Physics dictates that a camera phone can never be as good as a high-end conventional camera. This is the conclusion reached by Marques Brownlee in a recent YouTube video where he presents his thoughts on the Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Oppo's latest flagship, which pushes the boundaries of what's possible from a phone camera.

Taking that conclusion in isolation, you'd be forgiven for thinking Brownlee is not impressed by the Find X9 Ultra, but it's quite the opposite. He is very complimentary about the phone's incredible versatility, from its quad-camera array (plus additional color spectrum sensor), to its uncanny ability to help you take great shots, time and time again.

I personally use a Find X8 Pro as my daily phone and can concur with Brownlee: even though the Find X8 Pro's tech is now 18 months old, it's still an awesome camera phone that produces incredible images, even in scenarios where most phones would struggle.

But what of the assertion that it's physically impossible for a phone to ever be as good as a high-end, 'proper' camera? I lab test cameras for a living, from relatively mundane compact cameras, right up to full-frame and medium format powerhouses. If you judge a good camera to be one which provides the highest possible resolving power, while also giving the lowest possible image noise and the widest single-exposure dynamic range, then a big sensor (and in turn, big pixels) are paramount. My lab results verify this correlation, with cameras like the medium format Fujifilm GFX 100 II reigning supreme for detail capture. Bigger is better, and biggest is best. Judged purely on these traditional performance metrics, it's true: a camera phone can't compete. But here's the thing: does it need to?

The case for the camera phone

We could actually flip Brownlee's physics argument on its head, in favor of the camera phone. For the conventional camera to compete with (or better) a phone’s image quality, it must be physically larger, but that in turn makes it increasingly more inconvenient. Sure, if you're a committed photographer and are happy to lug around a dedicated camera and lenses, then credit to you. But like it or not, you're now in a tiny minority.

The goal for most people is to get the best possible image quality in the most convenient package, and it's this compromise that the camera phone nails so perfectly. While a phone-captured image won't match the fine detail of a photo from a full-frame or medium-format camera (even if the phone has a 200MP sensor), when you're viewing your shots primarily on the phone itself, who cares?

What's far more important than something like outright resolution (and as Brownlee points out) is the ability to get the maximum number of great-looking photos from the minimum number of shutter button presses. Judged on this metric, even a $5000+ pro camera cannot come close to the hit rate of a phone like the Find X9 Ultra. The immense processing power of a camera phone means it can compensate for user error, as well as the phone's camera hardware limitations. As a case in point, Google re-used the same image sensor for four consecutive generations of Pixel, yet image quality still noticeably improved each year.

Image processing is key here: it can take what would otherwise be a mediocre-looking image and turn it into a vibrant, detailed shot with incredible dynamic range, all without you doing a thing. This is noticeable on my Find X8 Pro: there's a split second where you see the initial, rather bland image upon immediately reviewing a photo, then the processing does its thing and boom, you're hit with a stunning image. The difference is most obvious when shooting at focal lengths exceeding the phone's native optical zoom. Then AI is employed to add fine detail where there would otherwise be none. At this point an image goes from being enhanced to partially fabricated. But again, I'd argue that this doesn't need to be a problem. Unless you're very familiar with the subject matter, you'll never know that the texture AI has applied to a certain portion of the image doesn't match the actual texture of the real subject. After all, photographs are most often used as memory aids, and to effectively fulfil this purpose they don't have to be exact emulations of the source material.

So is there still a place for 'proper' cameras?

This entirely depends on what you want a camera for. If you simply want to take photos, then stick with a phone. It has made a dedicated camera obsolete for this purpose, for the reasons above. However, if you want to learn or practice photography, as a hobby or a profession, then a phone is still no match for a 'real' camera.

For hobbyist photographers, the vastly superior ergonomics and plethora of physical controls you get with a camera like the Fujifilm X100VI or OM System OM-D E-M10 IV will make your shooting experience far more immersive and therefore more enjoyable. Phone manufacturers like Oppo, Xiaomi and Vivo have tried to improve their flagship phones' ergonomics with optional add-on grips, but even these can't match the level of physical control you get with a dedicated enthusiast's camera.

Then there's the professional photographer. A key requirement for the pro is to record not just attractive images, but also to achieve faithful subject depiction. When it comes to sports, reportage, or nature photography, a large part of these photos’ appeal (especially in the age of AI) is their authenticity and accurate representation of the moment or subject. These are scenarios where eye-popping dynamic range or AI-fabricated elements are at best jarring, and at worst wholly inappropriate. Sure, premium camera phones do have manual modes and Raw capture that'll give you more honest subject reproduction, but phones rely so heavily on image processing to compensate for their small image sensors that disabling this trickery will noticeably reduce image quality.

If you want both high image quality and accurate, trustworthy subject depiction, then a high-end dedicated camera is still the tool of choice. In these scenarios their bulk, potential inconvenience and complexity become almost irrelevant: it's the camera’s ability to record a moment as accurately as possible, without autonomously applying its own spin, which matters most. And it's this authenticity, rather than just physics, which gives a high-end camera unrivalled appeal.

French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst" – and he's right: practice makes perfect. And today, thanks to camera phones, every aspiring photographer can learn, experiment, and create, right from the device in their pocket.

The 15th Annual Mobile Photography Awards (MPA) celebrate exactly that – photographers pushing the limits of mobile cameras, from basic devices to high-end 50MP flagship smartphones.

Connecting to Cartier-Bresson's idea to modern technology, MPA says: "If your first 10,000 photos are your worst, mobile photography has given humanity a historic opportunity to quickly get past 10,001," awarding photographers who fully embraced this era of instant and accessible creativity.

15th Annual MPA – Category winners

1st Place Winner: People
How Long Can We Stay Down Here? by Louise Rayner
Phone: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Exposure: 1/4000 sec, f/1.8, ISO 32

1st Place Winner: Macro & Details
The White Masked Sentinel by Steven Grogin
Phone: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Exposure: 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 20

1st Place Winner: Street Photography
A Gazing Cat by Yajun Hu
Phone: Xiaomi 14 Ultra
Exposure: 1/900 sec, f/4, ISO 50

1st Place Winner: Architecture / Design
Folded Passage by Ma Shuolong
Phone: Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Exposure: 1/440 sec, f/1.8, ISO 32

1st Place Winner: Portraits & Self Portraits
Flower Power by Beata Smutek
Phone: Samsung Galaxy S23
Exposure: 1 sec, f/1.7, ISO 12

To discover all category winners and the competition's overall winner, visit the Mobile Photo Awards website.

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Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from March to July.

While many people might be familiar with Leica co-branding phones released by Xiaomi, far fewer might be aware of its own-branded Leitzphone series of phones. Leica launched the series in 2021, though, as Japanese exclusives co-developed with Sharp, the western world is yet to experience the luxury German camera maker's take on the smartphone – until now.

Leica has unveiled its brand new Leitzphone – and this time it’s going global. To give it its full, not-so-catchy title, the ‘Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi’ is the brand’s first internationally available Leitzphone, and combines Xiaomi’s latest flagship hardware with Leica’s design language.

Inevitably, comparisons must be drawn with the ‘Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica’, which launched in China earlier this year. The two devices share the same core hardware, including a processor, battery, and screen, as well as camera hardware with the same 1-inch main sensor and 200MP mechanical periscope telephoto co-developed between Leica and Xiaomi.

The main differentiator is design. The ‘Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica’ is a Xiaomi flagship with cameras co-engineered with Leica, while the Leitzphone is presented as a Leica-designed product powered by Xiaomi’s hardware. Are you keeping up? The Leica Leitzphone has a distinctly separate, more overtly Leica-centric physical design, moving away from the two-tone back of the Xiaomi and opting for a look more closely matching the classic black Leica’s classic cameras.

The rear panel is finished in black fibreglass, paired with a knurled metal frame and Leica’s iconic red dot. Leica describes the design as following its principle of “reduction to the essential”.

Camera specs

One of the most distinctive features is the new rotatable camera ring. This physical ring allows continuous adjustment of zoom, ISO, shutter speed, or exposure compensation, as well as switching between Leica Looks.

Behind the lens ring, the triple camera system remains the same as that found in the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The main camera pairs a 50MP 1-inch Light Fusion 1050L sensor with an f/1.67 aperture and 3.2μm 4-in-1 Super Pixels. It also incorporates LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) technology to expand dynamic range by storing greater charge directly at the pixel level, which, simplified, means each Pixel can hold more light for clearer nighttime photography and high-contrast scenes.

Alongside it sits a 200MP periscope telephoto camera using a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, offering a 75–100mm equivalent optical zoom range with optical image stabilisation. Like the Xiaomi 7 Ultra, the zoom is mechanical and physically moves between 75–100mm, so you get genuine optical quality throughout.

Completing the trio is a 50MP 14mm ultra-wide camera with a 115° field of view.

Compared to earlier Leitzphone models, which were largely devices built around a single large sensor as their headline feature, this iteration feels far more in line with modern flagship expectations.

Design & UI

Leica has also redesigned the camera UI, including a new dedicated Leica Essential Mode. The camera app features thirteen Leica Looks and five Leica bokeh simulations from classic Leica lenses, alongside familiar touches such as Leica shutter sounds. There are even digital reinterpretations of classic Leica cameras, including an M9-inspired colour profile and a monochrome profile inspired by Leica Monopan film.

In a move that reflects the growing use of AI in image manipulation, the Leitzphone also supports the Content Authenticity Initiative. As introduced with the Leica M11-P, the Leitzphone embeds cryptographically secured metadata into original images via a dedicated security chip in line with C2PA standards.

Power

Under the hood, this is every bit a 2026 flagship. It runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform built on a 3nm process, paired with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The 6.9-inch HyperRGB OLED display offers a 2608 x 1200 resolution, a 1–120Hz LTPO refresh rate, and up to 3,500 nits peak brightness, while a 6,000mAh battery supports 90W wired and 50W wireless charging.

Video capabilities stretch to 8K at 30p and 4K Dolby Vision at up to 120p, with full log recording.

Price & Availability

The Leitzphone is available from today at Leica stores, and will be sold in a single 16GB+1TB model, costing £1,700 / €1,999 / AU$2,299.

It's not a cheap phone, but an equivalent 1TB iPhone costs £1,599 here in the UK, and for only a small premium, you are getting a superior camera system from an iconic camera brand. And, if you're in Australia, it's cheaper than the 1TB iPhone Air, which is the cheapest high-storage Apple handset at AU$2,599.

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Xiaomi has been steadily refining its tablet line over the past few generations, and the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro is positioned by Xiaomi as a “PC-level productivity” device. It pairs flagship silicon with a redesigned version of HyperOS 3 and a new Focus Pen Pro and Focus Pro Keyboard, in the hopes of being more than just a Netflix machine.

The Pad 8 Pro sits above Xiaomi’s standard Pad 8 and follows on from the Pad 7 Pro, bringing major silicon upgrades thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, 3.2K 144Hz display, AI-powered photo editing tools, and improved workstation-style multitasking.

For creatives, it needs enough ooph for editing RAW files on the go, running creative apps, video editing, and working on the move. On paper, it competes with premium Android tablets and even flirts with entry-level laptop territory when paired with Xiaomi’s Pro Focus Keyboard – but ambition and execution aren’t the same. So can the Tab 8 Pro compete to be one of the best tablets for photo editing?

Specifications

Price & Availability

The Pad 8 Pro starts at £529 for the 8GB/256GB version and £599 for the 12GB/512GB model (other regions TBC).

It isn't cheap, but it comes in far below the iPad Air with similar storage. Although Apple's machine does have iPadOS's more robust ecosystem. Compared to rivals in the Android space, it undercuts Samsung's S11 tablet whilst offering mostly comparable specs.

Once you add the Focus Pen Pro (£89) and Pro Focus Keyboard (£179), you’re approaching laptop money, but if you're looking for a tablet, that's not really the point.

Design

At just 5.75mm thick and weighing 485g, the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro is impressively slim for a productivity-leaning tablet. In the hand, it feels manageable; I can comfortably hold it one-handed for reading or sketching without the keyboard attached, and the 11.2-inch footprint strikes what I think is a genuine sweet spot between portability and usable workspace. It’s large enough to edit photos or run two apps side by side without feeling cramped, but not so big that it becomes cumbersome in a bag.

The rear panel has a metallic finish that looks clean and understated. If I’m being honest, it’s bordering on a little bland, but it’s inoffensive and professional. The only visual interruption is the camera bump, which is surprisingly tall given there’s just a single average camera and flash. It doesn’t ruin the design, but it does feel oddly disproportionate.

Build quality overall is strong. The chassis feels rigid with no flex. For buttons, there is a volume rocker that sits along the top edge and is easy to reach in both portrait and landscape, and the power button houses a fingerprint reader.

The sensor itself is quick and reliable, unlocking the tablet pretty much instantly. Face unlock is significantly faster and more convenient for casual use, but as usual, it can’t be used for secure authentication in banking apps or locked folders. It still only seems to be Google that has cracked secure facial recognition with just a camera.

Audio is handled by a quad-speaker setup, and for a tablet this slim, it performs pretty well. There’s a decent stereo spread thanks to the four drivers, making Netflix and YouTube surprisingly immersive. Bass is predictably limited, but dialogue is clear, and the volume is more than adequate for a small room.

Display

The 11.2-inch 3.2K display is one of the highlights of the Pad 8 Pro. It’s sharp, vibrant, and, crucially for creative work, well balanced. Colours look bright and accurate in the default mode, though there’s a Vivid option if you prefer more punch. I found the white balance slightly warm out of the box, but Xiaomi gives you a decent level of control over the white balance in the settings to fine-tune colour temperature, which I always appreciate.

At 144Hz, scrolling feels silky smooth, whether scrubbing through a video or just browsing the web. Brightness is perfectly fine indoors and in most shaded outdoor scenarios, though it’s not particularly bright at peak levels. Under harsh sunlight, you may find yourself wishing for a little more.

There are also useful eye-care features, including a reading mode and adaptive colour adjustments that respond to ambient lighting. For long editing sessions or late-night writing, these genuinely help reduce strain.

Keyboard & Accessories

There are a few optional accessories to turn the Pad Pro 8 from a tablet into something much closer to a laptop replacement.

The Pro Focus Keyboard is undeniably similar to Apple's floating Magic Keyboard, but it's a great design. Build quality on the keyboard is excellent: it has a soft, kinda leathery finish on the outside and a felt lining on the rear to protect the tablet. It looks good, professional and understated, but premium.

However, the keyboard is fairly heavy, and once attached, the whole setup becomes much closer to laptop weight. It is also noticeably top-heavy. On a desk, that’s not an issue, but on a bed or your lap, the balance can shift backwards, and I did have the tablet tip over once or twice. The hinge also has a somewhat limited range of motion, which restricts how far back you can tilt the screen.

Key spacing is compact, but I quickly adapted, and I could type at nearly normal speed. That said, I’m not entirely convinced it replaces my MacBook keyboard for full-time work; it’s excellent for travel and light productivity, but extended writing sessions still feel more comfortable on a traditional laptop.

Attachment is handled magnetically, with pogo pins transmitting data and power. The connection is secure and snaps into place satisfyingly, with no Bluetooth pairing fuss required.

The Focus Pen Pro follows a familiar minimal design language; there are only so many ways you can design a stylus, and this one leans into the clean, Apple Pencil-like aesthetic. It feels good in the hand, with accurate tracking and reliable palm rejection. Writing and sketching are smooth and responsive, though it still doesn’t quite replicate the tactile resistance of paper.

I particularly like the squeeze shortcut, which can quickly open a drawing canvas, take a screenshot, or start a screen recording. Both squeeze and touch controls can be reassigned, and in supported apps, swiping can adjust tool size. Charging is handled magnetically via a dedicated spot on the tablet, keeping things tidy and cable-free.

Cameras

Tablets are not really serious photography tools, and the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro doesn’t attempt to change that, delivering a setup that’s just practical enough.

On the rear, there’s a 50MP main camera. In use, it’s very much fine. It’s more than capable of scanning documents, capturing whiteboards in meetings, or taking quick reference shots when your phone isn’t to hand.

Detail is respectable in good light, but there’s noticeable sharpening applied to images, which gives photos a slightly over-processed look when viewed at full resolution. It performs reasonably well indoors in medium lighting, which is realistically where most tablet photography happens, but it lacks the quality I’d expect from even a mid-range smartphone.

The 32MP front-facing camera is the more important sensor on a device like this, and thankfully, it’s a strong performer. Video calls are clear and sharp, with solid HDR performance that kept my face well-exposed even against bright windows or overhead lighting.

Performance

Powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, I expected the Pad 8 Pro to be a decent performer, and in everyday use, it's extremely quick. Swapping between apps, editing photos, streaming video, and switching multiple browser tabs all felt fluid and responsive. I didn’t encounter any noticeable slowdowns during my time with it.

For editing, exporting 100 DNG files to JPEG in Lightroom took around 40 seconds, which is very respectable. A 10-minute edit in CapCut exported in roughly four minutes – again, impressive. For editing photos on the go or short-form video work for social, it has more than enough grunt.

The 8 Pro runs on HyperOS 3 based on Android 16, and for the most part, I like it. The interface looks modern, animations are smooth, and navigation is fairly intuitive. That said, there is some pre-installed bloatware, which feels slightly at odds with the premium price.

Multitasking is easy on the Pad 8 Pro, though Xiaomi doesn’t do a great job of explaining it. You can run split-screen apps, open floating windows, and enable Workstation Mode for a more desktop-style layout. However, there’s very little onboarding to guide you through these features, and I suspect some users won’t realise what it is capable of.

With this said, though, I still hesitate to suggest Android tablets as genuine productivity machines to compete with laptops. I can get work done here, but the OS is a little more fiddly, and I can’t quite move anywhere near as quickly as I can on my MacBook. Everything just takes that little bit longer.

Xiaomi's Workstation mode is one of the best attempts at a desktop-like experience I have used on an Android tablet; the windowing is functional and easy to use and jump between for multitasking. However, that said, app scaling in windows can be quite inconsistent, and some websites' content can’t adapt to the window sizes, which breaks the illusion of a true laptop replacement. None of this is necessarily Xiaomi's or the Pad 8 Pro's fault; it's just the reality of using a screen size between a phone and a laptop. I wish Xiaomi included some more UI scaling options in settings, as this might have gone some way to solving some of these issues.

The Pad 8 Pro has plenty of AI built in. Google’s Gemini features, including Circle to Search and Gemini Live, are present, and Xiaomi’s own photo Gallery app offers a number of AI features. AI Bokeh and skin retouching are effective without being overly aggressive, and tools like AI Expand and Eraser do a good job, but aren't class-leading. They are solid at detecting subjects, but generated areas can look slightly pixelated compared to the original image.

Battery life has also been good. After several hours of streaming, browsing, and word processing spread over two to three days, I was still sitting at around 20%. And when you do need to plug in, 67W charging is fast.

Final Verdict

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro is an excellent Android productivity tablet. It’s thin, powerful, and well designed, with excellent performance in creative apps. The display is great quality and at 11-inches hits a portability sweet spot between functional and cumbersome.

For just watching movies on a plane, it is overkill; however, if you are set on a tablet as a laptop replacement, it's hard to recommend a better Android option at this price point. Although for the full experience, I'd also invest in the accessories, especially the Focus Pro Keyboard, which, of course, adds further expense.

I still find Android’s ecosystem a little limiting as a true laptop replacement. App scaling and desktop workflows aren’t as polished as I need for a work machine. That said, while I couldn’t replace my laptop with it, I could absolutely travel with just the Pad 8 Pro.

Alternatives

Xiaomi has unveiled the global version of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, its latest imaging-focused flagship, which is again co-engineered with Leica. On paper, it might be the most technically ambitious camera phone the company has produced to date.

Building on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s “Optical Night” philosophy, the 17 Ultra introduces a new 1-inch Light Fusion 1050L sensor with LOFIC HDR technology and what Xiaomi is calling the industry’s first 75–100mm mechanical optical zoom paired with a 200MP sensor.

1-inch sensor and mechanical zoom

One of the hallmarks of the Xiaomi Ultra series has been the 1-inch main camera sensor, and Xiaomi isn’t mixing things up too much for the 17 Ultra.

The main sensor is again 50MP, 23mm equivalent focal length, with a 1-inch Light Fusion 1050L sensor and f/1.67 aperture, with OIS. However, Xiaomi says this new sensor uses LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) HDR technology to physically expand full-well capacity, rather than relying solely on multi-frame processing. That’s all quite a lot of jargon, but in simple terms, LOFIC increases the amount of light pixels can store, to better handle highlight information in high-contrast scenes, and should produce more balanced and detailed HDR.

But if the main camera is an evolution, the telephoto is more of a revolution – at least in smartphone terms. Xiaomi is introducing a mechanical zoom on its telephoto; this isn’t just sensor cropping between two fixed focal lengths. Xiaomi has implemented a mechanical optical zoom system that physically adjusts lens groups to deliver genuine optical coverage across the entire 75–100mm range – just like a real camera zoom lens.

It’s also the first Xiaomi flagship to carry Leica APO optical certification on its telephoto lens, using a triple-glass apochromatic design to minimize chromatic aberration at long focal lengths.

This means that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra swaps out the dual telephotos from the last model for just a single 200MP telephoto camera. The lens has a 75–100mm equivalent focal range and a variable f/2.39–2.96 aperture with all focal lengths between 75–100mm using the same large 1/1.4-inch sensor. It also allows lossless photos up to a 400mm equivalent using in-sensor zoom, thanks to that pixel-dense 200MP sensor. Xiaomi claims the 17 Ultra is capable of a total of 17.2x “optical-quality” zoom across its lenses.

The downsides to this new lens? Macro takes a hit; the close focus distance has jumped from 10cm on the 15 Ultra to 30cm on the 17 Ultra. The ultrawide camera also supports 5cm macro, but ultrawide is not really the ideal perspective for macro work.

Rounding out the camera system is a 50MP ultrawide, with a 14mm equivalent focal length, f/2.2 aperture, and 115° field of view. On the front, there is a 50MP selfie snapper with a 21mm equivalent focal length.

Video specs are also flagship-grade, maxing out at 8K/30p, but also supporting 4K Dolby Vision at up to 120p, and Log recording up to 4K 120p with ACES (Academy Color Encoding System) support, which standardises color across devices for post-production editing.

Faster processor and a new look

Despite housing a new mechanical telephoto system and a larger battery, Xiaomi says the 17 Ultra is its thinnest and lightest Ultra yet. It measures 162.9 x 77.6 x 8.29mm and weighs 218.4g or 219g, depending on the color. Speaking of, it launches in three colorways: Black and White models feature high-strength composite fiberglass backs, while the hero Starlit Green version uses genuine mineral particles in the finish.

Xiaomi has shifted to an all-flat body with a flat display and flat back, framed by an aluminium alloy chassis. The display is protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0, which Xiaomi claims is 30% more drop-resistant than the glass used on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and the phone retains IP68 dust and water resistance.

The screen is a 6.9-inch Xiaomi HyperRGB OLED panel with a 2608 x 1200 resolution, 1–120Hz LTPO refresh rate, and up to 3500 nits peak brightness, alongside TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light, flicker-free operation, and circadian-friendly performance.

Battery capacity has grown to 6000mAh, aided by a 16% high-silicon carbide design to increase energy density – although for whatever reason, this is a significantly smaller battery than the Chinese version of the phone. The 17 Ultra can recharge at up to 90W wired HyperCharge and 50W wireless charging, with compatible chargers.

Powering all of this is Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage in either 512GB or 1TB configurations.

Photography Kits

As with previous Ultras, Xiaomi is offering dedicated photography accessories to turn the 17 Ultra into as close to a compact camera replacement as possible.

The new Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit adds a physical shutter button and grip, and is available in black, white, and pink. While the Photography Kit Pro integrates a 2000mAh battery and more Leica-inspired ergonomics with a two-stage shutter button, flanked by a manual zoom rocker and a physical exposure compensation dial, as well as a filter ring for attaching screw-in filters like polarisers and ND grads. The Pro case will be available in just a svetle understated black.

Pricing and availability

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra will be going global – although, as usual, that does not mean the US, but you can expect it to land in Europe and Australia. US-based phone photography enthusiasts can likely import it, but double-check it works on your carrier’s network beforehand.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is launching at £1,299 / €1,499 for the 16GB+256GB version and £1,499 for the 16GB+1TB version.

MWC 2026 has kicked off! As one of the most significant events in the mobile phone industry, MWC traditionally showcases a vast array of new handsets, all vying for the title of best camera phone.

We already previewed several new devices featured at this year's exhibition, held in the vibrant city of Barcelona (and a few that might be launched at competing events). However, with the show doors now open, there are plenty more surprises as manufacturers offer peeks of their latest innovations.

What is MWC 2026?  

MWC stands for Mobile World Congress, and is the world's largest expo on the mobile industry. It's also where a lot of big-name phone brands debut their latest products, as well as teasing concept devices for the future.

MWC was first held in 1987 in Brussels, switching cities every year, before settling in Barcelona's Fira de Barcelona since 2008. The event is organized by the GSMA, the global industry association, first formed in 1995 to promote the first 2G GSM digital phones. In 2025, MWC attracted over 109,500 visitors to its exhibition halls from all around the globe. There have also been additional MWC spin-off shows in Shanghai, Kigali, and Las Vegas.

When is MWC 2026?

MWC 2026 takes place in Barcelona from Monday, March 2, to Thursday, March 5. The halls are open to visitors from 8.30am to 7pm on the first three days, and from 8.30am to 4pm on the final day.

But there will be lots of speeches from leading industry figures. Many of the sessions will be centered on the themes of the 5G and 6G, eSIM, mobile security, the Internet of Things, and, of course, Gen AI. As ever, the keynotes and industry sessions will discuss how cellular technology can be used in much, much more than just our phones.

What to expect at MWC 2026

Thanks to the ever-churning rumor mill and the inevitable teasers from the key manufacturers, we already had a pretty good idea what the highlights will be at this year's expo.

Most of the biggest names in the industry will be there, although Apple and Samsung are the two notable handset manufacturers who do not reveal new products at MWC – but this year, both have their own rival events to steal the MWC spotlight.

Apple at MWC 2026

Like every other year, Apple has no plans to directly take part in MWC 2026 – but – that doesn't mean it doesn't have plans to hijack the entire event with its own events throughout the week.

Apple has unveiled its first devices of the week with a new iPhone 17e – Apple's cheapest way into the iPhone ecosystem – which brings a new processor, MagSafe support, and double the base storage. Full details below.

However, Apple isn't done yet, with at least one more reveal due later this week. Not much is known about what exactly Apple has up its sleeve, but there are rumors abound that it has been gestating its first foldable iPhone for some time now, and might finally be ready to show the world. Apple's entry into the foldable market would certainly be monumental for the industry and surely catapult the foldable category into the mainstream.

Honor at MWC 2026

Fresh off becoming the fastest-growing smartphone brand in 2025, Honor has plenty of big announcements at MWC to keep the momentum going.

