Xiaomi 13 Pro with Leica-powered camera to launch in India on February 26 — here’s how its camera was made

• Xiaomi is all set to launch its latest Leica-equipped smartphone, the Xiaomi 13 Pro, on February 26.
• The device was launched in China in December 2022 and is all set to debut in India.
• This is the second device with Leica optics, after the Xiaomi 12S Ultra launched in China in July 2022.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi announced its partnership with German camera-giant Leica in May 2022 and later launched the Xiaomi 12S Ultra with Leica cameras, making it the first device from the company to be equipped with Leica optics.

The company is now gearing up to launch the next Leica-equipped smartphone globally; this time, it is also coming to India. The Xiaomi 13 Pro, which made its debut in China in December 2022, is all set to launch in India this month.

“Xiaomi and Leica have concluded a framework regarding development and engineering of the camera for smartphones “co-engineered with Leica”. The objective of this partnership is the joint development of innovative solutions in the smartphone camera module segment as well as the optimization of optical performance,” Xiaomi said in a statement.

“Leica brings its comprehensive expertise in optical engineering, design, imaging software and consumer experience related to the art of photography to the partnership,” the company added.

Xiaomi says it’s much more than just a licensing deal


Xiaomi clarified that this partnership is more than just licensing the brand name to market the cameras. Xiaomi’s team of camera experts is working closely with Leica to co-develop and upgrade the cameras. The teams follow a strict process to achieve higher quality imaging. The process includes-

• Defining image quality targets based on metrics like color tones, details, dynamic range, processing algorithm and similar.
• It’s followed by joint development of optical design of the camera module.
• Integration of components in the module to meet the desired shape and size so that it can fit in a phone without making it thick.
• Test the cameras for factors like vignette, chromatic aberration, flare and more.
• Co-develop AI supported image processing and algorithms.
• Then finally testing image quality in lab and outdoors and fine tune it as per the targets.

Xiaomi 13 Pro launch in India

The Xiaomi 13 Pro is scheduled to be launched in India on February 26. We should know more about the device, including its pricing and availability in the coming days.

Xiaomi 13 Pro camera

The main highlight of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is its camera. The device features a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50MP primary camera featuring a 1-inch ultra-large Sony IMX989 sensor with Leica optics, ultra-low reflectance coating, and a spin-coated process IR filter.

In addition, the device is equipped with a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 50MP 3.2X telephoto lens. The telephoto lens is equipped with the Leica Floating Lens element with a focusing distance of 10 cm.

On the front, the device comes with a 32MP selfie camera.

Xiaomi 13 Pro specifications

The Xiaomi 13 Pro runs on Android 13 out of the box with MIUI 14 on top. It features a 6.73-inch Quad HD+ E6 AMOLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection.


The device is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset coupled with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage. At the moment, there is no information on which variants will be launched in the country.

The device is powered by a 4,820mAh battery with 120W wired charging and 50W wireless charging support.

Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept smartphone

To show the technological prowess, Xiaomi also showcased a concept smartphone dubbed the Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept. The device, developed in collaboration with Leica, allows you to attach a camera lens module to the smartphone.


The module has been designed to mount a Leica M series lens at the back of the smartphone, allowing you to capture professional photos. The device features two 1-inch sensors, one in the smartphone and one in the Leica lens. This allows you to suppress most of the noise while capturing images.

At the moment, there are only ten units of this concept around the world, and we weren’t allowed to touch it. While it’s super-interesting to see if this can be a reality, there is no information on when the company will launch a smartphone equipped with this technology.

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