In fact, every flagship phone can take good photos. But that hasn’t stopped Xiaomi from continuing to work with legendary camera maker Leica to produce a photographer in the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has first-class specs. It also has a large 6,000 mAh battery, which is bigger than anything you get from Apple, Google, or Samsung. At the same time, when it comes to charging, wired speeds can reach 90 watts, or slower on 80 watts of wireless, which is by no means easy. Unlike most phones sold in the United States, it comes with a power adapter in the box.
Elsewhere, these 15 Ultras feature a gorgeous 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 1-120Hz and a brightness of up to 3200 columns. It also comes in three colors: a white model with an etched back, a black, almost rubber-textured finish, and a special silver chrome-plated version that draws inspiration from some of Leica’s old-fashioned cameras. I thank the white model I’ve tested, features engraved on the subtle turns on the back of the gleaming glowing sun. But, honestly, those two shades of metal and black are easily the most attractive metal, as it does tend to be the best features of this phone.
On the back, there is a massive circular camera module that I usually don’t like to use on competitor devices like the OnePlus 13. But, on this device, it’s not just a display piece, because there’s some serious photo hardware inside. The Ultra 15’s 23mm equivalent main camera uses a massive 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony sensor. Then, for something like a spacious landscape, there is an F/2.2 50-MP super cam. But it doesn’t stop there, as there are only two zoom lenses: a 50MP midrange shooter with a 70mm focal length plus a super high resolution 200MP Periscope Array with a 100mm focal length (equal to 4.7x optical zoom).
Now, I don’t have a lot of time to fully pass it’s pace, but the Xiaomi Ultra 15 has by far one of the most comprehensive photography kits. It features Leica optics as well as large sensors and lenses that cover almost every focal length you need every day. On the software side, there are some preset liquid filters, such as vibrant or real, that can really take home a collaboration between two brands.
That said, one of the things that made my biggest impression was that Xiaomi even created a separate photography kit that included an additional camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and dedicated video buttons. There is also a case where you can connect a standard 67mm filter adapter. This means that, assuming you have the right gear, you can use some of the same glasses you use on a real camera with the Ultra 15. It’s not just a certain hindsight, either, as the kit also comes with bonuses such as a hand strap, decorative lens ring and two different removable covers that can be used for its shutter.
It is worth noting that unlike some Chinese phones, such as Huawei’s, Xiaomi phones still have access to Google Services, so you can download the app from the Play Store. Even the company’s Hyperos 2 is a relatively minimalist Android skin that looks good and is easy to use. Although the model starts at around €850, sadly, there is no official plan to bring it to the US, which is shameful because no one really sells such a phone in the US. (Tear to Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1.)