Honor has replaced its flagship folding phone a little earlier than expected. The Honor Magic V6 is set to take over from the Honor Magic V5, which was only launched around six months ago. Honor clearly sees foldables as a category it can stake a claim in. There is a new 200MP camera system borrowed from the Honor Magic 8 Pro, an improved 7,000mAh+ battery, and the latest Qualcomm chip.

Honor has also been teasing its Honor Robot concept gimbal camera device for the last few months, and we've now seen it up close at MWC. With Insta360 and Vivo set to enter the gimbal camera market that is currently dominated by DJI's Osmo Pocket 3, Honor's concept device comes at an exciting time, although it's still unclear if it become a mass-market reality.

Leica at MWC 2026

Leica is a suprise addition to this years MWC. We might be used to co-designing Xiaomi cameras, but this year it has a phone all of it's own. Leica is bringing it's previous Japanese exclusive Leitzphone line of phones to more markets.

The new 'Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi' is Leica's interpretation of the 'Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica', with a more Leica-centric design in line with thier cameras, a rotatable lens ring, and some classic Leica camera and lens emulation in the camera app. Read the full story below.

Nothing at MWC 2026

Nothing has its press conference booked in for March 5 at 10.30am GMT (05.30am EST / 02.30am PST) – although it is skipping the halls of MWC and heading to Nothing's home city of London for the announcement.

Nothing has already teased the Phone (4a) with Nothing's unique signature transparent design and brand new pink and blue colors. This will be the sequel to Nothing's budget-friendly Phone (3a), and from the early teases, it will include three cameras and Nothing's hallmark glyph lighting. The full announcement will be on March 5.

Last year, Nothing also announced a (3a) Pro version alongside the more vanilla option. While we don't have any official teasers yet, rumors point to Nothing launching sequels to both devices again this year, so watch this space!

Oppo at MWC 2026

Oppo is coming off one of its strongest years yet, with the Find X9 Pro being DCW's top phone of 2025.

Oppo has revealed that the next generation of Ultra phone is coming soon, following in the footsteps of last year's sensationally good, but Chinese-exclusive, Oppo Find X8 Ultra – but this time, it will be launched more internationally, with a European launch confirmed. These devices tend to come out a little later in spring; perhaps we might see a few more teasers before the show is over.

Otherwise, Oppo is not showing anything at MWC, but it was around MWC last year that Oppo released the Oppo Find N5 – at the time, the thinnest book-style foldable. We haven't yet got any conclusive leaks, but could MWC 2026 bring the next generation of Oppo's foldable phone – and will it finally be available in more markets?

Samsung at MWC 2026

Like most years, Samsung is forgoing any large-scale announcements at MWC 2026 and is instead grabbing its own spotlight before the show kicks off.

Samsung has just hosted its own Galaxy Unpacked event, where it debuted its latest 2026 flagships – the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, as well as the Galaxy S26 and Plus models.

The phones have all-around camera updates, but the headline feature is a very cool-looking privacy screen mode for hiding sensitive information, and of course, there is lots and lots of new AI. Check out more in our hands-on below.

Vivo at MWC 2026

Vivo has confirmed the first details of its upcoming flagship X300 Ultra – and Vivo is bringing the phone to more markets, with a European launch confirmed for later in the year.

The Vivo X300 Ultra will come with a brand new 400mm Zeiss lens attachment that combined with the 200MP telephoto sensor, Vivo claims can shoot up to a lossless 1600mm! The design is still under wraps at MWC, with the phone appearing only behind it's newly announced pro camera cage. We're expecting more details soon.

Xiaomi at MWC 2026

Xiaomi has already unveiled both its Xiaomi 17 Series and Xiaomi 17 Ultra phones in its Chinese home market, but now it has launched both phones globally.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra utilizes another huge 1-inch sensor, but this model is updated with LOFIC technology, which increases how much light the sensor can hold for improved night photography and HDR. That's not all, the phone also comes with a newly designed mechanical optical zoom – just like a proper camera zoom lens – which can physically move between 75mm and 100m. Check out the full story and my review of the phone below.

Xiaomi has also launched it's latest iPad challengers – the Pad 8 and Pad 8 Pro bringing new chips, a larger battery, and an updated workstation mode – alongside a new floating keyboard – to make the tablet experience more like a laptop.

Read more:
• Best camera phone
• Best Android phone for photography
• Best budget camera phones
• Best iPhone for photography

Things have been pretty quiet in the world of Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras and lenses, but that is all set to change with some big new players about to breathe new life into the format.

Chinese camera company Shenzhen Sonida Digital Technology – which makes compact cameras, kids cameras, webcams and other imaging devices under the Songdian brand – has officially joined the Micro Four Thirds System standard.

The system is now officially supported by 63 companies, which on paper includes everyone from Leica and DJI to Blackmagic and Sigma. But new MFT launches have slowed down in recent years, however, with the most recent release being an OM System OM-3 upcycled for astrophotography.

However, with a new camera manufacturer joining the fray, there is a distinct possibility that a new body could be on the way. "Songdian Camera is about to something big," announced the brand on its Weibo account, teasing "Body, optics, filters, design, software…"

Elsewhere, Chinese phone manufacturer Xiaomi looks set to launch its magnetic Micro Four Thirds lens system this year, according to a report by the Independent Photographers Association.

The Xiaomi Optical Modular System, which my colleague Gareth got hands-on with last year, will enable Xiaomi phones to make use of a 100MP Micro Four Thirds sensor – far exceeding the current resolution limit of MFT cameras, which has plateaued at 25.2MP with bodies like the Panasonic Lumix GH7 and G9 II.

While I'm sure that the Optical Modular System is proprietary Xiaomi tech, there is a world in which other members of the MFT consortium can participate in the magnetic mount – which would open new possibilities for the format.

Whatever the outcome, it's an exciting time to be a Micro Four Thirds user – and that's not something I get to say very often!

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Recent reports from Digital Chat Station suggest that Xiaomi is moving its Modular Optical System, first shown off at MWC 2025, into mass production.

Given its lack of compatibility across other phone brands and limited use even within Xiaomi's own device lineup, with only a prototype Xiaomi 15 supporting the lens, I don't think any of us saw this coming. However, since MWC, it appears that Xiaomi's confidence in the hardware concept has grown significantly to the point that the lab experiment might eventually find its way to a commercial release.

This isn't the first of its kind, with the Sony QX series and Alice Camera forging the way, albeit not terribly successfully. Xiaomi's solution attempts to overcome the 'bulk' of these by utilizing a high-speed LaserLink connection to offload all image processing to the smartphone's internal ISP. That keeps the unit at a lightweight 100g, but it does come with a significant downside.

This LaserLink connection requires specific hardware for the mounting, 10Gbps optical data transfer, and power delivery. This hardware is currently restricted to Xiaomi and even then likely to only be present in a select number of as yet unreleased phones, such as the rumored Xiaomi Mix 5. So, even though it might end up in mass production, how massive the uptake will be, only time will tell.

Impressive specs for a Micro Four Thirds sensor

The Micro Four Thirds 100MP sensor is the same size as used in the best Olympus (OM System) cameras and some top cameras from Panasonic's Lumix range. Impressively, it's even larger than the 1-inch sensor powering the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s main camera.

Beyond the sensor is a compact 35mm lens, with a max aperture of f/1.4 (min f/11), an all-6G aspherical lens assembly, and a close focus distance of around 20cm. The lens also has both autofocus and manual focus with support for face recognition.

The lens is powered via pogo pins and a magnetic ring mount (akin to Apple’s MagSafe). Our reviews editor, Gareth Bevan, had a very brief hands-on with the system and was able to confirm that the magnetic connection is impressively strong and feels really secure in use.

At MWC, the system was already very polished for a concept, so we can only imagine the refinement that has taken place in the meantime. The design is minimal, the build quality is premium, and the focus ring is nice and smooth.

Gareth says, "The lens is really simple to operate; after snapping it to the back of the phone, the lens is activated in the phone's Pro mode in the camera app menu – this then switches into a dedicated UI for the lens, which is already looking slick."

There's no doubting that Xiaomi has created an outstanding product. What's left to be seen is whether enough people are happy parting with their hard-earned money to own it.

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Xiaomi has officially opened a new flagship store in London, marking another step in its expansion across Europe, and giving UK shoppers their best chance yet to get hands-on with some of the brand’s best camera phones.

Located in Westfield Stratford, the new Xiaomi Store is open from today, and it’s clearly designed to raise the brand’s profile in a market still dominated by Apple and Samsung. But, for photography fans in particular, this new store could be a big deal.

Xiaomi’s recent camera phones have been among the most exciting I’ve tested, but they still feel like niche picks rather than mainstream hits. Take the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. In my experience, it’s one of the most capable camera phones on the market right now, delivering a Leica-tuned flagship-level imaging performance, yet it still flies under the radar for most everyday consumers.

The timing of the new store also feels very deliberate. Xiaomi is expected to bring the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and a 17 Ultra Leica Edition to Europe soon – models that could push Xiaomi even further as a photography brand. If Xiaomi can back up its hardware with a strong retail presence, it could start to look like a serious threat to established flagship brands.

But the big question is, will Xiaomi's physical retail presence move the needle in a market so dominated by a few big players? Certainly being able to walk into a store, handle the devices, compare them side-by-side, and test the cameras for yourself can make a huge difference. Xiaomi’s new London store gives shoppers exactly that opportunity, but it might have its work cut out to tempt anyone to consider ditching Apple, Samsung, or Google.

For now, this new flagship store represents a definite statement of intent. Xiaomi clearly wants to be seen as a genuine competitor. Whether this is enough to make Apple nervous is another question, but Xiaomi is certainly becoming harder to ignore.

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Check out more of the best camera phones or best Android phones for photography in our guides

The new Redmi Note 15 line is here, hoping to breathe new life into the series, with the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G sitting at the top of the pile.

If choosing between five near-identical looking Note 15 models wasn't confusing enough, there are also regional differences to consider. The global model being reviewed here is a different beast compared to the Chinese Note 15 Pro+ – which debuted earlier in 2025 – most notably thanks to its cameras.

Unlike the Chinese version's 50MP Light Fusion 800 primary sensor (found across numerous other Xiaomi, Poco and Redmi phones), the international variant plays host to "the global debut of the 200MP HPE sensor."

Detailed specs on the HPE are pretty thin on the ground, but with key hardware details seemingly identical to the Samsung-made HP3 sensor used by the previous Pro+, on paper it's unclear what renders this "new 200MP ultra-clarity camera," truly 'new'.

However mysterious Xiaomi intends to be with the camera hardware the new Note 15 Pro+ is bringing to the table, only by putting it to the test can we really know whether this affordable mid-ranger is worth picking up.

Specifications

Price

Redmi is a sub-brand centered around value, and buying from the bottom of the Note 15 line still grants you a pretty complete smartphone package, for less than £180.

At the other end of the range, however, the Note 15 Pro+ 5G starts at a more considerable £429, while more RAM and double the storage (topping out at 512GB) demands an asking price of £479. For comparison, at launch its predecessor cost £399 and £449 for the same 256GB / 512GB options, respectively.

This puts the 15 Pro+ up against an entirely different assortment of affordable mid-range smartphones than both its predecessor and the more modest members of the Note 15 line; meaning greater consideration is needed before buying.

The silver lining to this stiff competition conundrum is that Xiaomi loves an Early Bird discount (offering around 18% off both models – at £329 and £399 – for a short time after launch), not to mention launch prices tend to fall on Redmi phones relatively quickly after release; especially from third-party retailers.

Design

Building on Redmi's previous-generation Notes, the 15 series has a defined enough look that you can pick them out in a crowd. Perhaps not from one another, but at least against the competition; most obviously thanks to their distinct squircle rear camera module.

As well as swapping out its main sensor, the global version of the 15 Pro+ also ditches its predecessor's (admittedly ineffectual) macro snapper, and the Chinese version's 2.5x telephoto camera. As such, of the four black circular elements within the phone's camera bump, only two are actually cameras. The third is a single LED flash, and the fourth is the autofocus laser module.

Despite being a large-screened device – bigger than its predecessor, moving from a 6.67 to a 6.83-inch display – the Pro+ is still a pleasingly comfortable phone to handle. This comes thanks, in part, to a polycarbonate – instead of metal – frame, helping keep weight down under 210 grams; impressive for a phone of this size.

You get a marginally thinner, lighter device if you opt for the fiberglass-backed Glacier Blue or black finishes, but the fractionally thicker, heavier Mocha Brown colorway featured in this review is the real head-turner.

The light brown faux leather back and pale gold accent work might not be to everyone's taste but they make for an unquestionably different looking phone; especially outside Xiaomi's wider portfolio.

Unlike the majority of phones from the past 12 months, and even the Note 15 Pro 5G that sits just beneath the Plus model, the line's top entry also opts for curved edges front and back, rather than on-trend flat sides all the way around. While the form means this phone is more comfortable to hold and elegant to look at than many rivals, the material choices do rob the it of a truly premium feel, though.

The tagline for the Note 15 series is "Titan strong" and, design-wise, that's made most evident in the 15 Pro+'s flagship-class IP66/68/69/69K-certified dust and water resistance, paired with SGS-certified drop resistance (having been tested at up to 2.5 meters), and Corning's premium Gorilla Glass Victus 2 defending the display.

In practice, this feels like a solidly built device, but if you are a little butterfingered, there's also the benefit of a pre-fitted screen plastic protector (which I have found is pretty easy to scratch up but nonetheless appreciated) and the brand's signature dark gray flexible TPU case, included in the box.

Display

The premium Xiaomi 15T from late 2025 (which starts at £120 more) offered up a superb display, and despite the Pro+'s differing curved-edge design, it looks like it's using essentially the same 6.83-inch panel.

That makes this Plus model notably larger than its 6.67-inch predecessor, but I'm all for it. As the phone doesn't feel overtly heavy, you're simply getting a bigger viewfinder and a better canvas on which to multitask, game and stream video.

Like the 15T's screen, the Note 15 Pro+'s 'CrystalRes' AMOLED lacks the more dynamic and power efficient LTPO tech seen in higher-end phones, meaning its refresh rate can only scale in large increments, between 30Hz (such as with the Always-On display), 60Hz, 90Hz, and up to its peak of 120Hz. In testing, swiping around the phone's homescreen and first-party apps, you're treated to that peak refresh rate practically all of the time; meaning a consistently responsive and fluid user experience.

Its promised 1800-nit panel-wide and 3200-nit peak brightness are pretty impressive in this corner of the mid-range market, ensuring great-looking HDR content (bolstered by 12-bit color depth, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compatibility), as well as usable outdoor brightness.

Despite getting helpfully dim in low light scenarios (ideal for reading in the evening or checking your phone in the cinema one last time before the movie starts), other devices can dip even lower.

Xiaomi's flavor of user experience makes getting at supplementary accessibility tools – like Extra Dim – frustratingly trickier than other versions of Android, but it otherwise serves up a pleasing amount of control over the Note 15 Pro+'s viewing experience; particularly with regards to controlling the display's color balance.

The company's Wet Touch 2.0 tech goes some way to keep you typing coherently – even when raindrops hit the phone's display, but droplets running down the screen still cause the touchscreen to misinterpret interactions more often than not. This isn't an issue unique to Xiaomi's phones, however, with the likes of OnePlus' Aqua Touch algorithm proving similarly temperamental.

When it comes to smartphone displays, one of the telltale signs that this is a more affordable device comes with its use of an optical in-display fingerprint sensor. Unlike more advanced ultrasonic sensors, which employ smaller components, the use of an optical sensor has pushed Xiaomi's engineers to place it awkwardly close to the bottom bezel. It's functionally fine and responsive (working even when the display is off), but will prove a stretch for most people's thumbs.

Camera Performance

Despite Xiaomi's long-standing partnership with Leica, the efforts of this collaboration haven't yet trickled down to the camera experience offered up by the company's Redmi devices.

That headline 200MP 'ultimate-clarity camera' is the first example of the mysterious HPE sensor, but it comes backed by promising specs: namely a large 1/1.4-inch sensor size, a wide f/1.7 aperture and OIS (optical image stabilization). Whilst unconfirmed at the time of writing, it's potentially the same sensor behind the new Xiaomi 17 Ultra's telephoto camera system too.

Although this global model lacks a dedicated telephoto snapper, it instead uses the additional pixels of that higher resolution main sensor to give you lossless telephoto shooting via pixel binning. Xiaomi frames it as offering five dedicated focal lengths (in reference to its 1.2x / 28mm and 1.5x / 35mm equivalent 'lenses' when tapping the '1x' button within the camera UI), but I'd say there are three that really count: 1x, 2x and 4x lossless zoom.

By default, the main sensor bins down to capture 12.5MP stills, while the ultrawide and front facer capture images at their native 8MP and 32MP, respectively. You do also have the option to switch to 'Ultra HD' shooting, which lets you snap full-resolution 200MP stills too, but you'll want to keep hand shake to a minimum to reap any of the benefits the added resolution brings to the table.

This being a mid-range mobile photography experience, there are some expected shortcomings which rear their head when assessing the shots the Note 15 Pro+ delivers, but Xiaomi has nonetheless worked to offer up a consistent shooting experience here.

In well-lit conditions, imagery from the main sensor delivers pleasing color rendition, accurate white balance, good contrast and – when shooting subjects closer to the lens – natural-looking bokeh. It's only under scrutiny you'll notice softness in the fine details, most evident around higher contrast elements.

The consistency – particularly with regards to color rendition – surprised me, when capturing the same shot between the main and ultrawide, however, weaker dynamic range and less pixel data to work with does lead to a marginally warmer, higher contrast ultrawide image, under the same shooting conditions.

The promise of lossless zoom also delivers, but in spite of the phone's "200MP AI Engine," shots taken beyond the phone's 4x telephoto crop suddenly nosedive is quality, with the Note desperately trying to salvage useable details with little success. As the camera samples of the pier (below) highlight, such results take on an almost painterly artificial finish, as a result.

As for shooting in Ultra HD mode, 200MP shots yield greater center-frame detail than equivalent 12.5MP photos, as you might expect, but also sport softer contrast and weaker detail capture towards the edge of frame.

Unlike some of Xiaomi's more premium phones, the Redmi's standing and the ultrawide's lack of autofocus mean there's no dedicated macro shooting mode to speak of, but experimentation reveals that you can get respectable close-ups by shooting using the main sensor's 2x crop.

The phone appears to assess autofocus based on the entire frame, meaning close-up subjects it can't seem to focus on at 1x, can suddenly be pulled into sharp focus when shooting at 2x.

With low light performance, the main sensor still retains good white balance and accurate color rendition, but the further available light drops, the more dynamic range and detail retention suffer.

Even with OIS, artificial lighting is enough to challenge the Note 15 Pro+'s camera, and in side by side tests with the Galaxy S25 Ultra's flagship 200MP sensor (see above), it's clear where work needs to be done; in terms of both light gathering and detail capture.

If you're a selfie fanatic, you'll likely like the 32MP front-facer on the Note 15 Pro+. There no autofocus and – like the ultrawide – detail and dynamic range suffer in low light, but you're otherwise getting serviceable shots for the price. Tricks like Portrait Mode still do a decent job of subject separation and generate pleasing looking bokeh too, even under dim shooting conditions.

Flip to video and the front camera's 1080p / 60fps capture feels a little limited, with weaker color reproduction and obvious jitter from the EIS (electronic image stabilization) when walking and the like, but the rear camera's peak 4K / 30fps capture is comparatively great. Image fidelity is pleasing, primarily thanks to fast autofocus and exposure adjustment, as well as an impressively smooth zoom transition; mainly due to the fact the phone doesn't readily need to switch sensors as you increase magnification.

There's pleasant enough stereo audio capture, which was able to maintain clear voice pickup against the coastal winds in my test footage. Better bass performance from the microphones is needed for a fuller sound, though. The OIS system grants smoother footage than what's possible from the front camera, but as with stills, a lack of natural light will quickly degrade definition and dynamic range in your recordings.

Phone Performance

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that, as the Note 14 Pro+ used Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, the Note 15 Pro+ is powered by its successor: the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4.

There aren't many phones on the market using this new silicon at present, but in practice it ensures the new top Note 15 can keep pace about as well as last year's model did.

Artificial benchmarks – like Geekbench 6 – cite an incremental 8% single-core and 3% multi-core improvement, alongside 7% better GPU performance. Not taking into account the newer, more efficient process the chip is built on, the 7s Gen 4 delivers about as much power as a five year-old flagship Android phone.

That's paired to – again, like its predecessor – serviceable, but not cutting-edge LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. Mid-range competitors have started to embrace faster and more power efficient LPDDR5 and UFS 3.1 memory and storage standards, though.

How does this all translate into the real-world use? While those benchmark scores aren't anything to write home about, it's a liveable, fluid and responsive phone to use most of the time. Aside from the occasional stutter, wait times are the most consistent performance hiccup; left waiting a second or two longer then you might expect when opening more demanding apps (in terms of performance, data load, or both). Flipping between the phone's camera sensors can also take longer than expected, which could lead to you missing a fleeting shot.

Using the phone's Game Boost feature, high-end titles like Call of Duty Mobile are wholly playable at a solid 60fps, anything above that, however, is inconsistent at best. Prolonged play (more than 30 minutes) does result in a little warmth, but the phone's IceLoop vapor chamber seems to keep performance dips in check.

As with its memory standards, the phone's software experience is also a little dated out the gate too. HyperOS 2.0 (atop Android 15) is the company's previous-generation user experience, with more premium entries – like the Xiaomi 15T series – already running the latest HyperOS 3.0 (atop Android 16).

Thankfully, there isn't a gaping divide in functionality between these particular releases, but paired with Xiaomi's middle-of-the-pack commitment to four years of OS and six years of security updates, longevity could be better.

HyperOS is a feature-packed take on Android, but if you're coming from a more traditional entry – like a Pixel or Motorola – Xiaomi's heavier skin has a steeper learning curve than you might expect.

Highlights include interconnectivity and AirDrop-style convenience with MacOS and an impressively robust set of image editing tools built right into the phone's native Gallery app. Paired with RAW capture support (only at 12.5MP, not 200MP), you can get more out of pictures taken with the Note 15 Pro+ if you're willing to take the time to experiment.

There are also a wealth of AI-backed image editing features too, like competent object and reflection removal (see below), outpainting and more. Collectively, HyperOS lets you get extensively creative with your images, thanks to a toolset you're unlikely to find elsewhere from phones at this price point.

On the flip side, Redmi's affordable standing in Xiaomi's smartphone hierachy is directly proportional to the number of baked-in ads you'll encounter throughout the user experience. They appear in the notifications shade, when opening certain first-party apps, and even on the lock screen. It's easily the worst part of HyperOS and while you can take steps to mitigate their prevalence, I've been unable to avoid encounters with ads completely.

Networking is handled by Xiaomi's own T1S Tuner, but the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ is also among the first of the company's phones to support Xiaomi Offline Communication, which means cell network-free calls and messaging with other compatible Xiaomi devices, at a range of up to a kilometer.

As well as its hardy construction, one other area where the Note 15 Pro+ demonstrates impressive endurance is with its battery longevity.

While the global model loses out on the Chinese version's gargantuan 7,000mAh power pack, it still sports a sizeable 6,500mAh cell of its own (for comparison, the likes of the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 5,000mAh cell). That comes backed by the latest silicon-carbon tech – helping to keep the physical dimensions of the battery down – and impressively fast 100W fast charging (up from 90W on the Chinese model).

As well as offering the fastest wired charging in the new Note 15 line, the Pro+ also boasts faster 22.5W reverse wired charging, making it an excellent back-up power bank in a pinch.

Whether your device comes with a power adapter in-box will vary by region. I was able to test the Note 15 Pro+ 5G with an included 100W Xiaomi charger, and after enabling Top Speed mode in the phone's battery settings, I was able to refill the device from flat in just 39 minutes. The battery also made it back past 50% charge after only 15 minutes. Impressive stuff.

Compare that to similarly-priced Pixels and Nothing's latest a-series phones, and the Note 15 Pro+ leaves them in the dust in this regard.

As for longevity, despite the huge Si-C battery, Xiaomi's cells often seem to lag behind other high-capacity rivals. That said, the Note 15 Pro+ can happily be a two-day phone, without requiring too much thought; based on around eight hours of screen-on time per charge.

If we're talking long-term longevity, Xiaomi claims the battery is also rated to withstand operation in temperatures as low at -20ºC, and will retain 80% of its total capacity after 1,600 cycles; equivalent to around six years of charging.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ is, for the most part, a by-the-numbers incremental upgrade; littered with small improvements across the majority of its feature set, when compared to its predecessor.

The global model's reworked camera system makes for a more seamless shooting experience than its Chinese counterpart, but is ultimately still best suited to social media; despite the odd neat trick. If you like to get creative with your photography, there are few phones at this price point with as robust a set of native editing tools to play with, though.

A hardy design and decent battery performance (particularly its fast-charging), will appeal to those after a long-lasting, durable, affordable mid-ranger, but HyperOS' ad-riddled user experience may be a little too challenging to live with for some.

Perhaps the biggest challenge the Note 15 Pro+ 5G faces isn't like-priced competition from big-name rivals – like Samsung and Google – but rather from within Xiaomi's own ranks. The Poco M8 Pro just arrived less a month after the Note 15 Pro+ and brings to the table a near-identical design and spec sheet, save for the camera system, which mirrors that of the Chinese Pro+ instead.

If the explicit fluidity and versatility of the 15 Pro+'s 200MP main snapper aren't essential to your photographic needs, the newer Poco M8 Pro is otherwise the same phone but for significantly less. In the UK, the M8 Pro starts at £299 (before any discounts), that's 30% than the baseline Note 15 Pro+, making Redmi's latest and greatest global release a tricky recommendation, despite its strengths.

Alternatives

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note line has always been about offering choice, and with the launch of the Redmi Note 15 Series, that philosophy has not changed. This year, there are five different models to choose from, all sharing a broadly similar design language, but with some meaningful differences when it comes to camera hardware, sensors, and the kind of photography each phone is best suited to. If you’re mainly buying a phone for its camera, here’s how the lineup breaks down.

Redmi Note 15

The standard Redmi Note 15 is the most straightforward of the bunch, but it still puts a big number front and centre. You get a 108MP main camera with a 1/1.67-inch sensor, using 9-in-1 pixel binning, paired with a basic 2MP depth sensor. There’s no ultra-wide here, so photography is very much focused on the main camera, with Xiaomi leaning on in-sensor cropping to offer multiple focal lengths from a single lens. Around the front, there’s a 20MP selfie camera.

Beyond the cameras, it features a 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Helio G100-Ultra chipset, and a large 6,000mAh battery, making this the endurance-focused, entry point of the series.

Redmi Note 15 5G

The Redmi Note 15 5G builds on the base model in a few key photographic ways. The headline 108MP main camera gains optical image stabilisation, which should make a noticeable difference for low-light shooting and video. More importantly, it adds an 8MP ultra-wide camera, making this the first model in the lineup to offer multi-camera flexibility.

It keeps the same 20MP front camera, but steps up in other areas too, with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, faster charging, and a slimmer, lighter design. If you want a versatile camera setup without jumping to the Pro models, this is the obvious upgrade.

