At a time when the focus is on AI on many flagship smartphones, the new Vivo V50 has bumped up a key feature that many mid-tier models have had to sacrifice on in the past – the camera.
The new Vivo phone takes great photos and videos, even though it only comes a main camera (with a 23mm full-frame equivalent lens) and an ultrawide (15mm) camera. Both feature a 50-megapixel sensor.
The same sensor resolution is also in the selfie camera, which can capture reasonably clear photos with beautiful skin tones, according to tests I managed to carry out with the phone.
The test images captured during a walk in the Gardens by the Bay, for example, are slightly more saturated and slightly over-sharpened but they are still much better than those seen on most mid-tier smartphones.
Thankfully, Vivo has tried not to over-process photos on the phone. This has made them visually pleasing by keeping good details in the highlights and shadow areas, without adding too much contrast.
Night shots of Singapore’s city skylines are exposed correctly while making sure you can still read the words on road signs. The contrast is applied correctly, too, with good colour graduation from the light to dark areas.
The Vivo V50 does not have a long exposure mode to capture silky waterfall shots, but it has Astro for astrophotography, Pro mode for full manual control and supermoon. Not bad.
Using the Pro mode, the indoor waterfall of the Cloud Forest at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay was captured with the silky effect with a bit of effort. Macro shots of Flower Dome’s flowers were well exposed, even though the lights were tuned down.
Vivo has designed the V50 with a portrait-centric camera, evident in the myriad of bokeh effects, such as the Zeiss Distagon and Zeiss Cinematic. Skin tones are more natural now, as long as you don’t go crazy with beautification filters.
Other consumer-friendly camera features include the Film Camera mode, which simulates the visual effects of a Polaroid print, and the Micro Movie mode, which helps you put together a short reel for social media sharing using templates.
One issue is that the Micro Movie mode will not save individual video clips. It is best to capture your video clips first and then add them to the Micro Movie mode, like a video editing app afterwards.
While the image quality is good, Vivo also has to keep the V50 affordable. This means trade-offs, like the lack of a better zoom and reliance on a 2x digital crop. Notably, the phone also comes with a “supermoon” mode that captures the moon, but it does not impress because the sensor resolution is insufficient to render images well.
On the plus side, Vivo has increased the size of the flash at the back of the smartphone, which can be helpful if you need to light something quickly. However, using a better light source, such as an LED light panel, will better illuminate a subject.
Another point to note is the time needed to process videos. During my tests, the phone even seemed stuck at some points, no thanks to the modest Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor. It may be enough for most other uses, but fast video processing is not its forte.
Besides photography, how well does the Vivo V50 work in other areas? The 12GB RAM onboard helps with smooth switching between apps and general usage, which is important for the everyday experience. You wish there was more storage space, as the 256GB on the phone is quite limited if you are into photography or vlogging.
An important feature you’d find in the Vivo V50 is IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance. This is your insurance against accidental drops into the wash basin in the morning, while basking in the sun at the beach on a weekend.
I’m also impressed by the screen. The 6.78-inch 1,260 x 2,800 pixels AMOLED screen, with a maximum brightness of 4500 nits, is comfortable to read off outdoors, even in sunny Singapore. The 6,000mAh battery capacity is enough for a day of use with the efficient Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor.
In terms of looks, the Vivo V50 stands out as well. The rose red finish with a matte glass back should appeal to both men and women who want a splash of colour on their phone. And the 7mm thin phone slips easily into your pocket or bag.
Priced at S$699, the Vivo V50 is an affordable phone that will attract many users seeking an alternative to flagship phones costing more than S$1,000. There are trade-offs, of course.
The new mid-tier phone takes fairly good portraits and the occasional quick snaps, so it’s great for most casual users. However, if you demand more from a smartphone camera, like a better zoom, be ready to fork out extra cash for premium models like the Oppo Find X8 Pro or the Honor Magic 6 Pro.
