Camera Shootouts

vivo V50 vs TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G: Camera Shootout

Midrange warriors head on a camera smackdown

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The smartphone market for the first quarter of 2025 has been bombarded by a lot of “Ultra” flagship offerings.

While we want to try and test out how all of their outstanding cameras perform, there has been somewhat a neglect of camera comparison between midrange smartphones.

The vivo V50 and TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G are two marvelous midrangers you can buy right now — at least if you are in Southeast Asia.

However, these phones are on two opposite ends of the same boat.

The vivo V50 is more expensive with a starting price of PhP 27,999 / RM 1099 (around US$ 505).

Meanwhile, TECNO’s CAMON 40 Pro 5G is shockingly wallet-friendly at a mere PhP 12,999 / RM 1799 (approximately US$ 234).

Although that’s almost half the savings, the vivo V50 has double the memory, a larger battery, twice speedier charging, and an overall faster chipset.

But, we’re not here for that. I’m more invested to see how these phones perform with a similar camera system.

Capable Combo

Both vivo and TECNO’s latest midrangers are equipped with a capable camera combo.

vivo V50
TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G
Wide
50MP f/1.88
OmniVision OV50E
1/1.55” sensor
50MP f/1.9
Sony LYT-700C
1/1.56” sensor
Ultra-Wide
50MP f/1.9
8MP f/2.2

Their main shooters are quite alike with 50MP modules and an aperture closing to f/1.9.

The image sensors though beg to differ as vivo sticks with OmniVision OV50E while TECNO uses the newer Sony LYT-700C that’s also the main camera found on OPPO’s Find N5 foldable as well as the flagship-grade Find X8 and the newer X8s and X8s+.

The biggest gap can be seen in their ultra-wide unit: vivo having another 50MP lens while TECNO has lesser pixel count at 8MP with a slightly higher f/2.5 aperture (vs f/2.0).

Fair and Square

Technicalities aside, it’s time to test out the camera limits of both phones.

Photo samples are divided in various sections based on several modes or factors they were shot in.

For the fairest result possible, I decided to use the default color profiles of both phones: ZEISS Natural on the vivo V50, Standard on the TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G.

Also, 2x zoom will be used mostly throughout this shootout when comparing the phones’ 50MP main cameras (otherwise stated).

Disclaimer: Photos were all taken using Auto Mode with AI scene detection turned on. These images were collaged, resized, and labeled for faster loading and better preview. No color correction, zoomed-in cropping, nor any other type of photo manipulation were applied.

Ultra-wide

Let’s start this shootout with the most obvious disparity.

While TECNO only has an 8MP shooter, vivo bins its 50MP shots into a compressed image. But can you even tell which is which?

U1

U2

U3

U4

Zoom

Both phones lack dedicated zoom cameras. This means both of them purely rely on in-sensor cropping when zooming in on specific subjects or scenarios.

Z1A  |  2x Zoom

Z1B  |  5x zoom

Z2

Z3A

Z3B

Z4

Z5

Z6

Z7

Z8A

Z8B

Z9

Z10

Food

As said in my previous reviews, I heavily use the 2x focal length when taking food photos.

F1

F2

F3

F4

F5

F6

F7

F8

F9

F10

Portrait Mode

We all know how legendary portraits are with vivo’s ZEISS Style Portraits.

However, it doesn’t stop me from testing if TECNO can keep up despite its smaller unit and cheaper price tag.

P1  |  1x Wide

P2

P3

P4

P5

Night

Last but definitely not the least, the camera mode that makes or breaks a modern-day phone.

N1  |  2x Zoom

N2  |  1x Wide

N3  |  1x Wide

N4  |  2x Zoom

N5  |  2x Zoom

N6  |  2x Zoom

N7  |  2x Zoom

N8  |  Ultra-Wide

Results

As confusing (or surprising) as it seems, here are the results:

A — vivo V50

B — TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G

Conclusion

First and foremost, the ultra-wide samples of both phones look so alike that it’s impossible to distinguish which photo was shot in what phone.

