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| Image: Xiaomi / Leica |
Xiaomi has announced its 15 Series smartphones, promising exceptional image-making abilities thanks to a partnership with Leica, and the Ultra's inclusion of a Type 1 sensor. The two companies originally partnered in 2022, bringing Leica camera technology to the Chinese smartphones. That collaboration continues, with the brand promising these latest models will be "the ultimate professional imagery flagship."
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra sits at the top of the company's lineup, combining "supreme build quality with a sense of refined sophistication," according to Xiaomi. It features a WQHD+ 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a 3200 x 14440 resolution and 522 ppi. The display offers 3200 nits of peak brightness. The 5410mAh battery is slightly improved over the 14 Ultra, though the Chinca-only model gets an even better 6000mAh.
The device runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite and is available with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of memory.
For durability, it features the Xiaomi Guardian Structure, which uses Xiaomi Shelid Glass 2.0, an upgrade from the previous model. The company says this results in 16 times better drop resistance. Meanwhile, the entire camera module is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 7i to protect it from scratches and features a dual anti-reflection (AR) coating to improve optical performance.
The phone comes in black, white, and silver chrome, with the latter being the most unique of the bunch. With aerospace-grade glass fiber and PU leather, it is more reminiscent of classic Leica cameras when held in landscape orientation than typical smartphones. Each color variation features Leuca prominently on the camera module.
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| Image: Xiaomi |
Camera details
The 15 Ultra's camera array is the main feature that makes it stand out from the Xiaomi 15 since it uses four different sensors for each lens. Starting with the main camera, the latest flagship keeps the same 50MP Type 1 (13.1 x 9.8mm) LYT-900 sensor with the Leica Summilux 23mm equiv. F1.63 lens that was used on the 14 Ultra. That same camera supports 28mm and 35mm focal lengths, albeit with a crop, as they rely on digital zoom. Xiaomi says this camera provides a 14EV dynamic range, which should help with photographing in low-light conditions.
Next up on the 15 Ultra is a 50MP, 70mm equiv. F1.8 Leica floating telephoto camera with a Sony Type 1/2.51 (5.72 x 4.29mm) sensor. The 14 Ultra featured a 75mm equiv. telephoto camera. It keeps the close focusing distance of 10cm, though, making it suitable for macro photography as well as portraiture.
For even more reach, the 15 Ultra features a 200MP, 100mm equiv. F2.6 Leica-branded periscope telephoto camera using the Samsung Isocell HP9 Type 1/1.4 (9.14 x 6.86mm) sensor. This is the most significant change from the 14 Ultra, which featured a 50MP, 120mm F2.5 equivalent periscope camera. That big jump in resolution may seem impressive, but it doesn't necessarily mean there will be a massive increase in image quality. It's also worth noting that Xiaomi claims the ultra-telephoto camera "captures 136% more light than Xiaomi 14 Ultra." That's about the difference we'd expect, given that the 14 Ultra used a much smaller Type 1/2.51 sensor paired with a slightly faster lens. The ultra-telephoto camera is also capable of shooting at 200mm (equiv.) with digital zoom.
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| Image: Xiaomi |
The wide-angle lens, a 50MP 14mm equiv. F2.2 lens with a Type 1/2.76-inch (5.23 x 3.92mm) sensor, rounds out the camera array. It provides a slightly tighter field of view than the 14 Ultra (115 degrees compared to 122 degrees).
Both telephoto cameras and the main camera offer optical image stabilization (OIS) and electronic image stabilization (EIS) to smooth out shake. The phone is capable of recording at 4K 120fps or 8K at 24 and 30fps. It supports Dolby Vision recording at 4K 60fps and 10-bit Log across all focal lengths, providing smartphone videographers with plenty of options and control.
Alongside the Leica lenses, the phone features "Leica color technology and the Leica brand’s authentic visual language."
Pushing the focus on photography even more, Xiaomi also launched a Xiaomi 15 Ultra Photography Kit Legend Edition. It includes a "signature red decorative ring" so everyone knows it's a Leica collaboration, plus a "custom-designed UI under camera's Fastshot mode, detachable thumb support and shutter buttons, a multifunctional 67mm filter adapter ring, and an integrated 2000mAh battery for extended usability."
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| Image: Xiaomi |
Xiaomi 15
The Xiaomi 15 is smaller and cheaper than the 15 Ultra, featuring a 6.3-inch AMOLED (2670 x 1200) display. Still, it offers many features similar to the more premium model. That includes the Summilux lenses with anti-reflective coating. It also offers Dolby Vision, 8K 30fps and 4K 60fps recording, plus 10-bit Log recording at 4K 60fps across all focal lengths.
The Xiaomi 15, though, only features three cameras. The main camera is a 50MP 23mm equiv. F1.6 camera with a smaller Type 1/1.31 (9.80 x 7.35mm) Light Fusion 900 sensor. The telephoto camera offers slightly less reach, coming in at 60mm equiv. F2.0. Finally, the wide-angle is the same as the one found on the 15 Ultra.
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| Image: Xiaomi |
Beyond the camera hardware, there are some useful software features on the Xiaomi 15. That includes a Fastshot mode, which it says enables a capture speed of 0.6 seconds at all focal lengths. Additionally, Leica explained that it developed software optimization that allows users to choose between the "classic 'Leica Authentic Look', characterized by warm colors and fine contrasts, and the 'Leica Vibrant Look', providing a dazzling depth of color."
Pricing & availability
The Xiaomi 15 is available in two storage variants at a starting price of EUR 999 ($1030). The Xiaomi 15 Ultra also comes in two storage variants and starts at EUR 1499 ($1550). Unfortunately, both of the Xiaomi Series 15 phones are not available for purchase through retailers in the US or Canada.
from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) https://ift.tt/J1hbUNk