Redmi Note 15 Pro

The Redmi Note 15 Pro jumps to a 200MP main camera with a larger 1/1.4-inch sensor and 16-in-1 pixel binning, again with OIS. That larger sensor and higher resolution are designed to deliver more detail, better dynamic range, and cleaner low-light results. It’s paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a higher-resolution 32MP selfie camera.

The Pro also brings a tougher build with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a 6,500mAh battery, and a more advanced AI Creativity Assistant, positioning it as the first genuinely photography-focused option in the range.

Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G

The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G uses the same 200MP main camera system as the Pro, but adds more advanced imaging features around it. Xiaomi highlights improved in-sensor zoom options, multiple focal lengths from a single lens, and upgraded video and portrait processing. The ultra-wide camera remains at 8MP, while the front camera drops back to 20MP.

Elsewhere, it steps up to a larger 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, faster performance from the Dimensity 7400-Ultra, and improved durability with higher water and dust resistance ratings.

Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G

At the top of the tree sits the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G. It shares the same 200MP, 1/1.4-inch main camera hardware, but pairs it with Xiaomi’s most advanced AI imaging pipeline, improved zoom processing, and enhanced 4K video capabilities. The 32MP front camera returns here, making it the strongest option for both rear and front-facing shooters.

It also brings the fastest performance with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, a 6.83in 1.5K resolution ALOMED display, and a 6500mAh battery with 100W fast charging, rounding out the most premium photography-first phone in the Redmi Note 15 family. If camera performance is your top priority and budget allows, this is clearly the flagship choice.

Pricing and availability

The Redmi Note 15 series' global launch unfortunately doesn't include the US, but they will be available in the UK and Europe, and prices scale accordingly across the lineup.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G sits at the top, priced at £429 for the 8GB + 256GB model and £479 for the 12GB + 512GB version.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G is available in three configurations: £349 for 8GB + 256GB, £379 for 8GB + 512GB, and £399 for the 12GB + 512GB model.

The Redmi Note 15 Pro will be sold in 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB variants, with prices starting from £249.

Lower down the range, the Redmi Note 15 5G comes in 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB options, starting from £199, while the standard Redmi Note 15 is available in the same memory configurations, starting from £179.

The Redmi Note 15 series will be available soon, with pre-orders opening from 5 January 2026.

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Poco has officially stepped into the premium flagship arena with the launch of the Poco F8 Ultra and Poco F8 Pro, and while the series arrives with big claims about performance and audio, it’s the camera systems that will be of most interest to photographers and creators.

At the top end, the Poco F8 Ultra introduces one of the brand’s most ambitious imaging setups yet. The main camera uses a 50MP Light Fusion 950 sensor with OIS and a large 1/1.31in sensor that captures 43% more light than the previous generation – a significant upgrade for low-light shooting and dynamic range. It’s paired with a 1G+6P lens with extensive multi-coating to reduce flare and improve clarity.

More notably, POCO finally joins the long-zoom club with its first 5x periscope telephoto camera, offering 5x optical zoom, 10x in-sensor zoom, and up to 20x “Ultra Zoom.” A new Motion Capture system aims to keep distant moving subjects sharp, while a dedicated Super Moon Mode activates at 20x for lunar shots. Completing the trio is a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and on the front, a 32MP selfie camera that switches to an intelligent 0.8x wide-angle mode automatically.

The Poco F8 Pro takes a slightly more modest but still upgraded approach. It becomes the first Pro-series device to feature a dedicated telephoto camera, offering 2.5x optical and 5x lossless zoom, alongside a 50MP OIS-equipped main camera using the Light Fusion 800 sensor. Like the Ultra, it inherits Poco’s new creative tools, including 1440p dynamic shots and new positive/negative film filters.

Beyond the cameras, both phones share Poco’s new HyperRGB display, promising 2K-level clarity with lower power consumption, and the brand’s new partnership with Bose brings a triple-speaker 2.1-channel audio system to the Ultra and Bose-tuned audio profiles across the series. Performance comes via Snapdragon 8 Elite chipsets, large batteries (6500mAh on Ultra, 6210mAh on Pro), 100W charging, and Xiaomi HyperOS 3.

The Poco F8 Ultra comes in Denim Blue or Black at £749 (12GB/256GB) or £799 (16GB/512GB), while the Poco F8 Pro starts at £549 (12GB/256GB) and £599 (12GB/512GB). From November 26 to December 9, early-bird pricing drops the Ultra to £549/£499 and the Pro to £399/£349.

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The Royal Meteorological Society has revealed the winners of the 2025 Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year competition, celebrating the 10th anniversary as one of the world's most visually striking photography awards.

Selected from over 4,000 entries from 84 countries, the winning images capture the beauty, drama, and unpredictable power of the natural world.

This year, the Mobile Category title was awarded to Kyaw Zay Lin for his gripping image of a sudden monsoon storm at Inle Lake, titled Fishing in raining season. And it might surprise some that this photograph was captured entirely on a Xiaomi smartphone camera – proving that you don't need a DSLR or mirrorless camera to capture high-quality imagery.

Modern tech meets centuries-old techniques

Caught in a sudden monsoon downpour on Myanmar's Inle Lake, two fishermen battle the storm: one paddling with the Intha people's centuries-old single-leg, single-oar technique, the other bailing water from the boat.

Lin captured this drama, freezing the motion of rain, water, and human skill with astonishing clarity. It's a rare combination: ancient techniques meeting modern technology, showing that even in the low light and chaos of a tropical storm, a phone camera can produce high-quality photography, showing just how far mobile imaging has come.

Celebrating weather through photography

This year's competition – sponsored by Standard Chartered and organized by the Royal Meteorological Society – was judged by an international panel of experts in meteorology, photography, and journalism, including members of the ITV Weather team.

All winning and shortlisted entries can be viewed on the Royal Meteorological Society's website.

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It was only a month ago that we were treated to the Chinese release of the Xiaomi 17 series of phones. The biggest noteworthy announcement of the 17 Series was that they were aiming to "redefine the next generation of premium smartphones with an attention-grabbing 'Dynamic Back Display'."

With that fresh in our mind, we were expecting to see the same feature on the soon-to-be- Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Maybe we were wrong to assume because, according to a recent leak from the trusted Digital Chat Station, there's no mention of a display.

In fact, we're not sure there would be any room for a rear display, even if they wanted to include one. The leak suggests that the circular camera module is expected to occupy so much of the rear panel that there's simply no room for it. Despite it featuring on the Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, Xiaomi appears to be maxing out their camera lineup instead.

A rumored 200MP telephoto lens

According to rumors, the flagship quad-camera system is expected to feature an OmniVision OV50X 50 MP main with a substantially larger sensor compared to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Don't forget, Xiaomi are passing over the number 16 in favor of lining up with the numbering system of the iPhones. This main camera is likely to be backed up by a pair of 50 MP lenses for the ultra-wide and one of the telephoto cameras.

Assuming the leaks are correct, it's actually the periscope telephoto camera that will be the star of the show. This will feature a Samsung HPE 200 MP lens that will also support multiple focal lengths without any loss in image quality. In addition, the rumors suggest it'll feature telephoto macro shooting with a good level of magnification.

The front camera will likely be an OmniVision OV50M 50 MP lens, which seems limited compared to the periscope telephoto but in reality is a rather impressive resolution for a selfie camera. All in, this set of five cameras, represents a significant upgrade on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

A flagship processor and an imminent launch?

Aside from cameras, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to boast the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is the latest flagship mobile processor from Qualcomm, announced in September 2025. The display is rumored to be a whopping 6.8-inch OLED screen with a 2K resolution. It'll also include a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for a superior mobile gaming experience.

Rumors around the launch date are in abundance, but they're not particularly unified. Some claim that it'll be launching early 2026, while others have announced that it could come to the Chinese market before Christmas. Either way, it doesn't look like you'll have to wait long to see the official specs of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

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In a year when compact cameras boasting up to 60MP sensors hit the market, Time's "Best Inventions 2025" list highlights a different trend. The most celebrated cameras aren't just about raw resolution – they cleverly blend modern technology with nostalgic design elements.

Standout models include the Pentax 17, a half-frame film camera tailored for a smartphone generation craving authentic experiences; the Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo, which merges instant film printing with digital controls; and the Kodak Charmera, a collectible keychain camera that nods to Kodak's disposable legacy.

These cameras prove that innovation can happen by revisiting the past with fresh eyes. Let's explore why these nostalgia-driven cameras captured Time's spotlight amid a year dominated by high-spec digital imaging.

Best inventions 2025

Camp Snap

In a market dominated by AI-enhanced, screen-saturated devices, Camp Snap's innovation lies in what it leaves out. This screen-free digital camera offers a rare, distraction-free experience – capturing 8MP photos with zero filters, apps, or instant previews. Designed for kids but embraced by nostalgic adults, it supports up to 500 shots per USB-C charge. In an age of constant digital feedback, Camp Snap redefines simplicity as a bold, modern design choice.

Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo

The Instax Wide Evo stands out in 2025 by combining instant prints with digital control. Also awarded by the Good Design Awards, it offers a unique hybrid experience: Bluetooth image transfer, customizable lens effects, and a manual print crank for large-format Instax Wide film. Though digital image quality is limited, its intuitive interface and physical print process make instant photography tactile and fun.

Pentax 17

The Pentax 17 is the first major 35mm film camera release in nearly 20 years, designed for a smartphone generation. The half-frame format doubles shots per roll, matching vertical smartphone habits. The sharp lens and reliable zone focusing deliver great images, while its simple controls suit casual shooters. Its revival of film with modern sensibility makes it a noteworthy innovation in today's digital-dominated market.

Special Mentions

Polaroid Flip

The Polaroid Flip combines retro instant camera design with advanced features. Its sonar autofocus uses ultrasonic pulses to detect the subject and select the best lens automatically. A screen display shooting modes, film count and exposure settings, enhancing usability. Remote control via the Polaroid app adds modern convenience. By merging classic aesthetics with smart tech, the Flip brings a user-friendly twist to classic instant photography – making it a standout choice for those who want vintage vibes with modern ease.

Kodak Charmera

The Kodak Charmera revives Kodak's disposable legacy in a miniature digital form, perfect for 2025's gift market. This keychain camera features a 1.5MP sensor and a built-in LCD screen, delivering surprisingly decent images reminiscent of early camera phones. Solid in collectible blind boxes with seven designs, it blends nostalgia with novelty.

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The Xiaomi 15T Pro arrives as the next step in the company’s mid-range to flagship-crossover lineup, taking the foundation laid by the 14T Pro and expanding it with a host of hardware and design upgrades – most significantly, the first periscope zoom camera on a T Series phone.

The T Series has always been a compelling mid-range option, but with rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, Google Pixel 10, iPhone 17, and OnePlus 13 crowding the same price bracket, the question is: does the 15T Pro do enough to truly stand out?

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Specifications

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Price

The 15T Pro starts at £649 (~$699) for the 12GB+256GB model, going up to £699 (~$750) for 12GB+512GB, and £799 (~$850) for the 12GB+1TB version. It's exceptional value for the specs on offer – and also, as we’ll find out in this review, for the camera performance, this might just be the best value mid-range performer right now.

The closest rival comes from Google, with the Pixel 10 offering a very good triple camera system, but it starts at $/£799, and with only 128GB of storage. The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is another good alternative; it starts for the same $/£649 as the 15T Pro, but again, it comes with lower specs, with just 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Design

The design of the 15T continues the family resemblance to last year's model. Available in Black, Grey, or Mocha Gold, the phone is slightly more metallic-looking than last year's. There is also a larger camera bump that comes up to meet and house all the lenses, rather than each lens protruding individually.

Like the previous model, the cameras continue to be grouped in the upper left-hand side, which is my preferred location, rather than the large centre camera island preferred on phones recently, including the 15 Ultra, which always ends up covered in fingerprints. The bump is about average in depth, although with the corner location, there is some minor wobble on a flat surface.

The sides of the phone have also become sharper, but it is reassuringly comfortable to hold. It’s a classy-looking phone. I don’t think it looks particularly distinct or exciting compared to a lot of what else is out there, but I do think it looks and feels premium beyond its price tag.

The 15T Pro is IP68 rated for dust and water resistance, so you can drop this in the bath, or accidentally put it through the laundry – and with Corning Gorilla Glass i7, it might just survive. The 15T Pro also comes with a factory-applied screen protector, which is barely noticeable, and there is a soft silicone case in the box in a deep blue color, which complements all three color variations of the phone, and is a really appreciated little touch.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Screen

The 15T Pro sports a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a decent 2772x1280 resolution and a 447ppi. The display is large, bright, colorful, and crisp, and thanks to a 144Hz refresh rate, I found motion for scrolling and animations to be very smooth. The display is also pretty bright, and can reach a peak brightness of 3200nits, which I found easily readable outside, even in the rare moments of sunshine in rainy Munich, where I was testing the device.

Sometimes reviews are cursed by the phones that landed on my desk just before, and the screen noticeably can’t match up to the displays in the latest iPhone 17 or Pixel 10 Pro phones, but for the price you’re paying for the 15T Pro, it is a very nice display.

Xiaomi has also incorporated several of the latest eye care features into the 15T Pro, including DC dimming, and is backed up by TÜV Rheinland certifications for Low Blue Light, Flicker Free, and Circadian Friendly credentials.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Camera Performance

Main camera: 50MP Light Fusion 900 image sensor, 2.4μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel, f/1.62, OIS, 23mm equivalent focal length

Telephoto camera: 50MP, f/3.0, OIS, 115mm equivalent focal length

Ultra-wide camera:12MP, f/2.2,15mm equivalent focal length, FOV 120°

Front camera: 32MP, 0.64um, 1.28um 4-in-1, f/2.2, 21mm equivalent focal length

Images from the 15T Pro took me by surprise. From using the Xiaomi 15 Ultra a lot over the last year, I know how good Xiaomi/Leica’s colors and quality can be, but I didn’t expect that to be distilled down so effectively in a phone that costs around half the price.

There is a distinct look to the tones and colors in photos from the 15T Pro. You can clearly see the influence of Lieca’s color science, and I find it the most “camera-like” of all the phones I test. This might not be for everyone – the iPhone, Pixel, or Samsung images are safer bets for more accurate, balanced, but less characterful results – but I am a big fan of the processing in the 15T Pro.

The new telephoto is the star of the show – it's the first periscope used in a T Series phone, and it's a standout performer with sharp, detailed images, and accurate consistency with the main camera.

In the 3x versus 5x debate, Xiaomi has decided to go with a 5x (115mm equivalent) telephoto, which is slightly long for portraits, but it's great for punching in closer to far away or smaller subjects, and thanks to the paired 50MP sensor, it can produce 10x (230mm) lossless images.

The 15T Pro can also use Xiaomi’s 100x AI-assisted zoom, which is decent. It is very good up until around 30x, usable until 60x, but after that, results do start to drop off a little.

The main camera is also very good, and the best camera to use at night, with both the largest sensor and aperture. And the 15T Pro did quite well at night, capturing some decent detail without overbrightening an image.

The ultra-wide camera, however, is the weakest of the bunch; the lower resolution means that it captures less detail than the other two in good light, and really struggles when the light level dips.

The 15T Pro lacks a telephoto macro, which is a shame, although the telephoto lens has a reasonably close focus distance and the 115mm/230mm compression can produce some professional-looking shots – it just lacks the fine close-up details of a true macro camera.

Video can be shot at up to 8K30p, a very impressive feat for this tier of phone. There is also 4K120p for slo-mo shots. You can even shoot in LOG and apply LUTs if you want to get creative in editing, or want to get videos in your style up online quickly. Video quality is very good in daylight, although it falls off a little in low light, but the OIS/EIS works really well for very steady footage on both the main and telephoto cameras.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Phone Performance

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+, day-to-day performance is excellent. I noticed no slowdowns when using the phone, with it flying through tasks like browsing, streaming, and photo/video editing with no bother.

At the time of testing, my 15T Pro was still running Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2, based on Android 15. An updated HyperOS 3 is tantalisingly close and rolling out to devices in just a few weeks, but I wish Xiaomi had managed to push it forward for the 15T Series launch. Xiaomi’s Android skin though, is pretty good; menus make sense, the OS looks good, and there are tons of customization options. There is a little bloatware preinstalled that you can remove, and Xiaomi includes its own versions of major apps, but you can set all the default apps to whichever you like.

The 15T features a 5500mAh Xiaomi Surge battery supported by Xiaomi’s 90W wired and 50W wireless HyperCharge tech. After a hard day's use, mostly taking photos and video, I was still getting back in the evening with 10-20% power remaining, although the battery saver mode had kicked in by this point to keep it going a little longer – but for most people, this should easily see you through a day of use if you charge overnight.

Although with these charging speeds, I found that even a quick 15-minute top-up was enough – in my testing, a 30-minute charge got me from empty to 72%, while the phone reached 100% in less than 60 minutes.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Verdict

I didn’t expect a lot from the 15T Pro before going into this review. I expected it to be a dependable mid-range performer with a solid camera system – but the 15T Pro has surprised me with probably the best mid-range camera system on the market right now.

Images are really good, I think the Xiaomi/Leica default color science and rendering is the closest you can get to looking like a “proper” camera – but the Leica profiles like film negative and classic monochrome also give images a really nice feel to them. Images aren’t quite as sharp as you’d get with larger sensors in more premium phones, but unless you pixel peep, you’re unlikely to notice.

Outside of the cameras, there are no real marks against the 15T Pro – it’s a good-looking, if slightly dull, with a premium feel, great screen, and excellent performance. The battery easily lasts a full day, and charging is lightning quick.

Alternatives

Xiaomi has just announced the Xiaomi 17 Series in China (with a global version likely announced next year). The 17 Series aims to redefine the next generation of premium smartphones with its attention-grabbing 'Dynamic Back Display'.

This isn't the first time Xiaomi has included this on one of its phones. The Xiaomi 11 Ultra was the first, but that was a much smaller screen and far less versatile in its use cases. The rear-facing screen on the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max is housed within a 'notch' that looks reminiscent of the plateau found on the iPhone 17 Pro, with the 17 Pro screen measuring 2.7 inches, while the 17 Pro Max jumps to 2.9 inches.

As well as viewing text messages and playing games, the rear screen will be particularly useful for users wanting to capture selfies using the superior rear-facing cameras. It is also enhanced with advanced beauty algorithms and a wide choice of filters for clearer and more natural-looking shots.

Just like the iPhone lineup, there's the entry-level Xiaomi 17, the more premium Xiaomi 17 Pro, and a super-sized Xiaomi 17 Pro Max. If you're wondering what happened to the Xiaomi 16, then you'll have to keep wondering. Maybe they were keen to align themselves with the latest from Apple, or maybe they just thought 17 sounded more appealing. Your guess is as good as mine.

Cameras

Naming conventions aside, the Xiaomi 17 Series boasts a Leica Summilux imaging system with Xiaomi's new Master Portrait Mode, which offers "professional-grade" imaging with what Xiaomi claims are natural skin tones and detailed hair rendering.

The Xiaomi 17 has a main camera that uses a 50MP 1/1.31-in Light Fusion 950 sensor with f/1.67 aperture and OIS. The telephoto lens adopts a Leica 60mm floating lens design with an f/2.0 aperture and 10cm close-focus capability. The entire 17 Series shares the same 50MP ultrawide-angle sensor with f/2.4 aperture.

However, the 17 Pro bumps the main camera's 50MP sensor size up to 1/1.28in, achieving an impressive 16.5EV dynamic range, and adds a 5x telephoto lens. Finally, the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max takes things a step further, with a more powerful 5x periscope telephoto lens featuring the largest 1/2-inch sensor combined with an f/2.6 aperture, which adds a 30% increase in light intake over the previous model.

These cameras are capable of recording at an impressive 8K resolution and at 30 fps. For front-facing selfies and video calls, the phones have a 50MP wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

It's an impressive set of cameras with flagship quality written all over it.

Other Specs

Away from the cameras, the Xiaomi 17 has a 6.3-inch compact design that weighs just 191g and is 8.06mm thick. The 17 Pro opts for a higher resolution 6.3-inch panel with a faster 144Hz refresh rate, while the 17 Pro Max features the same specs, but in a larger 6.9-inch size.

Other notable highlights are the newly announced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and an incredibly impressive 7500mAh Xiaomi surge battery on the Pro Max, with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging.

The Xiaomi 17 series is available in four colors – Black, White, Purple, and Green – while the regular 17 comes in Black, White, Pink, and Blue. The phone has already launched in China, with the phones going on sale there starting on September 27 – costing from 4499 yuan (~$630) for the base 17 to 5999 yuan (~$850) for the 17 Pro Max.

Global availability is expected next year – with Xiaomi often saving its announcements for MWC in March.

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Xiaomi has lifted the lid on its latest T Series devices, the Xiaomi 15T and 15T Pro – and it’s the cameras that steal the show. Co-engineered with Leica, the 15T represents a more affordable way to carry a bit of Leica’s legendary optical pedigree in your pocket.

At the centre of the 15T Pro's camera system sits a 50MP Leica Summilux main camera powered by Xiaomi’s new Light Fusion 900 sensor, with a 23mm focal length, a wide f/1.62 aperture, and 2.4μm super pixels for low-light shooting.

Xiaomi is also introducing the T Series' first 5x Leica Pro telephoto camera, offering a 115mm equivalent reach with stabilised optics and an optical zoom that extends up to 10x. Finally, for landscapes and group shots, a 12MP ultra-wide at 15mm rounds out the trio of lenses.

This combination gives a focal length spanning 15mm to 230mm. Beyond that, Xiaomi’s Ultra Zoom 2.0 uses AI to enhance clarity beyond the standard digital zoom.

Meanwhile, the 15T sports the same Leica Vario-Summilux 23mm lens and 50MP resolution, but instead uses a Light Fusion 800 sensor and a narrower f/1.7 aperture. The main difference comes with the 15T's telephoto camera, which is a Leica 46mm (or 2x) lens, with a 50MP resolution and an f/1.9 aperture. The 15T also shares the same 12MP ultrawide camera.

Both models share the same front camera, featuring a 32MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 90° field of view (FOV).

But Leica’s influence isn’t just in the lenses. The 15T comes with Leica's street photography mode, allowing you to fire off candid frames directly from the lock screen, and Leica Master Portrait tools with new bokeh effects such as “Wide” and “Bubbles.” There’s also the flexibility to manually dial in focal length and aperture effects for even more creative control.

The 15T is also a surprisingly powerful tool for videographers. The 15T Pro supports HDR10+ video recording across all focal lengths, 4K at up to 120fps, and 8K capture at 30fps, and supports camera LUTs and LOG recording. While the 15T keeps all these videography tools, but tops out at 4K60p.

Away from the cameras, the 15T Pro boasts a flagship MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor, a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 3200-nit peak brightness, and a 5500mAh battery with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging.

The 15T is powered by the slightly less powerful Dimensity 8400-Ultra, and while the screen is the same size and pixel density, but is limited to 120Hz. It also shares the same 5500mAh battery capacity, but is limited to 67W charging.

Both models also sport Gorilla Glass 7i protection and IP68 water resistance, for protection from drops and spills.

The Xiaomi 15T series will roll out globally. The 15T Pro is available in Black, Gray, and Mocha Gold. It comes with 12GB of RAM and a choice of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage, priced at £649, £699, and £799, respectively. The 15T comes in Black, Grey, or Rose Gold, and will cost £549 for the 12GB+256GB version, or £599 for the 12GB+512GB option.

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Samsung is reportedly developing a new phone camera module featuring variable optical zoom, but apparently it's not for use in the brand's own Galaxy devices. The report states that Samsung Electro-Mechanics has been commissioned to produce a variable zoom module by Xiaomi for use in its camera phones.

At this point it's worth clarifying exactly what is a variable/continuous zoom module. Plenty of camera phones have what's often referred to as 'zoom', however these telephoto modules use a lens with a fixed focal length. The word zoom in this context merely refers to the difference in focal length between the telephoto lens and the phone's primary, wide-angle module.

Very few camera phones actually feature true optical zoom. That's where a single camera module contains lens elements which can move to cover a seamless focal range, just like a zoom lens for a standalone mirrorless or DSLR camera. If a camera phone offers what appears to be seamless zoom, this is usually achieved through tricks like on-sensor cropping that covers the focal length gaps between the fixed ultrawide, wide and telephoto lenses.

There are some exceptions though - phones that do have true optical zoom. The Sony Xperia 1 VI and VII have telephoto modules that can continuously zoom between 85mm and 170mm. And even Samsung itself has a history of making camera phones boasting true optical zoom. Back in 2013 it released the Galaxy S4 Zoom - a phone with a 24–240mm (35mm equivalent) f/3.1-6.3 lens, providing 10x optical zoom. A year later it followed this with the Galaxy K Zoom (a phone I personally reviewed at the time) which also had 10x continuous optical zoom.

However, where the Xperia 1 VI and VII's zoom lenses are small enough to fit inside a typically slim smartphone form factor, The Galaxy S4 Zoom and K Zoom required much bulkier camera lenses that extended out of the phone chassis as they zoomed in, just like a conventional compact camera of the day. This made the phones relatively thick, and that would never be acceptable today when Samsung is on a drive to make phones ever-slimmer, evidenced by the current S25 Edge.

So whatever Samsung is developing for Xiaomi, it'll almost certainly be an ultra-compact zoom module that's unlikely to increase the size of the phone's camera bump beyond that of Xiaomi 15 Ultra. I wouldn't expect more than 3x optical zoom either, in order to minimize the physical size of the lens. But with the power of AI image enhancement, extra zoom reach is possible, and with minimal image degradation.

It remains to be seen whether Samsung will use the technology in future Galaxy phones, or if the tech is being developed exclusively for Xiaomi.

Smartphones are the smart devices we use the most, but tablets certainly don’t appear to be going anywhere, with many new models released each year. The Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 is a slim and lightweight budget tablet from an established tech manufacturer, and potentially one of the best budget tablets available.

Budget tablets have come a long way, and many look and feel of a much higher quality than comparable models from 10 years ago. It’s fair to say that many, including the Redmi Pad 2, feature attractive designs with narrow bezels and metal bodies that belie their price. The two Redmi Pad 2 models available look identical, with just the RAM and storage being different, and the more expensive model offering LTE connectivity.

I reviewed the model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, which logically provides a smoother experience than the slightly cheaper model with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. The higher-end model of the two isn’t much more expensive, so if your budget can stretch a little further, it’s worth it for the extra memory and storage.

Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 : Specifications

Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2: Price

The Xiaomi Redmi 2 is available in two versions and two colours. The price of the two is so small that for many people it will make sense to invest in the slightly more expensive model to enjoy more RAM, a higher storage capacity and LTE/4G connectivity.

The cheaper model with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage costs $179 / £169 / AU$288, while the version with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage costs just $215 / £219 / AU$347. These are attractive prices for tablets with a decent 11-inch 2.5K screen, LTE/4G connectivity for the more expensive version when a SIM card is installed and respectable performance across the board.

Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2: Design & Handling

The Redmi Pad 2 is a good-looking tablet; there’s no getting away from the fact that the narrow bezel and the all-metal unibody make this budget tablet look and feel more expensive than it is. The tablet is also available in two colours: Graphite Gray and Mint Green. The lightly textured metal does feel good in the hand and provides a degree of grip that’s noticeably different to the screen, but a case of some kind will naturally provide more protection and improved grip.