Though if you zoom in closer, you can tell right away the vivo V50 gives clearer detail thanks to its larger megapixel count — at least in ultra-wide shots.

That said, most of these will only be posted on social media with image compression ever-present. Most won’t even care if the image is 8MP, 12MP, or 50MP — much like how you’ve seen them here.

If there’s one thing, it’s the better HDR processing of the CAMON 40 Pro 5G. It’s evident in the highlights of lights and windows found on Sets U3 / U4 / N8.

Now onto the the phones’ zoom performance. As previously said, zoomed shots still rely on in-sensor crop zooming via both phones’ 50MP sensors.

At a glance, you won’t even notice any stark difference. But, looking closely, TECNO saturates its photos more as evident in Photos Z2 / Z4 / Z6 / Z7 / Z8A.

Also notice how TECNO’s algorithm favors upping the highlights part compared to vivo — clearly apparent in Sets Z1A / Z1B / Z9 / Z10.

The saturation boost trend continues among food shots. Although there were times that TECNO did the opposite in both highlights and exposure — like in Sets F3 / F7 / F8 / F9 / F10. 

The same thing can be said in portrait shots like P1 / P2 / P4. Albeit, it was brighter and more saturated in P3 and P5.

The game-changer are actually the night shots.

Honestly (and personally), I favor TECNO’s night time algorithm more than vivo’s results. The CAMON 40 Pro 5G gives out the best balance in most (if not all) aspects — exposure, highlights, shadows, contrast, and saturation.

The vivo V50 just misses that liveliness. It’s bland and muted compared to its rival.

Where’s the “MID” in MIDranger

Phone brands used to downplay cameras among midrangers in favor of anything else. Be that a better chipset, a bigger battery, or a smoother than ever display.

This has been the case in the midrange phones I tried and tested three years ago. Underwhelming camera performance is just prevalent during that time.

However, with continuous advancements and innovations in both hardware and software, brands like vivo and TECNO continue to push unparalleled imaging power among smartphones in the midrange line. This is where I can finally say “mid”rangers barely felt “mid” anymore.

The introduction of ZEISS in vivo’s midrange series that started in last year’s V30 Pro and still continues to triumph in the latest V50 is just one among the biggest steps a brand has done for a device positioned for the mid-class.

SEE ALSO: vivo V50 review: Valuable Versatility

But here comes the disruptor! TECNO, as a continuously uprising brand, has dared to challenge everyone even further by bringing us an all-new camera sensor (or system) with better post-processing techniques for more than half the price of usual midrangers.

As already mentioned in the beginning, these two midrangers are on the parallel sides of the spectrum. This midrange camera shootout just proves that the actual price of a phone is NOT the basis if it performs good or bad — at least in the imaging department.

It’s just you, as a user, who will decide which camera feature is in your utmost priority.

Surely, the vivo V50 has some extra nifty features (like ZEISS Style Portraits and Aura Light 2.0) that its TECNO counterpart lacks for a price that’s beyond reasonable.

But, if you want to skip those and want to save some money without sacrificing your overall savings, you surely won’t regret buying TECNO’s latest midrange warrior.

SEE ALSO: TECNO CAMON 40 Pro 5G: Sleek and On Fleek!

Camera Shootouts

Camera Shootout: HONOR 400 Pro vs TECNO CAMON 40 Premier

Camera battle of two midranger wonders

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In my previous camera smackdown, I clearly stated that we don’t have the HONOR 400 Pro to try out.

Months have passed, the odds were (finally) in my favor as I was able to test it against another midranger wonder, the TECNO CAMON 40 Premier.

Oh CAMON, your HONOR

I’ve decided to clash the HONOR 400 Pro and TECNO CAMON 40 Premier primarily because both phones offer the quintessential triple rear camera system.

