Having great hardware is only half the battle. Because I shoot extensively with the vivo X300 Pro and publish my work to Pexels and WordPress Photos, I have developed a specific workflow to get the absolute most out of the ZEISS optics.
Here is exactly how I set up my camera app, how I edit the files, and how I manage the massive file sizes.
My Camera Settings
I don’t shoot on full auto all the time. To maximize dynamic range and color accuracy, here is my setup:
- Color Profile: ZEISS Natural. I cannot stress this enough. The standard Vivid mode over-sharpens and pushes contrast too high for post-processing. ZEISS Natural provides a beautifully flat, accurate baseline.
- Format: For 90% of my shots, I shoot in standard JPEG. The processing is that good. However, for high-contrast landscapes or difficult lighting, I switch to RAW mode in the Pro settings to retain highlight data.
- Watermark: I disable the default vivo watermark. While the ZEISS logo is cool, it distracts from the composition of the image itself.
Editing Mobile RAW Files
When I shoot RAW, the files from the 200MP APO sensor contain an incredible amount of data, but they require a gentle touch.
- My Software: I use Adobe Lightroom Mobile exclusively.
- The Process: The RAW files tend to look slightly flat upon import. I start by dropping the highlights to recover sky detail, lifting the shadows slightly (but not too much, to retain contrast), and adding a tiny bit of texture. I avoid the “Clarity” slider entirely, as it makes smartphone photos look instantly artificial.
Storage & Backup
Shooting high-resolution photos on this device eats through storage quickly. A single 200MP JPEG can be over 40MB, and RAW files are significantly larger.
- Local Storage: I purchased the 512GB model specifically to avoid running out of space during a week-long shoot.
- Backup Strategy: I do not rely on local storage long-term. Every evening, I back up my selected “keepers” to an external SSD via the phone’s USB-C port, which supports fast data transfer speeds. I also use Google Photos on the “Storage Saver” setting for a quick, accessible cloud backup of my entire camera roll.
See Also: To see the actual unedited results of this workflow, check out my Camera Samples page. If you are curious about what gear I use alongside the phone (tripods, grips), read my Accessories Guide.