Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition to debut with a mechanical camera dial
Xiaomi will officially announce the Xiaomi 17 Ultra on December 25. Prior to the event, the company revealed that the phone includes a physical zoom ring encircling its circular camera island, providing tactile control for zooming.
The device’s official name is Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica. It displays the iconic red-dot Leica logo on its rear panel in at least one color variant, consistent with prior rumors.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra equips three rear cameras, reducing the count by one compared to its predecessor. Leaks indicate the periscope telephoto camera supports continuous optical zoom ranging from 3× to 4.3× magnification. This telephoto unit reportedly incorporates Samsung’s HPE image sensor.
The primary rear camera employs a custom 50 MP OmniVision sensor of 1-inch type, designed for enhanced light capture and detail. An accompanying 50 MP ultrawide camera utilizes the Samsung JN5 sensor, expanding field-of-view capabilities for wide-angle photography.
The smartphone operates on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 system-on-chip, delivering processing power for its imaging and performance demands.