Today, Xiaomi officially unveiled the new Xiaomi 12S Series “co-engineered with Leica.” This product series is the first culmination of the Strategic Partnership in Imaging Technology between Xiaomi and Leica. The entire series features different imaging systems jointly developed by Xiaomi and Leica, containing Leica Summicron lenses and supports Leica imaging profiles.
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Xiaomi 12S
In this new era of mobile photography, Xiaomi and Leica have jointly created a new standard for smartphone photography. Combining Leica’s in-depth understanding of optics, image processing, image quality, and Xiaomi’s rich experience in smartphone computing photography, Xiaomi 12S Series “co-engineered with Leica” offers unprecedented smartphone image quality, colors that closely adhere to Leica’s signature look and feel.
In order to help push imaging technology to new limits, Xiaomi and Leica have co-developed sophisticated optical lenses. As the top model, Xiaomi 12S Ultra utilizes Leica’s world-class optical design capabilities in its lens system while adhering to their stringent optical quality testing standards and implementing Xiaomi’s expertise in miniaturizing components to ensure ultra-high resolution, ultra-high light sensitivity, reduced dispersion, and lower flare.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra primary camera adopts an 8P aspheric lens, in order to address common photography issues such as flare, ghosting, and chromatic aberration, the camera module of Xiaomi 12S Ultra also adds anti-glare lens coating, lens edge ink coating, cyclic olefin copolymer material, and infrared light filter with spin coating technology. Together, these features offer a clearer overall picture that is consistent across the lens.
In addition to the advanced optical design, Xiaomi 12S Series “co-engineered with Leica” also utilizes Leica imaging profiles, inheriting Leica’s century-old image aesthetic and reproducing Leica’s tone and aesthetics with the aid of cutting-edge algorithms. For the end user, this means access to two photographic styles: The “Leica Authentic Look” and “Leica Vibrant Look”, both offering enhanced creative freedom to the photographer.
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Xiaomi 12S Ultra is equipped with Sony’s IMX989 1″ sensor, implementing a Quad-Bayer pixel array with individual pixel sizes reaching 1.6μm. After pixel binning, this reaches 3.2μm, reducing noise, extending dynamic range, increasing light captured, and achieving overall better imagery in low-light conditions. This sets a new precedent in smartphone cameras, approaching traditional cameras in terms of hardware specifications.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the first Android device to support Dolby Vision HDR video recording and playback. Dolby Vision enhances your videos with vivid colors, sharper contrast ratio, and richer details, providing you with vibrant and refined image quality. Xiaomi 12S Ultra uses HyperOIS for ultra-stable performance, offering continuous compensation for movement during video recording. HyperOIS utilizes the gap between two frames to drive the OIS motor to its original position, giving each frame a full effective range of stabilization.
Xiaomi 12S and Xiaomi 12S Pro feature Sony’s IMX707 as their primary sensor, which incorporates both a large sensor size and large pixels, at 1/1.28” and 2.44μm after pixel binning. With the support of Xiaomi AI Image Solution and Xiaomi ProFocus, these sensors achieve fast startup, capture, and continuous capturing. These devices support an industry-leading 30fps ultra-fast burst mode, and exceptional low-light photography capabilities. Further, they also implement All-scene snapshot in their cameras, making it easier to capture the decisive moment.
Xiaomi 12S Series “co-engineered with Leica” has also been designed to be more photographer-friendly in post-production. The entire series supports 10-bit RAW format calibrated by Adobe Labs, with color correction metadata embedded in the files. When using Adobe Lightroom to open photos shot on Xiaomi 12S Series, Adobe Camera RAW software will automatically optimize photos based on metadata, providing professional photographers with a good starting point for post-production.
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Pricing and Availability
Xiaomi 12S Ultra comes in two colors–Classic Black and Verdant Green, with three storage variants:
- 8GB+256G – priced at RMB 5,999
- 12GB+256GB – priced at RMB 6,499
- 12GB+512GB – priced at RMB 6,999
Xiaomi 12S Pro comes in four colors–Black, Purple, Green, and White, with four storage variants:
- 8GB+128GB – priced at RMB 4,699
- 8GB+256G – priced at RMB 4,999
- 12GB+256GB – priced at RMB 5,399
- 12GB+512GB – priced at RMB 5,899
Xiaomi 12S comes in four colors–Black, Purple, Green, and White, with four storage variants:
- 8GB+128GB – priced at RMB 3,999
- 8GB+256G – priced at RMB 4,299
- 12GB+256GB – priced at RMB 4,699
- 12GB+512GB – priced at RMB 5,199.
Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity Edition comes in two colors–Black and Blue, with two storage variants:
- 8GB+128G – priced at RMB 3,999
- 12GB+256GB – priced at RMB 4,499
All of these devices will be available for sale via official Xiaomi channels in Mainland China. This probably won’t be available in the United States, unless Amazon carries it. You may be able to get it through AliExpress or even eBay.
Also announced were Xiaomi 12 Pro Dimensity Edition, Xiaomi Book Pro 16, Xiaomi Book Pro 14, Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro, and Xiaomi Home WiFi.
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