Chinese company Xiaomi introduced its premium flagship smartphone Xiaomi 12S Ultra even with improvements from the company Leica. This is a comprehensive list of all the features and unique technologies brought by this well-known German camera manufacturer.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers a number of Leica improvements
Xiaomi 12S Ultra arrived as the long-awaited smartphone focused on mobile photography. One of the key parameters is 1″ photo sensor from Sony, which is also supplemented with other sensors and lenses that we have not seen in smartphones yet. To begin with, let's summarize what photographic equipment this smartphone offers:
- 50 MPx main 1″ Sony IMX969 sensor with f/1.9 aperture, OIS, 8P lens, 23mm equivalent focal length
- 48 MPx ultra-wide-angle camera with aperture f/2.22 (128˚), equivalent to 13 mm focal length
- 48 MPx telephoto lens with f/4.1 aperture and 5 x optical zoom, 120 x digital zoom, OIS, Zoom EIS, 120 mm equivalent focal length
- 3D ToF sensor
The device supports the recording of up to 8K video at 24 frames per second, and the mentioned sensors of the rear camera module are supplemented by a 32 MPx (f/2.4) front "selfie" camera located in the recess in the display.
The most interesting thing about this configuration is the use of a sensor 1″ Sony, which is a type of component much more common in cameras such as the Sony ZV-1. And a sensor this big is really a rarity in a smartphone. Sensor Sony IMX969 so it can get 72% more light compared to what its predecessor, the Sony IMX707 sensor, could do.
The Surge P1 specific processor from Xiaomi
But it's not just about photo sensors. Xiaomi comes equipped with a processor exclusively designed for photo processing. This chip has a label Surge P1, and we could also see it on the Xiaomi 12 Pro device, but with a different purpose. In the Pro version, it protects the phone from overheating and optimizes its fast charging, which has a maximum power of up to 120 W.
But back to the photography equipment of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. Processing a photo captured by a 1″ sensor would require quite a significant amount of power from the main processor, which is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. And just for this reason, and for a smooth user experience, the Chinese manufacturer has developed a specific Surge P1 processor that is earmarked for this task.
The quality of the photos is excellently described in a video by YouTuber Lim Reviews:
Details that Leica thinks about
Another detail is the composition of individual lenses and their possible combination when capturing a photo. And this is exactly where the company Leica she could shine. The German company decided to assemble a system of eight aspherical lenses to achieve greater sharpness. But what is even more interesting is that we have an ultra-low anti-reflective layer at our disposal, which is responsible for preventing light flashes.
In fact, this is a fairly well-known and common problem when using a composite lens system. This is because in lighting conditions with direct sunlight or even street light, the camera can display these light sources with blur. It is this blurring that is the unwanted effect that the given layer eliminates. Of course, this effect is complemented by software optimization.
In addition, other elements have been added to this optic. A fairly common material used in this type of lenses is also cyclo-olefin. This polymer is specially designed for those substrates that require clarity, such as glass. So, in practice, this is another supplement to significantly improve the resulting sharpness of the photo. Another added layer is an infrared filter that improves the resulting colors and also prevents various optical errors, such as chromatic aberration (present especially at the edges of objects).
Forgotten software that makes a difference
And to make this article comprehensive, we can't leave out the software-focused chapter. Leica and Xiaomi together they have developed a new specific application, with which you can increase your creativity in photography and achieve better image processing than ever before.
The first thing you'll probably notice in the app are the various photo filters designed by Leica. We could easily label these filters as different color spectra, since that is where their difference lies. It is specifically about Leica Vibrant a Leica Authentic. Both filters offer different shades of colors, and you can also use them in black and white. In the past, Leica has already become famous for its black-and-white photo sensor and its optimization.
Another key element is CyberFocus. That is, a technology that we have already seen in other products from Xiaomi, and which represents a significant difference in terms of the ability to capture moving objects with amazing sharpness in the resulting photo. This technology also helps with fast focusing when recording video.
Finally, we can't forget smartphone compatibility either Xiaomi 12S Ultra with taking photos in 10-bit RAW format. This results in a .DNG file, calibrated through Adobe Labs. You can then easily edit such a file in professional applications, such as Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop.
You can also have the Xiaomi 12S Ultra
If you want to enjoy battery life, performance and especially a high-quality camera in the Xiaomi 12S Ultra smartphone, you can order it among the first in Europe. It is offered by our partner TradingShenzhen and is currently the only e-shop that delivers this smartphone to Europe.
Since its global version has not yet been presented, the Chinese model without B20 LTE band support is currently on sale. The smartphone should arrive to us in the next few days, and as soon as it does, we will let you know.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Chinese Version (Without B20 LTE)
You do not pay any extra fees for Global Priority shipping.
We recommend choosing Global Priority transport, for which you will not pay extra. Customs fees and any VAT will be arranged for you directly by the seller. Shipping can only be selected in the cart, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with Global Priority usually takes about 15 days, but may take longer.
You do not pay any extra fees for Global Priority shipping.
We recommend choosing Global Priority transport, for which you will not pay extra. Customs fees and any VAT will be arranged for you directly by the seller. Shipping can only be selected in the cart, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with Global Priority usually takes about 15 days, but may take longer.
You do not pay any extra fees for Global Priority shipping.
We recommend choosing Global Priority transport, for which you will not pay extra. Customs fees and any VAT will be arranged for you directly by the seller. Shipping can only be selected in the cart, after entering the delivery address. Delivery with Global Priority usually takes about 15 days, but may take longer.
Express delivery from a European warehouse free of duty and VAT.
This product will be delivered to you expressly from your local warehouse in Europe. Delivery from EU warehouses usually takes 7-10 days and delivers courier. No extra charges, no customs duties or VAT.
How do you like the improvements from Leica? If you have any other questions about Xiaomi 12S Ultra, you can write them to us below, in the discussion below the article. Follow our group on Facebook: Xiaomi Planet - A place for real Xiaomi fans as well as our portal Xiaomi Planet and find out more.
How is it possible that you still haven't written about the amazfit GTS 4 mini corridors that were introduced 4 days ago?
We missed it and we were on vacation last week... Even so, they have only been introduced in India so far.