HONOR 400 Pro
TECNO CAMON 40 Premier
Wide
200MP f/1.9
1/1.4-inch sensor
Samsung ISOCELL HP3
50MP f/1.88
1/1.56-inch sensor
Sony LYT-701C
Ultra-Wide
12MP f/2.2
50MP f/2.2
Telephoto / Periscope
50MP f/2.4
3x Optical Zoom
50MP f/2.2
3x Optical Zoom
Selfie
50MP f/2.0
50MP f/2.5

Hardware-wise, disparities are quite evident. The TECNO CAMON 40 Premier rocks quad 50MP cameras (including the selfie camera), whereas the HONOR 400 Pro has variations in its overall camera system.

It highlights its 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP3 main camera while TECNO begs to differ as it packs a sensor made by the Korean giant’s Japanese rival — the newcomer Sony LYT-701C sensor that’s only used in two phones so far (2024’s realme 13 Pro+ being the other).

The opposite happens in HONOR 400 Pro’s ultra-wide lens as it features the smaller 12MP camera.

But, the biggest dealbreaker has got to be the existence of 3x zoom shooters that their base models lack.

Although both acquire the same megapixel count, the HONOR 400 Pro is equipped with a traditional telephoto lens structure while the TECNO CAMON 40 Premier boasts a periscope lens that utilizes a prism design / mirror system for capturing long-range subjects and objects.

Lastly, both phones have 50MP front-facing cameras with slight differences in aperture value.

Sticking with the Standard

Much like any other shootouts, I’ve opted to stick with the standard shooting profiles that both phones have right after setting ’em up: Standard for TECNO, Natural for HONOR.

Disclaimer: Photos were all taken using Auto Mode with AI scene detection turned on. These images were collaged, resized, and labeled for faster loading and better preview. No color correction, zoomed-in cropping, nor any other type of photo manipulation were applied.

Ultra-Wide Angle (UWA)

Similar lens diaphragm, totally different megapixel count.
Does that alone make a far cry?

U1

U2

U3

U4

U5

U6

U7

Main (1x + 2x)

The massive 200-megapixel main camera of the HONOR 400 Pro is four times larger compared to TECNO CAMON 40 Premier’s already capable 50MP Sony sensor. Obviously, that comes in very handy when taking zoomed shots via in-sensor cropping.

However, can you even tell which sample belongs to which smartphone?

M1

M2

M3

 

M4

M5

M6

M7

M8

M9

3x Optical Zoom

The crème de la crème of these two phones are their zoom shooters.

While lens structure are different (again, telephoto for HONOR while periscope for TECNO), which one gives THE better optically-zoomed shots?

ZO1

ZO2

ZO3

ZO4

ZO5

ZO6

ZO7

ZO8

ZO9

ZO10

ZO11

ZO12

ZO13

Beyond 5x Zoom

Given that both phones are capable of shooting optically up to 3x, how can each phone go beyond 5x zoom?

ZB1

ZB2

ZB3

ZB4

ZB5

ZB6

ZB7

ZB8

ZB9

ZB10

Food

Hardware is one. Software is for another.

Food shots are one of the best ways to know how good (or bad) a phone is when it comes to photo quality and color accuracy.

F1

F2A

F2B

F3A

F3B

F4

F5

Portrait Mode

Taking creamy~licious portraits shouldn’t be a rare feat among modern-day midrangers.

But can TECNO’s standard Portrait Mode compete with HONOR’s Harcourt prowess?

PM1

PM2

PM3

PM4

PM5

Low-Light

I said it before and I’ll say it again.

Taking shots in low-light is what makes or breaks a phone’s photography performance.

LL1

LL2

LL3

LL4

LL5

BONUS: Selfie

B1A  |  Ultra-Wide Portrait ON

B1B  |  1x Wide Portrait ON

B2A  |  1x Wide Portrait OFF

B2B  |  Ultra-Wide Portrait OFF

Results

Notice a pattern? Or lack thereof?

Well, the results are definitely consistent.

A — TECNO CAMON 40 Premier

B — HONOR 400 Pro

Conclusion

At first, it’s kind of hard to distinguish which phone is which.

