In the continuous progress of mobile technology, a period of seven to eight years is an eternity. A phone launched in the mid-2010s, with its then-cutting-edge features, is now a digital relic. Still, now and then, a device emerges with a distinctive, revolutionary gimmick that deserves a revisit. The Vivo V5, launched in November 2016 at a competitive price of around ₹17,980 (about $270 at the time), was one such phone. Its defining characteristic? The industry’s first 20MP front camera, paired with the much-hyped “Moonlight Selfie” flash.
The Vivo V5 wasn’t just a phone; It was a statement piece in the emerging “selfie-expert” category, directly competing with the Oppo F1S and Gionee S6S. It captured the zeitgeist of a generation obsessed with self-portraits. But today, with every budget smartphone boasting advanced AI, computational photography, and multi-lens setups, does the Vivo V5’s sole claim to fame – the moonlight selfie – stand the test of time? We’re taking an in-depth look at the hardware, software, and most importantly, camera performance of the Vivo V5 in the context of 2024.
Part I: A Trip Down Memory Lane – The Vivo V5 in 2016
To truly appreciate the Vivo V5, one must first understand the mobile landscape of 2016. Flagship phones were starting to flirt with dual-lens setups, computational photography was in its infancy, and “selfie cameras” were usually an afterthought, often involving low-resolution sensors and harsh, blinding LED flashes.
The Original Proposition
The specifications of the Vivo V5, while considered mid-range at the time, were laser-focused on its primary use case:
- World’s first 20MP selfie camera: this was the headline. Using a Sony IMX376 sensor with an aperture, the resolution calculation was unmatched. It promised unprecedented detail and clarity.
- ‘Moonlight Glow’ Flash: This was the key difference. Instead of a standard, high-intensity LED flash, the V5 had a soft, steady LED light designed to mimic studio fill-light. The goal was to provide uniform, natural-looking illumination for low-light selfies, avoiding the overexposed, ghostly look that comes with regular flash.
- Key features: 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS display, MediaTek MT6750 octa-core processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB expandable storage, and 3,000mAh battery. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 2.6.
At its core, the V5 was a well-balanced mid-ranger that prioritized a single, marketable feature. 4GB of RAM made it lively for the time, and its dedicated AK4376 Hi-Fi audio chip was a pleasant bonus for music lovers. However, its 720p display resolution was already a weak point in 2016, and the MediaTek MT6750 was considered an average performer even then.
Part II: The 2024 Reality Check – Hardware and Software
Stepping into 2024, the hardware and software of the Vivo V5 are facing seven generations of innovation. The challenge is not just competition; This is basic compatibility and performance.
A. The Performance Pitfalls
The MediaTek MT6750 processor running at 1.5GHz struggles quite a bit in the modern era. Today’s budget phones, which cost significantly less than the V5’s original cost, contain chipsets with advanced process nodes (often 6nm or 4nm) and dramatically more powerful CPU/GPU architectures.
- Day-to-day use: Opening modern, resource-heavy apps like Facebook, Instagram, or a modern web browser is a frustrating exercise in patience. Lags are notable, and the phone feels sluggish. 4GB of RAM, which was once a strong point, is now the minimum, and the older processor can’t use it efficiently for smooth multitasking.
- App compatibility and security: Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow (no official update path after its initial version) is the biggest practical hurdle. Many modern applications now require a minimum of Android 9 or 10. Security patches are nonexistent, leaving the device highly vulnerable to modern exploits. Connecting to new smart home devices or using digital payment services is often impossible or strongly discouraged.
B. The Display Dilemma
The 5.5-inch HD (720p) IPS display is arguably the first immediate sign of its age.
- Resolution: 6.5-inch+ In a world dominated by Full HD+ (1080p) or even higher-resolution AMOLED screens, the low pixel density of the V5’s 720p panel is irritating. Text and icons lack the clarity that modern users are accustomed to.
- Technology: While the IPS panel offers good viewing angles, it lacks the deep blacks, high contrast, and extreme brightness of contemporary AMOLED or high-refresh-rate LCD panels found in every 2024 budget phone.
Part III: The Main Event – Testing the ‘Moonlight Selfie’ in 2024
This is the moment of truth. Can a sensor and a soft LED fill-light from 2016 compete with the advanced algorithms and high-resolution front cameras of 2024?
