Impossible to be wrong: even from afar, the enormous circular photographic module that dominates the back of the smartphone makes the new Xiaomi 14 Ultra perfectly recognisable. An aesthetic solution made necessary by the need to deploy a highly respectable photographic department, but perhaps also a declaration of intent: “This smartphone was created to take photographs and videos at a professional level” in fact it seems to declare the design of an uncompromising device, basically a camera with the smartphone around it. But also the synthesis of the collaboration between the Chinese giant and the historic photography brand Leica, increasingly united by the strategic partnership for mobile imaging.
All this becomes even more true if you also decide to purchase the Photography Kit: an evolution of the one available last year for the 13 Ultra (but only sold in China), in theory it is a case with an ergonomic handle, but in practice it is the magic that definitively transforms the Xiaomi 14 Ultra into a camera. Easy to install and also beautiful to look at (if you like cameras), it is the natural completion of the photographic system because it offers a two-stage shutter button, a zoom lever (which can be set for digital zoom or (better, to switch from one camera to another), a customizable video recording button and an additional ring, also customizable, which by default allows fine control of the exposure. Something that anyone who has ever tried to adjust exposure from the screen by raising and lowering the exposure indicator will learn to love in an instant. If we add to this that the Photography Kit also acts as an external battery charger (1500mAh) and is equipped with a USB-C connection, the positive picture is complete.
What’s under the hood
Let’s talk about hardware: Xiaomi 14 Ultra uses the new and powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, from this year the standard for those who want to produce a high-end smartphone, and which compared to the previous generation involves an increase in CPU performance (+32% ) and GPU (+ 34%) with lower consumption. It should be noted that the new chipset, added to the update of the photographic department, also required the update of the cooling system: with the Ultra Xiaomi IceLoop technology is in fact used, which can count on a second channel specifically dedicated to the camera and , as far as we have been able to experience, cools the smartphone well even when it has to carry out the most demanding tasks, such as running video games or ensuring smooth video recording.
The battery is 5,000mAh and during the weeks under test, with “light” use with an average of three hours of display on per day, it lasted almost two days. Then when the use became very intense, most of the time we still made it to the end of the day. If the battery is dry, it recharges at 90W with HyperCharge or at 80W with the latest wireless HyperCharge technology. The display is a 6.73″ AMOLED C8 WQHD+, with WQHD+ resolution (3200 x 1440), pixel density of 522 PPI and a variable refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz. The peak brightness is notable, reaching 3000 nits (even if it normally works at 1000 nits). Very readable in any condition, when using the 14 Ultra to take photos it allows a reliable evaluation of the results even in direct sunlight, which is fundamental in the absence of a viewfinder. The display also features a design that combines the large viewing area of a flat screen with the tactile feedback of one with a curved edge. The best of two worlds, for fans of the genre.
Photograph at the top
Let’s get to the piece de resistance: the photographic section. Xiaomi 14 Ultra features four cameras but it is the main one, 23 mm, which stands out compared to the previous generation by integrating a new 1-inch LYT-900 sensor with a dynamic range of up to 14EV, as well as a system with a continuously variable aperture diaphragm of ƒ/1.63-ƒ/4.0. However, the other three cameras remain practically unchanged compared to the Xiaomi 13 Ultra: all equipped with a 50MP IMX858 sensor, they are the telephoto lens with 75mm floating lenses (ƒ/1.8, OIS) with macro function for shooting from 10cm to infinity, the Leica 120mm periscope (ƒ/2.5, OIS) with macro functions (from 30 cm to infinity) which however now collects 44% more light than that seen on the 13 Ultra, and the Leica 12mm ultra-wide camera (ƒ /1.8, 122° FOV, 5 cm to infinity).
It goes without saying that the highlight here is the new wide-angle main camera, with the new sensor that works better with each software update and where, also thanks to the unprecedented adoption of a Leica Vario-Summilux 1:1.63-2.5/12- 120 ASPH, it is clear how the collaboration between Xiaomi and Leica engineers is progressively deepening, pushing the limits of mobile photography on Android forward. With every shot, whether you choose Leica’s “Authentic” or “Lively” style, the feeling is that of using something more than a smartphone; and the results confirm it, whether you shoot in the 16-bit UltraRAW format (compatible with Lightroom and available for all four cameras, moreover), or in simple jpeg.
Plus, it’s time to make amends: at the presentation of the smartphone and before trying it, we thought the main camera’s variable aperture aperture was a bit of an exercise in style. We were wrong: the ability to manually switch from f/1.63 to f/4 with many intermediate positions allows for finer tuning of the frame, makes the most of the large one-inch sensor to manage depth of field and create blurry portraits , and finally it allows to contain some typical aberrations in the peripheral area of the wide-angle lens. Having said that in automatic mode the system remains almost fixed at f/2, there remains some curiosity regarding the solidity of the mechanism in the event of a fall, which we did not want to test.
During the test, the cameras we preferred were obviously the main 23mm, but also the 3X equivalent to 75mm, capable of churning out images of comparable quality and useful in many typical street photography situations. The 5X (120mm periscope) is not bad at all, but something is lost compared to the other two and the focusing from 30cm onwards affects the shots a bit.
Video da Pro
Already the fact that Xiaomi 14 Ultra supports shooting in 8K at 30fps on all four cameras says a lot about the aspirations of the Chinese company. Thanks to Leica optics and the presence of a 50MP 1” sensor, the main camera also supports 4K shooting at 120fps and is adaptable to 5x slow-motion effects. The device also supports Dolby Vision 4K shooting at 60fps, has image stabilization, and thanks to the addition of a fourth microphone it allows the recording of surround sound and directional sound quite effectively.
It speaks to the hearts of video makers with the introduction of functions such as Movie and MasterCinema: the first introduces the 2.39:1 aspect ratio and 180° shutter on the 14 Ultra, offering videos with a cinematic look and motion blur. The second allows HDR video to be encoded in 10-bit Rec.2020 to capture even more details, highlights and shadows, surpassing the previous 8-bit BT.709 standard, especially on HDR screens. Finally, Director mode offers a professional-level interface with advanced parameter controls and recording in Log format for professional post-production. Also interesting is the possibility of using other Xiaomi devices – including the new Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 – as external monitors, very useful for example for those who have to film themselves and want to use the main camera.
In fine
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is an act of love towards photography that merges Chinese technological and productive power with Leica’s experience and vision, generating a top-of-the-range smartphone with excellent performance in every field. The operating system is the Xiaomi HyperOS, which required seven years of development and brings with it a renewed user interface, connectivity with the “Human X Car X Home” intelligent ecosystem and – inevitably – new AI-based activities including Xiaomi HyperMind, which allows devices to proactively understand user needs, define different usage profiles and act accordingly. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the best available and abounds in power whatever the task, from taking photographs to playing video games to watching a video streaming with Netflix. In short, the Xiaomi Ultra is a successful smartphone.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is available in Black or White colors for 1499.90 euros with a single memory size: 16GB+512GB. Xiaomi 14 Ultra Professional Photography Kit costs 199.90 euros.
Novelty
Leica SL3, the synthesis of professional photography
by Alessio Jacona
#proof #Xiaomi #Ultra #camera #disguised #smartphone
– 2024-04-09 19:09:52