For instance, the ultra-wide, 1x wide, and 2x photos of the TECNO CAMON 40 Premier leaned more onto the cooler side. However, the contrary happens in Sample Sets M5 / M8 / M9 where the shots are warmer than its HONOR counterpart.

If you zoom in further, HONOR 400 Pro’s 200MP main sensor doesn’t have a huge advantage — delivering somewhat the same amount of detail compared to the CAMON 40 Premier.

Except for Photos ZO6 / ZO8 / ZO9 / ZB7 / ZB8, consistency in warmness continues among photos taken in the CAMON 40 Premier’s 3x periscope zoom lens.

How natural is “Natural”?

Despite choosing the “Natural” Color Mode in the HONOR 400 Pro, Sets M4 / ZO12 / ZO13 / LL5 truly showed lack of saturation with its washed out photos. That same look is even evident in 5 out of 7 food shots.

It also struggles to capture a balanced dynamic range. Making Set M3 as an example, look at how blown-out the highlights of the night lights have turned out in HONOR versus TECNO.

There were times when HONOR takes brighter photos but at the expense of amping up shadows and losing contrast (M4 / M8 / ZB2 / ZB3). Inconsistently, the results turned out the other way around in Sets U1 / U2 / U4 with lower exposure and darker shadows.

Photos taken at night also looked dimmer versus TECNO’s post-ready low-light takes.

HONOR’s “Natural” color profile doesn’t look natural at all with its inaccuracy and inconsistencies compared to how I / we perceive the actual subjects in real life.

That’s not to say the HONOR 400 Pro produces bad photos. Honestly, there are times where I preferred the HONOR more — Samples ZO6 / ZB7 / ZB8 / ZB9 are living proof to that.

If there’s a category where I think HONOR has nailed, it’s definitely the Portrait Mode with better shots and depth segmentation, properly showcasing its Harcourt specialty. Additionally, selfies looked better no matter where and how you look at it

Higher price ≠ Higher performance

Reiterating what I’ve said in my HONOR 400 vs vivo V50 camera showdown, the HONOR 400 Pro and TECNO CAMON 40 Premier are also two midrangers positioned in different levels of the same sailing ship.

Price-wise, the HONOR 400 Pro costs more at PhP 32,999. Meanwhile, TECNO’s CAMON 40 Premier is heaps cheaper at just PhP 21,999. That makes it a very contending smartphone in the upper-midrange space.

For the same price, you’ll only get the HONOR 400 at PhP 22,999 along its absence of a dedicated telephoto lens.

While there are more factors to consider in this huge price gap such as a faster chipset, bigger battery capacity, larger internal storage, and several other hardware nuances, it’s safe to say that a higher price tag isn’t always synonymous to having the best cameras. This camera shootout alone is just one among many testaments to that.

READ: It’s the little things that make the HONOR 400 Pro 5G a daily wonder

At the end of the day, it’s your choice as a consumer which smartphone camera (both in image quality and overall look) dominates your priorities and overall purchasing power.

Now, if you’d ask me, the TECNO CAMON 40 Premier ultimately bags that “bang for the buck” title for offering the better camera flexibility despite its more affordable price tag.

SEE ALSO: TECNO CAMON 40 Premier review: Cảm ơn, CAMON!

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Camera Shootouts

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 vs OPPO Find N5 – Camera Shootout

Foldables, fight!

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Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

It feels like just yesterday we were comparing three foldables in one big camera shootout. In reality, it’s been a full year — and a lot has changed. This time, it’s down to two powerhouses: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and the OPPO Find N5.

Both are book-style foldables launched globally in 2025 — Samsung in July, OPPO earlier in February. Both also come with major physical changes: they’re slimmer, taller, and in the Fold7’s case, slightly wider too. But the real battle lies inside: the cameras.

Samsung brought over the 200MP main shooter from the Galaxy S25 Ultra to the Fold7. The rest of the system, however, didn’t see major changes. Meanwhile, OPPO gave the Find N5 a full-on imaging overhaul.

