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Camera in Focus

Review: Xiaomi 15 Ultra - Best Camera Phone

The predecessor was impressive and with several clear improvements since then, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra extends the lead.

Erik Mörner
Published

The mobile market has changed in recent years and the differences between one year's top models and the previous year's are often marginal. Xiaomi has, in many ways, positioned itself outside of this change. 

In addition to Xiaomi 15 Ultra being a fantastic camera phone, Xiaomi has also managed to improve several details since the predecessor was released just a year ago, and the advantages are clear. This doesn't affect you as a mobile buyer particularly much, because who changes phone every year today, but it manifests that Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the best camera phone.

There are several building blocks that together contribute to making Xiaomi 15 Ultra such a good camera, but most are gathered in the noticeably large camera island on the back. Xiaomi 15 Ultra makes no secret that the camera functions are at the centre here, and this year the entire appearance has even taken on the form more of a classic Leica camera. My test sample mixes fibreglass and faux leather on the back, but there are also variants that are all black or all white.

One-inch sensor

Central to the camera experience is the main camera equipped with a one-inch type sensor. We saw this in the predecessor as well, and it is the foundation for images with more natural depth of field and convincing detail reproduction. It convinced us when we named the predecessor last year's best camera phone. This year, Xiaomi has taken further steps. With a 200-megapixel sensor for the telephoto camera, a sensor that other mobiles often use for the main camera, the ability to take good pictures at longer distances is expanded, simply better zoom. A new colour sensor makes a clear difference when it comes to sharpening colour reproduction further. I notice this when, for example, I take pictures of red strawberries in a red bowl. Many phones are fooled by this and distort the colour reproduction, but not Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Experience that grows

When I first got the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in my hand, I wasn't entirely convinced. Admittedly, the first impression was that it was a refined version, with the new Leica-inspired look, but in terms of functionality, it took a little while to discover all the possibilities. The predecessor, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, was the first of Xiaomi's camera-focused Ultra models released in Sweden and was therefore a major advancement compared to Xiaomi's previous models here and compared to many of the competitors. We had seen phones with one-inch sensors before, from Xiaomi, Sony, and other manufacturers, but the increase in ambition was still noticeable.

With a large sensor, you get more information in each image, and even if the depth of field is then created virtually, the result is better. Especially portraits become first-class with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and you can, just like in many other phones, change the bokeh effect even after you have taken the picture.

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This year, it's clear that Xiaomi has looked at Samsung to find areas they wanted to improve in. For several years, Samsung has had extreme zoom in their flagships, and with its new telephoto lens and 200-megapixel sensor, the idea is that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra will surpass the competitor.

A lot of camera but also mobile

The extensive camera housing in the phone attracts attention, but it can also make it difficult for the phone to establish good contact with wireless chargers. We have support for wireless charging at 80W and slightly faster wired charging at 90W, but a charger is not included. Under the hood, there is a generously sized battery, and throughout the test period, the battery life is clearly acceptable. Like most other flagships today, the phone is, of course, powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite. This, combined with a fast screen refresh rate and an excellently optimized system, ensures that the phone always feels fast and responds without delay. Particularly performance-intensive tasks can make the phone noticeably warm, but during the two weeks I tested it, it never went so far as to cause a problem.

Unique experience and AI

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra comes with Android 15 with promises from Xiaomi to update the operating system for 4 years. This is less than, for example, Samsung and Google, and a couple more years would be preferable. The interface that Xiaomi uses is called Hyper OS, and it has replaced the old MIUI for about a year now, although the similarities are very many, and it mostly involves a name change. 

Within the framework of HyperOS, which is Xiaomi's chance to offer something unique in terms of software compared to other Android manufacturers, there are proprietary apps and AI features. These work together so you can edit your photos with AI in the photo gallery, which also works with Google Photos if you want. You can remove unwanted subjects in your photos, reduce reflections, change the sky, and expand an image all with the help of AI. Additionally, there is Google's Circle to Search to search for something displayed on the screen without needing to switch apps, and here is Google Gemini. 

HyperAI offers, among other things, direct translation, but lacks full Swedish language support

I wouldn't say that AI is a reason to choose the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. But on the other hand, I would argue that AI is generally in its early stages and shouldn't determine a phone purchase today. When I use Hyper AI to help write invitations, it first responds in Italian that it can't help me with that. When I then specify that I want the answer in Swedish, it works fine. I get an invitation, but then when I use the voice recorder to transcribe a meeting, there is no Swedish language support, but there are about thirty other languages. Among these are English, German, French, Japanese, and Chinese. It works well when I test recording and then let AI transcribe and summarise in those languages. In fact, Xiaomi also has its own AI interpreter so I can translate speech in real-time in any app. It's a bit difficult to find the function. I first have to activate a toolbar and then swipe it up when I'm in the video meeting or call. Then it works well, between all the thirty or so languages available.

Easy to Appreciate

The cameras remain the most impressive feature of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and the efforts of Xiaomi and Leica truly bear fruit here. There are many times when I sit and compare photos and am surprised by the incredible quality. The feeling is often more like that of a DSLR camera than a photo taken with a mobile. It's really only the wide-angle mode that stands out a bit in this context and doesn't have the same first-class consistent quality. 

Xiaomi and Leica have also succeeded well with the camera app itself. No professional photography skills are required to take good photos here. In pro mode, you can adjust manual focus, shutter speed, and white balance, but it's not necessary to take really good photos. 

Questions and Answers

How durable is the phone?

It is water and dust resistant (IP68), it has screen protection in the form of Xiaomi's own protective glass and Gorilla Glass 7i over the camera housing. The frame is made of aluminium.

What else is there to say?

Xiaomi is releasing an accessory for the phone, a special camera grip with a shutter button you can hold halfway down to focus and with a built-in battery pack. However, it has a rather daunting price of 9999 kronor.

Is there an active lock screen?

Yes, the screen is of high quality. It has both really high brightness, good in direct sunlight, and the so-called Always on Display so I can get notifications, time, and similar even in standby mode. 

An alternative

It does not hold the same level in terms of the camera, but even the Oneplus 13 has a camera focus, then with the help of Hasselblad instead of Leica, a significantly lower price, and fast performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite, so it can be a cheaper alternative.

Camera example:

Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Bildspel: Kameraexempel från Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Xiaomi 15 Ultra is simply the best camera phone you can buy today.

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