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OnePlus 13 vs Vivo X200 Camera Test

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The semi-premium camera phone segment is a highly competitive space, with manufacturers continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation. Over the years, these devices have become more feature-packed – and more expensive. Both the OnePlus 13 and Vivo X200 come with a triple-camera setup, making the camera system a key factor in their appeal. Today, I’ll find out which of these two delivers the better camera performance.

Camera Setup

OnePlus 13 Camera Setup:

  • 50 MP triple-camera system, co-developed with Hasselblad
  • Main Camera: Sony LYT-808 (same as Oppo X8 Pro), features ALC coating
  • Ultrawide Camera: Samsung JN5
  • Telephoto Camera: Sony LYT-600
  • Front Camera: 32 MP Sony IMX615, doubles as an island
  • Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite

Vivo X200 Camera Setup:

  • 50 MP triple-camera system with Vario-Tessar branding
  • Main Camera: Sony IMX921 sensor
  • Ultrawide Camera: Samsung JN1 sensor
  • Telephoto Camera: Sony IMX882 (3x optical zoom | 100x digital zoom | 15cm macro)
  • Front Camera: 32 MP ƒ/2 (Ultra Wide)
  • Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9400

Since my initial review in the January 2025 issue, both phones have received multiple software updates. If you want to check out that review, you can visit our website.

Daylight Performance

Main Camera

Both phones feature a 50 MP sensor, but the OnePlus 13 outputs images at 14.6 MP, while the Vivo X200 outputs at 14.3 MP. The OnePlus uses the Sony LYT-808 sensor, whereas the Vivo houses the IMX921 sensor.

In terms of image quality, both phones produce noticeable differences. The OnePlus 13 tends to have a slight reddish tint, whereas the Vivo X200’s images appear slightly underexposed. However, the OnePlus excels in sharpness and zoom performance, producing crisp details even in shadows and highlights. Both cameras deliver well-saturated images with a good tonal range, but at times, OnePlus photos can look slightly flat and neutral.

When shooting against the light, the OnePlus 13 handles lens flares much better, which I confirmed through multiple tests. 

Ultra-Wide Camera

Both phones feature a 50 MP ultra-wide sensor, but with different Samsung sensors—JN5 on the OnePlus 13 and JN1 on the Vivo X200. The OnePlus outputs at 14.6 MP, while the Vivo delivers 14.28 MP.

Like the main cameras, both ultra-wide sensors produce natural and neutral colours. However, the Vivo’s images tend to have higher contrast, making them appear slightly processed or “cooked” in some cases. This processing also affects shadow and highlight details.

Overall, both cameras perform well, though the OnePlus still exhibits a slight reddish tint in some images. Sharpness on zooming in is again better on the OnePlus, while distortion control is good on both. 

Telephoto Camera

The OnePlus 13 uses a Triprism lens, while the Vivo X200 opts for a periscope lens. Both feature a 50 MP sensor with 3x optical zoom, but Vivo has downgraded its telephoto sensor from 64 MP in the X100 to 50 MP in the X200. The OnePlus features the Sony LYT-600, while the Vivo has the Sony IMX882 and they both offer different zoom ranges as well. The OnePlus can zoom up to 120x, while the Vivo maxes out at 100x.

Here, Vivo produces slightly underexposed images but delivers better sharpness at higher zoom levels. Colour consistency is also more reliable on the Vivo, though OnePlus has improved in this area compared to its previous models.

A great example of this is the Vistara logo test—on the OnePlus, the logo appears slightly blackish instead of its original maroon colour, whereas Vivo reproduces the colour more accurately. However, at maximum focal range, both phones produce over-processed images, making extreme zoom largely impractical.

Low-Light Performance

Both phones have impressive low-light capabilities, as noted in my previous reviews.

Main Camera: Both deliver sharp, well-saturated images. Vivo’s high contrast makes images look more vibrant and pleasing to the eye, but OnePlus still retains better sharpness when zooming in.

Ultra-Wide Camera: OnePlus images exhibit a slight reddish tint, but its distortion control is better than Vivo’s.

Telephoto Camera: The Vivo once again shines at higher zoom levels, maintaining sharpness and consistency, while OnePlus struggles with colour accuracy.

Front Camera

They both use a 32-MP camera at the front which also shoots 4k upto 60 fps. The images from both are sharp and decent, but the OP has a better performance overall. In terms of video as well – there is a slight cool tone to the output from the Vivo, while the OP delivers more natural result. The sound recording and output also is better in the OP.

Portraits

In portraits both the phones offer 5 focal ranges to shoot at, but the Vivo goes upto 100x whereas the OP will go to a max of 85mm. 

