A couple of decade in the past, when even the greatest digicam telephones sometimes solely got here with a single digicam on the rear, I used to hold round a clip-on wide-angle adapter. Whereas it actually degraded the picture high quality considerably, it gave me the added versatility that I craved.
Just a few years later, ultra-wides began showing on an increasing number of telephones – and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than my little clip-on lens adapter felt like a relic of the previous.
In fact, these adapters went within the different route, too. Earlier than smartphone telephoto cameras grew to become the norm, clip-on teleconverters had been extra plentiful. I used to be by no means as satisfied by these; whereas they labored, the picture high quality left loads to be desired – and stabilization was usually a nightmare.
Vivo’s new teleconverter
Skipping ahead to the current day, Vivo has simply launched its newest flagship cellphone in China, the Vivo X200 Extremely. Together with it, there’s an optionally available Images Package, which comes with an ergonomic grip and a 2.35x teleconverter lens, made in collaboration with Zeiss.
I used to be instantly intrigued however, having used comparable teleconverters previously, my expectations had been on the bottom. There have been a few issues that gave a glimmer of hope, although.
The primary is that the teleconverter is designed to work with Vivo’s unbelievable 85mm equal 200MP telephoto digicam. If any sensor can take advantage of exterior optics, it is this one.
The second is that it is made in partnership with Zeiss. Everyone knows that Zeiss makes excellent glass, so absolutely this can be a minimize above your common teleconverter.
After I first took the lens out of the packaging, I used to be instantly impressed. It is obtained some actual heft to it, it is made fully from steel and glass, and it seems to be as if it belongs on high of a rifle reasonably than hooked up to a smartphone.
The way it works
The lens comes full of an adapter plate that connects to a bayonet mount on the Images Package cellphone case. Considerably amusingly, it provides its personal (a lot smaller) bayonet mount for the lens itself. It is slightly fiddly to connect, nevertheless it undoubtedly beats a screw-on design.
It additionally comes with a lens collar and an Arca-Swiss appropriate baseplate. The lens most likely weighs as a lot because the cellphone itself, so this makes some sense, nevertheless it does really feel uncommon to have your tripod mount so off-center.
It is actually a cumbersome equipment, and it seems to be slightly loopy when it is all hooked up, however with the deep ergonomic grip hooked up, there’s at the least some semblance of steadiness. Utilizing the telephoto adapter with out the grip feels extraordinarily unusual.
When it is hooked up, the picture is upside-down within the regular digicam mode, which makes it virtually unimaginable to border your shot, and it additionally seems to be fairly shaky. Nonetheless, that is as a result of you want to change to the Telephoto Extender mode – which flips the picture and boosts the stabilization.
I used to be shocked at how effectively this mode works. With the teleconverter hooked up, the 85mm telephoto successfully turns into a 200mm lens. It isn’t straightforward to maintain that type of focal size regular, particularly as a part of a light-weight setup, however the software program does some unbelievable compensation to clean issues out.
The digicam app would not offer you fairly as many choices within the Telephoto Extender mode, as an illustration, there isn’t any high-res capturing or snapshot mode, and there isn’t any handbook management choice, both. I would like to see some extra choices added, and I believe we’ll because the software program matures.
Because it stands, the fundamentals are lined effectively, you possibly can regulate the sharpness, distinction, saturation and brightness in picture mode, and you may seize video at as much as 4K 60p.
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The way it performs
So, the massive query is, is that this adapter really price utilizing? For me, the reply is a convincing sure. Taking pictures on the native 200 mm focal size, I used to be floored by the sharpness and compression. I’ve by no means seen such readability and depth from a smartphone shot, particularly at such a protracted focal size.
The autofocus is slightly slower with it hooked up, and it undoubtedly hunts slightly extra, nevertheless it’s price persisting as a result of the outcomes will be gorgeous.
The app provides you buttons to digitally crop to a 400, 800 or 1600mm-equivalent focal size when your topic is additional away. Clearly the additional you push it, the more severe the outcomes shall be – however they’re much better than zooming that far with the native lens.
I used to be impressed with the standard at 400 and 800mm, however the AI picture processing turns into slightly overbearing at 1600mm. In any case, the impact will be dialed again by decreasing the sharpness slider within the app.
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I used to be very curious to see how the lens would carry out at night time. The app clearly does some critical digital stabilization, and I questioned if it might sustain when the sunshine will get low. It seems, the outcomes are arguably even higher.
The rationale I say that’s as a result of zooming to 200mm at night time with out the adapter produces very underwhelming outcomes. It is a fairly heavy digital crop, and that creates numerous noise. Vivo’s picture processing does a tremendous job of eradicating it, however particulars are misplaced within the course of.
Evaluating 200mm photographs with and with out the adapter, the distinction is night time and day. There’s a lot extra element and, after all, that very same great compression so as to add depth to the photographs.
Video outcomes are glorious, too. I used to be actually shocked by how effectively the stabilization works and, if it is not sufficient, you possibly can even activate Extremely Steady mode at the price of a small crop.
The Achilles heel is, once more, the autofocus. It hunts rather a lot, and hopefully that is one thing that may be improved with newer firmware.
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Remaining ideas
I actually anticipated the Vivo X200 Extremely’s teleconverter to be one thing that ended up sitting on my shelf gathering mud, however that is not the case in any respect. Actually, virtually each time I depart it at residence, I remorse not taking it.
The X200 Extremely already has probably the most versatile smartphone digicam programs, and the teleconverter makes it much more so. Positive it is slightly annoying to hold, however even in comparison with compact cameras it is comparatively handy.
When dismantled, I can match all the pieces in my pockets – and the entire setup weighs lower than most of my full-frame digicam lenses. Since I am already going to be carrying a cellphone anyway, bringing the adapter alongside is way simpler than carrying a separate digicam.
The Vivo X200 Extremely and its Images Package are solely obtainable to buy in China, which is a little bit of disgrace – however I believe there is a good likelihood we’ll see extra options like this sooner or later.
At this 12 months’s MWC occasion, each Xiaomi and Realme confirmed idea telephones with removable lenses – and after seeing the recognition of Vivo’s efforts, I am positive others will comply with swimsuit. After attempting it for myself, I am very excited to see extra exterior optics within the smartphone market.
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