Hands-on with the latest smartphone photography powerhouse – vivo V50 review

When I buy a new smartphone, the camera is a vital consideration.

This makes the new vivo V50 the perfect smartphone for me, as it offers a highly-advanced triple 50MP camera system that is co-engineered with ZEISS for unrivalled photography performance.

This, combined with a sleek design and powerful hardware, ensures the vivo V50 stands out as a premium smartphone for South Africans seeking both style and performance.

Watch our review of the vivo V50 below.

An excellent all-rounder

At the heart of the vivo V50 is a powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor paired with 12GB of RAM.

We found that this combination delivered potent performance, keeping the V50 responsive across every task – from gaming to browsing social media.

This was powered by a large 6,000mAh battery that kept the V50 running for up to three days, while 90W FlashCharge technology enabled us to recharge the battery quickly when it eventually needed it.

In fact, with just 10 minutes of charging, we could get up to six hours of phone calls or three hours of video streaming.

During these video streaming sessions, the V50 delivered crisp and smooth visuals thanks to its 120Hz Quad Curved display.

This display is protected by double-strengthened Corning Gorilla Glass 2 and housed in a durable yet stylish chassis with an IP68 and IP69 rating against water and dust.

Overall, the V50’s design mixes style and durability for the ultimate do-it-all smartphone.

The star of the show

Where the vivo V50 stands out the most, however, is its photography capabilities.

It offers three 50MP sensors – co-engineered with a ZEISS imaging system – that deliver the following features:

• 50MP ZEISS OIS Main Camera – CIPA 4.0 DSLR-level stabilisation.
• 50MP ZEISS Ultra Wide-Angle Camera – 119-degree field of view.
• 50MP ZEISS Group Selfie Camera – 92-degree wide angle.

Testing the camera system on the vivo V50 confirmed that the ZEISS partnership is not just a marketing gimmick. The combination of CIPA 4.0 DSLR-level stabilisation and Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) ensured smooth, shake-free footage – even while filming on the move.

Photos with the rear camera system looked extremely sharp and realistic, too.

vivo didn’t overlook the front camera either – with its impressive pixel count delivering sharp, flattering selfies with true-to-life skin tones.

The selfie camera’s wide-angle lens also ensured no one was left out of large group shots.

Portrait flagship

The portrait capabilities of the vivo V50’s camera system are especially impressive.

The V50 provides a selection of ZEISS multifocal portrait modes that replicate classic camera lenses, offering three distinct Bokeh effects:

• Landscape Portrait (23mm) – ZEISS Distagon Style Bokeh for sweeping, wide-angle shots.
• Street Portrait (35mm) – ZEISS B-Speed Style Bokeh for casual, everyday moments.
• Classic Portrait (50mm) – ZEISS Biotar Style Bokeh for dramatic, cinematic blurs.

Each mode delivered crisp, detailed images with beautifully blurred backgrounds – ensuring the viewer’s attention was always drawn to the subject.

The AI Aura Light Portrait feature then enhanced these shots by providing a soft, studio-like illumination which added a polished, professional look to every photo.

Final thoughts

Everything about the new vivo V50 is great.

Whether you want an exceptional camera in the palm of your hand, or a stylish smartphone with powerful hardware – the V50 delivers.

• Click here to learn more about the vivo V50.

The specs of the vivo V50 are listed in the table below.