The vivo X70 smartphone is equipped with a 40MP + 12MP + 12MP triple rear camera system with ZEISS T* certified lens coating, Gimbal Stabilization 3.0, ZEISS style portraits, and VIS 5-Axis stabilization for videos.
Yes, the list of photography features can be overwhelming but all of these contribute to the content creation prowess of the device. Here are several sample pictures and some videos I took using the vivo X70 as part of my review.
vivo X70 sample picture (person, main rear camera).
Let’s start with a simple picture of a person which is the most common subject of smartphones. It was a gloomy day but the vivo X70 managed to slightly lighten my complexion and keep the greenery look alive.
It captured a lot of details in my jacket including the fabric and the increasing number of gray strands on my head. It also rendered the color of my dark blue shirt correctly.
vivo X70 sample picture (dog, main rear camera).
Next, we have a very cute dog as the subject and the vivo X70 captures an impressive amount of detail once again. Dogs can be challenging to photograph due to their movement but it’s not an issue for the device.
The device accomplished this thanks to its Gimbal Stabilization 3.0 which keeps the image stable even if the subject or the photographer’s hands are not.
vivo X70 sample picture (person, Portrait mode).
One of the most interesting features of the vivo X70 is its Portrait mode with ZEISS bokeh effects. It keeps the subject in focus while blurring the background and turning lights into bokeh.
There are several bokeh styles but I love Distagon and Biotar used in the sample picture above. These are effects that originated in DSLR cameras that use ZEISS lenses.
vivo X70 sample picture (person, Portrait mode with Distagon ZEISS bokeh).
The vivo X70’s Portrait mode works really well when there are lights in the background. This is perfect during the Christmas season with all the lights and lanterns.
There is some fringing on the edges especially with unkempt hair but the amount of bokeh can be edited after taking the shot. The focus point can also be changed so there is a lot of freedom to make the shot look better if the phone’s AI doesn’t hit the sweet spot on its own.
For the above portrait shot, I used the Distagon ZEISS bokeh effect resulting in a dreamy background even though it was just shot in a local SM mall.
vivo X70 sample picture (swimming pool/resort).
vivo X70 sample picture (swimming pool/resort, ultrawide).
Speaking of malls, the vivo X70 can also take good-looking pictures of buildings with landscapes such as this resort hotel.
Both the main camera and ultrawide camera capture plenty of details although the main camera has a slight edge in color vibrancy. It also has a slightly better dynamic range keeping shadows a bit brighter than the ultra-wide shot.
vivo X70 sample picture (flower).
The vivo X70 shoots flowers and other colorful subjects with natural-looking colors. This is one weakness of other smartphones that oversaturates colors.
It also has a macro mode that automatically turns on once the smartphone comes too close to a subject. It uses the ultrawide camera and offers better details at the expense of color vibrancy. The good news is it can be manually turned off to keep that nice color balance and natural depth of field.
This is a sample video from the vivo X70’s main camera with the stabilization feature turned off. The video quality colors, sharpness, and brightness of the video are impressive but the shaking due to being shot handheld is an issue.
Thankfully, the phone has VIS 5-axis video stabilization feature that is turned on by default. It results in smoother videos even when shot handheld while walking.
This is a sample video with standard stabilization which is the default setting of the vivo X70’s camera. It looks smoother and the quality remains impressive.
Ultra stabilization results in the smoothest-looking video from the vivo X70 but it can only shoot 1080p videos in this mode. It still looks good but it’s not as sharp as 4K videos.
vivo X70 sample picture (low light).
Another area where the vivo X70 produces good-looking pictures is in low-light photography. The sample picture above was shot without using the dedicated night mode and it already looks good.
vivo X70 sample picture (water fountain, low light).
Colorful light shows can be captured accurately by the vivo X70’s dedicated night mode. Several streetlights were turned off when I shot the picture of the water fountain above but the result is still on par with previous smartphones that I’ve reviewed.
vivo X70 sample picture (police car under a street light, low light).
The ZEISS T* lens coating helps a lot in nighttime photography that involves streetlights. In other smartphones, it usually results in ghosting, lens reflections, and stray lights that may ruin a shot.
In the sample picture above, the decorative cases of the street lights are still discernible as well as the overhead light housing of the police car.
vivo X70 sample picture (low light portrait).
The vivo X70 also produces good low light portraits such as the sample picture above. There’s a noticeable drop in sharpness compared to well-lt portraits but it won’t matter much when posted on social media.
vivo X70 sample picture (astrophotography mode).
Moon and stars can be captured by the vivo X70 using its astrophotography mode. It’s not the best time of the year to photograph the milky way but I will post more night sky pictures on Facebook once the weather clears up.
vivo X70 sample selfie.
The vivo X70 sticks with the same 32 Megapixel selfie camera as its predecessor. It’s a perfectly capable camera for taking selfies and selfie videos.
Lastly, the phone also has several camera tricks to expand your content possibilities including a slow-motion video that still looks clear and crisp. This can be used to highlight food or drinks, create stories while walking along the beach, or share an action-packed clip.
Indeed, the vivo X70 has cameras that leverage its ZEISS partnership to provide a satisfying mobile photography experience.
