As I sat listening to Xiaomi and Leica babble out about theXiaomi 15 Ultraduring its prospicient , in - profoundness launching event atMWC 2025I marvel , had I not given the photographic camera a reasonable run ? It ’s not that the headphone or camera scored ill in my review , but the team travel out of its way to talk about how hard it had worked on it , and I just had n’t quite see the magic they were going to not bad distance to emphasize .
Over the next few days I went on a photographic risky venture around Barcelona , Spain ( the location for MWC 2025 ) , exploring it with novel heart and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in my hand , to see if I could line up the magic I had ab initio think was drop , that the company exact was so deep embedded in it .
Fresh location, fresh eyes
In my review of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra I took photos in locations I know well . I did n’t have the chance to call new dapple , and I was n’t off doing anything special which would give me the chance to stretch the camera ’s power at the time . It ’s an idealistic situation for a straight review article , as I recognise these places and how thing should take care in photo . I can quickly come to a decision , but it ’s not a creatively exciting process , and not emotive to me personally at all .
I have n’t been to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona , Spain since 2019 , and I was staying in an entirely raw part of the urban center for my return visit in 2025 . The atmospheric condition was concordant too , make it the ideal opportunity to do some exploration and see if the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s camera would burn up my creativity in a way it had n’t during my revaluation . There ’s something special about walking around a metropolis you thought you know , but notice it very unlike to before . It ’s a time when you require a swell photographic camera with you .
I ’m not a professional lensman and involve a fast , various , and capable camera to help me take the photos I imagine in my mind - oculus . Xiaomi mouth about the 15 Ultra ’s camera being plan to copy the camera lenses a pro lensman would have in their photographic camera handbag , and sure enough , I never once felt it was missing a lens choice . I mostly switched between the 23 mm 1x main camera and the 4.3x zoom ( the eq of a 100 millimetre lens ) , plus I experimented with the different Leica shooting styles — Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic — along with the fantastic Leica Black and snowy filter .
Firing up my creativity
What I find was a unlike camera to the one I had reviewed — more piquant , inspiring , and creative . The more I play around with the filter and lenses , the more photos I ’d take , and the more I stretch out myself to fare up with new angles , framing , and subjects . The more I used the Xiaomi 15 Ultra , the more I enjoyed it . I was start to see the magic Xiaomi assured me was there .
I also had theApple iPhone 16 Pro Maxand theNothing Phone 3a Prowith me , but I never once felt the need to use either of those phones to fascinate the photo I want . I ’ve used theSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra ’s camera a lot , but I do n’t think it has quite the same appeal as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s camera either . The Xiaomi ’s features are fun yet still considered , in a way that Apple and Samsung phone ’s are not , and a lot of that comes from Leica ’s involvement .
There ’s also no push to use AI . Xiaomi did n’t even really talk about AI during the launching outcome , and the 15 Ultra ’s camera feels quitenormalbecause of it . There are a few AI feature in the redaction app , but it ’s not the focus of the camera or the phone . The editing app is decent , but I find the machinelike enhancement choice often made photos see bad rather than better . A few simple pinch to the contrast , saturation , and cleverness was usually sufficient to get the tone I wanted .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Learning more about the camera
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s television camera is adequate to enough to indulge my creativity , and I had n’t really seen that until I drop time with it in Barcelona . What does that mean to you ? If you ’ve got an idea for a photograph in your head , but are n’t quite certain how to take it in real life story , the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s power will help you do it . Not every telephone tv camera can do this , and if you ’re at all interested in mobile photography , then you ’re go to love experimenting and growing with it . It ’s also really fast , and I could quickly take street - photography style pictures without suffer to discontinue and stare .
I did still encounter some trouble though . It ’s often reluctant to focus on specific expanse when using the 4.3x zoom , even after repeatedly solicit on the screen to prompt it , and you could lose opportunities because of it . The camera is n’t always fond of backlighting , and can under expose to compensate , plus in lowly light there ’s a vaporousness to photos inject at 4.3x which really shows up when you crop the image . That ’s really all though . It ’s a 9/10 camera on a technical spirit level , and I loved having it with me on my mini Spanish adventure .
However , I noted in my inspection the camera did n’t quite have the same character as theXiaomi 14 Ultra , and I still believe this is true . switch over between Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic and the simulacrum processing definitely change , but I do n’t think one is needs more visually pleasing than the other . I know the disastrous and white filter though , specially as it stays in position until you switch to another flair even after shut the camera app , and appreciate how it ’s useable in lowlight too , where it add a adorable caryopsis to the final picture and detail remains ordered with photos engage without a filter . I used it a lot more than I expect .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Better than I first thought?
I have convert my creative thinker about the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s camera . There ’s so much profundity and power that it just could n’t befullyassessed after a week and a few hundred photos in my local area . It needs your aid and a willingness to make an attempt to get the best from it . The witching Xiaomi promisedisthere , but you ’ll only witness it if you try out with it , and I intend it want an risky venture , no matter how small , to really bring it out .
I also suppose the Xiaomi 15 Ultra brought out the effective of my own photographic ability too . I use up pic that I feel went beyond simple holiday - fashion snaps , and captured the metropolis that I personally saw and explore . I looked more , by which I mean I took notice of the streets and the people , as I tried to spot opportunities where the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s tv camera would glitter . It was fun , and very few phone cameras make me feel that path .
This is ultimately what I look for when I use a phone camera . Sure , it necessitate to be technically competent , but it needs to have the versatility to lock and urge me to be creative . I did n’t find much of that before I kick the bucket to Barcelona and spent many extra hour occupy picture with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra . While I still do n’t intend it’squiteas proficient as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra ’s tv camera , I came aside from Spain knowing I ’d find out the thaumaturgy I first thought was lacking from the Xiaomi 15 Ultra ’s photographic camera .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
