These photos from the brand-new Vivo X500 Pro Max prove you don’t actually need a compact camera any more

Once upon a time, compact cameras boasted various zoom lenses, ranging from 3x optical zoom to a staggering 125x. However, the image quality was often subpar, and their size was not ideal. On the other hand, compact cameras had limited zoom and wide-angle capabilities. With the rise of smartphones, many people abandoned compact cameras. But, does this mean smartphones have fully replaced compact cameras? The Vivo X500 Pro Max, with its 85mm equivalent lens, proves otherwise.

The phone's triple lens setup includes an ultra-wide-angle ranging from 13-16mm equivalent, a wide-angle main camera at 24mm, and a telephoto lens with 3x or 5x zoom – outperforming every compact camera. Some flagship phones, like Vivo X500 Pro/Pro Max, offer extra telephoto reach, such as 2.35x and 4.7x converters. The Vivo X500 Pro Max's 400mm equivalent add-on lens further boosts the 85mm lens's zoom to 400mm – even more if you crop the image.

Interestingly, the phone retains the compact size of a pocket-friendly device, even after swapping the lens. Removing the lens leaves you with a phone capable of taking high-quality images, often surpassing the image quality of compact cameras. Even Samsung's Galaxy K Zoom, a 20MP device with a 10x optical zoom lens, struggled with lack of wide-angle, brightness, and waterproofing. Meanwhile, the Vivo X500 Pro Max, with its 85mm lens, takes stunning portraits.

Moreover, top-tier phones like the X500 Pro Max offer IP68/IP69 waterproof ratings, allowing for unique use cases that standard compact cameras couldn't match. In addition to impressive zoom capabilities, today's flagship phones also excel in advanced video recording, with options for 8K 30fps and even 4K 960fps.