The special Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition has something no smartphone has offered so far. It’s even closer to professional cameras

Xiaomi proved it again. After weeks of teasers, the smartphone Xiaomi 17 Ultra has finally been officially unveiled in China—and this time it’s not just another flagship that’s “strong on paper.” Along with the standard version, there’s also a special Leica Edition that’s not only about the design, but also brings a truly functional hardware element.

Follow Xiaomi 17 Ultra in the group

If you love mobile photography and have been saying to yourself that smartphones are just a kind of compromise, this could change your mind.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition and its zoom ring

This special edition was created in collaboration with Leica, and you can see it at first glance. The phone comes in black and white with a striking two-tone design reminiscent of classic cameras. You also get the iconic Leica logo, subtle details, and special markings on the frame. It feels premium, mature, and—most importantly—completely different from most today’s smartphones.

Most importantly, though, this isn’t just a visual trick. Xiaomi has decided this time that the design must also make practical sense. So the biggest star of the Leica Edition is the rotating ring around the rear camera module. At first glance it really looks like a classic decorative frame, but it’s a full-fledged control element. It works similarly to the zoom ring on a real lens and lets you smoothly zoom in without touching the display.

And it doesn’t stop there. According to Xiaomi, you can choose in the settings whether you want to control zoom, manual focus, or exposure with this ring. For anyone who shoots manually or frequently works in Pro mode, this is a huge step forward. This is exactly the kind of hardware feature photography fans have been waiting for from smartphones for years.

A camera without compromises

Xiaomi 17 Ultra is built around a 200 MPx periscope telephoto lens, paired with a 1-inch main sensor and a 14 mm ultra-wide-angle lens. It’s one of the most ambitious setups you can find in mobile today.

But the Leica Edition gets something extra. Xiaomi talks about a specially tuned Leica AI, which takes care of color processing, contrast, and the character of your shots. The result should be photos with the typical “Leica look”—more natural colors, better handling of light, and less aggressive post-processing. The first published sample images suggest this isn’t just marketing hype.

A photo kit for people who take it seriously

If the phone itself isn’t enough for you, Xiaomi also offers a separate photography kit compatible with both the Leica Edition and the standard version. It includes a 67 mm filter adapter, a removable shutter button, an ergonomic grip, and even an integrated 2,000 mAh battery.

It extends your shooting—or filming—time, which you’ll especially appreciate on trips and longer photo sessions. Combined with the zoom ring, the phone becomes a device that’s surprisingly close to a classic camera, at least when it comes to controls.

Performance and pricing that match the ambition

Xiaomi 17 Ultra is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, so you definitely don’t need to worry about performance. Leica Edition is sold in China in two configurations:

• 16 GB / 512 GB: 7999 CNY (~960 €)
• 16 GB / 1 TB: 8999 CNY (~1080 €)

It’s not a small thing, but you should keep in mind that Xiaomi is targeting the very top segment of the market here and trying to reach people who want to get the absolute most out of mobile photography.

If this edition also makes it beyond China, the competition might have a hard time with the specific audience—and Xiaomi is offering them a real unique feature you won’t easily find elsewhere.