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Vivo Debuts Sam Kolder Short Shot Entirely on X300 Ultra to Prove Its Cinema Credentials

The release signals vivo’s push to show a smartphone can manage a full cinematic workflow from capture to color grade.

Overview

  • The company released The Garden Route, a short film by filmmaker Sam Kolder shot only on the X300 Ultra across South Africa’s Garden Route.
  • Kolder left his traditional cameras at home and said the phone let him work faster and stay present, while still getting the subject isolation he expects from DSLR gear.
  • The shoot leaned on ZEISS prime-style cameras, a 200MP Sony main sensor, and optional telephoto extenders that reach 200mm and 400mm equivalents.
  • The phone records 4K at 120 frames per second in 10‑bit Log across lenses, and its Pro Video Mode offers real-time 3D LUT previews for grading like a standard film workflow.
  • Vivo is using the film as proof of its creator focus during the X300 Ultra’s staged global rollout, positioning mobile rigs and accessories like the SmallRig kit as tools for serious filmmakers.