The Vivo X300 Pro is set to be the next major camera flagship by the brand in India. It has already launched in China, and an India launch is speculated for later this year. Considering it is camera-centric, it will directly compete with other camera-focused phones in the market, particularly the likes of the iPhone 17 Pro.
While it is not an apples-to-apples comparison, if you are a photography enthusiast, you might be interested in knowing how the camera specifications compare on paper and what really differs between the two phones. Read on for the details.
Telephoto: Megapixels vs. Computation
Both phones feature a triple-camera system, but one goes overboard with hardware. The Vivo X300 Pro continues to ship with Zeiss branding and boasts a 200-megapixel Samsung HPB sensor for its telephoto capabilities. On paper, this is a massive leap from the 48-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro’s telephoto lens.
The iPhone 17 Pro introduces a new 4x shooter, which can double as an 8x lens using Apple’s computational algorithms, allowing for lossless-quality zoom. While actual performance will need to be compared in real life, the Vivo X300 Pro’s 200-megapixel sensor is known to deliver solid results. This was seen with the X200 Pro, where far-reaching zoom was consistently better than on mainstream flagships.
Main and Ultrawide Sensors
When it comes to the primary camera, the iPhone has a large 48MP sensor, as has been the case for the past few generations. It is a tried-and-tested sensor that produces natural background blur thanks to its size, delivering pleasing and consistent results. It is a no-frills, no-nonsense sensor that performs reliably. For the ultrawide, the iPhone also uses a 48MP sensor, which has seen improvements compared to previous generations and allows for ultrawide macro photography.
The Vivo X300 Pro, on the other hand, uses a 50MP primary Sony sensor. While iterative, it is new compared to last year, and based on the X200 Pro, you can expect consistent results. Its ultrawide camera uses the 50MP Samsung JN1, an upgrade from the previous generation.
Front-Facing Cameras
The two phones take very different approaches to the selfie camera. The Vivo X300 Pro uses the same 50MP Samsung JN1 sensor for the front-facing camera as it does for its ultrawide.
By contrast, the iPhone receives a significant upgrade to its front-facing camera with an 18MP square sensor. This unique sensor allows for filming in landscape mode without changing the phone’s orientation. On the front-facing camera, the iPhone is hard to beat, particularly as it also supports ProRes Log recording.
What About Video?
The Vivo X300 Pro allows shooting up to 8K and supports RAW video, which the iPhone can also do. Both phones also support 4K recording at up to 120fps.
However, the iPhone 17 Pro has a trick up its sleeve: it can shoot ProRes RAW video. This format takes up significant storage but delivers incredibly detailed footage that can be professionally graded in software such as DaVinci Resolve. In terms of video, the iPhone remains hard to beat, especially thanks to its cinematic mode and advanced RAW recording capabilities.
