Vivo announces X500 series, launching next month with Zeiss cameras

Vivo X500 series is set to launch in China next month, with the Pro models expected to bring major camera upgrades. Here is what we know so far.

In Short

• Vivo X500 series is launching in China in September
• Pro models will get a new 50MP Sony camera sensor
• Vivo claims up to 17EV dynamic range

Vivo is gearing up to launch its next-generation X500 series in China. The company officially confirmed that the new smartphone lineup will be launched in September. Notably, that is a month when Apple has already set to launch its iPhone 18 Pro series. Vivo’s new X500 series will have three models: the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max. So, this also confirmed that the Chinese brand is skipping X400 branding and jumping directly from X300 to X500 due to tetraphobia. Those who don’t know about tetraphobia – it is a common practice in parts of East Asia, including China, where the number four is commonly avoided because its pronunciation sounds very similar to the word for death.

Vivo is placing the upcoming generation as a major camera upgrade with significant focus on cinema-grade video capabilities. In fact, Vivo Product Manager Han Boxiao has confirmed that the upcoming Vivo X500 series will introduce substantial camera upgrades, with a strong focus on advancing mobile video capabilities.

Apart from the camera and photography, the Chinese company is also expected to bring notable upgrades to the other three areas, including display, software and performance. However, ahead of the X500 series debut, we already have a fair idea about its camera, giving us a glimpse of what to expect.

Vivo X500 series camera

The Vivo X500 Pro models are set to get a new Zeiss Super Dynamic main camera, developed jointly by Vivo’s BluePrint imaging team and Sony. At the heart of the camera is the new BluePrint Guangyu 900 sensor, a 50-megapixel 1/1.28-inch sensor designed to capture a wider range of highlights and shadows.

Vivo says the sensor can deliver up to 17EV of dynamic range, which it describes as the highest in the industry. This should be particularly useful in difficult lighting conditions, such as when the subject is standing against a bright background. The same technology will also be used for video, with Vivo claiming that each frame can retain more detail in both bright and dark areas.

The X500 Pro series will also support 4K 240fps slow-motion recording and 4K 120fps HDR video with direct HDR output.

For stabilisation, the main camera gets 3-degree OIS, which Vivo says offers gimbal-level stabilisation. The phones will also support CIPA 7.0 professional stabilisation, aimed at keeping photos and videos steady without the need for a separate gimbal. Vivo is specifically highlighting the 3-degree OIS system on the X500 Pro Max.

Adding more details to the X500 series, tipster Digital Chat Station revealed that the upcoming lineup carries the internal codename “Thanos 500” and will inherit the 200-megapixel telephoto camera from Vivo X300 Ultra.

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