On paper

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 OPPO Find N5
Main Camera 200 MP, f/1.7, 24 mm (wide), 1/1.3″, PDAF, OIS  50 MP, f/1.89, 1/1.56″, OIS (HyperTone wide-angle) 
Ultrawide 12 MP, f/2.2, 120°, 1.4 µm, PDAF  (Not specified in source – likely none or under 50 MP)
Telephoto / Periscope 10 MP, f/2.4, 67 mm, PDAF, OIS, 3× optical zoom  50 MP periscope telephoto with macro (~10 cm macro) 
Video Recording 8K@30 fps, 4K@60 fps, 1080p@60/120/240 fps, 720p@960 fps, gyro-EIS, 10-bit HDR10+  LivePhoto with enhanced EIS; video specs not detailed 
Selfie Cameras Dual 10 MP front cams (cover + inner display)  Not detailed in provided source

Specs tell part of the story, but photos reveal the truth. As always, the only edits applied were for cropping and resizing to fit our format.

So how do they compare in real-world shooting?

W (1x)

w1

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

w2

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W3

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W4

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W5

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W6

W7

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W8

W9

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W10

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

W11

W12

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

Zoom A (2x-3x)

ZA1

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA2

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA3

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA4

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA5

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA6

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA7

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA8

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA9

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZA10

ZA11

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZOOM B (6x and up)

ZB1

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZB2

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZB3

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZB4

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZB5

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

ZB6

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

Selfie (Outer Camera)

S1

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

S2

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

S3

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

S4

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

Low light

L1

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

L2

Galaxy Z Fold7 Find N5

Blind test reveal & first impressions

Did you guess which was which?
A is the OPPO Find N5. B is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7.

Now that you know, a few things stand out:

  • The Find N5 consistently produced brighter images, especially in low light. OPPO’s post-processing really flexes here.
  • The Galaxy Z Fold7 leaned toward a more natural, life-like output, a noticeable shift from Samsung’s traditionally saturated look.

That said, using the Fold7’s main camera at 1x felt… off. The focal length feels awkward — too wide for most shots but just right for taking main-camera selfies. I found myself constantly switching to 2x or 3x, which makes up a big chunk of the samples here.

Flat or flavorful?

One of the biggest differences is in how the two phones handle processing and depth.

Take the Brooklyn Bridge photo through cyclone wire (W8):

  • The Find N5 nailed it with more pronounced depth and contrast.
  • The Fold7 came off a little flat in comparison.

But this wasn’t always the case. In the shot of the yellow vehicle (w5) and in main-camera selfies (W12), the Fold7 delivered bokeh that looked more organic.

Overall, the Find N5 clearly does more processing after you hit the shutter, while the Fold7 gives you what it sees, almost instantly. Your preference between a more “finished” photo and a natural one will really show here.

Zoom zoom

Let’s be real — this wasn’t even close.

At 6x and beyond, the OPPO Find N5 easily outclassed the Fold7. Detail, sharpness, and clarity all went to OPPO’s corner. Samsung’s telephoto performance just didn’t keep up.

Final thoughts

If we’re talking eye-catching, the OPPO Find N5 wins out of the gate. Brighter shots, better zoom, more punch overall.

But the Galaxy Z Fold7 holds its own. At 1x to 3x — and especially in low light — it sometimes captures a mood the Find N5 over-brightens. The beer glass in a dimly lit bar is a perfect example: OPPO lit it up; Samsung kept the vibe.

At the end of the day, this comes down to what you value.

  • Want bright, punchy, more dramatic photos? Go OPPO.
  • Prefer subtler, moodier, more natural output? Samsung’s your bet.

That said — if we’re choosing a winner in camera versatility and polish, the OPPO Find N5 edges ahead.

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Camera Shootouts

HONOR 400 vs vivo V50: Camera Shootout

Comeback camera showdown of the two Chinese mids

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Just like a year ago, HONOR and vivo both step on the arena again for a head-on midrange camera showdown.

