The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, Vivo X200 FE, and Oppo Reno 14 Pro are pitched as phones that bring flagship-level cameras at prices that feel a little easier on the pocket.
Samsung’s S25 FE is the priciest option at around ₹60,000, while Vivo’s X200 FE comes in slightly lower at ₹55,000 and adds some Zeiss branding to its optics. Oppo takes the most aggressive route with the Reno 14 Pro at ₹50,000, yet still offers a triple 50MP camera setup.
I tested all three to see which one actually delivers the best results in everyday photography, and boy, do I have some thoughts!
All three phones come with 50MP main cameras and OIS, but the sensors behind them aren’t the same. Vivo uses Sony’s IMX921, Oppo has gone with the Omnivision OV50E, while Samsung is keeping its choice a mystery.
In good lighting, like daylight, I found the results pretty similar across the board, with sharp, detailed shots. The real differences show up in colour tuning. Samsung, which usually leans towards punchy tones, has gone more natural this time, though the photos can look a bit darker.
To me, Oppo seems to strike the best balance, with colours that feel true-to-life and pleasing. Vivo, despite having a strong sensor, tends to oversaturate and sometimes slips on white balance in tricky conditions.
In this round, Samsung and Oppo finish almost neck and neck, while Vivo falls slightly behind.
Comparing the ultrawide cameras on the Reno 14 Pro, Vivo X200 FE, and Galaxy S25 FE
On paper, the Reno 14 Pro looked the most promising with its 50MP ultrawide, while Samsung went with 12MP and Vivo just 8MP. Once I started shooting, Oppo’s photos had that extra bit of detail, especially in shady corners, and Samsung’s shots were decent but not as clean when you zoom in.
Vivo didn’t hold up as well, the pictures felt soft, and the colours had this reddish shift that threw things off. For me, Oppo stood out the most on ultrawide, Samsung was reliable enough, and Vivo just didn’t quite keep pace.
Zoom is where the differences between these three phones really start to show. The Galaxy S25 FE takes the straightforward route with an 8MP telephoto camera offering 3X optical zoom. Oppo’s Reno 14 Pro, on the other hand, goes bigger with a 50MP Samsung JN5 sensor at 3.5X, while Vivo’s X200 FE packs a 50MP Sony IMX882 periscope lens at 3X.
At their native optical zoom levels, I found the Oppo and Vivo to be evenly matched, both delivering crisp, detailed shots. Samsung does a decent job, but the detail falls slightly short when compared with the other two.
Colour tuning varies, yet Vivo gets closest to natural tones. Beyond 10X, Oppo and Vivo continue to produce strong, usable images, while Samsung starts to drop off in sharpness. By 20X, Oppo still surprises with impressive clarity, though Vivo introduces some ghosting, and Samsung struggles heavily.
I also pushed their digital zooms to the limit, and found that the differences are stark. The Reno 14 Pro stretches all the way to 120X, the X200 FE hits 100X, and Samsung stops at 30X. While the maximum ranges are more fun than practical, Oppo’s ability to hold detail at such extremes makes it the clear winner in the zoom battle.
When I checked out video on these phones, they all did a solid job. Vivo and Oppo record up to 4K at 60fps, while Samsung also gives you 8K at 30fps. For my tests, I just stuck to 4K60 and kept HDR off, even though you can switch it on with all three.
In good light, Oppo edges ahead with better colours and dynamic range, even if highlights occasionally blow out. I found that stabilisation is also noticeably stronger on Oppo, with Vivo not far behind, while Samsung felt the least stable to me.
Low-light recording continues the same pattern: Oppo delivers the cleanest results with sharp detail, natural tones, and well-controlled exposure. Vivo struggles with a greenish tint, and Samsung brightens too aggressively, leaving footage looking cooler and less natural. Overall, Oppo sets the bar for video performance here.
On the front, Vivo and Oppo step things up with 50MP selfie shooters equipped with autofocus, while Samsung goes with a more modest 12MP camera. However, I found that despite the lower resolution, Samsung still holds its ground. When I tried selfies on the Galaxy S25 FE, they looked the most natural to me. Colours felt right, the range was fine, though the photos did come out a bit darker.
Oppo’s selfies had loads of detail, but skin tones leaned reddish, which made them look off at times. Vivo’s shots were the weakest here — most of them looked too dark, almost underexposed in some cases.
But when I switched on the portrait mode, that changed things up: Samsung and Oppo both manage sharp edges, but Vivo stands out with a more convincing background blur that looks smoother and more flattering.
In short, Samsung’s selfies feel the most realistic, Oppo’s photos are sharp but imperfect in colour, and Vivo nails the portrait effect despite slightly darker exposures.
Portrait mode is one area where the Vivo X200 FE clearly flexes its strength. With Zeiss tuning at play, colours strike the right balance of vibrant yet natural, and edge detection is impressively precise. I liked how the bokeh looked; it felt natural and had a nice depth to it. At 3X zoom or higher, the blur faded in really smoothly and gave the portraits a finish that reminded me of what you’d get from a proper camera.
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 FE isn’t far behind. It captures pleasing portraits with good colours, though its algorithm sometimes struggles with fine details.
In one of my tests, it missed a small cutout under a figurine’s arm, which hurt the overall depth effect. Oppo’s Reno 14 Pro produces decent portraits, but its blur comes across as flatter and less refined compared to the others.
Skin tones look solid across all three, though Vivo occasionally leans slightly red and Oppo skews warmer. Overall, Vivo takes the edge in portraits, with Samsung a close second.
After testing all three, I feel that the Vivo X200 FE edges ahead as the most complete camera package. The Zeiss tuning really helps and delivers beautiful depth and natural colours, while low-light shots stand out with sharp detail and accurate exposure, for anyone who prioritises portraits or night photography, Vivo feels like the clear winner.
That said, I’ve got to give the Reno 14 Pro credit. The colours look spot on, the zoom is easily the best of the three, and it rarely lets you down in day-to-day use. The Galaxy S25 FE, on the other hand, isn’t about flashy specs but about consistency; the photos look natural and reliable, which makes it a solid pick if you just want results you can trust without fussing too much.
But if I had to choose one, I’d still go with the Vivo X200 FE. It’s the one that made shooting photos feel the most rewarding overall.