Went hands-on with Xiaomi 15 Ultra and it's Leica-ly good

This above in the picture is the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Looks Ultra, right? The phone has all the bell-and-whistles of a “flagship phone,” and that includes the usual not-so-subtle island on the back but on the 15 Ultra it is being hailed as the holy grail of phone cameras, and why won't it? Leica has worked on it. And doesn't shy away from showing it off.
But, all this Leica goodness comes at a cost. Here in India, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is priced at Rs 1.1 lakhs, so the usual question anyone would have in mind is: is it worth spending a lakh on the Xiaomi 15 Ultra? Well, it might be too early for me to pass on a judgment, but I have used the phone for about a week now, to give you a gist of how the phone is, so maybe that'll help you out.
I’ll dive into the specs longingly in the longer piece later, but let’s first talk about the camera—because that’s what the 15 Ultra is all about. And if that’s not apparent to you, just look at it.
The Ultra comes in three colors, but only one is worth talking about: the black and silver chrome finish, inspired by Leica’s old cameras. And if you still can’t figure, there’s another subtle nod to Leica—the Ultra branding in the same font as the Leica logo on those classic cameras — and the obvious Leica text on the colossus camera island.
That same camera island houses four different sensors, each having a lens of different focal lengths. The headliner is undoubtedly the 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. But let's break down what we're looking at: a 50-megapixel main camera with a massive one-inch sensor, a 50-megapixel 3x telephoto, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and that 200-megapixel periscope lens capable of up to 4.3x optical zoom.
Xiaomi and Leica collaboration has been one of those partnerships that aren’t just some superficial branding. The folks at two houses have come together to find-tune the color science, so you get Leica-styled color profiles, two of them: Leica Vibrant, which is more in line with what most people would prefer—punchy and vibrant—and Leica Authentic, which, as the name suggests, stays closer to natural colors. My personal favorite? You'll have to wait a little longer to find out.
The periscope lens is where the magic truly happens. Zoom capabilities are extraordinary – we're talking crisp, detailed shots at 10x zoom, andsomewhat usable images even at 30x. But, the other lenses are also at the best you could find on a phone. The ultra wide, main, and the other zoom lens — all of them have been good at their job so far. Low-light performance? The large one-inch sensor drinks in light whether you're shooting in dimly lit restaurants or capturing evening cityscapes, the 15 Ultra won’t make you regret taking it out in night.
Beyond the cameras, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a typical high-end phone of 2025 — a 6.73-inch 120Hz OLED, Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite with 16 GB of RAM, and a 5,410mAh battery that charges at 90W. I'd talk all about it if you want, but by now you'd know how the script will read. So, let’s save it for the review.
Wait, how did I forget it, for the photography nerds (and I count myself among them), there’s an optional Photography Kit comes in black and red – another nod to the classic camera aesthetic that Xiaomi and Leica seem to be obsessed with. And honestly? I'm not complaining. The kit, which essentially is a case, has an add-on physical grip, extra battery, and a dedicated shutter button that makes the 15 Ultra feel like a proper camera.
As first impressions go, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is Leica-ly a winner. But, there’s clearly more to explore and more to test. The phone looks familiar yet distinctive, cameras are compelling, and the overall package seems intriguing. So far, I’ve only scratched the surface of what this phone can do. I'll be putting the Xiaomi 15 Ultra through its paces and see whether the 15 Ultra lives up to its promise.
Until then, stay tuned.