This tablet offers an 11-inch screen, but with a 16:10 aspect ratio, it’s more rectangular than many other 11-inch tablets. This works well when streaming TV shows and movies, but perhaps most importantly, it means the tablet isn’t too wide and is comfortable to hold in one hand for use in portrait orientation. This is great when using apps that work best in portrait format, such as social media apps, and when reading eBooks and news websites, etc.

With dimensions of 10.02×6.54×0.29in / 254.58x166.04x7.36mm and a weight of 18oz / 510g, you can immediately see that this is a well-proportioned and fairly lightweight device. It still manages to pack in four speakers, an on/off switch, a volume control, a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

It’s not often you see a headphone jack these days – it does almost seem pointless in the world of earbuds, but why not? It is, however, positioned extremely close to the back edge of the tablet, which could put pressure on the cable if the tablet isn’t in a case and is just resting on your lap, bed or sofa. It’s a nice idea, but perhaps not the best execution; I’ll certainly be sticking to wireless headphones.

The Redmi Pad 2 features a generous 9000mAh battery, which Xiaomi claims provides up to 86 days on standby, 234 hours of music playback and 17 hours of video playback. I didn’t test the tablet to these extremes, but I was happy with the longevity of the battery when the tablet was used for web browsing, streaming, emails and app use, including Lightroom Mobile to see how well the tablet could handle editing smartphone Raw files.

For this type of standard use, the Redmi Pad 2 didn’t skip a beat, and I was able to scroll through YouTube Shorts quickly without any slowdowns or stuttering. It’s far from a serious productivity tablet that you could use to replace a laptop for many but not all tasks, but for everyday use, the processing power, screen and sound are more than adequate.

Despite not being a productivity powerhouse, the Redmi Pad 2 is compatible with the Redmi Smart Pen, which can be used for sketching in the included Mi Canvas app, an alternative drawing app from Google Play, for note-taking and for photo editing, etc. This is an optional extra and not an accessory that was included with the review unit, so I was unable to test it.

Whether or not you’d need the Redmi Smart Pen is very much a personal preference, but for this tablet I think it would only be worthwhile if you intend to sketch and draw. For all other tasks, using your forefinger for navigation is enough. If the tablet were more powerful and had a larger screen, a smart Pen would be much more useful, in my opinion.

Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2: Performance

Setting up the tablet is simple, like all tablets, although I did accidentally set up gesture rather than button control during the setup process. This was user error, and it was easy enough to fix this in the settings. The tablet runs Xiaomi HyperOS 2, which is based on Android 15 and Xiaomi's Internet of Things platform, Vela. It’s nothing out of the ordinary as an OS, but it can’t be faulted except for the absence of split-screen functionality for viewing two apps at once.

This combination does bring into play a host of AI-powered features, ranging from speech recognition to even unique calculator features. Do these improve functionality, or are they simply a jump onto the current AI bandwagon? Realistically, some are useful and others are pointless gimmicks. For example, AI Gesture Recognition allows you to add special effects during video calls using gestures - make of it what you will.

If you own a Xiaomi smartphone running HyperOS 2 you can enjoy several syncing options across the phone and tablet including call sync, network sync which utilises the phone’s WiFi hotspot intelligently and shared clipboard. The Redmi Pad 2 can also be set up for interconnectivity with Apple devices and linked to Windows PC, so it can be incorporated into your existing device ecosystem.

In terms of the installed software, there is some bloatware included, but you can hide these apps from the homepage if they can’t be uninstalled. There are also some popular apps pre-installed, including TikTok and Temu, installed already, which may save you time if you’d install them anyway. These can be deleted if not required.

When you compare this tablet to higher-end models released just two or three years ago, you’re getting some pretty decent hardware, including the 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the more expensive model of the two.

The 11-inch screen is also excellent for a budget model at 2.5K / 2560x1600px with a 274ppi pixel density. It also offers a 10-bit colour depth, 1500:1 contrast ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. Colours are great and the image is crisp, although viewing angles are minimal, so it’s best viewed straight on.

The screen provides a nice and clear image when using apps and watching streaming services, as well as doing some minor photo editing in Adobe Lightroom Mobile and Photoshop Express, etc.

The screen is highly reflective, and it can be difficult to view darker scenes in movies and TV shows. This is a normal issue with tablets, so it’s certainly not unique to the Redmi Pad 2. The screen is also a fingerprint magnet and smears easily, which also makes viewing difficult.

Adding to the enjoyment of listening to music and watching movies, the quad speakers support Dolby Atmos, and the sound quality is good overall. Sound is clear, and although the bass isn’t horrific, it certainly lacks depth.

To test this, I played DJI Shadow – Nobody Speak and Tool – 7empest on YouTube at full volume to try different music genres. Everything remained clear with a dominant midrange, so you can certainly enjoy loud music and movies, but don’t expect too much.

Tablet cameras are infamously poor, and the Redmi Pad 2’s cameras won’t be winning any awards; particularly the front-facing camera, which is the one you’d typically use for video calls. Both are also quite low-res, and cameras of a higher quality would be a welcome improvement.

The main rear camera is 8MP and can capture video at 1080p 30fps and 720p 30fps, while the front-facing camera is 5MP and can capture video at 1080p 30fps and 720p 30fps.

When comparing photos taken with the two cameras, the rear camera isn’t bad overall, but fine detail is mushy. The front-facing camera is pretty poor, and the same scene shows even more detail loss and a significant softness across the whole image taken in bright light.

Tablets have never and will never be a good option for photography, but the front-facing camera is important for video calling, and it could have been much better here.

Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2: Verdict

If you’re looking for a basic, low-cost tablet for general use, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 will more than adequately cover your needs. This is especially if you go for the more powerful option with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The screen is great, and although the sound from the quad speakers lack depth overall, they can handle loud music without distortion and remain clear.

For the price, you’re getting a pretty good deal here, and while the Redmi Pad 2 isn’t up to the speed of more powerful productivity tablets with larger screens, it’s quite similar to more powerful tablets from a few years ago. So, if you’d like a tablet for entertainment around the house and on the go, the Redmi Pad 2 is worth a look.

Alternatives

Xiaomi has given its 15 Ultra flagship a fresh splash of color, unveiling Aquamarine, Violet, and Heritage Brown limited-edition finishes – each sports a classic silver rangefinder trim paired with soft vegan leather in each colorful shade. Alongside the new hues comes a revised Photography Kit grip in matching colorways.

The original kit already turned the 15 Ultra into a bona-fide compact camera. Its handle hides a 2,000mAh battery, while a two-stage shutter button, zoom rocker, exposure dial and detachable thumbrest enable you to work entirely by feel for a more tactile experience. It even accepts 67 mm filters, making the phone surprisingly versatile.

The trade-off is between controls and minimalist style. Xiaomi’s new version keeps that half-press shutter but it pares everything else back. In their place is a lighter 42g grip with a softer, rounded silhouette and a single record switch for video capture.

After several months of daily use, I’ve grown genuinely fond of the original grip – although it certainly helps that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s cameras are some of the absolute best I have used this year.

Pricing and global availability are still to be confirmed, although currently these look to be exclusive to the China market – and you can see them below, as shared on Chinese social media via Xiaomi's Weibo account. But when many companies are looking to their next handset, Xiaomi isn’t done iterating on what is one of the best camera-centric phones around.

If you weren’t tempted already, these new colors just might make you reach for your wallet.

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Take a look at the best camera phones from all brands, though of course Apple heads will be interested in the best iPhones for photography while everyone else will want to know the best Android phones for photography.

In the past 18 months, AI-enabled camera glasses have moved from novelty to a contested hardware category. Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, launched last year, have already sold over 2 million units, proving that there is consumer appetite beyond niche technophiles.

Meta is doubling down through the performance-focused Oakley Meta HSTN model, which adds an IPX4 rating, a 3K camera and an 8-hour battery.

The surge has emboldened smaller players, too. Snap persists with its developer-only Spectacles line, while startups such as Loomis’ AI Glasses and Solos’ AirGo V incorporate generative AI helpers into ordinary-looking acetate frames.

Into this crowded field steps Xiaomi. Unveiled in Beijing on June 26, the company’s succinctly named Xiaomi AI Glasses start at CH¥1,999 (around $280 / £200 / AU$420), marginally undercutting Meta’s pair of RayBans.

Despite the lower price, the spec sheet is competitive: a 12MP IMX681 camera records up to 10 minutes of 2K 30p video, while a Snapdragon AR1 chip and Xiaomi's in-house Vela OS software enable live translation, scene recognition and QR code payments.

At just 40g the glasses weigh a little more than standard shades, yet still squeeze in open-ear stereo speakers, 5 microphones and a 263mAh battery that Xiaomi claims delivers 8.6 hours of mixed use – twice that of the Meta glasses, although always take battery estimates with a pinch of salt.

The glasses are also available with optional electro-chromic lenses that flip from clear to tinted in 0.2 seconds, and a trio of frame colors.

So, are AI camera glasses actually ready for the mainstream? Technically, further miniaturization, wider compatibility and true all-day batteries might be a stumbling block.

However, in social terms, privacy discomfort around always-on cameras and their potential misuse remains, which holds the potential of camera glasses just being outright banned.

Yet with giants and startups alike pouring resources into the space, and such widespread public adoption, it might be time for camera glasses to step into the spotlight.

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Check out our Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer review and our Ray-Ban Stories review to see how they stack up to the likes of our Oho Sunshine Camera Glasses review.

Recently, I've noticed a pattern emerging. The last two phones that I reviewed (the CMF Phone 2 Pro and Vivo X200 Ultra) both came supplied with external lens attachments. Plus, at MWC this year, both Xiaomi and Realme showcased concept phones with external lenses. So, all signs point towards more detachable lenses arriving in the future.

I was a little surprised by this development. Detachable lenses are nothing new, I used to carry around a clip-on wide-angle adapter in the years before ultrawide smartphone cameras became the norm. But now, with triple and even quadruple rear lenses found on flagship phones, you'd think detachable lenses would go extinct.

That said, there's another trend with camera-focused phones, and that's ever-increasing sensor sizes. I think most people will agree that having larger sensors in our phones is a good thing, but of course, the larger the sensor, the larger the optics need to be.

It's a bit of a cat-and-mouse game. Customers want the best possible image quality, but they still want a phone that fits in their pocket. Manufacturers have been testing the boundaries of how big a camera bump can be, and with the Vivo X200 Ultra in particular, I think we might be nearing the limit of acceptability.

So, how do smartphone cameras continue to evolve without getting any thicker? Well, one solution is detachable lenses.

Manufacturers still need to find a balance here, phone cameras are all about convenience, and having to attach a lens every time you shoot runs contrary to that goal. However, these recent designs have tackled that with finesse.

The current crop

Out of the devices that have launched so far, I think Vivo's implementation is the nicest. The camera system feels complete on its own without any attachments, but adding the optional teleconverter lens suddenly makes it much more appropriate for wildlife, stage shows and possibly even sports photography.

The same could be said for Xiaomi's concept phone from MWC, but of course, you can't actually buy that one. It has the full camera system from the Xiaomi 15, so you can happily use it without an attachment, but when you want that extra fidelity, you can magnetically attach a Micro Four-Thirds sensor and lens combo - pretty clever stuff.

On the other end of the spectrum, there's the CMF Phone 2 Pro - a budget phone that costs less than the X200 Ultra's optional teleconverter attachment. As you might expect, this phone doesn't pack ultra-large sensors, but it still has lens adapters available.

With the CMF Phone 2 Pro, it seems the goal is more to do with fun and novelty than outright image fidelity. The optional fisheye attachment doesn't hold up to much scrutiny, but it's a cool distorted perspective, and for some users, that's more than enough. The macro attachment is a little more practical, but we've seen flagships achieve similar results without an external lens - so in this case, it may just be a more cost-effective method to capture macro shots.

What comes next?

We recently saw a patent from Samsung that suggests the brand is working on an interchangeable lens phone, and Realme showed an early concept device at MWC that worked with Leica M-mount manual lenses. With all the hype surrounding Vivo's latest launch, I wouldn't be surprised to see other brands looking to get in on the action, too.

These lenses will almost certainly divide opinion. Some people seem to be vehemently against carrying extra bits that attach to their phone, but for me, it makes perfect sense.

I don't know if a phone will ever rival my full-frame setup, but for my needs, phones have already replaced compact cameras. I used to take my Lumix GX9 when I wanted something lightweight to travel with, but now that my phone is almost as good, it just sits gathering dust.

It's just hard to justify carrying an extra device, lenses, batteries and all the other associated bits, when my phone is already in my pocket. Now, so long as the results are worthwhile, an extra lens or two for the phone makes more sense to me. The X200 Ultra's teleconverter has already proven to be worth the hassle, and that has me very excited about what's yet to come.

Only time will tell what interchangeable lens options hit the market, but it's easy to imagine the possibilities: Whether it's longer optical zooms, larger sensors or something new entirely. It seems like camera phones are about to get weirder and more modular, and I think that's a very good thing.

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• Looking for the best camera phones? Then check out our guide for all the top picks
• If you are looking for the best phone for less, then our guide to the best budget camera phones will steer you in the right direction.

Xiaomi has launched a new Redmi Pad 2 generation of its accessibly priced tablet series with three different memory options, three different colors, and the option of 4G connectivity.

The 11-inch tablet with 90Hz 2560 x 1600 (2.5K) display (that's 274ppi if you can't do the math in your head) and quad speakers is targeted at entertainment applications, though the power and pressure sensitve 'Smart Pen' should make it perfectly capable of basic photo editing too.

The tablet runs Xiaomi HyperOS 2, an updated version of the company's operating system. It is based on Android 15 and Xiaomi's own internet-of-things platform Vela. This newer version has AI search, AI art, AI calculator and AI speech recognition features (including subtitle generation and interpreter).

The unibody style design has a metallic look in every color combination (graphite gray, mint green, or lavendar purple) and contains a 9000mAh battery which can illuminate the screen to 500 nits in normal mode or 600 in an 'Outdoor mode'). Xiaomi say this will give you "Worry-free all day battery life."

It weighs 510g (1.12 pounds) and the official dimensions are 254.58mm x 166.04mm x 7.36mm.

The processing is driven by a Helio G100-Ultra chip on a 6nm process, made of 2 A76 and 6 A55 cores and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU – a mid-range and power-efficient GPU that might not excite gamers but should please many.

The memory is available in three options 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, or 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. Storage expansion of up to 2TB by card is possible too.

In both cases, the cameras are 8MP with a 1/4-inch sensor and f/2 lens on the rear and 5MP with a 1/5-inch sensor f/2.2 lens on the front. Both have a pixel size of 1.12μm.

The device is already available in the UK for 4GB+128GB, £129 or £189 for the cellular (4G) version. The launch (for the rest of this month) comes with an additional promotional price via the company's own site – 10% off plus a pad cover and 22.5W power adapter. Step up to the 4G version and that launch bundle includes Remi Buds 6 and a pen too. See the deals on the UK site:

🇬🇧 MI.com UK – 4GB / 128GB Redmi Pad 2 Pad £169 £129

🇬🇧 MI.com UK – 4GB / 128GB + Cellular (4G) Redmi Pad 2 £219 £189

The new pads can be ordered now, charging a £1 deposit, but will not ship until around the June 13-18.

We don't have a US date for the tablets – indeed Xiaomi, the world's third largest smartphone manufacturer, does not currently sell tablets of any description in the USA even though a ban on Xiaomi was lifted by the courts in 2021 (the federal court called the blacklisting "deeply flawed," which might be of interest to DJI followers too).

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Anyone who knows me knows that my Fujifilm X100VI is pretty much glued to my hand, so it’s incredibly rare that a phone tempts me to leave my trusty compact at home. Yet the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has been doing just that since it landed on my doorstep a few months ago.

Its headline act is a compact camera-rivaling 50MP 1-inch main sensor behind a Leica-designed Summilux 23mm equivalent lens. This main sensor is paired with a 14mm ultra-wide and dual telephotos, the first a 70mm and the second a 100mm periscope with a frankly bonkers 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor.

On paper, it reads like a specs wish list; in practice, the results are disarmingly good. Specs alone, though, were never going to pry me away from a “real” camera. I still crave physical dials, at least.

However, slip the 15 Ultra into Xiaomi’s Photography Kit and the phone morphs into something that feels alarmingly close to my compact: a half-press shutter button, zoom rocker and exposure dial enable me work by touch instead of diving into menus and breaking my flow.

I'm not going to get carried away and say this is close to replacing a proper interchangeable lens camera – photos still look like they are shot on a phone, and I don't think we are near the point where algorithmic trickery can match natural results from a larger sensor.

But, for compact cameras with smaller sensors and fixed lenses, it's become a much tighter race.

All cameras have a "look"; that's why photographers choose Fujifilm, Sony, Canon or indeed Leica. Compared to cameras, phone images are usually hallmarked by over-sharpening, exaggerated HDR and flat images dictated by the limitations of their tiny sensors and lenses. And I think this is what has caused the resurgence in people shopping for more lo-fi compact cameras.

Yet the Xiaomi has the most un-phone-like phone images I have come across – and that might just be down to its partnership with Leica. Unlike other phone brands that have partnered with camera companies, Leica’s involvement here feels like far more than just a logo on the back.

The 15 Ultra's Leica-designed lenses, alongside the "Leica Authentic" and "Leica Vibrant" profiles, deliver the tone and color-shifts I normally expect of JPEGs from a Leica M-series camera, while Leica’s high contrast black-and-white profile emulates the street photography style of the M11 Monochrom.

But where the Xiaomi actually falls down is with customization of images beyond its Leica looks. Leica color is lovely, but it doesn’t scratch the itch for Fujifilm’s Film Simulations and custom recipes.

Will my Fujifilm X100VI start gathering dust? Absolutely not. The tactile joy of dedicated manual controls, a shutter leaf and an optical viewfinder still has its pull. The X100VI is still the optically superior camera with its APS-C sensor.

However, for much of my daily shooting, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is already in my pocket – and that is often enough of a reason to leave my camera at home.

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To get the best out of your smartphone photography, check out our top picks for the best camera phones – and see how they stack up against the best compact cameras.

As Photo London marks its 10th anniversary, at Somerset House in London, England, a new voice joins the conversation around contemporary image-making – one that comes not from a traditional camera brand but from the world of mobile innovation.

Xiaomi, the global tech company, makes its debut at this year’s fair as the Official Photo Book Market Partner, unveiling a remarkable exhibition that reimagines what’s possible with camera phone photography.

Titled Humanity: Emotions in Focus, the exhibition runs from May 16 to 18 in the River Rooms at Somerset House and features work by UK-based photographer and Xiaomi Creator, Josh Dowler.

Every image on display was captured using the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the brand’s flagship smartphone with a camera system co-engineered with Leica, including a staggering 200MP periscope telephoto lens. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a bold statement about how far mobile imaging has come.

This installation is part of a wider creative initiative by Xiaomi to explore the emotional power of everyday moments through mobile photography.

Dowler’s work brings together intimate, observational storytelling and cutting-edge tech. From candid portraits to subtle moments of gesture and light, the images reflect a growing belief that smartphones can now be tools of true artistic expression.

For photographers and enthusiasts alike, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is more than just a smartphone – it’s a serious creative tool. With its Leica-inspired optics, it offers image quality that rivals compact cameras. Add to that Xiaomi’s optional photography kit, which includes physical controls and a camera grip, and it becomes an even more compelling proposition.

As someone who’s long relied on an iPhone and is due for a phone upgrade, I find myself intrigued – not just by the specs, but by the images themselves.

Visitors to Photo London 2025 can experience Humanity: Emotions in Focus from 16–18 May in the River Rooms at Somerset House. Whether you’re a working photographer, a mobile photography enthusiast or simply curious about the future of visual storytelling, this is an exhibition worth seeing!

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On paper, the Poco X7 Pro is ridiculously good value for money. Its MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra processor is just a couple of notches below flagship-grade when it comes to gaming; it has a zingy, smooth 6.67-inch AMOLED screen, and the huge 6,000mAh battery that bests many top-tier alternatives. Going beyond spec, in vegan leather, it looks standout with its yellow and black finish, and it’s also durable with IP68 water resistance.

One area Poco phones haven’t typically shone is camera performance. However, the X6 Pro is a step in the right direction in a couple of areas. First, it ditches the terrible 2MP macro cameras that weighed down the Redmi Note 14 Pro series. Next, the primary camera looks like a solid 50MP module with OIS, suggesting this phone could actually check more than just gaming boxes.

There’s plenty of competition for the Poco X7 Pro, including last year’s excellent X6 Pro, the Redmi Note 14 Pro, and the slick Nothing Phone (3a), not to mention Honor’s battery-tastic Magic 7 Lite. Out of the gate, if you want power, the Poco X7 Pro beats out the competition, but is it our winner across the board?

Poco X7 Pro review: design and screen

The Poco X7 Pro is available in white, green, or a more standout yellow and black, which sets two textures of vegan leather against one another, looking eye-catching in the process.

As with most 2025 phones, the X7 Pro has a flat front and back, matched with a matte plastic frame that makes for a comfortable grip. The phone measures 8.3 mm thin and weighs 195 grams, so it strikes a balance between feeling solid and relatively lightweight. Impressive for the price, the X7 Pro is IP68 rated for dust and water resistance, and the phone has a pre-fitted screen protector, plus an opaque black case in the box.

The X7 Pro’s 6.67-inch AMOLED display looks great, with a resolution of 2170 x 1220 pixels, making it nice and sharp. Gliding at up to 120Hz, the screen is smooth when scrolling and responsive when gaming, making the whole experience feel more premium than the X7 Pro’s price suggests.

With a peak brightness of up to 3200 nits when displaying HDR content, HDR and HD Netflix certification, and strong outdoor visibility in direct sunlight, visuals shine indoors and out, whether swiping through the UI or watching and gaming, and the phone also has a relatively hardy Gorilla Glass 7i display.

Poco X7 Pro Iron Man Edition

​The Poco X7 Pro is also available in a special Iron Man Edition in select regions, widely sold out but available if you shop around.

It's without a doubt one of the best brand partnerships we've come across, with the striking design echoing Iron Man’s armor and breastplate, complete with a red and gold color scheme and an almost trading card aesthetic around the back.

The special edition X7 Pro comes in a collector's gift box that includes themed accessories, a custom USB cable, and an armor-like protective case. The UI is also customized with Iron Man-themed wallpapers, icons, and startup animations, and the phone packs the X7 Pro’s maxed-out spec of 512GB storage and 12GB RAM.

Poco X7 Pro review: camera specs

The Poco X7 Pro has two cameras around the back – a wide and ultra-wide – and a punch-hole selfie camera on the front. The wide camera is the best-specced, while the ultra-wide and selfie cameras lack autofocus.

26mm main camera: 50MP, 1/1.95-inch Sony IMX882 sensor with an f/1.5 aperture lens and OIS.

15mm ultra-wide camera: 8MP, 1/4-inch sensor with an f/2.2 lens.

25mm front camera: 20MP, 1/4-inch sensor with an f/2.2 lens.

The main camera supports video recording up to 4K at 60 frames per second, which is great at the X7 Pro’s price; however, the ultra-wide and selfie cameras cap out at 1080p. While there’s a Pro mode for manual shooting, none of the Poco X7 Pro’s cameras capture RAW photos natively.

Poco X7 Pro review: camera verdict

The Poco X7 Pro camera is good, not great. Poco phones tend to ramp up vibrancy and the X7 Pro is no exception. Blues in the sky are seriously amped, and grass takes on a warmth and zing that looks lively but less realistic than pricier competition, but despite this very enthusiastic processing, detail from the main camera and performance in most conditions is respectable.

In its price range, all smartphone cameras have notable strengths and weaknesses, and the Poco X7 Pro's most marked quirk is how much better its main camera is than the ultra-wide camera. In most situations, if you can give the main camera a steady hand, it will capture a good-looking shot, whether outdoors in the day or night, or indoors in middling lighting.

The ultra-wide struggles in most environments, with low detail and muddy results, worsened as the lights dropped. Color consistency across the wide and ultra-wide are also off at times, so we would urge any X7 Pro owners to only lean on the ultra-wide in great lighting or at night when you can get the phone on a surface.

As you can see in the camera samples, the high-resolution main camera with its relatively large sensor, can take a great-looking shot. Close-up subjects create a sense of depth with subtle background blur, and the in-sensor zoom does a good job up to 4x, which is good going at the Poco X7 Pro's price.

Dynamic range is also relatively strong from the main camera (and weak from the ultra-wide), and there's also enough contrast to avoid an excessive HDR look in most scenes. Poco applies a significant amount of sharpening, especially to in-sensor zoom shots captured in middling light, and having tested the Poco X7 Pro alongside the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G, it's hard not to draw comparisons between Samsung's traditionally punchy, slightly blunt photo processing and Poco's in the X7 Pro.

Video shot on the X7 Pro's main camera looks good in bright environments, and hand shake is kept at bay with OIS and EIS kicking in. Avoid switching to the ultra-wide in anything but ideal lighting; not only will the resolution drop, but noise is handled badly, so you're better off sticking to the primary camera.

The Selfie video does a good job of prioritizing a face while clinging onto a respectable amount of dynamic range. However, as with photos and rear camera videos, vibrancy being so ramped up can leave footage looking a bit too zingy.

In summary, if you're a casual photo and video taker, the Poco X7 Pro's primary and selfie cameras are good options. Still, for more discerning users who want to take photos in Lightroom and edit videos, Poco's processing takes things a step too far to pare back easily.

Poco X7 Pro review: performance and battery

Performance is where the Poco X7 Pro shines. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra chipset and paired with either 8GB or 12GB RAM, the X7 Pro is the best option on the market for gamers on a budget.

With either 256GB or 512GB RAM, the X7 Pro packs plenty of space for huge titles like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves – roughly 50GB between them both – and it also plays them back very well, even at higher graphics settings.

The main drawback of a Poco phone is the busy, bloated interface. Xiaomi's HyperOS gets an injection of bloatware to help lower the positioning of Poco and Redmi phones, so while the core functionality is competitive, you'll have to spend some time uninstalling apps and setting the phone up just the way you want it.

The X7 Pro's large 6,000mAh battery lasts a couple of days with standard use and a full day even with significant gaming, photo taking, and watching.

Poco X7 Pro verdict

The Poco X7 Pro is probably the best gaming phone at its price and a good enough camera phone for most. Discerning photographers, i.e. anyone who wants RAW capture, reliable results across cameras, and more subdued processing should look elsewhere, but if you don't mind vibrant shots, you can still lean on the primary camera with some confidence.

If Poco included RAW capture and Log video (i.e., ways to bypass the aggressive processing), that could have taken the X7 Pro's appeal a little further for imaging enthusiasts; however, the phone still has plenty going for it.

The star of the X7 Pro show is the Dimensity 8400 Ultra processor, with the 120Hz AMOLED display, standout styling, and large 6000mAh battery not far behind. With IP68 water and dust resistance, plenty of storage, and fast charging, despite not being one of the best budget camera phones of 2025, the X7 Pro is still one of the best budget smartphones, especially for gamers.

