In the US, discussions of top camera phones largely center around iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy series, and most recently the Google Pixel. In contrast, people in Asia and parts of Europe are getting a wider range of choices with companies like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo upping their camera game.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra, which recently had its global launch, is one of those devices with a big camera bump that houses a versatile set of sensors and a partnership with renowned German camera maker Leica to deliver software-level changes and sensitivity to how scenes are captured.
The camera has tons of options to choose from, from different focal lengths on the hardware side to different filters and settings to change how the final image looks.
Xiaomi has also released external add-ons that click on like a cover for the camera, as well as a USB-based accessory that provides hardware buttons to record video or photos. While these additions don’t add much functionality, they do make one-handed operation of the camera easier.
Apart from the camera, Xiaomi has packed its phone with top components to compete with the best phones of the year. I will talk about the camera in detail, but let me get the rest of the hardware description out of the way.
Hardware
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra uses Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processors, which will be the choice of flagships this year. On the front, there is a 6.9 inch AMOLED screen with 1200 x 2608 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.
The screen is quite bright with a maximum brightness of 3,500 nits. This is convenient for operating the phone in bright conditions and also provides a good video experience.
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The 6,000 mAh battery is possibly one of the best results of the Silicon/Carbon-Ion technology used by Xiaomi. Considering the size of the battery, it can last you a few days with light to medium usage and has good standby time too. Despite the large battery, the phone is still lighter than the iPhone Pro Max, so that’s also a win for the company’s engineering team.
The phone supports 90W wired charging and you can use the charger provided by Xiaomi with the phone or any PD (Power Delivery) 3.0 or PPS (Programmable Power Supply) based charger. It also supports 50W with Xiaomi’s own charger.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra has 16 GB of RAM and two memory options of 512 GB and 1 TB.
Camera
Xiaomi uses a 1-inch type 50-magapixel sensor with an f/1.67 aperture for the main camera, aiming to collect more light. The camera takes sharp and vivid images without losing the white balance. The sensor is good at capturing details in different lighting conditions. Like the iPhone Pro Max, you can switch to 23mm, 28mm and 35mm equivalent framing with the main camera.
The phone has a rather unique 200 megapixel telephoto lens. Instead of offering staggered optical zoom options like 2x and 4x, it has continuous optical zoom from 3.2x to 4.3x. At first glance, it doesn’t look like much, but when you’re taking photos of pets or framing certain objects inside the frame, it’s very handy. One limitation is that on the camera’s user interface you can easily jump to 75mm, 85mm, 90mm and 100mm focal lengths, but you have to press the zoom button down and move the dial around to get to other focal lengths between 75mm and 100mm.
The company uses a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture. This lens is also useful for very impressive macro shots. Broadly, this camera is adequate, but it loses a bit of detail compared to the other two cameras in certain images. There’s also a 50-megapixel selfie camera, but remember to turn off all beauty filters.
Camera control is a standard affair, but the ability to get an object’s photo in different looks is plentiful. By default, the camera follows an authentic Leica color scheme, but with a single tap you can change it to Leica Vibrant. There is a filter option that gives you options like positive and negative film; Leica-specific filters such as vivid, natural, black and white, speia and blue; and Xiaomi’s own filters such as cinematic, monsoon, blue-green mist and scarlet.
The company’s two additions are called The 17 Ultra Photography Kit and The 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro. The basic version works like a cover and clicks directly onto the phone. It connects to the phone via Bluetooth, has a two-stage shutter button (for autofocus and taking pictures) and a video recording button. The case uses contact charging for its battery.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro packs a cover and another camera grip-like controller that attaches to the phone via USB-C. The Kit Pro also has a 2,000 mAh battery to power its operation. The grip makes it easy to hold the phone with one hand.
On top of the grip is a dedicated shutter release button and a video recording button. There is also another customizable dial that can control exposure, filters, ISO, shutter speed or white balance. You can also use this dial to skim through the gallery. The Kit Pro also comes with a ring to fit compatible 67mm camera filters.
I used the Kit Pro consistently when moving around the streets because I could easily grab the phone with one hand and take pictures with a good number of camera controls at my fingertips. Also, using a camera-like add-on made taking photos and videos fun. I really appreciated having a hardware zoom control.
Both sets enable a fastshot software mode in the camera, which has easily accessible controls for street photography.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra will face competition in the global market from upcoming devices such as the Vivo X300 Ultra, which also has a smart photography kit including a 2.35x telephoto extender, and the Oppo Find X9. However, due to the earlier launch of its phone, Xiaomi might enjoy this momentum. Aside from the camera, the phone packs a punch if you’re okay with a big camera body on the back.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at €1,499 in Europe. The Photography Kit is priced at €99.99 and the Photography Kit Pro costs €199.99.