Xiaomi and Leica are continuing what they started — and this year, their partnership feels less like a marketing gimmick and more like a genuine photography collaboration. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra brings a 200MP sensor, a 1-inch camera system, and European pricing that'll make your wallet wince.
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📸 The Sensor That Changes Everything
At the core of the 17 Ultra is a 1-inch 200MP sensor — the largest in any smartphone. Paired with Leica Summilux lenses, image quality approaches that of a dedicated mirrorless camera. The Verge's Leitzphone review called it “closer to a camera than ever before,” and that's not hyperbole.
The camera system includes four lenses: the main 200MP, ultrawide, 5x periscope telephoto, and macro. Leica didn't just slap its logo on — it tuned the software, color profiles, and photography modes. Colors follow Leica's philosophy: more neutral, less oversaturated, more “truthful.”
🔴 The Leitzphone Special Edition
Xiaomi went further with the Leitzphone, a special edition developed in closer collaboration with Leica. What changes? First, the design — redesigned with Leica's iconic red dot, premium materials, a more industrial aesthetic. Second, a rotating camera ring around the lens module. This isn't decorative: it controls zoom, focus, and exposure, with exceptional haptics that make you want to keep fidgeting with it.
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💰 European Pricing
Here's where the numbers get serious. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at approximately €1,399 in Europe. The Leitzphone edition sits even higher. Expensive? Yes. But compared to a Samsung S26 Ultra at €1,419 or an iPhone 17 Pro Max, Xiaomi offers significantly more camera technology per euro spent.
📦 Availability Note: Xiaomi follows a “selective” global launch policy. Availability varies by market, and specific dates haven't been confirmed for all European countries.
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ℹ️ 🆚 The Competition
Mobile photography in 2026 is particularly competitive. Vivo countered with the X300 Ultra featuring a 400mm Zeiss telephoto — an insane photographic capability. Samsung improved the night sensors on the S26 Ultra. And Apple integrated advanced computational photography with the A19 Pro. But nobody has the depth of partnership that Xiaomi has with Leica — at least until Apple decides to do something similar.
If photography is your top priority in a smartphone, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the current king. As long as you can stomach the price.
