Lecia has announced the Leitz Phone 2 – a stunning-looking smartphone that comes with a huge 1-inch camera sensor with 47.2 MP resolution. The new smartphone is the successor to the Leitz Phone 1, released in July last year. As with its predecessor, the Leitz Phone 2 is exclusive to the Japanese market.
Based on the design and specification of the Sharp Aquos R7, this is a smartphone designed for photographers. As well as the 1-inch 47.2MP CMOS image sensor (up from 1-inch sensor 20MP in the Leitz Phone 1), the f/1.9 lens has a focal length of 19mm. Leica promises that the Leitz Phone 2 “achieves images with a high dynamic range and low image noise - even in low ambient light.”
There’s a 6x digital zoom and an 8x continuously adjustable digital zoom on the 12.6MP selfie camera, which has a 27mm focal length and f/2.3 aperture selfie camera. As per the Leitz Phone 1, the new smartphone also features a cap to protect the lens, which looks just like a DSLR lens cap.
The Leitz Phone 2 can create looks based on three iconic Lecia M lenses: The Summilux 28 for action shots; the Summilux 35 for everyday use and street art; and the Noctilux 50, for portraits giving fantastic bokeh, thanks to the very high f/1.2 aperture.
The options for getting that exclusive “Leica look” in users’ photos don’t stop there either – tones can also be applied, which include monochrome for high-contrast black and white, cinema classic for an analog 35mm cinema film look, and cinema contemporary.
There’s even a golden hour widget, which Leica has designed exclusively for the Leitz Phone 2, which displays golden hour times after sunrise and before sunset. Another nice touch is the LFI widget, also designed for the Leitz Phone 2, which continuously presents shots from the Leica Fotografie International gallery.
Design-wise, it’s simple, stylish and refined. The aluminum frame, available only in white limited edition, features fine engravings on the edge of the frame.
Leitz Phone 2: Specifications
Lecia is describing the Leitz Phone 2 as “a smartphone reduced to the essentials so that users can fully concentrate on what matters when taking pictures,” but that’s not to say the specs outside the camera system aren’t flagship worthy… The huge image sensor works hand-in-hand with the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and there’s a respectable 5000mAh battery powering it all.
Unlike the Leitz Phone 1, the newly announced smartphone has a flat 6.6-inch OLED panel display, made of Gorilla Glass, with a punch-hole selfie camera at the center.
There is 12GB of RAM and 512GB of expandable onboard storage in the Leitz Phone 2, which has IPX5-IPX8/IP6X ratings for waterproofing and dust resistance. There is both fingerprint and face unlock, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6.
Price and availability
As we’ve mentioned above a few times (not that we are bitter or anything) the Leitz Phone 2 will become available on November 18th, exclusively in Japan. Leica hasn’t released pricing info yet, but according to GSMArena, it will cost JPY 225,360 (roughly $1,540/£1,297).
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