A. The 20MP Sensor: Megapixels vs. Magic
In 2016, 20 megapixels was a brute-force approach to detail. In optimal daylight conditions, the Vivo V5 still manages to capture a selfie with a higher pixel count, meaning you can zoom further in than contemporary 8MP or 12MP budget sensors before losing detail.
However, image quality is immediately limited:
- Sensor size and optics: The physical sensor size and older lens technology limit its light-gathering capabilities compared to modern sensors, which use larger pixels and better optics, even with fewer megapixels.
- Image Processing (The Real Killer): This is where the Vivo V5 fails most spectacularly. Modern phones use computational photography – complex software algorithms that stack multiple exposures, apply smart HDR, refine skin textures, and correct lens distortions before saving the image. The V5’s Funtouch OS 2.6 processing is comparatively primitive. Its “Face Beauty 6.0” mode aggressively softens the skin, often creating an unnatural, airbrushed look that eliminates texture and detail. HDR capabilities are weak, leaving highlights or shadows distorted in challenging lighting.
- Verdict in daylight: The raw resolution is still there, but colors are often muted, dynamic range is poor, and the heavy-handed, outdated beauty mode severely degrades overall image quality compared to a modern phone that uses AI to produce more balanced and realistic images.
B. The ‘Moonlight Glow’: A Soft Light, A Harsh Reality
In 2016, 20 megapixels was a brute-force approach to detail. In optimal daylight conditions, the Vivo V5 still manages to capture a selfie with a higher pixel count, meaning you can zoom further in than contemporary 8MP or 12MP budget sensors before losing detail.
However, image quality is immediately limited:
- Sensor size and optics: The physical sensor size and older lens technology limit its light-gathering capabilities compared to modern sensors, which use larger pixels and better optics, even with fewer megapixels.
- Image Processing (The Real Killer): This is where the Vivo V5 fails most spectacularly. Modern phones use computational photography – complex software algorithms that stack multiple exposures, apply smart HDR, refine skin textures, and correct lens distortions before saving the image. The V5’s Funtouch OS 2.6 processing is comparatively primitive. Its “Face Beauty 6.0” mode aggressively softens the skin, often creating an unnatural, airbrushed look that eliminates texture and detail. HDR capabilities are weak, leaving highlights or shadows distorted in challenging lighting.
- Verdict in daylight: The raw resolution is still there, but colors are often muted, dynamic range is poor, and the heavy-handed, outdated beauty mode severely degrades overall image quality compared to a modern phone that uses AI to produce more balanced and realistic images.
Part IV: The Final Verdict – Is It Still Worth It in 2024?
The ultimate question is whether the Vivo V5 holds any value in the current market.
A. The Emotional Value (The Collector’s Corner)
For mobile enthusiasts or nostalgic owners, the Vivo V5 represents an important part of smartphone history. It was the leader of the selfie-centric phone wave. For this specific audience, its value is purely nostalgic and collectible. Its design is reminiscent of the popular aesthetics of the mid-2010s, and its unique camera feature makes it an interesting display piece.
B. The Practical Value (Zero)
In terms of functional utility, the Vivo V5 is obsolete.
- Security Risks: Running ancient, unsupported Android software is a significant security liability.
- App performance: Modern apps run poorly or don’t run at all.
- Connectivity: It lacks essential modern features like USB-C, 5G, and modern Wi-Fi standards. Charging is slow (no fast charging for the 3,000mAh battery).
- Camera: While the 20MP resolution is high, the overall picture quality, dynamic range, and low light performance are well below any new budget smartphones sold in 2024. Moonlight selfies are an interesting relic, but they’ve been computationally overtaken by modern software-based night modes.
The Conclusion
Vivo V5 was the pioneer. It boldly declared that the front camera was just as important as the back, and its “Moonlight Selfie” technology was truly innovative, offering a soft-light solution that was ahead of its time.
Is it still worth it in 2024?
For the average user who wants a functional phone or a good selfie camera, the answer is clearly no. Priced at a fraction of the V5’s original price, the new phone will deliver better performance, a higher-resolution screen, modern security, and better camera results thanks to computational photography. For the tech historian or the nostalgic selfie lover, the Vivo V5 is an irreplaceable artifact. It’s a physical reminder of a time when manufacturers pursued brute-force hardware and specific, clever lighting solutions to solve the problem of low-light selfies — a problem that, ironically, was ultimately solved by complex software algorithms. Moonlight selfies are a fascinating footnote in smartphone history, but 2024’s camera magic isn’t written in LED light, but in code.