Although the HONOR 400 Pro exists, we clearly don’t have it. This just means we have to compare it to the next ideal candidate, the base HONOR 400.

This is up against vivo’s one and lonely V50. After all, the “vivo V50 Pro” simply doesn’t exist in vivo’s 2025 glossary.

HONOR thy vivo

The best reason to compare these two are none other than their similar 1x wide + UWA camera combo.

HONOR 400
vivo V50
Wide
200MP f/1.9
Samsung ISOCELL HP3
1/1.4” sensor
50MP f/1.88
OmniVision OV50E
1/1.55” sensor
Ultra-Wide
12MP f/2.2
50MP f/1.9
Selfie
50MP f/2.0
50MP f/2.0

Both phones possess a main shooter with a wide aperture closing to f/1.9. But, numbers-wise, HONOR 400 offers four times the megapixel count offered by the vivo V50 (200MP vs 50MP).

The equipped Samsung sensor is also a tad bit larger compared to its OmniVision counterpart.

The opposite happens in their ultra-wide modules. The vivo V50 has the upper-hand with its wider and bigger 50MP f/1.9 unit. Meanwhile, the HONOR 400 has a 12MP f/2.2 shooter.

One thing they obviously met head-to-head is none other than their 50MP f/2.0 selfie cameras.

All Natural

Both the HONOR 400 and vivo V50 feature a trio of color profile options when shooting photos in the default camera mode: Natural, Vibrant, and Authentic for the HONOR 400.

On the other hand, ZEISS Natural, Vivid, and Textured for the vivo V50.

vivo V50 | 2025

For the second midrange camera shootout of the year, we’re going to stick with the “Natural” mode of both phones. They’re both set by default anyway.

HONOR 400 | 2025

Disclaimer: Photos were all taken using Auto Mode with AI scene detection turned on. These images were collaged, resized, and labeled for faster loading and better preview. No color correction, zoomed-in cropping, nor any other type of photo manipulation were applied.

Ultra-Wide (UWA)

How does a smaller or bigger megapixel count affect the overall quality of the phone’s UWA output?

U1

U2

U3

U4

U5

U6

Wide (1x)

Now onto the main filling: 200MP vs 50MP — does megapixel count really matter?

W1

W2

W3

W4

W5

W6

W7

W8

W9

W10

2x Lossless Zoom

Just because we don’t have a dedicated zoom unit, it doesn’t mean we cannot take photos past 1x.

LZ1

LZ2

LZ3

LZ4

LZ5

LZ6

LZ7

LZ8A

LZ8B

LZ9A

LZ9B

LZ10

Beyond Zoom

Going beyond the lossless zoom limits just to see how far can these two phones take the cake in digital zoom imagery.

BZ1

BZ2

BZ3

BZ4

BZ5

BZ6

BZ7

BZ8

Good Mood for Food

It won’t be a complete camera chow down without a food-dedicated section.

F1

F2

F3

F4

F5A

F5B

Right at Night

Night Mode algorithms make or break a phone’s camera performance.
In this case, which phone is the best when there’s already an absence of natural light?

N1A  |  1x Wide

N1B  |  2x Zoom

N2A  |  1x Wide

N2B  |  2z Zoom

N3A  |  1x -Wide

N3B  |  2x Zoom

N4

N5

N6

N7

BONUS: Portraits and Selfies

Harcourt or ZEISS?
Also, which is the selfie expert among these two midrangers?

P1

P2

S1

S2

S3

S4A  | Regular Selfie

S4B  |  Ultra-Wide Selfie

S5A  | Regular Selfie

S5B  |  Ultra-Wide Selfie

Results

It’s honestly hard to discern which is which, even if you’re familiar with how both phones process photos.

Nevertheless, here are the consistent results:

A — HONOR 400

B — vivo V50

Truthful Thoughts

After spending a Taipei-filled photo session with these two, I can truthfully say no one is a solid final winner as the results were pretty much a mixed bag.

Sometimes, vivo is victorious over its HONOR counterpart — and vice versa.

