The vivo X300 series officially launched in India with sales beginning on December 10, but my experience with these phones started long before they reached store shelves. It began thousands of kilometres away from home, on the island nation of Mauritius. Carrying the vivo X300 and the vivo X300 Pro through beaches, wildlife parks, moving vehicles, and unpredictable weather gave me a chance to truly understand what vivo has built with this generation. This was not a controlled demo or a quick hands-on session. It was a full-day, real-world photography and video experience that tested every aspect of these devices.
From the moment I boarded the flight, the focus was clear. vivo is no longer just competing on specs or numbers. The X300 series is built around imaging philosophy, practical usability, and long-duration performance, especially for people who love travel photography and videography.
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Display Experience Built for Long Outdoor Use
The first thing I paid attention to before stepping out each morning was the display. Outdoor shooting demands a screen that stays readable under harsh sunlight while remaining comfortable on the eyes. The vivo X300 comes with a 6.31-inch flat display that immediately feels compact and well-balanced in hand. Its size makes it ideal for one-handed shooting, especially when switching between camera modes quickly. The brightness levels are strong enough to preview shots clearly even under direct sunlight, and the color reproduction feels natural rather than oversaturated.
The vivo X300 Pro, on the other hand, offers a larger 6.78-inch flat panel that feels immersive without being overwhelming. The ultra-slim bezels add to the premium feel and make framing photos and videos easier. During long hours of shooting, both displays proved comfortable thanks to eye-care tuning that reduced strain. This became especially noticeable when reviewing photos and editing clips late into the evening.
Battery Life That Keeps Up With Real Travel Days
Battery anxiety is real when you are travelling and relying heavily on your phone’s camera. Before leaving the hotel, I charged both phones fully and did not worry about carrying a power bank during the day. The vivo X300’s 6,040 mAh battery and the X300 Pro’s even larger 6,510 mAh battery easily handled hours of photography, video recording, navigation, and background music playback.
What stood out was not just the battery size but the consistency. Performance did not drop even as the battery percentage went down. By the end of the day, both phones still had enough charge left for casual use. Back at the hotel, the 90W FlashCharge topped them up quickly. The support for wireless charging and reverse wireless charging added flexibility, especially when travelling with accessories.
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Camera Performance That Shines in Motion
Much of my shooting happened on the move, whether it was through the window of a bus or while walking through wildlife zones. Snapshot Mode quickly became one of my favourite features. The zero-shutter-lag experience meant I could capture fleeting moments without blur. Landscapes passing by at speed were frozen cleanly, and distant mountains retained surprising clarity.
The 200 MP ZEISS-tuned main camera on the X300 and the advanced telephoto system on the X300 Pro handled motion with confidence. Even during turns or uneven roads, images remained sharp. This is where the real difference between theoretical camera specs and practical performance becomes obvious.
Wildlife Photography with the vivo X300
At Casela Park, wildlife photography became the true test. The vivo X300 impressed me more than expected. Despite its compact body, it houses a powerful 200 MP ZEISS main camera paired with a 50 MP ZEISS APO telephoto lens. The images showed strong texture retention, controlled highlights, and natural color reproduction.
Zooming in at moderate ranges like 3X, 6X, and even 10X delivered results that felt clean and usable. Feathers, fur, and fine details remained intact, and noise control was handled intelligently. The phone felt light in hand, making it easy to shoot for extended periods without fatigue. For a compact flagship, the X300 punches far above its size.
vivo X300 Pro and the Power of Extreme Telephoto
The experience changed dramatically when I switched to the vivo X300 Pro and attached the ZEISS 2.35x Telephoto Extender Kit. The extender locks in securely and feels well-engineered, adding confidence rather than awkwardness. Once mounted, the telephoto lens transforms into a true long-range optical system.
Distant animals that appeared small to the naked eye suddenly filled the frame. The clarity was striking, with minimal fringing and strong detail retention. As I pushed the zoom further, the system continued to hold up. Even at extreme equivalent focal lengths, the images remained surprisingly usable. At its maximum digital reach, the system goes into ranges that most smartphone cameras simply cannot handle convincingly.
This setup made wildlife photography feel closer to using a dedicated camera rather than a phone. The extender’s compatibility with both the X300 and X300 Pro makes it a meaningful upgrade rather than a gimmick.
Portraits That Feel Natural and Cinematic
Portrait photography is where vivo’s collaboration with ZEISS truly shines. Both phones deliver ZEISS Natural Portrait rendering that avoids artificial-looking blur. Background separation feels realistic, and subjects remain well-defined.
Shooting portraits in challenging lighting conditions revealed strong HDR performance. Highlights stayed controlled, and skin tones remained consistent. Animal portraits also benefited from this tuning, with smooth bokeh and accurate exposure even when shooting against bright backgrounds.
Video Recording for Creators
After a full day of photography, I turned to video recording along the shoreline. Both phones support high-quality 4K video, including slow-motion and cinematic modes. Stabilization remained reliable while walking or panning, making handheld footage look polished.
The X300 Pro’s dedicated imaging chips help accelerate processing, allowing quick saving and smoother recording sessions. This matters when shooting multiple clips back-to-back. The overall video experience feels well-optimized for creators who want quality without complexity.
Front Camera and Everyday Use
The 50 MP ZEISS wide-angle front camera delivers sharp selfies with reliable autofocus. Group shots benefit from the wider field of view, while face detail remains crisp. Even in moving environments like inside an aircraft, focus stayed consistent.
AI Features That Actually Help
AI tools in the X300 series feel practical rather than excessive. Features like AI Landscape Master allow quick mood adjustments without ruining image quality. The ability to remove people and correct perspective makes street photography easier.
AI One Shot Multicrop simplifies social media posting by generating multiple aspect ratios from a single image. This saves time and keeps compositions clean without manual cropping.
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OriginOS 6 and Performance Stability
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, OriginOS 6 remained smooth throughout the trip. App switching, camera usage, and AI features ran without lag. Floating controls, seamless file transfer, screen mirroring, and AI-assisted productivity tools made daily use convenient.
The promise of long-term software and security updates adds reassurance that these phones are built to last.
Design, Build, and Durability
The compact design of the X300 makes it extremely comfortable for long shooting sessions, while the X300 Pro feels solid and premium. Both phones use metal frames and high-quality finishes that feel reassuring in hand.
With IP68 and IP69 ratings, the devices handled humidity, splashes, and dust without concern. Whether near beaches or inside misty areas, the phones felt dependable.
Final Thoughts
After a full day of real-world use, it became clear that the vivo X300 series is designed for people who genuinely care about photography and video. The X300 offers flagship-level imaging in a compact form, while the X300 Pro delivers one of the most advanced smartphone camera systems available today. Combined with strong battery life, reliable performance, and thoughtful design, the X300 series turns everyday travel moments into something special.