vivo Confirms 200MP Sony LYTIA-901 Main Camera for X300 Ultra, Reveals 35mm Lens and CIPA 6.5 Stabilization
vivo confirms key camera hardware for the upcoming flagship
Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has officially revealed new details about the main camera system in its upcoming vivo X300 Ultra smartphone. The company confirmed that the device will feature a 200-megapixel primary camera built around the Sony LYTIA-901 sensor, offering a larger sensor size and improved image stabilization compared with the previous generation.
The confirmation came from a company executive during the final days of the Mobile World Congress 2026, where the phone had previously been shown but without full hardware specifications.
Company executive confirms sensor specifications
In a post on Chinese social platform Weibo, Vivo product manager Han Boxiao shared several technical details about the primary camera module that will power the vivo X300 Ultra.
According to the company, the device will use the Sony LYTIA-901, a 1/1.12-inch sensor designed for high-end mobile photography. The camera will operate at a 35mm equivalent focal length, a configuration that smartphone brands have increasingly adopted to provide a more natural field of view for photography.
The sensor is designed to capture around 30 percent more light per pixel, according to Vivo’s internal measurements. Increased light capture can help improve detail and reduce noise in challenging conditions such as night photography or indoor environments.
The company also confirmed improvements to the optical stabilization system. The new module reportedly meets the CIPA 6.5 stabilization standard, an upgrade over the CIPA 5.0 rating achieved by the previous generation device, the vivo X200 Ultra.
Upgraded lens design and coatings
Vivo also disclosed changes to the optical design of the main camera module. The lens system now uses a seven-element structure consisting of one glass element and six plastic elements.
This design is paired with a new anti-reflective coating, which the company claims can reduce glare by up to 30 percent compared with the previous generation camera module.
Reducing reflections inside the lens stack can improve image contrast and reduce artifacts when shooting scenes with strong light sources, such as city lights at night or backlit subjects.
While the company has not released sample photos yet, these hardware upgrades suggest that the device will focus heavily on photography improvements, continuing the camera-centric positioning of the Ultra series.
Expected multi-camera system
Although Vivo has officially confirmed only the primary sensor so far, several recent reports from industry sources suggest that the phone may feature a multi-camera setup designed to cover a wide range of shooting scenarios.
According to these reports, the rear camera system could include:
a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera
a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera
a 5-megapixel multispectral sensor
If accurate, the dual-200MP configuration would place the device among a small number of smartphones using extremely high-resolution sensors for both main and telephoto photography.
The multispectral sensor is also notable. These sensors capture information outside the visible spectrum and can help improve color accuracy, skin tone rendering, and white balance.
Sensor development and the Sony LYTIA platform
The camera hardware inside modern smartphones increasingly depends on advanced sensor development from companies such as Sony and Samsung Electronics.
Sony’s LYTIA sensor line was introduced as a new branding for its mobile image sensors, which are widely used across flagship Android smartphones.
The LYTIA-901 sensor used in the X300 Ultra is among the largest sensors currently designed for smartphones. Larger sensors typically allow more light to reach each pixel,
which can improve:
low-light image quality
dynamic range
background separation in portraits
video performance
In recent years, smartphone makers have begun combining larger sensors with computational photography techniques to achieve results that approach dedicated cameras in certain situations.
Growing competition in smartphone photography
The announcement also highlights how competitive the smartphone camera market has become.
Major manufacturers including Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi have all invested heavily in camera hardware and imaging software.
Samsung’s flagship Galaxy models have long relied on high-resolution sensors, while Apple continues to focus on image processing and video capabilities within the iPhone lineup.
Chinese manufacturers such as Vivo and Xiaomi, meanwhile, have emphasized larger sensors and collaborations with camera brands to differentiate their devices.
These developments have pushed smartphone cameras into new territory, with improvements not only in resolution but also in sensor size, stabilization systems, and computational photography.
The role of stabilization standards
One technical detail highlighted by Vivo is the camera’s CIPA 6.5 stabilization rating.
