Xiaomi Introduces Leica Leitzphone with Innovative Camera Features
At a recent event in Barcelona, Xiaomi unveiled the Leica Leitzphone, a premium smartphone that stands out with its unique rotating Leica Camera Ring and an impressive 200MP telephoto camera. This device is essentially the global counterpart to the China-exclusive Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition, bringing Leica’s renowned photographic expertise to a wider audience with some subtle but meaningful design changes.
Key Specifications and Features
The Leica Leitzphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and runs Xiaomi’s latest HyperOS 3. It sports a large 6.9-inch HyperRGB OLED display with a resolution of 1200p, Dolby Vision support, and a peak brightness of 3,500 nits. This LTPO panel supports a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz, offering both smooth visuals and power efficiency.
Photography is the highlight of the Leitzphone. It features a quad-camera setup co-developed with Leica, including a 50MP front-facing selfie camera and three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor with a large 1-inch type sensor, a 200MP telephoto lens with an aperture range of f/2.39 to f/2.96 and focal length between 75mm and 100mm, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. The rotating Leica Camera Ring on the back allows users to manually adjust zoom and exposure settings, enhancing the photography experience. Additionally, the phone offers a Leica Essential mode that emulates the photographic style of classic Leica cameras like the M3 and M9.
Other notable features include a 6,000mAh battery, supporting 90W wired and 50W wireless charging, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner. Audio enthusiasts will appreciate Dolby Atmos tuning, Hi-Res Audio support for both wired and wireless connections, and stereo speakers.
Design and Availability
Unlike the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition, which sports a two-tone colour scheme, the Leica Leitzphone opts for a sleek, fully black rear panel. The Leica logo and text on the camera island have been rotated by 90 degrees, and the Xiaomi logo is now centred on the back. The device comes in a single configuration with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
The Leica Leitzphone is priced at €1,999 in Europe and £1,699 in the UK. Xiaomi also offers the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro, a complementary accessory with a 2,000mAh battery, priced at €199.99 and available in black.
Context and What to Expect Next
This launch marks Xiaomi’s continued collaboration with Leica, aiming to blend flagship smartphone performance with high-end photography capabilities. The Leica Leitzphone builds on the foundation of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition, adjusting battery capacity and design elements to better suit international markets. As Xiaomi expands its presence in premium photography-focused smartphones, it will be interesting to see how the Leitzphone competes with other camera-centric devices in the market.
Consumers and enthusiasts should watch for further reviews and hands-on impressions to fully gauge the Leica Leitzphone’s capabilities and whether its unique features justify the premium price point.