The Vivo X300 FE is a premium smartphone designed with Zeiss lenses and comprehensive shooting modes for photography enthusiasts. Positioned under the flagshipVivo X300 UltraandVivo X300 Prolines, the FE line, much like Samsung’s, is the flagship alternative that offers much of what the more expensive devices do at a more affordable price; still not exactly a budget option at around €899 (£770 / $1000)

　　Vivo X300 FE at a glance: 50MP ZEISS Main camera, f/1.57, AF, OIS, 1x 50MP ZEISS Periscope telephoto camera, f/2.65, AF, OIS, 3x 8MP Ultrawide camera f/2.2, fixed focus, 0.6x 50MP Selfie camera f/2.0, AF 8K 30p, 4K 120p/60p/30p video 6.31-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen, 5000nits 6500mAh battery, 90W fast charging, 40W wireless 5 years of OS support and 7 Years of security updates until 2031/2033 Despite being the fifth-largest smartphone seller worldwide and having an established market presence across Asia, it is still one of the most underrated brands in the West. A camera-driven design philosophy, coupled with useful hardware like a large battery, should resonate well with most audiences, but the catch, as you will see, is availability.

　　How I tested the Vivo X300 FE I review smartphones from the perspective of choosing one for its photographic / camera performance. For this review, I looked at what the Vivo X300 FE offers, including its specific features for photography and video. I pay particular close attention to the listed camera specs, but also consider other aspects, such as the screen and battery life. Primarily, I look at how each lens performs, as well as the product as a whole. I also take into consideration things such as photo editing capabilities, and any other features which may appeal from a photographic point of view.

　　Vivo X300 FE Features Modest hardware improvements seem to be a trend among mid-range camera phones. Most devices in this category have been hitting the market for some years with incremental improvements to camera hardware while updating to newer chipsets, displays, and longer software support.

　　Against this background, its not surprising that the X300 FE is not a revolutionary new device, but it boosts the overall handling and value to a triple camera set-up that was already well performing in the Vivo X200FE – one of the highlights of my review lineup last year.

　　What I expect to see in the image samples is better overall image processing, enabled by the new on-board AI features that help with RAW data reading, optical modelling, and post-processing such as sharpening or optimising greenery, architecture, and text inside heavily zoomed-in shots.

　　As for actual camera hardware improvements, the maximum aperture of the50MP main camerawas increased from f/1.88 tof/1.57, bringing substantial improvements in low-light and night capture. Backed by the same premium Sony 1/1.56-inch IMX 921 sensor as before, this camera features optical image stabilisation (OIS) and autofocus, and serves as the base for your 1x and 2x zoom options.

　　Thesecond, 50MP Persicope telephoto cameraremains backed by a 1/1.95-inch Sony IMX882 sensor with f/2.65 aperture. It features autofocus, optical image stabilisation and up to 100x digital zoom. In any case, I wouldnt push it past the 10-20x mark, as with most phones. Both cameras use pixel binning and produce approximately 12.5 MP images.The third, ultrawide camera is an 8MP fixed-focus shooter, while for selfies we get another 50MP sensor and autofocus, still not as common at this price point as I would like to see.

　　Video capture is ramped up to 8K30p with a 4K120p option now also available for fluid video capture, thats one of those specs trickled down from the flagship devices that make the X300 FE a worthwhile upgrade.

　　An ultra stabilisation mode is available at 1080p and 30fps, while a teleprompter option is also built in so budding TikTok-ers and YouTubers can record and read their script on the same screen (limited to 4K30p). Another flagship-level feature is focus tracking, which can be toggled on in 1080p mode and can track focus for people and pets.

　　Usually we dont get very long support outside of the iPhone-Samsung-Google triad, but Vivo promises 5 years of OS support and 7 Years of security updates; that will cover you until 2031/2033, and by then you will likely want to get an upgrade anyway.

　　Vivo X300 FE Build and Handling The previous X200 FE featured a vertical camera isle on the left side, which made it wobble on a tabletop; the X300 FE’s three cameras and the flashlight are now arranged in a neat strip at the top, similar to the Google Pixel design, so you can place it down and it stays steady, its also less likely that you accidentally cover the camera with your finger. The camera isle is encased in the same matte silver metallic material as the frame, and accented with a thin shiny edge.

