vivo and ZEISS make a stunning breakthrough in mobile portrait photography

Not long ago, vivo took the photography world and tech industry by storm when it announced its global imaging partnership with ZEISS. Since then, the vivo brand and its X series lineup of flagship smartphones have become synonymous with premium imaging technology, providing both professional photographers and everyday consumers next level mobile imaging competence and camera features for capturing the joy filled moments of their lives anytime, anywhere.

Among the diverse and exciting photography features, portrait mode has been found to be one of the most alluring and striking features — smartphone users love to capture the essence, identity and attitude of those around them. The goal is to shoot a photo that appears natural yet compelling, portraying the subject’s facial features predominantly and vividly while utilizing a perfect mixture of background, lighting and posing.

Always innovating with the user in mind, vivo has incorporated four different ZEISS portrait style bokehs within the vivo X70 series. These four styles of bokeh, inspired by the iconic ZEISS lenses, are ZEISS Biotar 1.5/75, ZEISS Distagon 2.0/28, ZEISS Planar 2.8/80 and ZEISS Sonnar 2.8/180. These very famous and classic lens structures in the 175-year history of ZEISS, provide unique bokeh styles and portraiture sensibilities to empower the creative flare of photographers for decades on end.

While there are recommendations for different bokeh styles, each style can be used in any scenario with sufficient background lighting sources. For vivo X70 series users to get the most out of the experience, they must understand the visual composition and functional aspects of all four ZEISS portrait styles to portray the subject in unparalleled definition. Check ‘em out below:

ZEISS Biotar Style Bokeh, inspired by ZEISS Contax Biotar 1.5/75 from 1930

This portrait style reproduces the legendary imaging characteristics of Biotar lens, which includes the unique swirly rotational bokeh. An iconic lens style from back in the olden days, this lens was perfectly suited to capture special moments in life and now, vivo and ZEISS co-engineered a system that reproduces it in all its glory on the vivo X70 series.

ZEISS Biotar Style Bokeh is suited for sunny weather conditions or scenarios where there is sufficient lighting. The swirly style bokeh works best against a backdrop filled with outdoor nature, such as leafy green forestry.

ZEISS Distagon Style Bokeh, inspired by ZEISS Contax 2.0/28 (‘Hollywood Distagon’)

This lens style delivers an anamorphic-like look with sharp images in-focus, while simulating bokeh that reflects the effect of hexagonal diaphragm in out-of-focus regions. It makes every shot the star of the show and exudes Hollywood filmmaking aesthetics. With a natural vignetting effect and low distortion focus, ZEISS Distagon Style Bokeh provides even tonal reproduction across the image field on the vivo X70 series.

ZEISS Distagon Style Bokeh utilizes a wide-angle composition and is more suitable for shooting a wider scene. While facial features are well-defined, this mode is highly effective for capturing the body language of the subject and is ideal for artistic visual representation through portraiture.

ZEISS Planar Style Bokeh, inspired by ZEISS Planar 2.8/80

This adaption delivers another classic bokeh effect for vivo X70 series users, revealing true characteristics and conveying genuine expressions through portrait photography. The ZEISS Planar Style Bokeh brings out the best in its subject, while masterfully manipulating both sharpness and soft focus to pinpoint the background lighting, enveloping the individual and concealing a mysterious message. This is especially suitable for isolating the main subject from the foreground and background.

ZEISS Planar Style Bokeh is great for capturing the essence of a person’s character, producing a layered composition that carefully outlines the subject’s silhouette without compromising any details. Planar is ideal for spontaneous scenarios, even in night conditions with limited lighting against a backdrop of city lights.

ZEISS Sonnar Style Bokeh, inspired by ZEISS Olympia Sonnar T* 180mm f2.8

This portrait style is known for its creamy bokeh, making it well suited for portraiture with depth and clarity to document authentic events and people. This lens style stays true to its heritage, resembling photography characteristics of the past. With its wide aperture, taking photographs with a beautiful bokeh that reflects the ambiance of the golden age of rangefinder photography is as simple as pressing a button on a vivo X70 series smartphone.

ZEISS Sonnar Style Bokeh is ideal for candid moments, evoking a strong connection between the subject and location of the portrait. It romanticizes the backdrop with a creamy blur that does not muddy the noisy background, and is perfect for environmental or street portraits.

Narrowing the gap between mobile and professional photography

Today, smartphones are trustworthy tools for users to capture memories; a digital gateway to tell their own stories and share those creations with the world. For ZEISS, a technology leader in the world of optics for 175 years, it has always been about producing camera lenses for photographers who simply won’t settle for anything but the best.

By leveraging the imaging and optics knowhow of ZEISS and infusing it with its self-developed image processing technologies, vivo is actively narrowing down the gap between mobile and professional photography — combining user-oriented innovation with cutting-edge technology. ZEISS has top-level optical design capacities while vivo's optical team is fully committed to refining the miniaturization, differentiation and efficiency maximization of optical systems, combining the best of both worlds.

Classic ZEISS lens style in portraiture on a contemporary smartphone

The classic ZEISS lens family has been revered by the photography community around the world for generations. Offering extraordinary image quality with high contrast for technical and industrial applications, these timeless camera lenses are traditionally encased in sturdy full-metal housing for noticeable quality that can survive decades of intense use. But, how do you integrate these lens styles into a mobile device that is even smaller and lighter than a SLR camera lens assembly?

In order for users to manifest their creativity in high-definition and produce vivid multi-media content with no compromises to quality, vivo has expanded on its global imaging partnership with ZEISS for the vivo X70 series.

Unbeknownst to consumers, vivo engineers scrutinized various sample photos taken on classic ZEISS lenses, simulated shape and edge details of each light spot in various scenarios and environments using software algorithms to digitally replicate its signature properties and characteristics accurately. Encouraged by the raving reviews of ZEISS Biotar Portrait Style originally released with the vivo X60 series, vivo’s imaging team has since gotten smartphone portraiture down to a science, managing to optimize more intuitive photography features on the vivo X70 series that enable users to capture remarkably natural-looking photographs.

vivo X70 series — continuing the legacy of imaging excellence

Consisting of the X70, X70 Pro and X70 Pro+, the latest vivo X series lineup marks a new chapter of the much anticipated collaboration between two renowned brands and their joint vision in bringing mobile photography experience to the next level.

The entire vivo X70 lineup has achieved certified compliance to ZEISS T* Coating, collectively reducing reflections and enhancing light transmission to reduce ghosting, stray light and other negative image artifacts for guaranteed imaging quality. The ZEISS logo and ZEISS T* Coating label is stamped on the vivo X70 series’ rear camera array, while a ZEISS Vario-Tessar trademark has been subtly engraved on its protruding flashlight panel.

The vivo X70 series made an official debut in several markets around the world on September 10, and the photography flagship series is gradually rolling out in markets such as India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and more. The availability and specifications of each vivo X70 series device may differ according to local market conditions and consumer preferences.