Vivo X500 Ultra Leak Reveals Three Telephoto Sensor Options Under Evaluation
Vivo’s next flagship camera phone may feature a redesigned telephoto camera system, according to a new leak suggesting the company is still weighing hardware choices for its upcoming X500 Ultra. Rather than a finalized setup, Vivo reportedly has three different 200-megapixel periscope telephoto sensors currently under testing, with a final decision expected to come down to balancing image quality against practical design constraints.
Three Sensor Sizes Reportedly Being Tested
According to tipster Digital Chat Station, Vivo has not yet settled on a final camera configuration for the X500 Ultra’s rear telephoto setup. The leak indicates the company is currently evaluating three different 200-megapixel periscope telephoto sensors, differing primarily in their optical format: 1/1.12-inch, 1/1.3-inch, and 1/1.4-inch.
Of the three, the largest option, the 1/1.12-inch sensor, is reportedly being viewed as the optimal choice specifically for telephoto image quality. Meanwhile, the smaller 1/1.3-inch and 1/1.4-inch alternatives are described as offering a more balanced approach, potentially making it easier to fit the camera hardware into the device without requiring major changes to the phone’s overall design and internal layout.
The Tradeoff Between Sensor Size and Design
While the leaker didn’t go into extensive detail on this point, the general tradeoff at play here is fairly well understood in smartphone camera design. Larger sensors, like the 1/1.12-inch option being considered, typically capture more light, which can meaningfully improve telephoto image quality, particularly in lower-light conditions. However, larger sensors also require more internal space, which can affect overall phone thickness or force other design compromises elsewhere in the device.
Smaller sensor options, by contrast, allow for a slimmer overall design while still potentially delivering strong, competitive imaging performance, making them an appealing middle-ground option if Vivo wants to prioritize a thinner or more compact form factor over maximizing every last bit of telephoto image quality.
A Shift Away From 10x Periscope Zoom
This leak also builds on earlier reporting suggesting Vivo has scrapped previous plans to equip the X500 Ultra with a traditional 10x periscope telephoto camera. Instead, according to an earlier report from an anonymous tipster, Vivo appears to be moving toward a single 200-megapixel periscope camera paired with in-sensor zoom technology, rather than relying on a dedicated high-magnification periscope lens.
This represents a fairly notable shift in zoom strategy, favoring a high-resolution sensor combined with computational zoom techniques over the more traditional approach of using a longer physical periscope lens assembly for extreme zoom ranges.
Still Early in Development
Since the Vivo X500 Ultra remains in active development, it’s entirely possible the final camera hardware could still change before the device reaches mass production. Camera configurations, in particular, tend to be among the last details finalized in flagship phone development, given how closely tied they are to both cost and overall device design.
Adding to the uncertainty, earlier leaks have suggested the X500 Ultra may not actually launch this year at all, with a release window now expected sometime in the first half of 2027 instead. That extended timeline would give Vivo additional room to continue testing and refining these camera options before committing to a final configuration.
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