Hands-on review: Vivo X50 Pro 5G

I've been having a read about this Android 5G Phone as it does its system update but already I'm impressed by the gorgeous screen, boasting a bezel-less curved AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 16 million colours, a 90Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+. Even more, I'm entranced by the screen wallpaper with moving traffic.

I've been waiting to see what the 5G experience is going to bring us, and on the box I see a short message, saying, "Photography. Redefined."  That is a little bit of an understatement.  I had a great deal of fun exploring this phone and discovering in the process that even I can take great photos if I let the camera do most of the work.

Having reached the end of my review time, I'm already convinced that I want to be the next stellar movie director to come out of New Zealand when I grow up.

The photo lenses enable the user to choose from super-macro (my personal favourite), super wide-angle and bokeh. The single lens on the user side boasts a spectacular 32-megapixel lens. I have been engaged in discovering the perfect selfie to use as my wraparound wallpaper. It was interesting to see how my bokeh and super-wide angled shots turned out on a dismal and dreary shooting day.

The controls are for the camera are super-sensitive and if you're not careful, you can zoom in way too far. My example of that would never get past my eagle-eyed editor, so you'll have to take my word for it. Using my pinky gave me a tad more control than my fat index fingers.

Be prepared to experiment and be patient with yourself. If I can get the hang of it, so can you. The slide controls are easy to use as long as you're not cavalier in your finger-sweeps.  I occasionally had to take a step backwards in order to get back to the lens settings, but I put that down to me rushing to try as much as I can.

Heading out to the garden, I was impressed by the super-macro quality of the photos, especially given the dull grey day we were experiencing.

I was even more impressed with the super-wide-angle lens, capturing our domus from directly across the street. I even managed to frame one side with a conveniently annoying tree, adding to the artistic effect.

The X50 Pro 5G boasts a built-in gimbal meaning that the camera keeps your subject right where you want it, no matter how much you move the camera around. My 20-second movie masterpiece, which hopefully will never see the light of day, was a testament to the gimballed lenses.  I can attest to the fact that no matter how much I moved the camera about, my gorgeous visage never wavered from the centre of attention. I'm also sure that my wallpaper design will generate an amazing response and I've got great hopes in marketing this around the globe. Maybe a nose-hair trim would be in order though.

On the subject of sound, I found that recorded music sounded good, but my voice was a trifle tinny. I'd recommend a decent microphone if you're planning on adding a backing track, as the built-in microphone doesn't give your recorded track the volume to compete with backing music.

Sadly, my time with the X50 Pro 5G was limited, because I would have happily worked on editing my inaugural masterpiece, a black - white piece appropriately titled, "A Star is Extinguished" for hours. I didn't quite master the art of ducking the music, so consequently, my voice is happily over-ridden.

The X50 Pro 5G has exceeded my expectations of a mid-range phone. The screen is amazing, and I'd happily watch my favourite Netflix of Prime programs on it. It actually excels the quality of our TV, my laptop and my other laptop.

Packing it up and sending it back is going to be more painful than I envisaged. It has brought out the Peter Jackson in me. The editing tools will keep you engaged and creative, ensuring that by the time you upgrade to Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro, you'll be ready.

The 5G capabilities will also ensure that your games will play smoothly, and if you are a multitasker, you will appreciate its speed and rock-solid stability.