Leica is making noise It has been gaining traction in the smartphone market for about a decade. Beyond its recent efforts with the LUX Phone app and Snap-on LUX Grip, the German camera icon has launched several phone models, technically on its own. But after partnerships with both Huawei and Sharp expired (leading to the Japan-only Leitz phone model, which is basically a Leica-branded Sharp phone), Leica finally seems to have hit the nail on the head, this time with the help of Xiaomi, debuting an internationally available Leitz phone.

100 years of progress

Coincidentally or not, the Leitzphone arrived on the 100th anniversary of the Leica I Model A, the first mass-produced 35mm camera and the device that essentially invented modern photography as we know it. The new smartphone, announced at MWC Barcelona last weekend, is the brand’s biggest advancement to date.

To understand Leitzphone, you have to understand what Xiaomi brought to the table. The two companies have been jointly developing smartphone cameras since 2022, and the results have been consistently strong. The Leitzphone is essentially a Xiaomi 17 Ultra with a completely different purpose. They share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, the same 6.9-inch HyperRGB OLED display, and the same triple-camera hardware. But Leica’s fingerprints are all on softwarethe design language, and some clever hardware touches that separate the two. Leica CEO Matthias Hirsch stated this clearly at the time of the launch: Rather than asking what a smartphone should look like, they asked what a Leica smartphone should look like from a photographer’s perspective. Changes in this way of thinking can be seen everywhere.

About the ring

of Defining hardware capabilities This is a mechanical camera ring on the back that rotates around the circular camera module, similar to how a real Leica lens ring rotates. Depending on the shooting mode, it can be mapped to control zoom, ISO, shutter speed, exposure value, or focal length selection. Pro mode opens up even more possibilities. It’s a tactile element that makes operating the camera feel more intentional and intuitive than simply swiping across a glass screen. Honestly, I’m surprised no one thought of this sooner. Leave it to Leica.

For those curious, the triple camera system is built around the Vario-APO-Summilux 14-100mm f/1.67-2.9 ASPH. Lens specifications are classic Leica nomenclature applied to mobile optical equipment. The main camera uses a 1-inch sensor with LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) technology, which stores excess charge at the pixel level to increase dynamic range. This is especially noticeable in high-contrast shooting situations, such as cityscapes at dusk or natural light shots. The Telephoto is a 200MP periscope module with a 1/1.4 inch sensor that provides continuous optical zoom from 75mm to 100mm using OIS. This isn’t a huge zoom range, but the important thing is that it’s optical throughout the zoom range, rather than a hybrid digital crop like most phones use. Rounding out this trio is the 50MP 14mm ultrawide.

see parts

The camera app comes with 13 different Leica looks, 5 bokeh simulations modeled after classic Leica glass (Summicron, Summilux, Noctilux, Anamorphic), and a dedicated Leica Essential mode that recreates the color science of the Leica M3 using M9 for color shooting and Monopan 50 film for black and white. There’s also an I Model A filter that recreates the grainy black and white quality of Leica’s 100th Anniversary 35mm camera.

Like the new Lecia cameras, Leitzphone also supports the Content Authenticity Initiative, which has a dedicated security chip that cryptographically signs each image upon capture, providing verifiable proof of origin through the C2PA standard. This is becoming increasingly important in a world drowning in AI-generated images.

reduction to the essential

Visually, the Leitz phone is definitely on-brand for the camera manufacturer, featuring a matte black fiberglass back, a precisely knurled aluminum alloy frame with “Leica Camera Germany” etched on one side, and the famous red dot in the corner.

The phone also comes with MagSafe compatibility, a synthetic leather case with a Leica lens cap, a microfiber cloth, and a red wrist strap that looks like it was pulled straight from the M series. camera bag.

spec sheet

Price and availability

The Leica Leitzphone Powered by Xiaomi is currently available in Europe for 1,999 euros ($2,337) in a single 16 GB + 1 TB configuration. Sold through Leica’s official website, Leica stores worldwide, and select partner channels, but not available in the United States. There’s no mention of color options, it’s entirely up to the brand.