Check out the best budget camera phones

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then cameras should be blushing at all the attention from smartphone brands. At one of the biggest smartphone events of the year, both Xiaomi and RealMe showed off experimental devices that gave smartphones mirrorless-like lenses. But while the Xiaomi Optical Modular System and RealMe Interchangeable Lens Concept were unveiled in 2025, the concept “cameras” took me back a full decade – because camera companies already tried to do the same thing years ago, and failed.

The year is 2014 and, hot on the heels of the company’s very first full-frame mirrorless camera the year before, Sony took another risk and launched the QX1, an APS-C sensor that used E-Mount lenses and attached to a smartphone. The Sony QX1 was, essentially, a camera without the camera. The QX1 offered the sensor and lens mount, but operating the camera was largely done through whatever smartphone it was mounted on.

Sony would later go on to announce the XQ10 and XQ30, zooming smartphone-attachable cameras with a point-and-shoot sized sensor, and the XQ100, a smartphone-attachable camera with a one-inch sensor similar to the RX100 series. A year after the XQ1, Olympus tried the Air A01, a Micro Four Thirds sensor and lens mount that similarly omitted the LCD screen in favor of a smartphone.

All four of those cameras from Sony and Olympus have all been discontinued, without successors, indicating that the unusual format wasn’t popular enough to get up off the ground. But, fast forward ten years and now there’s not just the Xiaomi Optical Modular System and the RealMe Interchangeable Lens Concept, but the upcoming Alice Camera as well as the SwitchLens that raised more than $800,000 on Kickstarter.

That raises the all-important question: Did cameras like the Sony QX1 fail because the technology wasn’t ready yet, or because not enough people even want a cross between a smartphone and a mirrorless camera?

I remember trying out one of the early Sony QX cameras. One of my biggest issues with the camera-that's-not-quite-a-camera was the delay that resulted from having to connect to the phone using Wi-Fi. There was a noticeable delay between when the shutter release was pressed and when the image was actually taken, rendering it fairly useless for shots of moving subjects.

But 2025 technology could help allay some of that issue. The Xiaomi concept camera-phone uses LaserLink, which uses near-infrared to transfer the data to the phone. The RealMe concept eliminates the need to connect wirelessly entirely, where the phone is essentially the mirrorless camera body, just with glass to protect the sensor when a lens isn’t in use. The Alice Camera uses wireless connectivity, albeit in a more modern form including Wi-Fi 6.

But the other part as to why I think cameras like the QX1 and Air A01 failed to take off is that smartphones have terrible ergonomics for taking photos. The thin design is excellent for slipping into a pocket, but not so great for holding up a large lens for long periods without having something to wrap your fingers around.

Another potential factor at play is that, in 2025, it's not just photographers buying cameras. Influencers are undoubtedly playing a role in the market as well and could be drawn to the concept of a smartphone that operates like a mirrorless camera. Ten years ago, influencers were a far smaller niche category of buyers.

Cameras like the QX1 weren’t the only experiments to try to mix the best of dedicated cameras with mobile photography. Cameras like the Zeiss ZX1 and Samsung Galaxy NX are dedicated cameras, but with an Android operating system that allows them to run photo editing apps and share images without a smartphone at all. But, like the QX and Air series, have both been discontinued.

Perhaps what is most ironic about smartphone brands' attempts to be more camera-like is that it comes at a time when dedicated cameras are seeing a resurgence. Compact cameras are now in high demand after nearly dying out, in part for the small size and, I could argue because it’s not a smartphone. A dedicated camera gives you more than ergonomics, swappable lenses, and better image quality; it gives you the ability to capture memories without being distracted by notifications and apps. Or, for that matter, draining the smartphone battery.

I’m amused but also glad to see the latest attempts to merge smartphones and mirrorless cameras into one device, however. I think the engineers who design cameras and the photographers using them both need creativity and experimenting – even if those experiments feel slightly recycled or never really get up off the ground. But, I certainly won’t be first in line to buy a smartphone-mirrorless mashup.

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The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is arguably the best camera phone of 2024, with its 1-inch primary sensor, variable aperture from f/1.6-4, and a suite of quality cameras, so how does the Xiaomi 15 Ultra beat the best? With significantly upgraded zoom and a slightly downgraded wide camera.

Since the 14 Ultra launched, both Honor and Vivo have broken through the zoom quality ceiling with their ultra-high resolution periscope cameras on the Honor Magic 7 Pro, Magic 7 RSR, and Vivo X200 Pro. The Vivo X200 Pro is the best smartphone around when it comes to zoom and photo processing, in my opinion, making the competition tougher for the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Looking at the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s specs, it completely obliterates Apple, Google, and Samsung when it comes to sensor sizes and apertures, with the 50MP 1-inch sensor wide camera and its f/1.6 aperture, the 200MP periscope camera with a fast f/2.6, 100mm lens, and the macro-focusing 70mm, f/1.8 lens.

One phone the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s specs don’t trounce is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Yes, the periscope zoom is turbo-charged, but the primary camera ditches the 14 Ultra’s variable aperture (f/1.6-4.0), and the secondary cameras use a combination of Samsung and Sony sensors. Given two of my favorite things about the Xiaomi 14 Ultra were the variable aperture for video and close-up capture and the shared quality across all secondary cameras – each was a Sony IMX858 sensor – it looks like Xiaomi’s tinkering with a winning formula.

With so many upgrades across design, display, battery capacity, and the upgraded camera grip, do the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s downgrades and sidesteps hold it back from being the best camera phone of 2025?

Xiaomi 15 Ultra design and screen

At its core, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s design is very similar to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Both phones weigh about the same at just under 230g, share almost identical dimensions, and have the same sized 6.73-inch screens. They also have huge camera bumps that make a striking visual statement.

This year, there’s a fresh two-tone color that adds a proper camera look and feel to the line, setting matte silver against a vegan leather black, with chamfered sides and corners that create a comfortable-to-hold, stylized design. You can also pick the Xiaomi 15 Ultra up in white or black for more traditional smartphone styling.

For the 15 series, expect upgraded durability. Xiaomi calls the 15 Ultra’s frame Xiaomi Guardian Structure 2.0, with new Xiaomi Shield Glass, a high-strength aluminum frame, and it's IP68 water and dust resistance. Specifically, the glass on the camera surround is more scratch and drop resistant. While we didn't drop-test our 15 Ultra, after two weeks, the camera glass is free from any scuffs. Xiaomi also includes a pre-fitted plastic screen protector.

The 15 Ultra’s screen is similar to last year’s 14 Ultra. It's a flat display, but the glass curves on all four sides and corners, rounding into the frame for a more seamless feel. It’s sharp with 522 pixels per inch, gets very bright at up to 3200 nits for excellent outdoor viewing and HDR playback, and the newer LTPO display tech is 24% more energy efficient than Xiaomi’s last Ultra.

Out of the box, the 15 Ultra supports Netflix HDR and Dolby Vision certification, so it's easy to tap into those peak contrast ratios, and within the gallery, photos are displayed in high dynamic range, too.

Xiaomi offers exceptionally granular control over display options as part of its latest HyperOS on the 15 Ultra, with four preset color modes to choose from: Original Color PRO, Vivid, and Saturated, which offer a sliding scale of punch. Alternatively, choose Advanced settings for P3 and sRGB, and there’s also scope to customize everything from display contrast, saturation, and individual RGB values.

For anyone concerned about eye care and compulsive doom scrolling, Xiaomi’s reading mode is one of my favourites, with easy-to-toggle monochrome and low-blue-light viewing, as well as a novel grain effect that can be applied to visuals to give an almost uncoated paper-like effect. The display also features 1920Hz PWM dimming, which doesn't best Honor’s suite of eye care display tech, but it's still competitive.

Photography Kit Legend Edition

For 2025, Xiaomi has upgraded its Photography Kit camera grip for the 15 Ultra, adding a handful of features and elements but failing to add the most notable omission from the past-gen grip, a tripod thread.

Even with no tripod thread, the utility the grip adds is undeniable. When shooting, it gives your hand more to hold, emulating a traditional camera grip. The new detachable thumb support adds a place for your thumb to both hang out and steady the phone, reducing shake and minimizing accidental screen presses. The second winning ergonomic addition is the detachable shutter button. This not only makes pressing it more satisfying, with analogue-feeling tactile feedback, but it also makes for a steadier shot.

The battery inside the camera grip is also improved, and so too is Xiaomi's power management. The now 2000mAh cell in the camera grip can be set to only charge the 15 Ultra when it's low on power. The original camera grip powered up when plugged in, and discharged the phone battery quicker once the camera grip battery was empty. The power hand-off seems to be managed better this year.

As for inputs, the camera grip adds that excellent shutter release, a direct video record button, a zoom dial, and a scroll wheel that can be set to EV, Shutter, WB, Focus, or Bokeh, depending on shooting modes.

The main drawback of the Photography Kit is that focus can lock onto the wrong object, and you need a second hand to correct the issue. As a Canon user, I need my R6’s four-way stick to nudge the focus point into place. If Xiaomi overlaid an on-screen analog stick within thumbs reach to move the focus point when the grip was connected, that would be a fantastic addition to the experience.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra camera specs

The main upgrade this year is the 200MP telephoto camera, with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor ad 16-in-1 pixel-binning. With a fast f/2.6 aperture, it competes on spec with the Honor Magic 7 Pro and Vivo X200 Pro; however, where the Xiaomi 15 Ultra falls slightly behind is near-focus, with both Honor and Xiaomi’s phones capturing periscope macro-style shots.

The excellent 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor is back for the primary camera, as is the IMX-858 for the 70mm telephoto camera. The ultra-wide camera seems to be downgraded this year – a trend for 2025 – with a slightly smaller Samsung sensor compared to the 14 Ultra’s larger Sony IMX 858.

One highlight that's new to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a 13-channel spectral sensor to help professionally balance color temperature and ensure greater accuracy, especially across reds and greens.

14 mm ultra-wide camera: 50MP, 1/2.76 Samsung JN5 sensor; f/2.2 lens with AF.

23mm wide camera: 50MP, 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor; f/1.63 lens with OIS and eight element lens.

70mm telephoto camera: 50MP, 1/2.51-inch Sony IMX-858 sensor; f/1.8, lens with OIS.

100mm periscope camera: 200MP, 1/1.4-inch Samsung HP9 sensor; f/2.6 lens with OIS.

21mm front camera: 32MP, 1/3.14-inch OV32B sensor; f2.0 lens.

All four rear cameras can record 10-bit Log at 4K 60fps, SDR 4K at up to 120fps, and 8K at up to 30fps.

With a four-microphone array, audio from the 15 Ultra should be competitive, and Xiaomi offers multiple audio settings for video, including Smart noise reduction to tune out background noise, dimensional immersive audio, preserving a stereo effect for landscape video, live in-ear monitoring for wired earphones, and audio zoom for tapped subjects.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra camera review

There's no denying the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is in the running to be the best camera phone of 2025, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

This year, there's a bit less consistency across all four rear cameras than on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, with the ultra-wide being the weakest link. Colors across all four cameras are typically consistent – better than Honor's Magic 7 RSR and lower-end phones like the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro – but in dark environments, photos and videos from the ultra-wide start to look a bit muddy, and it struggles with bright light sources more than the other three cameras.

High-contrast scenes occasionally throw some gnarly visual artifacts and processing misfires into the mix and frequently choose to blow out highlights.

Full-resolution RAW capture is also limited to the main camera, with the remaining three rear cameras dropping to 12MP for RAW images. Finally, the 200MP periscope camera also misses out on the near focus of the Honor Magic 7 Pro and Vivo X200 Pro, though the 70mm floating lens steps in for macro capture with a roughly 15cm minimum focus distance, beating the iPhone 16 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra at macro photography.

Those gripes aside, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s camera is a joy to use across both auto and pro modes. The first win is clarity; when lighting is middling to great, photos across all four cameras capture a winning combination of detail and drama. The ultra-wide camera is consistently the weakest of the three, but still competitive, and the wide, 70mm telephoto and 100mm periscope are exceptional.

Focus is typically quick and accurate, though less impressive as the lights drop. The 24mm, 70mm, and 100mm cameras can create super-shallow depth for a phone, and all four rear cameras pack autofocus for added versatility.

Colors are mostly accurate, though put through Xiaomi and Leica’s dramatic processing pipeline, with Leica’s Vibrant shooting mode being a bit too zingy, and Leica Authentic subduing hues a bit too much at times. It would be great to either have a more neutral mode or scope to manage the color balance of shots, which Apple has given users as part of iOS 18.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra can capture exceptional dynamic range across photos and videos. However, it won't subdue light sources like most phones, so bright spots are more likely to be blown out than on a OnePlus, Pixel, Samsung, or Vivo phone. Xiaomi and Leica have been stubborn on this point, which is clearly intentional and possibly a means of retaining that classic, more dramatic quality than the more flattened look other smartphones capture. This is especially challenging in high-contrast indoor scenes. That said, RAW photos showcase excellent dynamic range for a phone, with plenty of shadow detail.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is great for stills and video at night, especially from the primary camera. The 100mm periscope is a solid performer, but hand shake can hold shots back from being class-leading. Get a secure hold of the phone, though, and you'll love using the 15 Ultra outdoors at night, and it's a strong portrait camera too.

It's the 15 Ultra's characteristic processing that ensures you can capture some absolutely beautiful photos with it, even if it holds it back in certain scenes. Travel photos look brooding, food is textured and rich, and product photography is detailed without being sterile.

The 15 Ultra’s zoom isn't the furthest reaching, optically falling behind the Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s 5x zoom. However, by combining the 200MP Samsung HP9 sensor with a 100mm optical equivalent focal length, which captures relatively lossless 8-10x shots when paired with a steady hand its performance is fantastic. Of course, you can go further, and AI will help to clean details up, but if you want quality results, stay between 100-400mm.

When taking photos of subjects closer than a meter away, the main camera’s fast f/1.6 aperture can be too fast. Depth of field is too shallow, with blur going beyond charming and distortion detracting from the overall image quality. This is one area the Xiaomi 14 Ultra beats its successor. You can see the photos of the coffee cup below shot across all four cameras; each showcases the camera system’s versatility, but the 24mm image would have been better handled with a slower aperture.

Another area the Xiaomi 15 Ultra falls behind the 14 Ultra is when filming bright environments or shooting fine detail that produces moire. By ditching the variable f/1.6-4 aperture, the 15 Ultra puts more pressure on the shutter speed, prevents a fuller depth of field, and could also contribute to this year’s Ultra generating more artifacts when shooting fine detail materials with repetitive patterns.

The 15 Ultra’s video is totally transformed by the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s zoom, with telephoto quality getting a huge boost, making the 15 Ultra an excellent option for gig enthusiasts, festival goers, proud parents at a school play, and travel videography.

Video shot on the 15 Ultra looks excellent on the whole, with 10-bit Log across all rear cameras being a great addition. The phone doesn't support lens switching mid-recording when shooting in Log or 8K, which can throw off flow a bit and leave you with a lot of clips, but the pure image quality is strong, as is the dynamic range.

When shooting 4K non-Log video, you can switch lenses across all cameras at up to 60fps, with switching looking relatively seamless and handheld footage looking steady, especially from the ultra-wide and wide cameras. If you can get the 15 Ultra on a mobile gimbal for walking footage, it will help a lot, and if you’re happy hooking up a mic, the 15 Ultra fast becomes a total vlogging system

On the whole, for me, zoom is more important than a variable aperture, so the 15 Ultra is a better camera phone than the 14 Ultra, but only by a hair. After all, the 14 Ultra has a wider and higher-quality ultra-wide (12mm Sony IMX 858 combo versus 14mm Samsung JN5 combo), a more specced out primary camera thanks to that variable aperture, and an identical 70mm camera.

So, if you’re not a zoomer, there’s a case to be made for the 14 Ultra over Xiaomi’s latest flagship, especially as it will cost significantly less. But for anyone who loves to punch into the distance, the 15 Ultra is arguably the best option on the market right now.

As for which phone is the zoom champion, Vivo’s X200 Pro wins for close-up zoom and periscope portraits; however, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra takes the crown for zooming off into the distance, even besting the Galaxy S24 Ultra, iPhone 16 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra performance and battery

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra runs the latest version of HyperOS on top of Android 15. Xiaomi’s interface is very rich in certain respects, with fluid transitions and plenty of scope for customization, such as the screen settings mentioned earlier, and there's also a new Mac pairing feature for easy file transfer between your Xiaomi and Apple device. This worked brilliantly on first use but has since failed to activate – we have followed up with Xiaomi and will update the review when a solution is shared. We also struggled to activate Xiaomi's screen reader.

There are also plenty of AI tools to sink your teeth into, which are well integrated into the UI. When writing a message, you can lean on Xiaomi’s language tools, there’s recording transcription and summarizing, and the photo editing tools: HD enhance, generative expand, AI erase, reflection remover and sky switching all work very well, with online and offline options available.

Thanks to the ample storage (512GB or 1TB) and 16GB RAM as standard, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s memory offers plenty of space for 4K and even 8K footage, and manages multi-tasking smoothly.

Xiaomi’s HyperOS is still very busy, and a little bit buggy. Why we need to accept cookies to access the file explorer or themes app is beyond us, and the new Mac Connect feature worked on first launch but has since struggled with screen mirroring. Likely a combination of persistent issues and teething problems, given we tested a pre-release phone, the software experience gets a 6.5/10 right now, though this will likely climb to a 7.5 or 8 when Xiaomi irons out the kinks.

With its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and Xiaomi’s dual-channel cooling system, the 15 Ultra is a decent gaming option with exceptional performance across both real-world gaming and benchmarks. It gets warmer than some larger flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the camera bump makes it a bit unwieldy. It’s actually more comfortable to game on when the Photography Kit is connected, as that offsets the big camera bump.

I hammered the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s battery from 7AM to around 5PM with photos and videos, draining it to around 10 percent before topping it up with the battery grip. On other lighter days when I wasn’t, the high-density 5410mAh silicon-carbon battery got us through a full day with as much as 30 percent left in the tank.

With 90W wired and 80W wireless charging, you can power up in under an hour by plugging in and a little over an hour with a compatible Xiaomi wireless charger.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra verdict

Xiaomi's made another exceptional camera phone. Big swings make for big pay offs, with the Leica-tuned photo processing matched with the exceptional hardware on the 15 Ultra capable of producing incredible photos and videos.

If the 15 Ultra retained the 14 Ultra's variable aperture and more specced-out ultra-wide, it could be the best mobile camera around, even with its occasional photo processing gremlins. As it stands, it's battling it out with the the 14 Ultra, as well as Vivo's X200 Pro, which has more reliable processing, especially in high-contrast environments.

What elevates the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the Photography Kit – it changes the entire ergonomics of smartphone photography – and the upgrades this year may seem small, but they make a big difference.

Even if the camera isn't an across-the-board upgrade, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is still a significantly better smartphone than the 14 Ultra. Its battery is much improved, there's more power under the hood, and its two-tone design looks great.

Xiaomi's new interface additions, such as Mac support, compensate for HyperOS's busyness, and practically speaking, one of the bigger wins over the 14 Ultra is the addition of eSIM, which was confusingly absent in last year's model.

So despite the fact the Xiaomi 15 Ultra feels like two steps forward and one step back, considering it's a step forward from the best camera phone of 2024 makes it an exceptionally good option for photographers and a great shout for anyone who wants a supremely versatile camera system in their pocket.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra alternatives

The obvious alternatives to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra are the flagships. The iPhone 16 Pro competes on video capture, but falls behind on photography; the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL best the 15 Ultra's highlight-handling for stills but fall behind on versatility with significantly weaker macro capture and less impressive zoom. Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's smaller sensors and less nuanced photo processing stop it from being the better choice, but its bigger screen is better for gaming, and it offers pen support.

Anyone happy with a less mainstream brand, the Vivo X200 Pro is an obvious zoom alternative with exceptional processing co-developed by Zeiss, the Honor Magic 7 RSR offers superior telemacro performance, and the OnePlus 13 and Oppo Find X8 Pro both deliver versatile cameras despite lower-end camera specs, but significantly lower prices. Alternatively, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is still an excellent camera phone for anyone happy with inferior zoom and last-generation power.

At MWC 2025, Xiaomi is showing off its new concept idea for the Xiaomi Optical Modular System – a micro four-thirds camera and lens combo that magnetically attaches to the rear of a prototype Xiaomi 15.

The system contains a 100MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, which Xiaomi is dubbing the Light Fusion X, and is the same sensor size as used in top mirrorless cameras from Olympus (OM System) and Panasonic. The sensor is even larger than the impressive 1-inch sensor powering the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s main camera, with a Micro Four Thirds having a crop factor of 2x versus the 2.7x crop of 1-inch for even greater light gathering and depth of field.

Built around the sensor is a compact 35mm lens, with a max aperture of f/1.4 (min f/11), all-6G aspherical lens assembly, and a close focus distance of around 20cm. The lens also has both autofocus and manual focus – and supports face recognition.

The lens doesn't require an additional battery and is powered via pogo pins and a magnetic ring mount (akin to Apple’s MagSafe). I have had a very brief hands-on with the system at Xiaomi's booth at MWC, but I can confirm the magnetic connection is impressively strong and feels really secure in use.

Getting the data from the lens to the phone uses Xiaomi's Laserlink Communication, which transforms the data captured and beams it through a near-infrared laser to the phone. This lens transfers the full raw data which is processed using Xiaomi’s computational photography which should blend the look and feel of the images with the rest of the cameras on the prototype Xiaomi 15.

The system actually feels great in the hand and is already very polished for a concept – the design is very minimal, but build quality feels premium and the focus ring is nice and smooth. The lens actually has a bit of a Leica look to the design, but there is no word on whether Xiaomi’s usual lens partners had any input with this new device.

The lens is really simple to operate, after snapping it to the back of the phone, the lens is activated in the phone's Pro mode in the camera app menu – this then switches into a dedicated UI for the lens, which is already looking slick.

Xiaomi is keeping tight-lipped on if this concept will ever make its way to market, or how much it would cost if it did. It's also important to remember that Xiaomi is using a custom Xiaomi 15 for this and not the off-the-shelf model that was announced on March 2.

This isn't the first time a concept like this has been attempted. Sony previously launched a very similar idea with the Sony QX-10 and QX-100 for its Xperia phones – although to limited success. And there's also the Alice Camera, which attaches a Micro Four Thirds camera to an iPhone. However, Xiaomi’s concept looks like the most sophisticated attempt yet – and one I might actually consider buying at the right price.

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Xiaomi has officially unveiled its highly anticipated Xiaomi 15 Series, a duo of flagship smartphones that combine cutting-edge imaging technology with top-tier performance, and continues the ongoing partnership with camera legends Leica to deliver a pro-grade photography experience in a smartphone.

Launched at MWC 2025, both phones will also feature the latest Xiaomi HyperOS 2 operating system, which of course – with it being the buzzword of the moment – brings with it a raft of AI features, including AI Image Enhancement, AI Image Expansion, AI Eraser Pro, AI Reflection Removal, AI Film, and AI Magic Sky to enhance photo editing.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Aimed at those who want the absolute best photography experience from a phone, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra pushes mobile imaging with new bigger sensors, Leica Summilux lenses, and even more computational photography.

At its core is the main 23mm equivalent focal length camera sporting a 50MP 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor featuring an f/1.63 aperture, paired with an enhanced size of 3.2μm, which Xiaomi is dubbing a 4-in-1 Super Pixel. This combination is set to deliver a dynamic range of 14EV for clean and clear images even in low-light conditions.

Additionally, the Ultra model includes a brand-new periscope telephoto camera featuring a 200MP sensor and a 100mm equivalent focal length. Its f/2.6 aperture and 2.24μm 4-in-1 Super Pixel technology enable it to capture 136% more light than previous iterations, which should make it ideal for distant subjects even at night. Complementing the periscope lens is an additional floating telephoto lens that sports a 50MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and an IMX858 sensor, providing a 70mm equivalent focal length. This lens will also be doing double duties, with it handling macro photography, with shots from as close as 10cm.

Rounding out the camera array is a 50MP ultra-wide lens with a 115° field of view, perfect for expansive landscapes, travel, and group shots. Around the front, there is a 32MP front-facing camera designed for selfies and video calls.

Beyond photography, the device supports advanced videography features, including 8K 30p, 4K 60p recording in Dolby Vision, 4K 60p with 10-bit Log, and 4K 120p, making it a versatile tool for both still and video capture. It's also has a DSLR-grade CIPA rating for optical image stabilization of 4.5 stops.

But Xiaomi 15 Ultra isn’t all about cameras – under the hood, it's powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, and a 5410mAh battery with 90W wired HyperCharge and 50W wireless charging.

The screen boasts a 6.73-inch AMOLED display that delivers a 3200 x 1440 resolution at 522 ppi, with up to 3200 nits peak brightness and support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate. Xiaomi is also pushing the phone’s durability, incorporating Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 and a high-strength CNC-crafted aluminum frame, which Xiaomi claims offers up to 16 times better drop resistance.

Xiaomi 15

The Xiaomi 15 is designed for users who want a flagship performance, but are less concerned with having the bleeding edge of camera tech. The Xiaomi 15 is slightly smaller than the 15 Ultra, with a 6.36-inch CrystalRes AMOLED display with a 94% screen-to-body ratio and ultra-thin bezels measuring just 1.38mm. The screen offers a resolution of 2670 x 1200, 460 ppi, with a 1-120Hz refresh rate and 3200 nits of peak brightness.

The phone’s camera system is still built around Leica Summilux optics, but instead of the big 1-inch sensor found in the 15 Ultra – the 23mm 50MP main camera is built around a smaller 1/1.31” Light Fusion 900 image sensor, although with a large f/1.62 aperture and a pixel width of 2.4μm, the main camera still delivers a dynamic range of 13.5EV.

The standard Xiaomi 15 also misses out on the periscope telephoto camera from its big brother. Instead only sports a 50MP floating telephoto camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a 60mm equivalent focal length – ideal for capturing portraits and, like the 15 Ultra, this is the lens that will handle macro shots. Finally, there is a 50MP ultra-wide camera with a 115° field of view and a 14mm equivalent focal length for dramatic landscape photos.

The Xiaomi 15 is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, with a 5240mAh battery that supports 90W wired HyperCharge and 50W wireless charging. Its design also emphasizes durability, featuring a high-strength aluminum frame and Xiaomi Shield Glass that offers improved drop resistance.

Pricing and Availability

Both models are set to launch globally, but we should know by now globally usually doesn’t mean the US. However in the UK and Europe, the Xiaomi 15 is available in four color options – Black, White, Green, and Liquid Silver – with prices starting from £899. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is offered in three finishes – Black, White, and a two-tone Silver Chrome edition – with starting prices at £1,299.

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Just a few days away from its launch in China – and Xiaomi has teased on its Weibo what camera specs we can expect from the upcoming Xiaomi 15 Ultra phone. The 14 Ultra was one of my top Android phones last year and the 15 Ultra – still designed in partnership with Leica – already looks set to be one of the most exciting camera phones of 2025.

