Xiaomi has officially unveiled the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and on paper, it has one of the most ambitious camera systems we’ve seen on a smartphone to date.
Built under an expanded co-creation partnership with Leica, the new flagship combines a 1-inch main sensor with a 200MP telephoto lens with mechanical zoom and advanced cinema-grade video tools. Xiaomi is positioning it as its most serious photography phone yet.
At the heart of the setup is a 50MP Leica 1-inch “Ultra Dynamic” main camera using the new Light Fusion 1050L sensor with LOFIC HDR technology. It is designed to boost dynamic range and improve colour accuracy in high-contrast scenes.
Xiaomi pairs that with a 200MP Leica telephoto camera. This camera offers a 75–100mm mechanical optical zoom range and up to 400mm (17.2x) optical-level zoom without heavy in-sensor cropping.
The optics themselves lean heavily into Leica’s influence. Xiaomi uses a 1G+6P hybrid lens design with multi-layer coatings to reduce ghosting and colour fringing. Meanwhile, the telephoto module includes Leica’s first APO optical lens in the company’s flagship line-up.
Video gets a notable upgrade too. The 17 Ultra can shoot 8K at 30fps, as well as 4K at 120fps with Dolby Vision. It also supports 4K 120fps Log recording with ACES colour encoding. This gives creators far more room to grade footage in post.
Despite the large sensors and 6000mAh battery, Xiaomi says this is its thinnest and lightest Ultra model yet, measuring 8.29mm thick. It features a flat 6.9-inch HyperRGB OLED display with 2K-level clarity. There is a 1–120Hz LTPO refresh rate and up to 3500 nits peak brightness.
Powering everything is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, paired with up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. A 3D Dual-Channel IceLoop cooling system keeps performance stable during extended shooting sessions. Meanwhile, 90W and 50W wireless charging aim to minimise downtime.
Xiaomi is also introducing upgraded Photography Kits, including a Pro version with a built-in 2000mAh battery and Leica-inspired grip.
If Xiaomi’s previous Ultra models were about pushing boundaries, the 17 Ultra looks more focused: bigger sensors, smarter optics, and tools designed for people who actually care about colour science and long-range detail. Whether it lives up to that promise will depend on real-world testing, but the spec sheet alone makes a strong case.
