This iPhone 17 Pro Max rival could soon steal its crown as the world’s best camera phone, thanks to a unique sensor and 35mm Zeiss lens

  • The Vivo X300 Ultra could have the industry’s largest multispectral sensor
  • This should lead to improved color accuracy in photos
  • It could also have a 35mm Zeiss lens with a 200MP sensor

Right now, the iPhone 17 Pro Max tops our list of the best camera phones, thanks to its ability to capture lifelike images and shoot videos in superb quality, but a rival could soon take its crown – and not one of the obvious names.

So no, we’re not talking Samsung, Google or even OnePlus. Instead, it could be Vivo that launches the best camera phone of 2026, if the latest leak about the Vivo X300 Ultra is accurate.

According to reputable leaker Digital Chat Station (via NotebookCheck), the Vivo X300 Ultra will have the industry’s largest multispectral sensor. Such a sensor can improve color accuracy, so if this does have the industry’s largest then the Vivo X300 Ultra has a shot at capturing colors more accurately than any other phone.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max REVIEW

The Vivo X300 Ultra could have higher spec cameras than the iPhone 17 Pro Max (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Loads of megapixels and plenty of power

But that’s not all it might have going for it, as in a reply to their post, Digital Chat Station has also claimed this phone will have a 35mm lens built by famed lens-maker Zeiss, and that this will use a 200MP Sony LYT-901 sensor.

Plus, in an earlier post, the same source claimed that the Vivo X300 Ultra would also have a 200MP telephoto camera with an 85mm focal length, and a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and that it will be powered by the top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.

That’s a combination which – on paper at least – sounds extremely impressive, and unlike some Chinese phones, leaks suggest the Vivo X300 Ultra will be sold globally, so you might actually be able to buy it.

It remains to be seen how good this phone will be in practice, but with it reportedly set for a March launch, we might have a better idea soon. That initial launch will probably just be for China, but it could land in other regions later this year.

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