Xiaomi, in collaboration with Leica, recently released its brand new next generation of premium camera phones, the Xiaomi 14 series, on its original shores of China. The Xiaomi and Leica partnership has been ongoing since July 2021, the launch Xiaomi 12S series, and since then, Xiaomi has released 10 smartphones (excluding foldables) with the Leica branding on them. And today, in this guide, we are planning to clear up some confusion on which Leica-branded Xiaomi smartphone has the best camera setup for its users to take photos and videos.

Xiaomi 14 Pro Camera
Xiaomi 14 Pro Camera Island (Source: Xiaomi)

This guide will be ranked based on the versatility of the camera setup, then the lens sported on setup, according to the Leica rating branded on Xiaomi’s camera phones. And now without further ado, here’s the full list of the Leica-branded Xiaomi smartphones from least versatility to most versatility in photography.

Least Versatility

Let’s start with the least versatile Leica-branded Xiaomi camera setups, which are respectively found on the 4 flagships: Xiaomi 13T, Xiaomi 13T Pro, Xiaomi 12S, and Xiaomi 12S Pro. 

Xiaomi SmartphoneLeica Camera Setup
Xiaomi 13T, 13T ProLEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.2/15-50 mm ASPH
Xiaomi 12SLEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.4/15-50 mm ASPH
Xiaomi 12S ProLEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.4/14-50 mm ASPH
Table 1: List of Least Versatile Camera Setups (Leo Wong De Quan / Gizmochina)

All camera systems of the 4 devices sport a camera setup that has a Leica VARIO-SUMMICRON rating, an aspherical lens, and a 15 mm to 50 mm lens range for ultra-wide (15 mm, 0.65x optical), standard (23 mm, 1x optical) and zoom (50 mm, 2.17x optical) shots, with an exception to 12S Pro which has an ultra-wide of 14 mm, 0.61x optical. 

The Xiaomi 13T and 13T Pro have a shorter aperture range of f/1.9 to f/2.2, compared to the longer aperture range of f/1.9 to f/2.4 found on the Xiaomi 12S and 12S Pro. Although these 4 devices have the lowest-rated versatility among the 10 Leica-branded Xiaomi smartphones, these devices still sport the same Leica custom photographic styles in their camera interface, Leica’s master-lens system for bokeh photos, as well as the signature Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic looks to provide the user the choice of either true-to-life photos with their smartphone or the more saturated and punchier look that can be obtained from the device.

Xiaomi 13T (Source: Xiaomi)

Nonetheless, the Xiaomi 13T series and Xiaomi 12S series sport a great camera setup that makes the user want to experiment with their cameras more due to the Leica shooting experience, and for the majority of users, these 4 devices are more than enough for shooting great photos in the outdoors and in the indoors. Not to mention, the Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 12S are currently the cheapest Leica-branded smartphones in the market as of November 2023. Thus, providing the premium Leica shooting experience for those on a lower budget.

Moderate Versatility

Next, we have the 4 smartphones ranked with a moderate versatility ranking in their camera setup, which are respectively the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro. 

Xiaomi SmartphoneLeica Camera Setup
Xiaomi 13LEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.8-2.2/15-75 mm ASPH
Xiaomi 13 ProLEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-2.2/14-75 mm ASPH
Xiaomi 14LEICA VARIO-SUMMILUX 1:1.6-2.2/14-75 mm ASPH
Xiaomi 14 ProLEICA VARIO-SUMMILUX 1:1.42-2.2/14-75 mm ASPH
Table 2: List of Moderately Versatile Camera Setups (Leo Wong De Quan / Gizmochina)

These devices feature a longer lens range, giving better versatility than the Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 12S. The lens ranges of the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 14 series are respectively ultra-wide (14 mm, 0.61x optical), standard (23 mm, 1x optical), 2x zoom (50 mm, 2.17x optical), and 3x zoom (75 mm, 3.26x optical). The exception is the Xiaomi 13 which goes from 15 – 75 mm instead of the 14 mm – 75 mm found on the other 3 devices.

With a longer lens range, better versatility is provided in the camera setup as photos and videos have less noise at when shot at different focal lengths. In turn, you can take better photos when zooming into your subject, as less camera noise is in the shot. All 4 devices sport an aspherical lens and are able to shoot up to a max f/2.2 aperture for the photos. However, it should be noted that the Xiaomi 13 series uses Leica’s VARIO-SUMMICRON lenses which have a lower aperture range that starts at f/1.8, whereas the Xiaomi 14 series uses the Leica VARIO-SUMMILUX lenses which are known for its wider aperture and outstanding low-light shots in the dark. Thus, the Xiaomi 14 series, like the Xiaomi 14 Pro also has a longer variable aperture range from f/1.42 to f/2.2 for great shots, no matter in low-light or bright lighting conditions.

Xiaomi 13 Series (Source: Xiaomi)

The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 14 strike a balance between the lineup with its great camera hardware and accessibility towards the buyers. And users will be more satisfied towards these devices over the Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 12S if they want more camera versatility in their pockets.

Most Versatility

Last but not least, the the Leica-branded smartphones with the most versatile camera setup in Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone lineup, are none other than the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Xiaomi 13 Ultra. 

Xiaomi SmartphoneLeica Camera Setup
Xiaomi 12S UltraLEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.9-4.1/13-120 mm ASPH
Xiaomi 13 UltraLEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON 1:1.8-3.0/12-120 mm ASPH
Table 3: List of Most Versatile Camera Setups (Leo Wong De Quan / Gizmochina)

With the longest lens range out of all the 10 Leica-branded smartphones (13-120 mm and 12-120 mm), these devices are capable of taking photos in ultra-wide (12 mm at 0.52x optical on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra) (13 mm on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra), standard (23 mm, 1x optical), 2x zoom (50 mm, 2.17x optical), 3x zoom (75 mm, 3.26x optical), and 5x periscope zoom (120 mm, 5.22x optical).

With so much versatility between 0.5x ultra-wide to 5x optical zoom shots, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Xiaomi 13 Ultra provide unparalleled Leica shots whether near or far away from the subject. Both are the best camera smartphones that Xiaomi has to offer, and probably sport one of the best camera setups in the entire smartphone industry. The aperture range of the Ultra devices is also the biggest range in the Leica-branded lineup, with f/1.9 to f/4.0 on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, and f/1.8 to f/3.0 on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra (Source: Xiaomi)

However, this guide only focuses on the camera rating that Leica has branded on the Xiaomi smartphones. A smartphone is not only for taking photos, but also used for daily tasks such as gaming, checking social media and browsing the Internet. And the newly released Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro sport the world’s fastest chipset, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 onboard. To learn more about these devices, check out our hands-on of the Xiaomi 14 series here.

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