TL; DR
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra is set to launch on December 25 in China, with a deeper Leica partnership focused heavily on imaging.
- The main camera uses a 50 MP 1-inch OmniVision OV50X sensor with third-gen LOFIC, already showing strong low-light and dynamic range samples.
- The highlight is a single 200 MP periscope with true continuous optical zoom from 75 mm to 100 mm on a 1/1.4-inch sensor.
Xiaomi is closing out 2025 with the launch of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, officially set for a December 25 debut in China. The launch is closely tied to Xiaomi’s expanded collaboration with Leica, with the company clearly positioning imaging as the core story, especially night photography and telephoto performance.
In terms of design, Xiaomi is sticking to a familiar Ultra identity. There’s a large, centered circular camera module with prominent Leica branding, a flat display, and a surprisingly slim 8.29 mm body. Color options include black, white, and a textured Starry Green finish.
1-inch LOFIC Main Sensor
Most of the early attention is on the cameras, and Xiaomi has already started sharing official samples. The main camera uses a 50 MP 1-inch OmniVision OV50X sensor with third-generation LOFIC technology.
Early images show strong control over extreme contrast scenes, particularly in low light. One sample shot of fireworks in near darkness manages to preserve highlight detail while still keeping foreground elements visible.
The rear camera setup is a triple system. It includes the 50 MP 1-inch LOFIC main camera, a 50 MP ultra-wide, and a 200 MP Samsung periscope telephoto paired with Leica APO optics.
200 MP 75-100mm f/2.39-f/2.96 Continuous Zoom
That telephoto is where the Xiaomi 17 Ultra really tries something different. Unlike the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which used two fixed telephoto lenses at 70 mm and 100 mm with digital interpolation in between, the 17 Ultra relies on a single lens with physical continuous optical zoom. The zoom range spans roughly 75 mm to 100 mm, translating to around 3.2X to 4.3X optical zoom.
The samples confirm that the aperture is variable rather than constant, shifting from f/2.39 at 75 mm to around f/2.96 at 100 mm. The shorter end of the zoom is a huge upgrade over the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s shorter telephoto, but the longer end is a downgrade, as the aperture is now smaller at f/2.96 vs. f/2.6 on the 15 Ultra.
Continuous zoom itself is not new. Sony has used it for years on Xperia flagships, but those implementations relied on very small sensors that limited low-light performance and fine detail. Xiaomi’s approach is different. The 17 Ultra pairs continuous zoom with a much larger 1/1.4-inch 200 MP sensor, which should allow for cleaner images and better detail across the entire zoom range, particularly in portrait-friendly focal lengths.
Xiaomi has confirmed that the 17 Ultra will feature four portrait focal lengths on the telephoto: 75 mm, 85 mm, 90 mm, and 100 mm. The aperture for each focal length is f/2.39, f/2.68, f/2.74, and f/2.96, respectively.
Powering the device is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, along with a large battery and fast charging, though Xiaomi has not yet detailed exact capacities or speeds. A global rollout is expected to follow in early 2026. For more details, we have to wait for the December 25 launch.
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