US EditionThe Photos I've Taken on Xiaomi's Leica Phone Are Some of My Best Ever
Xiaomi and Leica unveiled the Leitzphone and Xiaomi 17 Ultra with advanced zoom and large sensors, targeting photography enthusiasts ahead of Mobile World Congress 2026.
- At Xiaomi's pre-MWC Barcelona event, Stan Schroeder, Mashable senior editor, tested the Leica Leitzphone, praising its large 1-inch sensor and telephoto capabilities after two weeks.
- Built around a large 1-inch-type main sensor and Leica Authentic shooting mode, the phone preserves highlights and shadows, while a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto offers 3.2-4.3x optics.
- Adding to the package, the Leitzphone has a rotatable camera ring for zoom control, Leica-branded accessories, and a content-credential/C2PA image authentication chip, with prices at $3,400 and $2,300.
- For prospective buyers, the Leitzphone global launch highlights it as a luxury yet affordable Leica-style phone, but most in the US may miss out, and saving on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is advised.
- However, testers observed the 17.2x 'optical-level zoom' capability, supported by AI-driven processing at extreme zoom, which may affect fine detail reproduction.
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A moment that would have sounded like science fiction just a few years ago has now become a reality. A phone with the familiar red logo and a name that most photographers associate with iconic cameras appears on stage at MWC 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. Leica has officially unveiled its first smartphone – the Leica Leitzphone.
About 20 years ago, Leica almost broke because the trend towards digitalization was missed. Meanwhile, the smartphone segment is a source of hope for the manufacturer.
Developed on the basis of the Chinese gemello, the cameraphone with the red button arrives on the global market bringing in dowry design, experience and vision that distinguish the historic German brand
Xiaomi usually gets ahead every year and celebrates his great world presentation the day before starting the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This year, however, it has been different: it is no longer the previous Sunday, but has now chosen Saturday, and at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya instead of the Forum, which this weekend has been occupied by the Goya Awards. Continue reading...
The Xiaomi 17 and the 17 Ultra are the most important new features at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The devices are extremely well equipped overall, but especially with Leica support they should take better photos and videos than the competitors of Apple, Samsung & Co.
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