　　Partnering with Zeiss delivers a camera system with specialised T* anti-reflective lens coating that is said to eliminate night-time glare and lens flare.

　　It also kept the smaller form factor with a 6.31-inch flat screen; it is an HDR10+ display that benefits from Zeiss Master Colour rendering. Combined with a 5000 nits peak brightness, it was easy to see under the strong summer sun, and delivered pleasing, true to life colours on the 1.5K resolution AMOLED screen.

　　The fastest charging speed is usually achieved with a native charger, which is usually sold separately, so it is nice to see that Vivo continues to supply a USB cable, charger, and a silicone phone case by default. And even if you are not a huge fan of the white silicone case, its nice to have until you choose something that suits you.

　　Vivo X300 FE Native Camera App The native camera app in true Vivo fashion is very comprehensive and well organised. You get the usual shooting modes, but others like Night and Landscape are bundled together, while Super Macro can be easily toggled from the top of the screen with the tiny flower in Photo mode instead of being buried in the menu.

　　Pro mode offers RAW capture, and the ususal manual controls over your exposure settings. Theres a Zeiss perspective correction, great for wide-angle and architectural shots, as well as exposure bracketing, and shutter speeds down to 32 seconds for long exposures. To leverage the sensors maximum resolution, use theHigh-res mode,which lets you shoot at 1x or 3x (i.e., 23 or 73 mm), producing images at 6144 x 9072 resolution.

　　Stage mode is not a new addition, but it is ideal for photographing concerts and events in low light. Video and dual view video are also supported in this mode.

　　Flash portraits are supported by an adaptive flash that recognises the focal length used and adjusts the spread of light accordingly. You can select between various bokeh shape options in portrait mode; these effects are based on famous Zeiss lenses like the elongated Biotar and soft and round Sonnar, among others, so you can achieve distinct bokeh shapes.

　　In street photography, time is of the essence; fumble around with your camera, and you might miss the shot. Luckily, theres a dedicated Street Photography Mode that opens by double pressing the volume down button, or by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. It offers a pared-back interface that makes it easy to find and adjust settings like shutter speed, aperture simulation, focus, and focal length in a pinch.

　　With various film-inspired filters and a black-and-white profile thats designed for street photography with richer tonal depth and higher dynamic range you can get dramatic street shots.

　　“Creative” mode
changes the background of your photo using AI. However disinclined I am, I tried it; it recommends effects, but you can reroll for different ones. It takes about 20 seconds to process the image after it was taken.

　　Vivo X300 FE Image Quality I shot most of the time in the Vivid colour mode that produces punchy images without looking overly saturated. Switching to the Zeiss colour mode results in more natural, true-to-life tones. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference as both deliver very pleasing results.

　　Colour consistency between the cameras is excellent in daylight, with all focal lengths producing a similar look. The 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera uses a lower-resolution sensor so it struggles more in low light but in good lighting it performs surprisingly well. If youre only going to view it on your phone, the difference in quality is unlikely to stand out. On a larger computer screen, however, you can spot more image noise in shadow areas and an overall drop in detail. Even so, the ultra-wide camera delivers pleasing results in most daytime situations.

　　In high-contrast scenes, exposure is balanced well, retaining detail in both highlights and shadows. HDR processing can occasioanly be a little aggressive, but the overall results remain attractive.

　　The 50MP main camera is the top performer, consistently delivering sharp, detailed images in all lighting conditions while keeping noise well under control. It also crops very effectively to 2× using the high-resolution sensor, maintaining impressive image quality.

　　The second 50MP ZEISS periscope telephoto camera is equally impressive. Its excellent optical image stabilisation provides a solid foundation for zooming from 3× up to around 10×. Beyond this point, AI sharpening becomes more noticeable, but for subjects with well-defined detail, such as buildings and architecture, I was still happy using zoom levels up to around 20×.

　　The advertised 100× zoom is largely there for marketing. While its possible to zoom that far, image quality falls away rapidly. In practice, I found anything up to around 20× to be the realistic limit before AI enhancement became too obvious.

　　Macro mode is accessed using the flower icon in Photo mode, which automatically switches to the 3× telephoto camera. At its 73mm equivalent focal length, it provides an excellent starting point for macro photography, while the optional 6× zoom helps capture insects or other subjects that are difficult to approach. Bokeh strength and portrait-style filters can also be adjusted within this mode.

