What We Know About Vivo's X500 Pro Max Camera Specs

Vivo has launched three new flagship phones in China — the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max — with the top-tier Pro Max claiming 17 stops of dynamic range and the ability to record 4K video at 240 frames per second, according to The Verge. A global release is planned for later, the outlet reported, without a specified date.

What does 17 stops of dynamic range mean?

Dynamic range describes how much detail a camera can capture between the darkest shadows and brightest highlights in a single frame, measured in exposure values, or stops. Vivo said its X500 Pro Max delivers what the company calls "true 17 EV ultra-high dynamic range," a figure reported by The Verge. In practical terms, a higher EV count should let the phone hold onto detail in a bright sky and a shadowed foreground in the same shot without the image blowing out or crushing to black. The claim comes from Vivo's own marketing materials; it has not been independently verified by outside testers, and stops-of-dynamic-range figures from phone makers are typically derived from lab conditions rather than everyday shooting.

What hardware makes the claim possible?

The X500 Pro Max uses Sony's new Lytia L910 image sensor, a 50-megapixel, 1/1.28-inch-type chip that The Verge reported is Sony's first to use a technology called LOFIC — lateral overflow integration capacitor. LOFIC works by giving each pixel an extra reservoir to store overflow charge from bright light, which is the mechanism sensor makers point to when explaining expanded dynamic range in a single exposure rather than through multi-frame blending. The Pro and Pro Max models also run on MediaTek's new Dimensity 9600 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer process, while the base X500 uses a related Dimensity 9600M, according to the report. The Pro chip is what enables the 4K 240fps slow-motion capture, along with 10-bit Log recording and what Vivo describes as new cinematic video styles, The Verge reported.

How does the dynamic-range claim compare to rivals?

The Verge noted that Vivo's 17 EV figure edges out the 16.5 stops claimed by the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, a rival flagship. Both numbers come from manufacturer marketing rather than a shared, independently administered benchmark, so the half-stop gap should be read as a company-reported comparison rather than a controlled head-to-head test. Camera-focused phone makers have increasingly used dynamic-range figures as a headline spec in China's flagship market, where Vivo, Xiaomi, and Oppo compete heavily on imaging hardware.

"True 17 EV ultra-high dynamic range," Vivo said of the X500 Pro Max's imaging system, as reported by The Verge.

What else carries over from the previous flagship?

The X500 Pro Max retains the 200-megapixel, 3.7x telephoto camera that The Verge said performed well on the prior X300 Ultra, along with support for that phone's 400mm teleconverter lens. The Verge reported that all three new X500 models support at least one of Vivo's teleconverter lenses, suggesting the company is standardizing its optical-zoom accessory ecosystem across the lineup rather than reserving it for the top model alone.

What is not yet known?

Several questions remain open based on the available reporting. The Verge's report did not include a global release date, pricing in any market, or battery and display specifications for the three phones. It also did not indicate whether independent labs have tested the dynamic-range or slow-motion claims outside of Vivo's own materials. As with most manufacturer-stated camera specifications, real-world performance — particularly in mixed or low-light conditions — typically diverges somewhat from marketing figures until third-party reviewers get hands-on time with retail units.

What comes next

Vivo has not detailed a timeline for international availability beyond saying a global launch will follow the China debut, according to The Verge. Reviewers and camera testers will likely be the first to independently assess whether the Lytia L910 sensor and LOFIC technology deliver dynamic range consistent with Vivo's 17-stop claim once devices reach markets outside China.