In terms of performance both are pretty good. The output is sharp and detailed in both cases and the colour accuracy is also good. The images are vibrant and well saturated. The edge detection performance is also decent in both cases. But there is visible skin smoothening in the Vivo despite the setting being off. At higher focal range there is a slight reddish and yellowish tinge in both the cameras as well. But what I liked is that the images are sharper as you move to higher zoom. 

In lowlight as well the performance is good and in a studio environment – both the phones perform really well. The bokeh performance is better on the Vivo in this case, but due to the skin smoothening in some cases the images do look slightly cooked. In this case there is very little to choose between them.  

Video Performance

Both phones support 4K 60fps recording with fast autofocus, and the OnePlus even shoots 8K30. Vivo’s footage has higher contrast, while OnePlus delivers more saturated colours in low light, making it look more visually appealing.

Verdict 

Both phones have their strengths. Vivo X200 offers better low-light performance, stronger telephoto zoom and more consistent colour reproduction in telephoto. While OnePlus 13 delivers sharper main camera images, better contrast, no skin smoothening in portraits, and an overall more fluid user experience, especially with its new processor and display.

While the Vivo X200 is a good camera phone, as a complete package, the OnePlus 13 is simply better. Its overall user experience, display quality and software refinements make it the superior choice, especially after recent updates that addressed previous concerns that I had.

Watch our review video:

Xiaomi 14 vs OnePlus 12 Camera Comparison Test

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The smartphone industry, particularly in the mid-range segment, has become a hotbed for innovation, with camera technology playing a pivotal role. As manufacturers strive to offer premium features at competitive prices, the camera has emerged as a key differentiator for consumers ranging from avid photographers to social media users. We’re examining two new releases priced at ₹69,999 each: The Xiaomi 14, launched in March, and the OnePlus 12, released in January. Positioned below flagship models from Xiaomi and OnePlus, these phones not only compete with each other, but also showcase their prestigious partnerships with iconic camera brands – Xiaomi with Leica and OnePlus with Hasselblad.

In this test, we’ll compare the camera performance of the Xiaomi 14 and OnePlus 12, exploring how these collaborations influence their photographic capabilities. Read the full article to find out which smartphone better suits your photography needs.

Xiaomi 14 Camera Setup

Rear Camera

  • 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
  • 50 MP, f/2.0, 75mm (telephoto), PDAF (10cm – ∞), OIS, 3.2x optical zoom
  • 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 115˚ (ultra-wide)
  • Leica lens, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
  • 8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@24/30/60fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS

Front Camera

  • 32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 0.7µm
  • HDR, panorama
  • 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

OnePlus 12 Camera Setup

Rear Camera

  • 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43″, 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS
  • 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0″, 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
  • 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultra-wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF
  • Hasselblad Colour Calibration, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
  • 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240/480fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision

Front Camera

  • 32 MP, f/2.4, 21mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm
  • Auto-HDR, panorama
  • 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS

Daylight Main Camera

In the main camera, both phones are equipped with a 50-MP sensor, but the actual output is what truly matters. In this regard, the OnePlus produces images at 14.3 MP while the Xiaomi 14 delivers slightly lower at 14 MP. However, the Xiaomi 14 might have a slight edge in processing due to its use of the latest Omni Vision sensor, compared to the more established LYTIA sensor in the OnePlus.

When it comes to the quality of pictures, both phones seem to provide good results. The images appear sharp and detailed to the naked eye, making it hard to prefer one over the other. Upon closer inspection, however, the OnePlus photos tend to be slightly more saturated, giving them a reddish tinge. Conversely, the Xiaomi produces images that are more natural and true to the original scene. Additionally, the Xiaomi shows superior performance in handling glare, successfully reducing it in most instances where the OnePlus might display some glare. The handling of highlights and shadows by the Xiaomi is also commendable; thanks to a balanced tonal range, it manages to reveal more details in the images.

Daylight Wide Camera

Regarding the ultra-wide cameras, the OnePlus employs a 48 MP Sony IMX581 sensor, while the Xiaomi 14 uses a Samsung ISOCELL sensor. The actual output from the Xiaomi is approximately 14 MP, and the OnePlus produces an output of 13.2 MP. In this aspect, Xiaomi has a clear advantage.

The difference is also visible in the quality of the images. Xiaomi’s images show more natural whites compared to those from OnePlus. However, despite having a lower megapixel count, OnePlus excels by delivering sharper images upon zooming. This suggests that OnePlus has very effective backend processing, though its images are slightly more contrast, which could be a disadvantage.

In indoor settings, Xiaomi occasionally produces images with slightly more contrast than OnePlus, which was unexpected. Moreover, OnePlus images sometimes appear to have a reddish tinge.

Daylight Telephoto Camera

When it comes to telephoto capabilities, the two phones use different sensors. The Xiaomi is equipped with a Samsung ISOCHELL 50 MP sensor that produces a 14 MP output, whereas the OnePlus has a 64 MP OmniVision sensor with an output of 17.6 MP. Their zoom capabilities also vary. The OnePlus offers a zoom range of 3x and 6x, extending up to 120x, while the Xiaomi provides zoom levels of 3.2x, 5x, and 10x, with a maximum of 60x.