　　When the phone detects low light, it suggests switching to Night Landscape mode. This mode does a noticeably better job of reducing glare and lens flare from street lights while recovering additional shadow detail compared to the standard Photo mode. The 8MP ultra-wide camera remains the weakest performer after dark, showing more noise, softness and reduced detail. The 1× main wide angle and 3× telephoto cameras, however, continue to produce sharp, detailed images with pleasing colour. Optical image stabilisation also helps maintain usable results when shooting handheld at longer zoom levels, although AI sharpening gets more obvious.

　　Portrait Mode performs well even in challenging lighting conditions, with frizzy hair and details like high-diopter glasses; Im not going easy on the software, but it does a remarkably good job at mapping the scene and blurring only the background.

　　The out-of-focus background blur effect is obviously best used within reason, as with most phones; pushed to the highest value, the transition between the sharp subject and the blurred background can look like a cut-out. The wide selection of bokeh shapes makes the Portrait mode especially nice to use. Night portraits are usually something I would avoid but the adaptiuve flash did a great job adjusting to different focal lengths.

　　The 50MP selfie camera defaults to a 1× view with a 26mm-equivalent field of view, but the sensor itself is much wider, at around 20mm-equivalent, making it ideal for group selfies or including more of your surroundings. You can also crop digitally up to 2× for tighter framing. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and offers an advantage over mid-range devices.

　　Vivo X300 FE Value for Money Available in various European countries from around €899, the Vivo X300 FE would translate to roughly £770 in the UK or around $1000 for the US. With that it undercuts many rivals while delivering one of the strongest photography experiences in its class.

　　Comparing the same 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage options in this sub-flagship category, the Google Pixel 10 Pro ($1,219/£919) offers better ultrawide performance for landscapes but its 5x telephoto camera isnt optimised for macro photography. The latter is true for the Samsung Galaxy S26 too; theres no dedicated macro mode despite its $1,099/£1,099 price, while the automated night mode can be difficult to activate too.

　　The Xiaomi 15T Pro sells around £799 for the 512 GB model, so it sits very close in price as well as in camera specs. It may come down to which colour processing you prefer: the Leica-tuned Xiaomi or the Zeiss-engineered Vivo.

　　It would be a great oversight not to mention Oppos Find X9 Pro was originally launched at the same price point as the Pixel and Galaxy, but it has come down to around £899 while offering a 200MP periscope telephoto lens and a stronger ultrawide performance too, without the trade-offs for macro photography, making it the strongest competitor, but without official availability in the US the Google and Samsung option remain the only close options for some.

　　While rivals may offer slightly longer software support or stronger ultrawide performance in low light, the X300 FE delivers excellent image quality and comprehensive photo modes; the bright and compact display and large battery also make it comfortable to use day by day. The ultrawide camera is a bit of a compromise, but if you are interested in photography and want to get a well-featured camera phone that also shoots 8K video, the X300 FE is one of the best values in its class.

　　Vivo X300 FE Verdict The 50MP ZEISS main, telephoto and selfie cameras are the genuine highlights of the Vivo X300 FE, delivering consistently sharp images, pleasing colour and impressive zoom performance. The dedicated 3× periscope camera and dedicated macro mode gives it an advantage over many similarly priced competitors, while the Zeiss portrait bokeh modes and the 50MP selfie camera with a capable autofocus add even more versatility.

　　At around €899 (£770/$1000) for the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage version, the X300 FE offers excellent value as a camera phone, especially for users who prioritise telephoto photography, portraits and macros alongside a reliable everyday shooting experience.

　　The 8MP ultra-wide camera is the main compromise, particularly for low-light landscapes and situations where you need the widest field of view. However, if your priorities are travel photography, portraits, and detailed close-ups, and you want a versatile camera system without moving into flagship pricing, the Vivo X300 FE is one of the strongest options in its segment.

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　　Vivo X300 Pro review a perfect phone the next iPhone needs to beat Vivo V70 Review:A solid all-rounder for the price, but far from perfect The vivo X300 Ultra puts cinema in your pocket a portable creative tool for immersive filmmaking Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.

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