Firstly, as expected, the phone looks set to continue with the massive (for a phone) 1-inch sensor that has been the hallmark of the Ultra series since the 12S. Xiaomi is already teasing that this sensor will perform well in low light (as you’d expect such a large sensor to), but it is not clear if there are going to be significant performance gains over the 1-inch sensor in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

However, 1-inch sensors are old news, the more exciting announcement is that the telephoto sensor is getting a big upgrade, with a new 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP9 1/1.4” sensor paired with an f/1.4 aperture. This is a serious upgrade on the 50MP 1/2.51” sensor from the 14 Ultra with its much narrower f/2.5 aperture.

The lens will have an equivalent 100mm focal length in full-frame (35mm) camera terms, which puts it between the 75mm telephoto and 120mm periscope telephoto camera on the last model. Xiaomi is claiming that the sensor will also support 200mm and 400mm lossless zoom.

The camera module is topped with one single pane of ultra-low reflectivity glass which should reduce flare to a negligible one and a half percent using a 24-layer design which also maximizes light transmission, and reduces scratches by up to 82%.

You can clearly see four cameras in images Xiaomi has released of the 15 Ultra, which will consist of the aforementioned 50MP one-inch main sensor and 200MP periscope zoom – alongside a 50MP telephoto lens with an equivalent 70mm focal length, and a 14mm ultrawide lens.

We don’t have long to wait for the full reveal of the phone in China on February 27, which will be closely followed by its global (although probably not the US) launch on March 2 at MWC in Barcelona. If you can't wait that long then check out some of the sample images taken on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra below.

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We've consistently been hugely impressed by Xiaomi's flagship 'Ultra' camera phones, with the Xiaomi 14 Ultra being crowned our best camera phone of 2024. It's successor, the 15 Ultra, has a lot to live up to then, and if its rumoured camera specs turn out to be real, then it'll be a force to be reckoned with this year. According to a new tip on X/Twitter, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's camera array could be comprised of:

• Primary: 50MP, 1-inch Sony Lytia LYT-900
• Ultrawide: 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5
• Telephoto: 50MP Sony IMX858 (3x zoom)
• Periscope telephoto: 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP9 sensor (4.3x zoom)

It's the 200MP periscope telephoto module that stands out most here, as it would be a significant upgrade over the 50MP equivalent in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. We've seen the same 200MP module in phones like the Vivo X100 Ultra and X200 Pro, where it has produced stunning results. Teamed with the large 1-inch Lytia LYT-900 sensor in the primary camera, the 15 Ultra would certainly have the right ingredients to make it a potential camera phone champ for 2025.

Other rumoured 15 Ultra specs include a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 6,000mAh battery with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. According to a leaked launch poster, we may not have long to wait for the 15 Ultra, as it could be launched in China on the 26th of February, while a potential global reveal may be shortly afterwards at MWC in Barcelona.

Story credit: GSM Arena

The best Android phones for photography are increasingly a valid alternative to the latest iPhones. They come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and each offers a slightly different take on what the best camera phone should provide. 

Some chase huge sensors and optical zoom, others lean on computational smarts, and a few – like the new Oppo Find X9 Ultra and Vivo X300 Ultra – now come with optional camera grips and teleconverter lenses that turn your phone into something much closer to a proper camera system. 

Below I've chosen the best Android phones for photography based on their design, the quality of their displays, processing power, battery life, unique features, value, usability and of course, camera quality. 

The best Android phones for photography

Best Android phone for most people

The Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL continue Google’s long-standing focus on photographic consistency and everyday use-case excellence, making them a compelling choice for most mobile photographers who want great results without fuss.

What sets the Pixel 10 Pro line apart is its ability to turn point-and-shoot simplicity into reliably strong stills, regardless of conditions. The triple-camera array – with a 50 MP main sensor, 48 MP ultra-wide and 48 MP 5× telephoto – delivers images with excellent color, dynamic range and detail straight out of the phone. Computational tools such as Camera Coach and powerful AI editing features further elevate images with minimal effort. While the headline “100×” super-resolution zoom isn’t a replacement for true optical performance at extreme range, it does extend versatility and can produce usable handheld shots beyond typical smartphone reach.

The phones’ Super Actua displays also make reviewing and editing photos a pleasure, with bright, sharp panels that stand up well to outdoor use. Design and ergonomics are thoroughly premium too, with a build quality that feels at home alongside Samsung and Apple’s flagship Android rivals.

Video capture is less of a highlight, trailing class leaders with middling quality and an over-reliance on AI upscaling, so if your photography leans heavily into video work, check out the Vivo X300 Ultra. Still, for stills, photographers who want dependable, easy-to-use image quality backed by excellent software intelligence, the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL represent one of the most consistent Android camera experiences available.

Read our full Google Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL review

Best Android phone for zoom

Oppo's Ultra series has been steadily closing the gap on dedicated cameras, and the Find X9 Ultra closes it further still. Its five-camera Hasselblad Master Camera System spans 14mm to 230mm optically, with a 200MP main sensor, a phenomenal 200MP 3x telephoto, and a 50MP 10x periscope that comfortably beats rivals' digital zoom for detail and usability. Let's be clear: this is the best telephoto system I've seen on a phone to date.

Elsewhere, Hasselblad Master mode is the standout feature, stripping away over-processed sharpening and HDR for results that feel genuinely photographic, while an optional grip case and 300mm teleconverter lens push things even further for those willing to invest in extra glass. 

Some small niggles: standard photo mode can still look a touch over-sharpened, and the teleconverter sadly can't be used alongside Master mode's film-style presets. But as an all-round photography tool, it's exceedingly capable.

Read more: Oppo Find X9 Ultra review

Best Android phone on a budget

Nothing’s second‑generation CMF handset proves you don’t need deep pockets to get a phone that feels genuinely exciting. For $279 / £219, the Phone 2 Pro upgrades last year’s formula with a symmetrical 6.77‑inch 10‑bit OLED that’s richer, brighter, and smoother than anything else at this price, and it even supports contactless payments thanks to newly added NFC.

The headline, though, is photography. A true triple‑camera array – a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP 2x portrait‑friendly telephoto, and an 8 MP ultrawide  shoots colourful, natural images, with RAW capture and optional macro or fisheye adapters for creative play. The lack of OIS and the modest ultrawide hold it back, but the main and tele units comfortably narrow the gap to mid‑range rivals.

MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 Pro and 8 GB RAM keep daily use snappy, though demanding games ask for low graphics. A 5,000 mAh cell routinely leaves 40 % in the tank at bedtime, and 33 W wired charging refills to 60 % in half an hour.

Nothing OS remains a joy: monochrome icons, zero bloat and the new Essential Key give the phone a premium vibe, but the fledgling Essential Space – and its rumoured subscription – feels half‑baked. Combined with only IP54 protection and shorter software support than class leaders, the CMF Phone 2 Pro isn’t flawless. Yet its blend of style, modular fun, and outright value makes it our top budget pick for Android buyers who prize photography and personality over raw horsepower.

Read our full CMF Phone 2 Pro review

Best phone for Samsung fans

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a more mixed camera upgrade than usual, but it's still one of the most complete Android flagships around. The 200MP main sensor gets a brighter f/1.4 lens, and Nightography video is meaningfully improved, but the 3x camera has actually been downgraded with a smaller sensor, and macro focusing has taken a hit on both the main and 5x lenses.

Where the S26 Ultra wins is everywhere else: a gorgeous 6.9in display with a genuinely useful Privacy Display mode, fast charging, excellent performance, and the S Pen all still present. If you're keen to stay within Samsung's ecosystem and the fact that rivals such as Oppo and Vivo now shoot more natural-looking stills doesn't excite you, this brilliant all-rounder is the one to go for.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Best foldable Android phone

The Honor Magic V5 takes the foldable crown for photographers who want a large, tablet-style canvas without major camera compromises, making it one of the most interesting Android phones for photography if you value both versatility and imaging quality.

Honor’s slimmest, lightest foldable yet pairs a capable triple-lens array – a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP ultra-wide and a 64 MP periscope telephoto with 3× optical zoom and up to 100× digital reach – with bright, detailed OLED screens that make reviewing and editing images a pleasure. Across real-world shooting, all three cameras deliver reliable results with good colour, clarity and dynamic range, while Honor’s AI-assisted zoom and portrait modes extend creative flexibility.

Where the Magic V5 really stands out in a photography buying guide is its foldable form factor: unfolding to a nearly 8-inch display gives you a mini-tablet view for culling shots, fine-tuning edits and working with compositional tools on the go. That extra space, combined with flagship performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, makes casual retouching and AI-assisted tweaks feel genuinely productive without a laptop.

It’s not without compromises for photographers: Honor’s image processing can feel a little heavy-handed at times and switching between lenses may produce perceptible shifts in colour balance, and foldable phones generally trail slab rivals in pure camera performance at equivalent price points. Still, for anyone who prioritises a larger editing workspace and capable-enough photography in one sleek package, the Honor Magic V5 is a compelling Android choice.

Read more: Honor Magic V5 review

Best camera-like processing

Xiaomi continues to champion big sensors, and the 17 Ultra's 1-inch main camera delivers extraordinary detail and dynamic range, especially at night. The headline new feature is a single 200MP telephoto with a 75-100mm mechanical optical zoom, replacing last year's two separate tele lenses. That's some clever engineering, even if the practical difference between the focal lengths is smaller than you'd hope.

What really sells the 17 Ultra is character: Leica's Authentic and Vibrant color profiles give images a genuinely filmic look that few rivals can match. Lens-to-lens consistency could be better, and macro shooting isn't quite as close-up as before, but for photographers who care about style as much as sharpness, this is one of the most rewarding Android cameras around.

Read more: Xiaomi 17 Ultra review

Best Android phone for value

Seeking the best combination of camera quality and value? Google's mid-range smartphone doesn't reinvent the formula, but it remains one of the smartest buys in Android. The same dependable 48MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide combo from the Pixel 9a returns, now joined by Camera Coach for in-app shooting tips, and everyday shots are still some of the most naturally balanced you'll get at this price.

The bigger draws come in the form of design and longevity. Specifically: a flat, bump-free back, a vibrant 120Hz display, all-day battery life, and Google's class-leading seven years of software support. Zoom is limited without a telephoto lens, but for reliable daylight photography and long-term peace of mind, the Pixel 10a is hard to beat for the money.

Best Android phone for video

If shooting video is your main area of interest, here's my top pick. The Vivo X300 Ultra takes an unusual approach with a 35mm main camera rather than the usual ultrawide-leaning default, and it pays off with naturally pleasing perspective and excellent detail. The 85mm telephoto is outstanding for stills, and the 14mm ultrawide is one of the best around. But it's video where this phone truly shines, with gimbal-level stabilization, full manual Pro Video controls, 4K 120p 10-bit Log, and a built-in teleprompter.

Optional 200mm and 400mm teleconverter lenses add real reach without the mode limitations seen on rival accessory systems. It's expensive, the camera kit itself feels a little plasticky, and it's not yet widely available, but as a video-first creative tool, nothing else in Android comes close.

Read more: Vivo X300 Ultra review

Great all-rounder

The OnePlus 15 delivers a compelling all-round Android experience, pairing flagship-tier performance and battery life with a capable, flexible camera system that’s reliable for everyday photography.

At its heart is a triple-50 MP rear array with main, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses, supported by OnePlus’s new DetailMax image engine – the company’s first iteration after parting ways with Hasselblad. In practice, this produces sharp, colour-accurate stills in good light, with tone and balance that feel natural and consistent across the focal range. While the upgrade in camera performance over last year’s model is more evolutionary than revolutionary, it keeps pace with what most photographers will need day-to-day without introducing glaring weaknesses.

The system’s HDR handling and low-light performance aren’t class-leading, with some scenes feeling a little flat or soft in very dim conditions, but overall, the 50 MP sensors deliver dependable results that can be quickly shared or edited. OnePlus also boosts creative photo control with support for higher-frame-rate video capture in 4K at 120 fps and AI-enhanced editing tools within the Photos app, which help bring out the best in captures straight from the camera.

What the OnePlus 15 lacks in standout imaging brilliance, it makes up for in other areas that matter to photographers on the go: an excellent, bright display for reviewing shots, class-leading battery life that can easily last more than a full day, and a design and performance package that rivals much more expensive rivals. For those wanting a balance of strong camera performance without sacrificing overall flagship value, the OnePlus 15 is one of the most appealing Android phones in its price bracket.

How to choose the best Android phone

The main considerations to look at when buying a new Android phone are the camera, design, and price.

Let's start with the camera, or cameras, as most modern smartphones come with two or more cameras offering different perspectives. To pick the right camera for you, you need to ask yourself what you like taking pictures of, if you take a lot of close-up shots, make sure that the Android phone you pick has a good macro mode, if you like wide dramatic landscapes, then opting for a phone with the best wide-angle camera is essential, and for far away shots, a good telephoto lens is a must.

It is easy to get carried away with cameras and specs though, but you'll find most Android phones offer a great experience. Find the design that resonates with you, with the features you really need, and luckily there is an Android phone to suit practically every budget.

How we test Android phones

As a photography website, I pay special attention to the photo and video quality of Android phones. Camera phones are all-around digital assistants too, of course, so I will also check general handling, usability, and practicality – such as battery life. And as I do more and more editing on my phone now – it's essential that my choice has a sharp and color-accurate screen.

To test Android phone cameras I take hundreds (sometimes thousands) of photos with the phone and carefully compare the images side by side to look for any inconsistencies in quality or color between shots. I also compare Android phone cameras to one another – I keep a range of the latest phones on hand, so I can take the same pictures with multiple devices and see which performs best.

For images, I rate resolution, noise, and color rendition in the context of what rival Android phones can do, and what the manufacturer promises. I also test all the special camera features, such as ‘night modes’ or ‘portrait modes’ to see their effectiveness, and how they compare to rivals.

I can then put all the data, as well as a healthy dose of my informed opinion, together in this list to help you decide on which might be the best Android phone for your photography needs.

Deals

China’s growing dominance in the camera and imaging technology market over the past decade marks a significant shift in an industry once dominated by Japanese brands. ‘Made in China’ used to be a synonym for poor quality but in recent years, Chinese brands have positioned themselves as disruptive forces within traditional markets, offering competitive innovations.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese companies ruled the camera industry. Canon and Nikon were renowned for their high-end optics and reliable mechanics, while Sony and JVC dominated the consumer video world. But that began to change in the 2010s, with the rise of Chinese companies such as DJI, Xiaomi and Huawei. 

The Xiaomi Mi 1 was the company’s first Android phone launched in 2010, followed by Huawei’s first Google-powered phone, the Huawei U8220, in 2012. Then came DJI’s paradigm-shifting DJI Phantom 1 drone in 2013. Having initially entered the market through action cameras, smartphones and drones, Chinese tech brands have expanded to more sophisticated imaging technologies through innovation and they are now starting to influence the high-end and professional camera realms. 

One of the primary reasons for China’s ascendance is its ability to integrate imaging technology with other digital solutions. DJI, which started as a drone company, revolutionized aerial photography by developing drones with high-res cameras. Its expertise in stabilizing tech, such as gimbals, has extended into the broader camera market, making it a player in video and photography equipment, particularly since it acquired the iconic Swedish camera brand Hasselblad in 2017.

Meanwhile, Huawei and Xiaomi, both traditionally smartphone companies, have invested in imaging capabilities through partnerships with lens manufacturers like Leica. Huawei’s P and Mate series put its brand on the map by pushing the boundaries of mobile photography, featuring high-quality lenses and advanced computational photography. Since the USA’s ban on Huawei products,
its sub-brand Honor has carried that torch, alongside competitor Oppo.

As well as affordability, the pace of innovation has been another crucial advantage for China. While Japanese firms maintain a steady development cycle for high-end DSLR and mirrorless cameras, Chinese companies are keen to rapidly improve their offerings. The agility of Chinese firms is supported by a domestic manufacturing ecosystem that allows for faster production. Indeed, many Japanese camera brands manufacture a significant portion of their products in China.

The shift towards Chinese dominance is reshaping the industry. The leadership of its companies in related technologies, such as wireless connectivity, AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), gives them an edge in creating integrated imaging systems. DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3, for example, can deliver comparable quality to a mid-level consumer camera with unrivaled features for a fraction of the price.

Chinese brands are likely to continue their rise, potentially redefining the camera and imaging industry in the same way Japanese brands once did. As China combines technological prowess with competitive pricing and innovation in adjacent fields, the global camera landscape will continue to evolve. My hope is that the competition keeps giving more options and prevents the industry from going stagnant.  

Xiaomi has officially launched the Redmi Note 14 Series aiming to provide high-end cameras at affordable prices. The series, comprising five models – the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G, Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G, Redmi Note 14 Pro, Redmi Note 14 5G and Redmi Note 14 – offers a mix of cameras and features to suit every type of smartphone photographer.

At the top of the tree is the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G, which boasts a 200MP AI-powered camera system with optical image stabilization (OIS). This flagship model is designed for those who want the best images possible, but have a limited budget. The Pro+ 5G and Pro 5G model’s camera supports 2x and 4x optical zoom, while it can also go all the way up to 30x digital zoom – which is enhanced with AI. Both Pro models are equipped with creative features like Dual Video, allowing users to record simultaneously with the front and rear cameras, and Dynamic Shots, which bring subtle motion to still images.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro shares much of the Pro+ 5G’s camera tech, including the 200MP AI camera system with OIS and optical zoom options, but is limited to a more conservative 20x digital zoom. Even the base Redmi Note 14 model still features a high-resolution 108MP AI-assisted camera.

The front-facing cameras across the series have also been upgraded, with resolutions starting at 20MP on the Note 14. The Redmi Note 14 Pro takes it a step further with a 32MP front camera and a 0.8x wide-angle zoom, perfect for group selfies.

The Redmi Note 14 Series is going all in on AI, not just with AI assisting in the cameras, the phones are also introducing a suite of AI editing tools. Features such as AI Image Expansion and AI Erase Pro allow users to edit their photos seamlessly, extending backgrounds or removing unwanted elements. Dynamic shots also allow motion to be captured alongside still images, think Apple Live Photos. Dual video recording also allows simultaneous video to be captured from the front and rear cameras.

Beyond photography, the Pro+ 5G packs a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, and a decent 5110mAh battery with 120W HyperCharge which should provide all-day power, but will recharge in a flash should you run low. The Pro 5G model is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra chipset.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G is available in three colors; Midnight Black, Lavender Purple, and Frost Blue, and has two storage variants – 8GB + 256GB with a price of £399, or 12GB + 512GB for £449.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G is offered in Midnight Black, Lavender Purple, and Coral Green, with a single storage option of 8GB + 256GB, priced at £299. The Redmi Note 14 Pro comes in Midnight Black, Aurora Purple, and Ocean Blue, also featuring an 8GB + 256GB set at an RRP of £249. Lastly, the Redmi Note 14 is available in four colors: Midnight Black, Mist Purple, Ocean Blue, and Lime Green. It comes in two storage variants: 6GB + 128GB at an RRP of £179, and 8GB + 256GB for £229.

The entire Redmi Note 14 Series will be available starting from 15 January.

It's easy to look at camera phones as somehow inferior to their dedicated photo and video counterparts. But the simplicity of smartphone shooting has enabled savvy content creators to really think outside the box and create some truly incredible works. One such content creator is Jordi Koalitic. 

The Xiaomi Creator's Instagram is filled to the brim with clever photography and videography project ideas, but two really caught my attention. One is a short video of a person walking their dog along a beach at sunset, but through the sound hole of a classical guitar. The other is a photo of a person standing atop a guitar, walking towards the sunset in the distance. 

They were captured on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and 14 Ultra respectively. But what really impressed me is that the special effects are created entirely in-camera. In a world where we often turn to photo editing software or video editing software to create surrealist images, Jordi's approach is refreshingly practical.

The first piece of content might look like it's being shot through the sound hole of a guitar, but Jordi's Instagram Reel reveals that it's a clever ruse. It looks like he's cut out a sound hole-sized circle into a piece of wood and attached some guitar strings. 

This DIY prop is then used to frame the subject, while an assistant plucks the strings so it looks like the 'guitar' is being played. Jordi himself can then frame the 'sound hole' with his Xiaomi 13 Ultra and gradually move the camera phone forward to zoom into the scene.

He also makes great use of the phone camera's slow-motion capabilities. Using slo-mo creates a smoother zoom and enables the viewer to watch as the strings slacken and reverberate as they're plucked. Mesmerizing! 

The second piece of content is altogether more simple, but no less effective. The Instagram Reel shows a subject standing atop a short pillar, while Jordi holds a classical guitar flat in front of himself, pointing it towards the subject while resting his Xiaomi 14 Ultra on the fretboard and taking the shot. 

Make sure you check out more incredible content on Jordi's Instagram. I know what photography projects I'll be trying this weekend!

Want to capture your own incredible phone camera content? You might be interested in the best phone for video recording and vlogging or the best rugged phone.

Xiaomi has announced two new Leica-co-branded phones, the Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro, and it’s bringing its Xiaomi Mix Flip to global markets, including Europe and the UK. 

Starting with the new 14T Series, the phones are direct follow-ups to the powerful Xiaomi 13T and 13T Pro. Both phones were the first to bring Xiaomi's Leica partnership to a sub-flagship price point, and the 14T series builds on the same formula. The Xiaomi 14T Pro, in particular, looks especially impressive, with its large primary camera sensor, metal and glass styling, IP68 dust and water resistance and the inclusion of wireless charging, a first for the line. 

Both the Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro enjoy Leica tuning, but unlike their predecessors, the 14T's camera hardware is slightly different from that of the Pro, as are the styling, power spec, and other elements.

As for the Xiaomi Mix Flip, which was announced for China earlier in the year, its specs remain unchanged for its global debut, with the camera setup combining a telephoto and primary camera mix that bests that of the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra on paper.

What's the difference between the Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro Cameras?

The Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro look set to have the same ultra-wide and selfie cameras but different primary and telephoto cameras, with the 14T Pro getting a larger primary sensor and a further-reaching optical zoom.

Starting with the primary cameras, both the 14T and 14T Pro sport 50MP resolutions and lenses with OIS, but the Xiaomi 14T Pro's main camera has a LYT 900 sensor made by OmniVision. With a near-iPhone 16 Pro 1/1.31-inch size combined with an f/1.6 lens and a dual-native ISO, Xiaomi claims it offers up to 13.57 stops of dynamic range.

Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 14T uses a Sony IMX 906 primary sensor measuring 1/1.56-inch matched with a slightly slower f/1.7 aperture lens.

As for the telephoto cameras, the Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro both have 50MP sensors and neither camera's lens has optical image stabilization, a highlight that seems to be reserved for flagship tele cameras. Getting into specifics and the 14T Pro's further-reaching optical lens is 60mm with an f/2.0 aperture, while the 14T's 50mm lens is f/1.9.

As for the ultra-wide camera, the 14T and 14T Pro both drop the pixel count to 12MP while also missing out on autofocus for a much more midrange offering.

Both phones benefit from faster night photography capturing 1.58x faster than the 13T series. Specifically, this aims to bring down the waiting time when your phone's long-exposure auto night mode fires up.

When it comes to Xiaomi's Leica-branded cameras, hardware is only half the story, with the software enhancements and classical photography style being an overriding part of the camera phone experience. When reviewing past Xiaomi phones, this has been both a blessing and a curse, holding back more midrange devices like the 13T and 13T Pro by applying too much contrast and limiting dynamic range. On the other hand, it also produces results that look sumptuous and rich across all cameras on the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Xiaomi Leica camera features

Fire up the 14T or 14T Pro and you're presented with two shooting options, Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant, with both styles loaded up with contrast and a more traditional photographic look than pictures taken on Pixels and iPhones.

By combining optical reach with in-sensor cropping, Xiaomi's Leica Portrait mode also adds new digital lenses to the experience, with each tuned to emulate a Leica Lens background blur look.

Leica's watermark is also a superficial, but handy feature that's characterised Xiaomi's higher-end phones, displaying shooting parameters as well as a Leica logo in a non-destructive, white bar below your photo.

We've also been fans of Xiaomi's Pro mode for a couple of generations, with support for 50MP RAW photos, an on-screen histogram, focus-peaking and zebra line exposure verification all available on the 14T Pro.

It's also worth touching on video capture, with Xiaomi's primary camera's supporting LOG capture at up to 4K resolution, 24 or 30fps, and on-device LUTs, with Rec.709 pre-loaded, and CUBE files supported for installing new LUTs. Considering these aren't flagship camera phones, it's hard not to be impressed by the 14T and 14T Pro off the bat.

Xiaomi 14T & 14T Pro additional features

The Xiaomi 14T and 14T Pro are more than just Leica-tuned camera phones, with both packing capable MediaTek chipsets, IP68 dust and water resistance, plenty of memory and nippy charging. The displays also showcase 1.5K resolution for a crisp picture, and a silky smooth 144Hz panel and zingy OLED screen technology. The phones are also loaded with a raft of AI features like transcription and translation tools, object removal and more.

Xiaomi's 14T Pro is the mightier of the two, with a premium MediaTek 9300+ chipset for superior gaming performance. Its metal frame and curved glass back that rounds into all four sides also creates a softer and more premium in-hand feel. The 14T Pro also gets faster wired charging at 120W for a full charge in around 20 minutes. More notably, it also has super-fast 50W wireless charging, seldom seen at the phone's price.

The Xiaomi 14T, by contrast, pares things back with a MediaTek 8300 Ultra chipset. Its plastic frame and flat glass back feels a bit boxier and the 14T Pro's charging caps out at 67W, missing out on wired charging.

As for pricing and availability, the Xiaomi 14T is available to buy now and costs £549 (roughly $735) in the UK with 256GB storage. If you're eying up the Xiaomi 14T Pro, it costs £649 (roughly $870) – a seriously competitive price considering its spec – while the Xiaomi Mix Flip is significantly pricier at £1,099, putting it in the premium category alongside the best flip phones currently available.

The Honor Magic V3 has officially launched in the UK and other Western markets, competing head-on with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open. While other super-slim foldables like the Huawei Mate X5 and Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 have only launched in China, Honor is following up its impressive world's-thinnest Magic V2 with a much more camera-focused package further afield.

The phone's super-thin 9.2mm folded, 4.35mm unfolded profile doesn't take the camera bump into account, which is probably a good thing, as within the fine-looking octagonal camera module is a triple camera setup that includes a periscope zoom.

The most notable updates for the newly announced version of the Magic V3 for global markets are the return of Honor's partnership with Parisian photography studio Studio Harcourt and some new interface enhancements.

Costing £1,699 (roughly $2,235 and AU$3,320), the Magic V3 may be expensive, but it undercuts both the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 despite a more impressive spec roster.

Honor Magic V3 camera explained

The Honor Magic V3's camera is a tale of two halves, hardware and software. The phone's main camera mix consists of a wide, ultra-wide and telephoto camera, and there are two selfie cameras, one within the cover screen and the other on the right side of the main display.