CIPA standards are established by the Camera & Imaging Products Association, an industry group that defines measurement methods for camera performance.
A higher stabilization rating generally indicates that the camera system can compensate for more movement while shooting, helping users capture sharper images in low-light conditions or when recording handheld video.
Moving from a CIPA 5.0 to a CIPA 6.5 rating suggests a meaningful improvement in optical stabilization capability, though real-world performance will depend on both hardware and image processing.
Why smartphone makers are moving to 35mm focal lengths
One of the more interesting details about the X300 Ultra’s camera is the 35mm focal length.
Many smartphone cameras traditionally used a wider 24mm equivalent focal length, which allowed more of a scene to fit into the frame.
However, several manufacturers have recently experimented with slightly narrower focal lengths such as 35mm, which can produce a more natural perspective and reduce distortion when photographing people.
Professional photographers have long used 35mm lenses for street photography and environmental portraits because they provide a balanced field of view.
Adopting a similar focal length in smartphones may reflect a broader effort by manufacturers to make mobile photography resemble traditional camera workflows.
What this means for consumers
For smartphone users, these camera improvements could translate into practical benefits in everyday photography.
A larger sensor combined with improved stabilization can help capture clearer images in low light, such as indoor settings or nighttime scenes.
Enhanced coatings and lens design may also improve contrast and reduce flare when shooting against bright lights.
Meanwhile, a high-resolution periscope camera could allow users to zoom further without losing detail, which is becoming an important feature for smartphone photography.
While resolution numbers alone do not determine image quality, they can provide more flexibility for cropping images or using pixel-binning techniques to improve brightness and detail.
First-hand perspective from covering smartphone launches
Having covered smartphone launches and industry events for several years, one pattern has become increasingly clear. Camera systems are now the primary area where manufacturers compete in flagship devices.
In the early days of smartphone photography, improvements mostly came from software processing. Today, hardware development is accelerating again, especially in sensor size and lens technology.
Another noticeable trend is the shift toward larger sensors paired with longer focal lengths. Manufacturers appear to be trying to replicate the look of dedicated cameras rather than relying solely on computational tricks.
Finally, companies are becoming more transparent about camera hardware. Just a few years ago, brands rarely disclosed sensor models or optical specifications. Now they frequently highlight details such as sensor size, stabilization ratings, and lens coatings, suggesting that consumers are paying closer attention to these specifications.
Development history of the Ultra series
The upcoming device follows the earlier launch of the vivo X200 Ultra, which focused heavily on camera performance and introduced several imaging improvements over its predecessor.
Vivo’s Ultra series has typically served as the company’s showcase for new camera technologies.
Earlier models in the lineup experimented with features such as large sensors, advanced periscope zoom lenses, and partnerships with imaging specialists.
The X300 Ultra appears to continue this strategy by integrating a new high-resolution sensor and upgraded stabilization system.
The company first previewed the phone during Mobile World Congress 2026, though the presentation focused more on demonstrating the device rather than revealing detailed specifications.
Only toward the end of the event did the company begin confirming specific hardware components.
Expected launch timeline
Vivo has not yet announced an official release date for the vivo X300 Ultra.
However, industry observers note that the company’s previous Ultra-series devices typically launch later in the year after early previews or teasers.
Based on that pattern, analysts expect the device could be formally introduced in the coming months, though the company has not confirmed a specific timeline.
Additional information about the device’s processor, battery capacity, display technology, and software features may emerge through certification listings or official announcements before launch.
Key Takeaways
• Vivo confirmed that the vivo X300 Ultra will include a 200MP Sony LYTIA-901 main camera
• The sensor measures 1/1.12-inch and uses a 35mm focal length
• The camera system supports CIPA 6.5 optical stabilization, an upgrade from the previous generation
• A new 1 glass + 6 plastic lens structure and coating aim to reduce glare by up to 30 percent
• Reports suggest the phone may also include 50MP ultrawide, 200MP periscope, and multispectral sensors
• The device was previously previewed during Mobile World Congress 2026 and could launch later this year
Sources
Further reading
Comments
Post a Comment