699 (around $105).
As to the X500 Pro, pricing in China starts at CNY 6499 (about $970) for the 12 GB/256 GB model. The X500 Pro Max starts at CNY 6999 (about $1045). The X500 series will launch in Europe on 27 October, with sales starting on 5 November, though the company has not said which models will be offered or at what price. Vivo has never sold its flagship X-series phones through US stores, and it will probably remain a gray import only.