Wide camera

The 50MP wide camera on the Honor Magic V3 has a 1/1.56-inch sensor, PDAF and OIS, as well as a wide f/1.6 aperture. The sensor size might sound small for a phone of the V3's price, but it's on the larger side for a foldable, with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold's main camera sensor measuring in at just 1/2 inch.

Ultra-wide camera

The Honor Magic V3's ultra-wide camera dials down the resolution slightly, with a 40MP sensor. It bests the ultra-wide of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 by including autofocus, so it can capture close-up shots, and matched with an f/2.2 aperture, for objects that are 10cm or less from the lens, pulls out decent depth blur.

Telephoto camera

Where the Magic V3's camera really pulls ahead of Samsung is zoom, with the 50MP periscope module packing five times more pixels than the Z Fold 6's tele camera, and featuring a larger 1/2.51-inch sensor, as well as a slightly further optical reach of 3.5x.

Selfie cameras

Both of the Magic V3's selfie cameras are 20MP sensor, f/2.2 lens combinations, though one great feature of foldables is the fact you can take selfies using the primary camera by opening the phone and using the cover screen as a viewfinder. The Magic V3 supports this feature, and in our tests, is great for vlogging too.

Studio Harcourt and camera software

Honor introduced its partnership with Studio Harcourt at the Paris launch of its upper-midrange Honor 200 Series. With three capture modes, Harcourt Classic, Harcourt Vibrant and Harcourt Colour, the Magic V3 can shoot full-color or monochrome portraits that pack a unique style while also offering control over dynamic range and artificial bokeh.

While some reviewers wrote these modes off as filters, the Harcourt Classic mode in particular rekindled our love of black and white portraits and reminded us they are a great way to get the most from smartphones' modestly sized sensors when we tested the 200 Pro.

Honor's camera system also excels at stopping time with its Motion-sensing Capture feature, the Magic V3 gets Honor's AI zoom which it showcased on the Magic 6 Pro, and the phone captures 4K video at up to 60fps across all three rear cameras.

Honor Magic V3 features and specs

Another aspect of the Magic V3 that's been upgraded for its global launch is the interface. Unlike the Magic V2, Honor has loaded up a taskbar on the inner display for speedier unfolded navigation.

A new feature called Magic Portal allows for quick sharing across up to five supported apps with a drag and a drop, and this works on both the cover and main display.

Honor's bringing back the magic capsule for the V3 - an Apple Dynamic Island by a different name - and the phone also supports a part-folded hover mode with third-party apps. This means you can part-fold the phone like a laptop, and the bottom half of the display turns into a touchpad.

While the new software is newsworthy, given the global overhaul, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate the Honor Magic V3's hardware. Measuring just 9.2mm when closed and weighing 226g, it's thinner and lighter than some non-folding phones, and alongside the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4, it feels lifted straight out of the future.

Despite its slimline profile, the Magic V3's screens are larger than those of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. On the front, its 6.43-inch display packs a wider aspect ratio than Samsung's foldable for more comfortable typing, while the inner display is 7.92 inches, also significantly larger than the Z Fold 6.

As thin and light as it is, the Magic V3 is also powerful with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset matched with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. It also has a larger battery than the main competition with a 5150 mAh silicon-carbon cell, and with 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, it powers quickly too.

We're testing out the Magic V3 now, so check back for our full Honor Magic V3 review, and to see what the foldable competition looks like, check out our guide to the best flip and fold phones of 2024. 

The Honor Magic V3 can currently be bought with an £300 early bird discount, for £1,399.99

According to a fresh rumor, Xiaomi's next flagship phone - the Xiaomi 15 Ultra - could feature a 200MP periscope telephoto camera. If correct, the module might be similar to that used in the Vivo X100 Ultra. This would mean a 1/1.4" sensor, which the rumor suggests could be paired with a periscope lens offering 10x magnification relative to the phone's primary, wide-angle camera. This level of zoom is said to be achieved using a combination of optical zoom and on-sensor zoom - a system we've already seen used by the Vivo X100 Ultra.

Read more:
What is a periscope lens
The best camera phones in 2024
Xiaomi 14 Ultra full review

The same source also claims that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra could receive a new sensor for its primary, wide-angle camera module. The current Xiaomi 14 Ultra packs Sony's Lytia LYT-900 sensor: a 50MP, 1-inch-type chip which is already one of the most impressive camera phone sensors out there. However, this latest rumor suggests the sensor in the '15 Ultra will "bring several improvements over the current LYT-900", including better low-light performance. It's also possible we may see an improved selfie camera, with a higher pixel count than the 32MP unit featured in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Further alleged improvements for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra include a 4K Cinematic video mode (Cinematic mode was restricted to 1080p in the '14 Ultra), along with an improved Slow-Motion mode. It's said that the phone will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC, and could sport a 2K quad-curved display paired with a ceramic and faux leather finish on the rear.

With the prospective launch of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra likely being early 2025, these relatively early leaks should still be taken with a hefty pinch of salt. But given Xiaomi's history of packing seriously impressive camera tech into its flagship 'Ultra' phones, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is sure to follow this same cutting-edge trend.

Story credit: Smartprix

The hotly anticipated new iPhone 16 range dropping this month is rumored to include a new dedicated ‘capture button’, allegedly working like the shutter release on a traditional camera. 

Chinese camera phone manufacturer Xiaomi, however, is apparently going in the opposite direction and removing all the buttons on its new phone, tipped to arrive in the first half of next year. 

Tipster Chun Bhai (chunvn8888) posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Xiaomi is working on a flagship phone with no physical buttons, codenamed 'Zhuque'.

This is currently a unique design idea in the smartphone industry. While the 2018 HTC U12+ had pressure-sensitive buttons, it still had obvious mechanical components. Other companies including Meizu and Asus have tried similar designs in the past, but they never made it through the prototype phase. 

The design is rumored to be a fully buttonless handset with a touch sensitive screen and hidden under-display camera. There is also speculation that the model might use capacitive or maybe pressure sensitive sensors, and vibration motors that mimic classic buttons, providing tactile feedback. 

Solid details about the buttonless phone are pretty thin on the ground. Android Police has reported mentions of the as yet unreleased Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 4 processor, tipped to be released in October. This suggests that the phone will be a flagship Android model, with high-end technology and some potentially very impressive features.

The new Xiaomi model is also expected to include an in-display selfie-camera, similar to those found in the RedMagic 9S Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. 

As I said, information at this stage is limited, and it’s not obvious yet why Xiaomi plans to get rid of the buttons. However, a likely reason is to employ a full edge-to-edge screen and dominate that particular market. If this phone does make it out of the lab, it will certainly be interesting to see whether the public goes for it. 

Take a look at our guide to the best Xiaomi phones, the best camera phones, and the best iPhone for photography. 

Battery charging: not usually an exciting subject, but here's some charging news that could get the juices flowing(!). Realme has just debuted its new SuperSonic Charge, which at a mind-boggling 320 Watts is capable of fully charging (1-100%) a 4,420mAh phone battery in just 4 minutes 30 seconds. Charging to 50% takes less than two minutes, while a 26% charge can be achieved in just one minute.

Read more:
The best camera phones in 2024
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The best GaN chargers

Phone manufacturers have been steadily ramping up charging speed for several years now. Realme itself has progressed from 65W fast charging in 2021 with the X7 Pro, through 150W and 240W charging in 2022 and 2023, respectively. You'd think that would be fast enough, but with arch-rival Xiaomi boasting 300W charging speed for its Redmi brand, Realme couldn't surrender the competition.

Increasing charging speed isn't just a matter of turning up the wattage in the charger and hoping for the best. To achieve such incredible charge rates, Realme has engineered a special battery design containing multiple cells which can be charged simultaneously, thus reducing charge time. In order to pack multiple cells into a super-slim overall profile required for a svelte smartphone, Realme apparently took inspiration from the folded solar panels used on satellites, folding four super-thin cells into a stack to form the overall battery module.

The design is said to offer a 10% higher capacity for its physical size than conventional form factors. Realme's SuperSonic Charge charger is also special. Dubbed "Pocket Cannon", it has a high power density of 3.3 watts per cubic centimetre (up from 2.34 watts per cubic centimetre in Realme's previous 240W charger) and is advertised as 93% efficient during charging. The charger is compatible with multiple fast-charging standards and can be used to charge two USB-C devices simultaneously.

Of course, with ever-increasing charge speeds comes the usual question about exacerbating long-term battery degradation. Conventional wisdom suggests that slow charging is kinder to a battery than rapid charging, while regularly rapid charging a battery from near fully discharged to completely full is also said to place added strain on lithium batteries. However, I get the impression that for most consumers, any consideration for long-term battery life will likely come a distant second to the convenience of rapid charging. And should a phone's battery capacity take a noticeable hit after a year or two as a result of frequent fast charging, then it's simply time to ditch the phone and upgrade.

See our guides to the best GaN chargers, the best smartphone power banks,  and the best solar chargers

In what we think could be a world-first, Xiaomi will reportedly be adding a new feature to its phones to enable them to detect nearby hidden cameras. Said to be included in an upcoming version of the phone giant's HyperOS 2.0 operating system, this ground-breaking feature would use WLAN (wireless LAN) searches to detect unusual Wi-Fi signals in the area; signals consistent with WLAN profiles emitted by hidden cameras.

The best hidden camera detectors
The best spy cameras

Apparently the scanning tech is a development of an existing program available on GitHub, called Ingram. Leaked HyperOS 2.0 screenshots show the feature supposedly in action:

If Xiaomi does indeed implement hidden camera detection in future versions of its mobile OS, it could really prove a hit with frequent travellers concerned with being spied on when staying in unfamiliar accommodation. After all, it's estimated that around 11% of travellers will be exposed to hidden cameras, with the rise of privately-owned holiday accommodation rented through platforms like Airbnb making it easier than ever for peeping toms to set up hidden cameras to spy on their guests. Having such a convenient means of camera detection built into your phone would also likely appeal to individuals who live in regions where covert state surveillance is commonplace, and it taps into a more widespread concern with digital privacy in general.

It's not yet clear when Xiaomi will officially add this feature to a new HyperOS 2.0 revision, but if/when it does, we'd be keen to see how it compares to the best hidden camera detectors currently on the market. 

The population of the world reached 8 billion in 2022. That's a massive number. But want to hear an even bigger one? Global smartphone shipments have exceeded 14 billion over the past decade, according to a report from AltIndex.com based on data from IDC (International Data Corporation). 

If proof was ever needed, this immense figure underscores the ubiquity of smartphone cameras and their impact on the photography landscape. Especially at a time when sales of digital cameras are going into decline. (For more on that, see our article Japan just sounded the death knell for digital camera sales.)

Despite recent challenges in the market, including component shortages and longer replacement cycles, the sheer volume of devices in circulation is staggeringly high. That said, it's not all been a smooth, upward curve. 

The report notes that the biggest smartphone sales in the past decade were during 2015-17, with an average of 1.4 billion shipments per year. Since then, growth has been impacted by component shortages, inventory build-up and longer replacement cycles, resulting in a $15 billion sales drop over 2018-20. Although 2021 saw sales recover, they fell by another 13% in 2022 and 2023. 

The first half of this year, however, has seen sales rise by almost 40 million year-over-year, to 574.8 million.

Ultimately, though, these headwinds and setbacks can't mask the overall picture: smartphone sales are simply enormous. And crucially, more and more of them have the kind of advanced camera features once exclusive to high-end models.

While Samsung, followed by Apple, leads the pack of smartphone manufacturers, Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have shown remarkable growth, and typically these companies are pushing the boundaries of smartphone camera capabilities at mid-range and even low prices. 

Xiaomi alone has shipped over one billion devices, and these devices are no slouches when it comes to digital photography. Take the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, for instance; which our reviewer described as "more camera than phone".

In short, we're seeing a worldwide democratisation of technology that means more people than ever have access to sophisticated mobile photography tools. So what does all this mean for photographers?

"Why should I pay?"

The stark truth is that the majority of people now have a high-quality cameras in their pocket. Not only that, they know how to use them, and even if they don't, AI features such as those in the Google Pixel 8 Pro are increasingly taking over and turning bad photos into good ones, without people needing to even click on a filter. And that means professional photographers will increasing face the perception they've become irrelevant.

Yes, we know that isn't, and will never, be true. The art of photography isn't just about the technical skills; there's so much more to capturing an incredible image than that. 

But convincing others of this, when the AI-enhanced smartphone pictures they've just taken without any effort look pretty decent? That's another story.

To a certain extent, you've probably heard all this before. Ever since the introduction of digital cameras, pro photographers have been battling with the argument that "anyone can take a photo... why should I pay you?"

But I'd argue that as we reach smartphone saturation, as cameras get better at taking photos and onboard software gets better at automatically manipulating them, that challenge is only going to become a lot more intense over the next few years.

"Can I do this myself?"

That doesn't mean that people won't still need working photographers, of course. But the question is: will they need them so much? For example, I know people at creative agencies who once routinely hired commercial photographers for every job. But nowadays they admit (anonymously, and in private) they're now stopping to think: 'Could we just take these shots ourselves?' 

It's not even always a budget issue; it's often just a hassle issue. No one likes paperwork. And the fewer invoices they have to generate, briefs they have to write, and lengthy email chains they have to wade through, the better.

Also, when clients do hire photographers, I'm hearing that the rise of powerful smartphones is shifting those clients' expectations. 

Given that their own phone cameras allow them to instantly capture, edit, and share high-quality images, they've grown accustomed to rapid visual gratification. And so where once it was standard to wait days or even weeks for processed images, there's now an increasing demand for same-day or even on-the-spot delivery of finalized photos.

Indeed, the expectation for rapid results extends beyond just delivery times, encompassing the entire photoshoot experience. Clients often anticipate seeing preliminary edits or selections during or immediately after a shoot, mirroring the instant feedback loop they're used to with smartphone photography.

This pressure means photographers will be increasingly challenged to streamline their workflows, and adopt real-time editing and preview techniques. Either that, or get better at managing expectations and explaining why it's better to wait for a job well done.

All of this is achievable, of course. And all of this has happened before, every time camera technology has taken a new leap forward. But it's also stuff we need to be thinking about, lest the world suddenly leaves us behind and we sit there wondering: "What happened?"

Xiaomi has announced two new foldables at its annual CEO event in China: the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4, its follow-up to last year’s impressive big-screened foldable, the Mix Fold 3, and the Xiaomi Mix Flip – the phone maker's first flip phone.

Both phones are Leica co-branded, which means the iconic camera maker has contributed to the photo processing style and signed off on the quality of each phone, and the Fold even enjoys Summilux glass lens elements. 

The Mix Fold and Flip also pack best-in-class features beyond the cameras, with the Mix Flip squeezing in the biggest displays and battery of any flip phone and the Mix Fold being mind-bogglingly thin while still feeling exceptionally premium.

Why does this China launch matter to anyone in the West? Because the rumor mill is hinting at a Western launch for at least one of Xiaomi’s Leica-powered foldables. So, let's dive into our impressions after getting our hands on the pair for what will hopefully be a taste of things to come...

Foldable camera phones, a primer:

Before covering the phones, here’s some optional background on the state of foldable camera phones right now – keep scrolling for snaps and impressions of the Mix Fold 4 and Flip, but if you want context, enjoy:

Oppo, OnePlus, and Vivo are the favorites when it comes to foldable photography for all the geeks in the know. We tested the OnePlus Open (launched as the Oppo Find N3 in other markets), and it’s our highest-rated foldable to date thanks to its Hasselblad-tuned camera system and powerful hardware mix.

Vivo, meanwhile, has launched the mighty X Fold 3 Pro in select markets, with its floating telephoto camera and Zeiss co-engineered imaging system. And for anyone after a flip phone, the Oppo Find N3 Flip sports three impressive cameras, while other flips tend to cap out at two cameras.

But for buyers in the West looking to pick up one of these foldable camera champs, only the OnePlus Open is available in Europe and the US, and you’ll likely need to buy it without a carrier plan making it even pricier.

There’s also the question of repairability; foldables are less durable than phones that don’t Fold, with their moving parts and more damage-prone inner screens. This is why most foldable buyers tend to settle for less impressive camera phones like the Galaxy Z Flip, Fold or Motorola Razer series, with both Samsung and Moto having local repair centers.

The idea of another player selling phones in Europe (Xiaomi smartphones aren’t sold in the US) could be a huge boon for tech and camera enthusiasts, especially one partnering with a brand like Leica.

Xiaomi Mix Fold 4

The Mix Fold 4 is seriously light for a big-screened foldable at 226g, less than the 239g Galaxy Z Fold 6 despite its two larger displays and the higher-capacity battery. It’s also remarkably thin at 9.47mm when folded (not including the hefty camera bump), and unfolded, it’s a waif-like 4.59mm. The result is a phone that feels uncompromisingly pocketable when closed, and like a sliver of tech when open. 

We’re fans of the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s updated styling, but it’s hard not to marvel at how impressive the Mix Fold 4’s hardware seems when using them side-by-side.

Xiaomi’s gone for consistency across both the cover and main display on the Mix Fold 4, with each climbing up to 3000 nits peak spot brightness and 1700 nits full-screen brightness. They’re also both as sharp as one another with 418 pixels per inch and are iPhone 15 Pro Max-grade smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate.

While mainstream folding phones don’t charge particularly quickly, capping out at about 25W, the Mix Fold 4’s 5100mAh battery powers up at 67W wired, and it also has 50W wireless charging, a feature often missing from slim foldables.

The real highlight of the Mix Fold 4 is its four-camera system. The ultra-wide has a 50MP resolution and an f/2.2 aperture, while the primary camera has a 50MP resolution and an f/1.7 aperture. There are two ‘zoom’ cameras: a 2x, roughly 48mm 50MP camera for portraits with an f/2.0 aperture and 9cm macro photography, and a 50MP 5x camera with an f/2.9 aperture.

Xiaomi also boasts a seven-element lens for the primary camera, with one glass element and six plastic elements, as well as a next-generation high-stability coating. From a software point of view, both the Mix Fold and Mix Flip capture photos in either Leica Vibrant or Leica Authentic image profiles and feature Leica’s Portrait Modes that mimic the visual properties of their photographer-favorite lenses.

Xiaomi Mix Flip

While the Fold is the camera champ of Xiaomi’s two foldable announcements, the Flip is almost certainly going to be the better seller with its lower price and the general popularity of flip phones versus big-screen foldables.

It packs some impressive highlights, not least of all that huge cover display, with a Motorola Razr 50 Ultra-beating 4.01-inch size and a massive 6.89-inch inner screen. As with the Mix Fold 4, both the Mix Flip’s screens share most display properties, with a 3000 nit peak spot brightness, super crisp 460 pixels-per-inch clarity, and smooth 120Hz refresh rates.

Unlike the new Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, the Mix Flip also benefits from 2024 flagship power with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip set, and just like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, it gets a vapor chamber cooling system, so should be great for gaming. Matched with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage in the version we tested, it’s also super-competitive on the spec front. One drawback is a lack of IP-rating for water or dust resistance, though, so it could be less durable than Samsung and Moto's flip phones.

In the flesh, what’s arguably most interesting about the Mix Flip is the cover screen interface. Xiaomi divides the cover screen into two segments: on the right is a small widget above the vertically stacked camera, while on the left is tall section where apps display in portrait orientation.

Thanks to the huge 4780mAh battery with fast 67W charging, the Mix Flip 4 outclasses the competition on both fronts. However, unlike the Razr 50 Ultra and Z Flip 6, it does miss out on wireless charging.

The Xiaomi Mix Flip’s Leica camera system packs more modest hardware than the Mix Fold 4. The primary camera is a 50MP resolution setup with an f/1.7 lens and OIS. It uses a Light 800 sensor, the same as found in the midrange Poco F6 Pro, though, as with the Fold 4, it gets a glass lens element and Leica lens treatment. The secondary camera is a 50MP f/2.0 2x telephoto camera with a 46mm focal length and a 9cm nearest focus distance. We’re guessing these are the two cameras found in the Mix Fold 4, but we haven’t had that confirmed just yet.

Early verdict

After an hour with the Mix Fold 4 and a couple of days with the Flip 4, Xiaomi’s clearly on the right track with its foldables. The Fold 4 is definitely more impressive as a tech showcase and a camera champ, but the Flip is packed with practical wins: a bigger, faster-charging battery, huge screens despite folding for serious pocketability, and Xiaomi’s innovative cover screen UI that displays apps in portrait orientation – just like they’re displayed on your phone – Versus the landscape Razr and Z Flip 6 cover screens.

So if the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 and Flip 4 launch in the West, there’s a very good chance they’ll instantly become two of the best flip and fold phones of 2024, especially from a photography point of view, but if you’re not quite ready for a foldable, you can check out our guide to best non-folding camera phones for smartphone photography without the compromise.

The Pixel 8a is a more affordable version of Google’s flagship Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. It packs pared-back hardware in a cutesy, bulbous package but still offers AI smarts and Google’s special sauce photo processing.

Starting at $499 in the US, £499 in the UK, and AU$849 in Australia for the 128GB model, the phone isn’t much cheaper than the Pixel 8, and it also has a lot of competition at its price. In the Apple camp, you can get a 2022 iPhone SE, or an iPhone 12, and Android fans could pick up the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, Xiaomi 13T, or stump up extra cash for the Nothing Phone (2). Gamers would also be well served looking at the new Poco F6 Pro.

Loaded up with Google Gemini and baked-in AI features, the Pixel 8a could be a great value entry into out-of-the-box AI, helping justify the Pixel's price premium. So, is the 8a a camera champ with AI highlights or a mid-ranger that should have cost a bit less?

Google Pixel 8a design and screen

If the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are Lego, the Pixel 8a’s chunky, bulbous styling feels more like Duplo. The extremely rounded corners, thick bezel surrounding the screen, and playful styling all come together to create a fun, light-hearted impression.

With a metal frame, the Pixel 8a definitely doesn’t feel cheap, but neither does it feel super-premium with its plastic back. With IP67 water and dust resistance and Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, it’s relatively durable and dunkable, but unlike some other midrange phones, Google’s Pixel 8a doesn’t ship with a case in the box or a pre-fitted screen protector.  

You can choose between four colors: Aloe (green), Bay (blue, pictured above), Obsidian (black), and Porcelain (white). Whichever you choose, the phone has a matte finish across its back and sides. All its buttons are on the right, the USB-C port is at the base, and there’s a responsive in-display fingerprint scanner.

The Pixel 8a’s screen is a manageable 6.1-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, Full HD resolution, and a 430 PPI pixel density. With HDR support and a peak brightness of 2000 nits, the 8a showcases impressive contrast and is relatively easy to see even when the sun’s out, so while its chunky bezels hold it back from looking flagship and futuristic, the picture quality is great.

Google Pixel 8a camera specs

The Pixel 8a has two cameras around the back and one selfie camera. The primary camera features a 64MP, 1/1.73" sensor with an f/1.9 lens packing OIS. Hardware-wise, this isn’t the most impressive sensor at the price, with the Nothing Phone 2a outclassing it on paper. However, as we’ll come onto, Google’s photo processing produces excellent results.

The 8a’s ultra-wide camera and selfie camera appear to share the same specs, only with different focal lengths. Both are fixed-focus with a 13MP resolution and an f/2.2 aperture, with the ultra-wide camera lens being 120º, and the front camera lens being 96.5º.

Google’s AI imaging tools are arguably one of the Pixel 8a’s main selling points, with Best Take, Magic Eraser, Portrait Light, and Unblur helping out with photos and Audio Magic Eraser cleaning up video background noise.

Google Pixel 8a camera review

The key thing the Pixel 8a's camera gets right is reliable point-and-shoot photography. This isn't a $1,200+ Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Oppo Find X7 Ultra, so there's no cutting-edge camera hardware here, but the photo processing is reliably good at the phone's price, day or night.

The phone only has two cameras around the back, an ultra-wide, and a primary camera, but with in-sensor and AI zooming, you can punch in to 8x and still get usable results in bright environments.

The Pixel 8a's photos showcase balanced colors and contrast and tastefully eradicate most clipping in the highlights, while also zapping featureless shadows. The key difference between photos taken on the wide and ultra-wide cameras (apart from the angle of view) is how well they hold up when you pinch into them. Ultra-wide photos aren't quite as loaded up with detail, so they crumble under the pressure of a crop or a pinch.

This reduced scope for cropping is particularly noteworthy in darker environments, with the Pixel 8a's ultra-wide softening results, though it still produces a cleaner-looking image than competitors across both rear cameras.

The Pixel 8a is a phone you can give to a 10-year-old, and they can snap a load of pictures that all look crisp, well-exposed, and intentional. There's just something about Google's photo processing that pulls even clumsy shots together very well at the 8a's price. You don't need to labor over each snap, so for anyone after a point-and-shoot camera phone, the 8a is an excellent shout for the price.

Despite the phone's modest wide camera sensor size, it still grabs convincingly shallow depth of field to give photos of subjects closer than a meter away notable background separation. The 8a is also excellent for photos of animals, quick to focus on eyes, pulling out plenty of texture in fur, both indoors and outdoors.

Google's Magic Eraser, Unblur tool, and Magic Editor, all part of the Pixel 8a image editing experience are also a cut above other AI editors at its price. The main drawbacks for photographers after a more nuanced shooting experience are the lack of RAW capture and manual controls.

The Pixel 8a's 4K video looks excellent in brightly lit environments. We were able to shoot handheld at up to 60fps and seamlessly splice footage into a YouTube video we mostly shot on much pricier hardware. The ultra-wide camera caps out at Full HD and is a marked step down for video, especially when the lights drop.

Selfies also have a natural, flattering quality and handle dimly lit scenes respectably, provided the Pixel 8a is held by a steady hand and pointed at still subjects. 

As with the rear camera mix, when lights go down, video quality is the first to fall, and its small sensors hold it back from capturing quality nighttime video. You can get better results from some alternatives, making nighttime video the main drawback of the 8a's camera..

Google Pixel 8a additional features

Powered by a Google Tensor G3 – the same chipset in the flagship Pixel 8 and 8 Pro – the Pixel 8a combines respectable performance for the price with the latest version of Android, and a clean, stock interface.

Gamers looking for maximum bang for their buck would be better served with a Poco F6 Pro or Nothing Phone 2, given Google’s Tensor chips are typically a step behind Qualcomm and MediaTek when it comes to GPU grunt. For day-to-day tasks and less demanding games, though, the Pixel 8a feels snappy and smooth with its 8GB RAM.

Available in either 128GB or 256GB storage options, we would suggest the higher-capacity Pixel 8a if you plan on using it for a couple of years or more. This suggestion is particularly noteworthy if you think you'll shoot a lot of large 4K video, or download large games like Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves.

Google’s excellent sound recorder app is ready and waiting when you fire up the Pixel 8a. It can transcribe audio, identify speakers, and automatically back up recordings to your Google account.

With Google Gemini optionally replacing Google Assistant, this also unlocks AI voice assistance. Unlike ChatGPT and other third-party services, it integrates directly with Gmail, Google Docs and YouTube Music, so you can ask Gemini to summarize your emails, for example, and it will.

