The camera is one of the most important features of a smartphone for many users. The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra focus purely on the camera. We have included these two devices in the comparison. Which camera shoots the best pictures?
Camera comparison: Xiaomi 15 - Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Xiaomi recently released two great high-end smartphones: the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Both devices feature an extensive camera with many features. In recent weeks, we tested both devices extensively and you can read the experiences in the Xiaomi 15 review and Xiaomi 15 Ultra review. We took another trip through Berlin with the two smartphones to put the camera through its paces in detail. Which smartphone takes the best photos?
What are the differences?
First, we take a quick look at the differences between the smartphones. First, there is the size of the smartphones. The Xiaomi 15 is handier due to its dimensions of 152.3 x 71.2 x 8.1 millimetres. That's a lot more compact than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which measures 161.3 x 75.3 x 9.4 millimetres. But as we mentioned in the review of the Ultra, the device does have a pretty good grip, as you can rest your finger well under the camera module. Having said that, it is quite colossal. But you have to give something for a big camera.
The Xiaomi 15 has a 6.36-inch display; an AMOLED panel with quite a high brightness. We also encounter this high brightness on the Ultra, which has a 6.77-inch screen. With smaller hands, operating the 'standard' model is likely to be more pleasant. Both devices have the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, assisted by at least 12GB of working memory. The Xiaomi 15 has a 5240mAh battery, while the Ultra comes with a 5410mAh battery. Both models can be charged with up to 90W.
Camera
Both the camera of the Xiaomi 15 and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra are both down with the help of Leica. This camera manufacturer allows you to choose Authentic or Vibrant style in the camera app, as we discussed in the reviews. We took most of the photos in Vibrant mode. Should it be otherwise, it is mentioned in the photo.
As for the technical features, we list the camera details for you below.
Xiaomi 15:
- Main lens: 50 megapixel (f/1.6) 23mm
- Wide angle: 50 megapixel (f/2.2) 14mm
- Telephoto lens: 50 megapixel (f/2.0) 60mm, with 2.6x optical zoom
Xiaomi 15 Ultra:
- Main lens: 50 megapixel (f/1.6) 23mm
- Wide angle: 50 megapixel (f/2.2) 14mm
- Periscope telephoto lens: 200 megapixel (f/2.6) 100mm, with 4.3x optical zoom
- Telephoto lens: 50 megapixel (f/1.8) 70mm, with 3x optical zoom
The results
Putting the photos side by side, it is noticeable that both devices take very good pictures. We could type a whole story, but if you look at the pictures below, the results are largely self-explanatory. With the main lens, there are no major differences. We do see the big differences when zoomed in, though. This is where the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's telephoto lenses show themselves at their best. On a sunny day in Berlin, the Xiaomi 15's camera tends to pull towards a blue tint a bit faster. In terms of details, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra also clearly wins out. Still, we are not dissatisfied with the camera performance of the 'standard' model.
Still, we see that the Xiaomi 15 sometimes comes out on top. We see this in the indoor photo, for instance, of the wooden case with the red Swedish horse. However, at dusk, with the tree trunks, we see that the 15 captures the colour very orange, but the Ultra again wants to skip a bit with the details. As a result, the 15's image does look calmer. Partly it is also a matter of taste, which is why it is nice that Xiaomi gives you the choice of which Leica style you want to shoot with.
Good to know is that all photos were taken in automatic mode, without post-processing.
Below the line, we conclude that in many cases, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra does indeed manage to take the best photos. This is not very surprising, given its huge camera module. Yet in other cases, we again find the Xiaomi 15's camera to be the best. Which camera do you think takes the best pictures? Let us know by leaving a comment below this article.
If you want to see more photos, check out the reviews or digital photo albums. You can find these of the Xiaomi 15 here and of the 15 Ultra here.