The OnePlus has a higher sensor resolution, which results in sharper images across its entire range. As the zoom level increases, the difference in sharpness between the two phones becomes more apparent. For those who prefer sharper images, the OnePlus would be the better choice. However, when it comes to overall image quality, especially at high zoom levels, there is little to distinguish between the two phones as both generally produce good results. Nonetheless, the OnePlus shows some inconsistency in tonal range as the zoom increases, an issue that is not present in the Xiaomi. The Xiaomi may not capture the sharpest images, but it maintains more consistent quality.

Lowlight Main Camera

Recently, there has been an increase in people taking pictures in low light settings, such as during dinners and social outings. In these situations, the Xiaomi’s performance is comparable to the iPhone, as it tends to produce more neutral and natural images. On the other hand, the OnePlus tends to saturate the pictures, which might be preferred by some users because it makes the colours more vivid, and many people like such vibrant pictures.

When it comes to details and sharpness, both the Xiaomi and the OnePlus perform similarly, though the OnePlus might have a slight advantage.

Lowlight Wide Camera

In terms of performance in low-light conditions, both cameras are decent. However, the OnePlus tends to oversaturate the pictures more than the Xiaomi, affecting the visibility of shadows and highlights. Despite this, the OnePlus still produces sharper images in this category.

It’s important to note that the overall performance of both phones varied. Sometimes, the Xiaomi’s images were overexposed, while at other times, the OnePlus’ images were underexposed. Therefore, neither phone delivered flawless results in this segment.

Lowlight Telephoto Camera

Much like its performance in daylight telephoto shots, the OnePlus produces a much sharper image. As one zooms in further, this becomes more evident. At the maximum zoom range of each phone, the images tend to be blurry, yet they appear significantly clearer on the OnePlus.

Although it was anticipated that the OnePlus might display varying colour tones in this aspect, the actual performance was surprisingly better than expected.

Portraits

Xiaomi has consistently performed well in portrait photography over the years, and this was also true for the Xiaomi 13 Pro, which received positive reviews. The brand’s portrait mode, although good, takes a unique approach by incorporating Leica filters, which might be confusing to new users who could initially think there are only two shooting options available.

Both Xiaomi and OP deliver high-quality images that are sharp, well-saturated, with good edge detection and bokeh effect. However, Xiaomi’s portraits are particularly appealing, especially in how they handle skin tones, making them appear more natural, saturated, and warm, thus pleasing to the eye. In contrast, OP offers better blur and sharpness, especially at higher focal ranges, but sometimes struggles with inconsistent tonal ranges.

Front Camera

Both phones feature a 32-megapixel front camera; however, the OnePlus offers only a single setting for taking pictures, while the Xiaomi 14 provides options for both wide-angle and standard (1X) shots. An interesting feature of the Xiaomi 14 is that it uses a timer when the volume down button is pressed to take a picture.

In terms of image quality, the OnePlus produces more natural-looking photos, whereas the Xiaomi enhances the exposure to make the images appear more striking. The Xiaomi 14 also has skin smoothing turned on by default, which users may want to disable for a more natural appearance. When capturing portraits, both phones deliver good detail and edge detection, but the Xiaomi slightly outperforms in terms of the sharpness of the details.

Video Performance

Both phones can record video up to 8K at 24 fps, though this feature has not been tested as it is unlikely to be used frequently by most consumers in the near future. When recording in 4K, both devices can shoot up to 60 fps. In this mode, the OnePlus generally produces better videos. Video stabilization is effective on both devices, but the Xiaomi tends to display more contrast, which can make some videos look underexposed. This was observed with HDR turned off as well, and some glare was noticeable in the videos shot with the Xiaomi 14.

In low-light conditions, however, the increased contrast in Xiaomi’s videos results in better visual quality. Additionally, the Xiaomi outperforms the OnePlus in terms of flare handling in these settings. It is also worth mentioning that Xiaomi’s sound recording quality is superior.

Overall, the OnePlus is favoured for its better overall performance.

Conclusion

Which phone has the better camera, the Xiaomi or the OnePlus? In this comparison, the Xiaomi 14 seems to have the advantage. It captures neutral photos under most conditions, which is highly appreciated. Additionally, it produces warmer-looking portraits, which seems to be popular among users. Although it doesn’t perform as well as the OnePlus in video recording, its superior macro capabilities contribute to it having a better camera overall.

The choice might differ if considering the overall quality of the phone, where factors like the operating system, usability, and display come into play. However, it’s worth noting that the Xiaomi 14’s user interface has improved significantly with the introduction of Hyper Touch OS. Expectations are that it will continue to get better with future updates.