Google’s Circle to Search feature, introduced on the Galaxy S24 series, is also pre-loaded on the Pixel 8a for speedy searches. If that's what you're looking for, the Pixel 8a is the most AI-packed phone at its price.

With its 4492mAh battery, the Pixel 8a comfortably lasts a full day of moderate use, but heavy users may struggle to make it from first thing in the morning to last thing at night.

While Google doesn't include a charger in the box with the Pixel 8a, it does charge using the PD 3.0 standard at up to 30W, which allows for a full charge in around 100 minutes and a 50 percent charge in half an hour.

It's also great that Google promises seven years of Android updates with the Pixel 8a, adding a degree of future-proofing seldom seen at the phone's price.

Google Pixel 8a verdict

Despite not having the mightiest camera hardware around, the Pixel 8a is an impressive camera phone. Thanks to Google's smart processing, it can capture a good point-and-shoot picture in most lighting conditions. Its 4K video also looks impressive, provided the lighting is on its side, and the day-to-day experience feels nippy.

Loaded up with smart features, how many of them you choose to use will depend on how comfortable you are integrating AI into your daily life. But if you’re buying what Google’s selling, nothing at the Pixel 8a’s price can touch it on that front.

Being one of the best camera phones of 2024 when it comes to value for money, the only group of smartphone buyers we wouldn’t recommend the Pixel 8a for at its price are gamers. The Tensor G3 chip falls behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Poco F6 Pro. The fact that the F6 Pro also offers more storage for large games gives it another win over the Pixel 8a. 

If you’re able to find a great deal on a Pixel 8 and prefer glass and metal versus the 8a’s plastic back, then that’s another option. Generally, though, the Pixel 8a represents a reliably good all-around phone with a great camera and eerily smart AI features out of the box.

The 108MP camera phone may now be old news, being initially popularized by the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G back in 2020. But since then we've seen 108MP primary cameras trickle down to ever-cheaper handsets, and now Xiaomi has included a 108MP snapper in its latest budget offering, the Redmi 13 - a sub-$200 phone.

Read more:
The best budget camera phones

The exact sensor is Samsung's ISOCELL HM6. At 1/1.67" in size, it's significantly smaller than some of the 108MP chips in high-end handsets, though it's still capable of 3x on-sensor lossless zoom and uses 9-in-1 pixel binning in its default shooting mode.

The primary camera is flanked by a 2MP macro camera, but being a budget phone, there's no ultrawide module and video is capped at 1080p. The Redmi 13 does get a selfie camera upgrade though: a 13MP front-facing module replaces the 8MP chip in last year's Redmi 12.

The selfie camera sits within a large 6.79" IPS LCD display running at 1080x2460 resolution, giving a pixel density of 396ppi. The 90Hz screen is protected by Gorilla Glass and is capable of up to 550-nit brightness.

The Redmi 13 is powered by a 5030mAh battery and is capable of 33W fast charging - another upgrade over the 18W charging speed offered by the Redmi 12. The phone runs a Mediatek Helio G91 Ultra 8-core chipset and is available in storage/RAM configurations of 128GB/6GB, 128GB/8GB and 256GB/8GB. Storage can be expanded using the onboard microSD slot, compatible with cards up to 1TB. There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the Redmi 13 has IP53-rated dust and water protection.

Four color options are available: Midnight Black, Sandy Gold, Pearl Pink and Ocean Blue, with prices starting from $180/€200.

The Xiaomi 15 and the Xiaomi 15 Pro will allegedly be the first two phones to use Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC chipset, according to rumors. 

Founded in 2010 in Beijing, Xiaomi is the second largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world, behind Samsung. 

Its two new phones are apparently due to arrive in October, and according to a new leak from Digital Chat Station and reported on by GSM Arena, they will both feature a customized OmniVision 50 MP main camera with a 1/1.3” sensor size and a large, but currently undisclosed, aperture.   

The phones will have a new multi-layer anti-reflection coating on their lenses, which will be made by Leica, and is supposed to enhance light transmittance, and reduce glare and ghosting. 

There is also talk of the possibility of the Xiaomi 15 Pro having a periscope telephoto lens, a feature previously reserved for its Ultra devices only. 

If these two phones are anything like their predecessor, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, it will be an exciting unveiling, as its camera technology made the 14 as much of a premium connected camera, as a smartphone. 

While it’s likely that Xiaomi phones will be the first to receive the new Snapdragon high-performance chip, it’s very unlikely that they will drop in the US, according to Tom’s Guide.

Like several other major Chinese technology companies, Xiaomi was accused by Donald Trump’s administration of threatening national security in the U.S. 

It was blacklisted by the US Department of Defense in early 2021 over claims it had links with the Chinese military. However, in May of the same year a judge in the US blocked the enforcement of an investment ban on Xiaomi, calling the decision to blacklist it “extremely flawed.”

Had the ban not been blocked, it would have removed Xiaomi from US stock exchanges and global benchmark shares indexes.

US shoppers will need to wait for Samsung to use the new technology with the Galaxy S25 series.  

Next to be released with the new chip after Xiaomi will almost certainly be the OnePlus 13 and the iQOO 13, based on previous releases. 

Qualcomm usually shows off its latest silicon at its annual Snapdragon Summit, and Chief Marketing Officer Don McGuire has already confirmed that this will happen at its event in October. 

If you're looking for the best camera phones for photography, take a look at our handy guide. 

We've also put together our list of the best iPhones for photography, and the best lenses for both iPhone and Android. 

Smartphone photography is big business, so it's no wonder brands like OnePlus, Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo have all partnered up with iconic photography brands like Hasselblad, Leica, and Zeiss to boost their imaging cred. 

Smartphone fans consider Vivo something of a darling with its exceptional X Series, despite the fact its phones aren’t always widely available in the West. But for customers who don’t know much about brands like Vivo, Oppo or Xiaomi, an iconic camera brand logo around the back of a phone could add a much-needed trust factor. But are these camera partnerships all empty marketing, or can they really give you confidence that taking the plunge will actually get you better photos? 

In this three-part piece, I will examine the three hottest smartphone brands with camera maker partnerships: Vivo and Zeiss, OnePlus and Hasselblad, and Xiaomi and Leica. I will also outline the scope of the collaborations, discuss critical reception, and cover the phones showcasing the joint camera tech. Finally, I will share my conclusion as to whether the partnership is a bad take or a winning shot.

So strap in as we deep-dive into the partnership between Chinese phone maker Vivo, behind the well-reviewed X100 Pro, and German imaging icon, Zeiss, best known for its quality lenses.

This isn’t Zeiss’s first rodeo

Unlike Xiaomi and Leica, or Hasselblad and BBK Group (OnePlus and Oppo), Vivo and Zeiss seem to have a partially open relationship.

My first trip to Zeiss HQ in Germany wasn’t with Vivo, it was in 2012 with Nokia, testing out the Nokia 808 Pureview, the first phone to use pixel binning, an image processing technique Zeiss actually had a hand in pioneering. This speaks to Zeiss's longstanding involvement in mobile photography.

While the partnership between HMD Global (Nokia’s parent company) and Zeiss ended in 2021, Zeiss branding has adorned Sony Xperia phones for years, with Zeiss’s T* coating featured on high-end models like the Xperia 1 V. This reduces visual imperfections like refraction and reflection.

What’s different about the partnership with Vivo, however, Is how deep the integration is across both hardware and software. I caught up with the Vivo team to get a full more detailed understanding of the collaboration.

Vivo and Zeiss: hardware

While speaking with Vivo’s in-house imaging experts, they shared a cooking analogy that sets the scene for how Vivo sees the collaboration. When you make a dish, you improve your chances of success if you use excellent ingredients. With photography, the ingredient is the raw data that falls on the sensor. Zeiss helps Vivo get the best-quality information to the sensor as a starting point.

According to Keshav Chugh, Vivo's camera R&D product manager, both Zeiss optics and a Zeiss T* coating help the primary camera get the best-quality raw data possible for the flagship Vivo X100 Pro and Vivo X100 Ultra, recently announced in China. You can see some samples from the Vivo X100 Ultra below in Keshav's X post. 

Vivo goes so far as to call its flagship’s primary camera a Zeiss 1-inch Main Camera, and the telephoto camera a Zeiss APO Floating Telephoto Camera, the first apochromatically corrected lens in a smartphone. While tele lenses typically suffer from worse chromatic aberration (purple fringing) than wider lenses, Vivo’s lens system, certified by Zeiss, reduces this effect and performs competitively in my tests.

Vivo and Zeiss: software

Vivo’s photo processing has been making waves over the last couple of years thanks to its impressive photo quality and progressive take on computational photography. When discussing the AI of it all with Vivo, the team was keen to hit home, before you even get to tuning, Vivo and Zeiss’s collaboration focuses on making sure the foundation of the photo is rock solid. In other words, images should pack minimum Delta E (variance between what’s seen, what’s captured, and what’s displayed). This is especially important in portraits, with the X100 Pro featuring six Zeiss-inspired portrait digital lenses.

At 24mm, Vivo’s portrait look emulates Zeiss’s Distagon flare, at 35mm, it’s the Zeiss B-Speed triangular cinematic spot, at 50mm you get a circular flare, or alternatively a Biotar rotary focus flare as a second 50mm option. Punching in further, and an 85mm portrait pulls up Zeiss’s Sonnar cream spot and finally, a tight 100mm portrait creates a Planar dreamy spot paired with soft, low-saturated, platinum tones. When you think some flagship smartphone Portrait Mode options are: on or off, Vivo and Zeiss’s efforts are impressive even before you come to take a portrait photo. Vivo was keen to stress that while many portrait modes are mathematical calculations to create blur, its own version is more bespoke.

Many people, myself included, shy away from portrait mode on smartphones. It can look clunky and overdone. But because Vivo offers such a range of options and you can dial up or down the effect after taking your shot, it's easy to refine the results to a level of subtlety that doesn't detract from the quality of a photo.

As for Vivo’s general photo processing, this is mostly handled by Vivo and certified by Zeiss, and what’s also interesting (if slightly off topic), Vivo applies different photo processing to China-focused devices compared to its global phones. Global devices feature no generative AI (gen AI) to enhance a picture, upscale dynamic range, apply opt-in beautification, etc. Vivo phones launched in China, on the other hand, do feature gen AI, and they also feature opt-out beautification to reflect typical regional user preferences.

Zeiss also lives in two more areas within Vivo phones. The first is in the Zeiss Natural look. This dictates the aesthetic of your photo, with Zeiss Natural being the most balanced of all the looks on offer, while Vivid and Textured, the two alternatives, add more stylistic processing.

Finally, Vivo’s Zeiss co-branded phones enjoy a branded watermark, complete with shooting parameters so you can easily see just how hard the camera (and the processing) have worked to get the shot.

Vivo and Zeiss: a marriage made in…

If Vivo’s recent phones are anything to go by, this partnership is most certainly a marriage made in heaven. Vivo’s X100 Pro is the most reliable camera phone I’ve ever used for point and shoot photography. Its processing isn’t always the most authentic, so Vivo’s phones might not be the top choice for photography purists, especially when zooming in beyond 10x owing to how much it cleans up shots – but as I covered in my feature on the X100 Pro’s processing, it was a crowd pleaser at my family Christmas. After I took a few group shots, everyone loved how the phone’s camera simultaneously flattered and captured the mood of the day.

Vivo phones and where to find them

While you could buy the Vivo X80 Pro and X90 Pro in Europe, the more recent X100 Pro, and the V30 Pro – its upper-midranger – are mainly available in Asian and Middle Eastern markets. This could be owing to a patent dispute with Nokia that has prevented brands like Oppo and Vivo from selling their phones in Europe. With Oppo returning to Western markets with the Reno11 F this year, and Vivo issuing a statement that the dispute has been resolved, there is a chance we could be welcoming Vivo phones back to Europe in the future. 

Until then, anyone who lives somewhere Vivo phones aren’t widely available will have to import one. Having used both the X100 Pro and V30 Pro in the UK and across Europe, I can confirm both phones work well, with full access to the Google Play Store and network bands. However, if you do decide to import a Vivo phone, there are pitfalls, not least of all the limited after-sales support.

Vivo's just revealed that its X Fold 3 Pro will be launching in India in June, making it the first foldable from Vivo to launch outside China. This wider release is a promising sign for anyone enamoured with Vivo's Zeiss imaging and on the market for a foldable for two reasons. The first is that Indian devices run what is termed global software, so they natively support Google services like Android Auto, making them more attractive imports. The India launch could also be the first wave of a wider release plan that includes the West.

Running down the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro's imaging highlights, it features three cameras, a 50MP main camera with a large 1/1.3-inch sensor, a 64MP periscope camera with a 1/2-inch sensor, and a 50MP ultra-wide with a 1/2.76-inch sensor and PDAF. As you can see in Vivo's tweet, linked above, the camera gets Zeiss portrait highlights, and given how good Vivo is at eking out quality images from mobile hardware, it could be the best foldable camera around when it drops.

Vivo and Zeiss: the future

There's no getting around it, the future of smartphone photography is generative AI. And with Vivo and Zeiss having announced an extension of their partnership in May 2024, we can look forward to both brands taking their next AI-imaging steps together for the foreseeable future.

But why is AI such a silver bullet for smartphone photography? Smartphone sensors and lenses are small, a particular challenge on the telephoto end, and AI looks set to be the weapon of choice for compensating for this inherent limitation. With Vivo at the cusp of incorporating computational photography in its phones, we're guessing it will be pioneering more advanced AI models in its upcoming devices, especially when it comes to zoom.

I touched on how much Vivo cleans up zoomed-in shots in the X100 Pro with its 50MP telephoto camera, and the new Vivo X100 Ultra, with a 200MP telephoto camera, looks set to be the cleanest zoomer the internet has ever seen based on early reports out of China. By instantly bracketing, masterfully pixel-binning, and using object recognition to clean up zoomed-in detail incredibly well, Vivo really is leading the charge, out-performing technically more complex, further-reaching zooms like the 85-170mm continuous zoom on the Sony Xperia 1 VI.

As for where Zeiss fits into Vivo’s imaging story, provided the lens specialist can keep delivering its expertise, lenses and coating, the mutually beneficial partnership should continue to bear fruits for both businesses.

So while Leica appears to be swaying Xiaomi in a very classical direction with its photo processing on the Xiaomi 13T and 14 Ultra, and Hasselblad seems to be meeting OnePlus and Oppo in the middle with measured computational photography on the OnePlus 12 Pro and Open, I’m arguably more excited by what Vivo and Zeiss are on track to do. Sure, the purist photographer in me may die a little when my X100 Pro takes a photo that looks much better than real life, but when you’re taking photos that look this good on a smartphone without labouring too hard over your shot, it’s very hard not to be impressed and excited by the shape of things to come.

Check out the best camera phones in 2024

Sony's flagship Xperia 1 line has offered pro photo and video features and a 21:9 4K screen for years, but for its 2024 installment, the Xperia 1 VI, Sony has made an altogether more mainstream phone. While competitor devices like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra are leaning into advanced manual photo and video capture with variable apertures, 1-inch sensors and LOG mode, Sony seems to be playing it a bit safe with the Xperia 1 VI, at least on paper.

Costing £1,299, which is roughly $1,650 or AU$2470, the Sony Xperia 1 VI is significantly more expensive than an iPhone 15 Pro Max with the same 256GB storage.

When it comes to hardware, the main camera and ultra-wide are identical to those of the Xperia 1 VI, though Sony has extended the continuous zoom range to an impressive 85-170mm. Sony also ditched its three camera apps this year – Cinema Pro, Photo Pro, and Video Pro – and opted for a single all-in-one solution that's missing pro-grade video features until an Autumn update. 

Even the Xperia 1 VI's screen spec is more pared back than its predecessor, with a FullHD+ panel instead of the 4K display Xperia 1 series phones have become known for. But is this mainstreaming a bad thing, and can Sony really command an asking price that makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max look affordable?

Sony Xperia 1 VI: design and screen

Unlike every other modern flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 VI is loaded with traditional elements like a brilliant, spongy, and clicky two-stage camera button, a 3.5mm headphone jack, front-firing speakers, and a SIM card slot that can be removed with a fingernail – no fiddly pins required – plus microSD card expansion. These elements alone will make it an obvious choice for a certain type of user.

The main design difference between the 1 VI and past Sony phones is the screen aspect ratio, which has gone from 21:9 to 19.5:9. This makes the phone a little wider, a little shorter, and a little bit better for typing, watching, gaming, and capturing or editing photos.

Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Xperia 1 VI isn't made of titanium, but its metal frame nevertheless feels robust and premium. Textured sides give it some grip, and the matte glass back (also textured) feels great.

Sony was the first smartphone maker to add IP68 water resistance to its phones, and the Xperia 1 VI carries forward flagship durability with a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 display and a Gorilla Glass Victus back panel. The phone's camera bump is also very modest, especially when compared to alternatives like the Honor Magic 6 Pro and Vivo X100 Pro.

All the Xperia 1 VI's buttons are on the right side, with that excellent camera button, a fingerprint scanner/power button combo, and a volume rocker. At the top of the phone is the 3.5mm headphone jack, at the base is a USB-C port (with MHL/video out support), and the NFC point is around the back.

Available in three colors: black, Khaki Green, and Platinum Silver, Sony also sells matching kickstand cases for the Xperia 1 VI. However, the phone doesn't ship with a case or a pre-fitted screen protector, nor is there a charger or cable in the slimline, entirely recyclable box.

The Sony Xperia 1 VI's new 19.5:9 OLED screen measures 6.5 inches, and benefits from no notches or punch-hole selfie cameras. Instead, Sony puts the front camera and speakers in the bevels at the top and bottom of the display.

The move from 4K to Full HD is an interesting one. When we were briefed on the phone, Sony explained that the 4K panel prevented battery saving and brightness benefits the Full HD resolution makes possible. Side-by-side with an Xperia 1 V, the Xperia 1 VI does look less crisp when viewing pictures and 4K video content. However, the difference is imperceptible to the naked eye for day-to-day tasks.

There's no getting around the fact the Xperia 1 VI has the least sharp display of any modern-day flagship phone with 396 pixels in every inch. Most people won't notice this, especially since many elements within modern phones are rendered at Full HD, but if you know your eagle eye is a stickler for clarity, you might want to consider a sharper alternative like the OnePlus 12 or Google Pixel 8 Pro.

The 1 VI's display is optimized by Sony's Bravia division, is 50% brighter than last year's Xperia, and has a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a first for Sony. Outdoor viewing was great even on a sunny day, though the phone's auto-brightness does take a bit longer to adjust than other phones. The screen was also very responsive, and colors looked vibrant and punchy set against deep blacks and bright highlights.

Open the Xperia 1 VI's display settings and you can enable Creator Mode, which displays everything in a 10-bit BT.2020 color space, and customise white balance to suit your eyes.

Unless you plan to shoot in 21:9 (which the phone won't be able to do until autumn 2024), the new aspect ratio is a very good move in our opinion. In the past, when watching 16:9 YouTube videos in either portrait or landscape orientation, the tall 21:9 screens of Xperia phones of old had us squinting. Now, we have just a little bit more width when holding our phone in portrait, and a little bit less letterboxing when holding the phone in landscape.

Sony Xperia 1 VI: camera overview

The Sony Xperia 1 VI has three cameras around the back:

Ultra-wide: 16mm, f/2.2 lens with a 12MP 1/2.5-inch sensor.

Wide: 24mm, f1.9 lens with a 52MP (48MP effective) 1/1.35-inch sensor

Telephoto: 85-170mm, f/2.3-f/3.4  continuous zoom lens with  a 12MP 1/3.5-inch sensor.

With its continuous zoom telephoto, you could argue that Sony's optical range gives you the benefits of quad-camera or penta-camera systems like that of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

24mm wide camera

Unlike the 1-inch sensor packing competition from Xiaomi and Vivo, the Xperia 1 VI has a 52MP 1/1.35-inch sensor. This isn't a normal 4:3 sensor – it features a 4.3:3 aspect ratio, slightly wider than a traditional camera to give more space for electronic stabilization in video, and it shoots 4:3 photos with a 48MP resolution, which is then pixel-binned down to 12MP. 

As the full 52MP sensor is 1/1.35" and the phone captures stills at 48MP, that's an 8 percent reduction in utilized sensor for photos. In turn, relative sensor size is roughly 1/1.45". This isn't terrible, but neither is it class-leading, so we anticipate more modest dynamic range than 1-inch sensor competition.

16mm ultra-wide camera

While Xiaomi opts for a 12mm ultra-wide in its 14 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 13mm equivalent focal length, the Xperia 1 VI's is a tight 16mm. This isn't particularly ultra-wide and adds modest value when the main camera has a 24mm angle of view while promising such superior picture quality given its spec. On the plus, the Xperia 1 VI ultra-wide does pack autofocus and can take impressive macro shots in bright environments.

85-170mm telephoto camera

Sony's showstopper camera on the Xperia 1 VI is the 85-170mm camera. Purely as a technological showcase, a continuous zoom periscope camera with this much reach and a wide f/2.3-f/3.4 aperture is impressive. The fact the camera also supports macro focus when set to 120mm, giving you manual focus as near as 4cm from a subject is the icing on the cake.

Considering competing periscope cameras tend to cap out at the 120mm mark, the fact Sony's goes further and does more is undoubtedly impressive.

As for the Sony camera app experience, three apps have been consolidated into one, and photographers won't mind as it retains plenty of manual control. Videographers who need more control than manual focus and shutter speed, however, probably will. Sony's pro-grade video features aren't available on the Xperia 1 VI on launch, with an update dropping in Autumn that will bring it nearer parity with past Xperias.

Sony Xperia 1 VI: camera performance

Typically, when the light is right, from 16mm through to 170mm and beyond, Sony delivers a reliable point-and-shoot experience.

Sony leans towards cooler tones than the competition. There is a bit of inconsistency in the white balance between lenses, and the phone does expose brightly, so the exposure slider in the camera interface is a great tool to dial things back. Sony's saturation isn't overly boosted and neither is contrast or sharpening when compared to Apple and Samsung.

While Sony has integrated some computational photography smarts in its auto processing, it's far less noticeable than the more HDR-heavy competition. This means you will have to tweak results to get anything close to a Google Pixel look from photos taken on the Xperia 1 VI. The need for edits won't appeal to typical smartphone users, but enthusiasts who love to take the reigns may appreciate it.

The new telephoto camera system is much better than that of the Xperia 1 V. Able to compete with the best out there right up to the 7.1x optical range, pair it with good light and/or a steady hand, and the results should impress.

Sony seems to not use AI zoom, which has become a popular tool used by brands like Asus, Honor and Samsung to clean up digital zoom shots. The result is softer images beyond the 7.1x optical zoom, especially given the 12MP resolution in the telephoto camera, leaving no scope for in-sensor cropping.

When the lights drop, the Xperia 1 VI's main camera can hold its own, however, the secondary cameras really struggle. This is where the Xperia 1 VI feels less like a robust system than the best from Xiaomi or Oppo for example. We appreciate that in order to keep its phones slim, Sony can't use massive sensors, but Xperias have started to fall behind at night, so this is something Sony needs to address in future either through more aggressive computational processing, or larger, better camera hardware.

The 48MP mode, new to the Xperia line, captures full-resolution JPGs, and they grab huge amounts of detail in bright environments. It would have been ideal if RAW photos could have been captured at full-resolution, but they are limited to 12MP.

The phone's party trick, its macro telephoto camera is a real highlight for photographers. While it can be finicky to capture stills owing to an incredibly shallow depth of field, the fact it records at 4K resolution up to 120fps means stills pulled from it look fantastic. The manual focus slider means you can manually rack focus in video, and it also means you can pinpoint focus for stills.

The Huawei P60 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Pro put telemacro on the map, with Huawei's efforts blowing us away when we tested its phone. The Xperia 1 VI brings Sony up to Huawei's level and beyond in some respects, especially when it comes to video. Our main gripe with Sony's macro shots is that they look a bit soft and need editing to crisp them up. Meanwhile, Huawei masterfully processes its macro shots to look as textured as possible, which makes for a more wow result out of the camera.

Despite the lack of pro-grade video capture, the Xperia 1 VI still impresses with its 4K footage across all cameras, and its rear cameras capping out at 120fps. Better still, with the continuous zoom, gliding between 85-170mm is buttery smooth, and the phone's stabilization is also good, especially from the main sensor.

There are some manual video tools. For example, you can adjust exposure, white balance (with a slider, not with Kelvin values), focus, and shutter speed. Sony's product showcase feature is also available on the rear camera, and subject tracking is excellent, as is eye AF. The 399 focus points when shooting with the main camera and physical camera button lock on quickly, but we do wish Sony included a zoom slider rather than just the on-screen zoom numbers.

Selfies are also respectable from the phone, and it's a boon that the front camera can shoot 4K video. Unfortunately, it lacks autofocus, a feature that would have paired well with the Product Showcase function.

Sony Xperia 1 VI: additional features

The Sony Xperia 1 VI's processor is a top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, matched with modest 256GB storage and a respectable 12GB RAM. With microSD card expansion, you can bump up the storage by 1.5TB at an additional cost, but SD storage isn't as fast, so it can result in slowdown unless you stump up for the nippiest storage around.

The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is responsive, and with a large 5,000 mAh battery that Sony states is made of a new, dense battery material, the phone lasts a very comfortable day when using it heavily – plenty of photography and video – and if you're going easy on it, you can get two days out of it, which is seriously impressive.

With 30W charging, the Xperia 1 VI powers up full in around 82 minutes, though can charge up by 50 percent in 22 minutes. Wireless charging is even slower, so Sony definitely isn't catering to anyone who needs to charge and dash.

Gaming on the Xperia 1 VI and general heat management was reliably good, with steady performance, modest throttling, and no overheating shutting down the camera in our time with it, unlike the 2022 Sony Xperia 1 IV.

The Xperia 1 VI runs Android 14 and promises three years of software updates and four years of security updates, which is up a year when compared to past Xperias but still falls behind Apple, Google, and Samsung by some margin. 

Sony's interface is clean, smooth, and easy to navigate. It does feel a bit dated in some areas – very similar to past Xperias – but we'd take its dialed-down experience over an overbearing one like that of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Sony Xperia 1 VI: verdict

Sony's flagship for 2024 is a great phone that's a joy to use with no major chinks in its armour beyond its price, but that is one big £1,299 chink. 

The Xperia 1 VI could be the best phone for macro photography on the market, but it definitely isn't the best camera phone of 2024 given how fierce the competition is. In particular, the 1 VI's lowlight performance from the tele and ultra-wide cameras and the lack of pro video features hold it back, even with that super macro capture.

If the Sony Xperia 1 VI was less expensive, it would be a great option for anyone who wanted an impressive all-rounder. Photographers who love pared-back photo processing and want an excellent screen and speaker setup will enjoy what Sony's doing here too. It's also ideal for gaming and watching on, and Alpha camera owners who want a phone to double up as an external monitor and recorder may well find the price easier to swallow.

So while the Xperia 1 VI is the most accessible Sony phone of late with its more comfortable display, improved battery life, and simpler camera experience. Until Sony either bests the competition on spec and features or drops the price, its phones look set to remain niche options despite all their merits.