Starting with their ultra-wide shooters. Sets U1 / U2 / U4 both showed how the V50’s output leans more into the cooler side. However, the opposite happens in its other shots. Honestly, this can be fixed in post if it’s not your cup of tea.

That said, the vivo V50 still has the overall upper-hand with its larger megapixel count and wider aperture. Such configuration creates UWA images that are clearer and less noisy when zoomed in.

Quite an Oddity

Now, when it comes to their main cameras, you’ll notice right away how the HONOR 400 always captures the tighter shot.

That’s due to the fact that it uses an odd focal length of 27mm versus the 23mm found on the V50 — and pretty much any normal smartphone camera would.

Again, something that’s user-preferential as others like it wider. While some like it tighter than ever 👀

Personally, I prefer the wider focal length for overall flexibility — whether preserving the negative space of a photograph or completely cropping it to fit in the perfect aspect ratio when posting on socials.

In the 1x wide category alone, the vivo V50 is my overall pick over the HONOR 400.

HDR and rightful exposure is just one. The color accuracy and consistency is for another.

HONOR 400’s lackluster shots in some parts just proves my unending point that having a larger megapixel count doesn’t necessarily equate to better-looking images.

While the HONOR 400 admittedly has an extra 0.15-inch in its sensor size, vivo still lives with its better color calibration and software algorithms. A true testament to their long-lasting partnership with ZEISS.

Speaking of, ZEISS Style Portraits are just way ahead of the game compared to HONOR’s Harcourt partnership meant for Portraits (P1 / P2).

Some confusion in the conclusion

The 200MP Samsung shooter of the HONOR 400 comes at an obvious advantage when it comes to taking photos in 2x zoom with its heavy reliance on in-sensor cropping.

If you’ll click in one of the shots above and zoom in, the details are clearer compared to what the V50 shows. The latter looks smudged in favor of a noise-free result.

 

Weirdly enough, the HONOR 400 tends to produce brighter shots when taking past 2x in most zoomed shots (LZ1 / LZ2 / LZ3 / LZ8A / LZ9A / LZ9B / BZ1 / BZ5 / BZ6). That’s despite having photos with lower exposure and highlights in the 1x category.

Now when it comes to food, the HONOR 400 delivered unexpected results with its muted colors that made food barely appetizing (F1 / F3 / F5A). Surprisingly, the contrary happened in Sets F4 and F5B as the HONOR 400 had the more scrumptious shots.

Once the sunlight goes out and moonlight fades in, each of the phones’ Night Mode algorithm both kick in.

Honestly, both took equally acceptable photos that are also quite alike in overall exposure, contrast, sharpness, and saturation. Then again, the HONOR 400 always had the tighter shot between shots in 1x and 2x (or beyond).

Last but definitely not the least, selfies.

While I’m never the selfie type of guy, my eyes are crystal clear and aren’t deceitful.

Even if the HONOR 400 brought the “natural-looking” selfies outdoors, it failed big time when used indoors (S1 / S2 / S3). Again, the color inaccuracy and inconcistency is ever-present in this category.

No one would simply use that as their profile photo (or even as their featured portrait in the matchmaking app of their choice).

Kudos though for bringing ultra-wide angle selfies that other flagships fail to bring.

Just A Little Bit Caught in the Middle 🎵🎶

Deciding which of these two midrangers is the true marvel when it comes to photo-taking is simply something you’d be stuck in the middle.

Both phones and their camera systems had some fair share of pros and cons that might make you pick one over another.

Other notable hardware specs such as display tech and size, overall battery capacity and charging standards, plus the familiarity, user-friendliness, and overall software experience are the factors that will make you stay or sway.

One thing’s for sure. both the HONOR 400 and vivo V50 run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC with the 512GB configuration being offered around the same price range: HONOR 400 at EUR 549 while less 39 Euros for the vivo V50 at around EUR 510

It’s just a matter of which phone you’re willing to spend on, which phone is closer to what your heart desires.

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