Vivo V40 Review: Does This Camera Phone Deliver on Portrait Promises?

An in-depth review of the Vivo V40, focusing on its portrait capabilities, performance, and overall user experience.

Vivo V40 Review: A Camera-Driven Smartphone with Mixed Results

As the smartphone market continues to evolve, portrait photography has become a focal point for many mid-budget devices. Enter the Vivo V40, a 5G phone touted for its enhanced portrait capabilities, powered by the renowned German lens manufacturer Zeiss. But does it live up to the hype, or does it fall short of expectations?

A Closer Look at Camera Specifications

The Vivo V40 boasts an impressive camera setup that includes:

A main 50-megapixel camera featuring a 1/1.56-inch Samsung ISOCELL sensor with an f/1.88 lens.
A secondary 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera delivering an 11mm full-frame-equivalent view with an f/2 lens.
A remarkable front-facing 50-megapixel camera, designed for those Instagram-ready selfies.

Looks promising when the Zeiss brand is featured prominently on the camera. Impressive branding adds confidence to the camera’s capabilities.

What truly piqued my interest is the Portrait Lens Kit function. This feature effectively recreates the visual characteristics of traditional camera lenses such as 24mm, 35mm, and two distinct 50mm options—Natural and Classic. The Natural filter exudes warmth and emphasizes skin tones beautifully, while the Classic filter brings a nostalgic blue tint reminiscent of vintage film.

When utilizing the bokeh effects for portraits, Vivo pays homage to the legacy of Zeiss with various blur styles that notably enhance the depth of field in images—especially when set against a low-light backdrop. The results can be striking when you capture subjects in a dim alley illuminated by soft bulbs. However, the execution hasn’t been flawless. In practice, the subject extraction feature often struggles, leading to results that are less than ideal.

For some reason, not all the faces are in focus in this picture. Focus issues detract from the overall portrait experience.

Design and Usability

With dimensions of just 7.58mm, the Vivo V40 feels pleasant to hold, especially with its matte glass back that gives a premium touch. The device sports a vibrant 6.78-inch AMOLED screen capable of 4,500 nits brightness and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Its 5,500mAh battery performs admirably, lasting through a full day without any glitches and can be rapidly refueled thanks to the included 80W charger.

In terms of performance, the V40 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, accompanied by 12GB of RAM, which makes for a smooth experience whether you’re scrolling social media, streaming videos, or multitasking between apps. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a hint of disappointment regarding storage capacity; the 256GB onboard storage seems somewhat restrictive for a phone marketed toward photography enthusiasts.

Pricing and Market Position

In Singapore, the Vivo V40 5G is available in sophisticated Peach and Grey options for S$649. While competitive, this price point has me thinking—if photography is a priority, should one consider diving deeper into their pockets for alternatives like the S$799 Honor 200 Pro?

Final Thoughts

While the Vivo V40 presents a compelling package with its notable features, potential buyers should weigh its limitations, specifically in the context of camera performance. Many of us aspire to create stunning portraits with ease, but the V40 might require a little too much patience and skill, especially when subject selection falters and color accuracy remains a hurdle.

Overall, if you’re looking for a stylish smartphone that delivers decent performance and some attractive photography tools, the Vivo V40 might just be the right fit. However, camera enthusiasts might wish to explore other options before settling on this device. As always, I would recommend trying it out for yourself—after all, the best opinions come from personal experience.

The frosted glass back is comfortable to hold.
An appealing design that feels good in hand.

The sharpness is quite good but the colours are not true to life as they lack a bit of warmth and saturation.
Color reproduction remains a challenge for the Vivo V40’s camera.

Vivo has made significant strides here, but the road ahead still seems long.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Vivo V40 stands as a testament to the balancing act of modern smartphone design—blending aesthetics with technology. While it excels in many areas, its camera limitations might leave photography aficionados wanting more. If you desire a mid-budget device with style and reliability, it’s worth considering, but always be sure to explore how it fits into your personal photographic journey.