SMARTPHONE TEST
With a one-inch sensor and Leica collaboration, Amy Davies finds out if this is an ideal smartphone for photographers
The smartphone market is mostly dominated by the likes of Samsung and Apple, but there are plenty of other manufacturers out there keen to grab your attention. One such producer is the Chinese firm, Xiaomi, which, you might be surprised to learn, accounts for around 12% of global sales. It might not be so popular in the UK, but in other markets it’s as big as those household names.
We’ve seen collaborations between traditional camera makers and smartphone producers in the past few years, such as OnePlus teaming up with Hasselblad. Xiaomi has teamed up with Leica – previously known for working with Huawei – to produce the 13 Pro’s lenses, which should give it an attractive sheen to prospective owners.
There are plenty of other impressive camera specs here too, with three 50MP sensors, one of which is of the larger 1-inch type – something which is still very rare to see in a smartphone. The default output resolution is 12MP, unless you elect to shoot in 50MP mode. The telephoto camera boasts a 75mm equivalent focal length and is described as ‘floating’, which should enable high-quality close-ups. With this lens you can shoot as close as 10cm from the subject.
Meanwhile, the ultra-wide lens is also equipped with macro capabilities, this time allowing you to get as close as 5cm to the subject – but with a completely different angle of view.
At 6.7 inches, the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s screen is on the large side, being comparable to models such as the Samsung S23 Ultra (6.8in) and the iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7in). Some may find these sizes a little overwhelming for their hands, but it seems to be a very popular trend at the moment, and it’s hard to deny how good your photos and videos look on a bigger screen.
Rounded edges and a very shiny exterior give the Xiaomi 13 Pro a very polished look – it’s wise to invest in a case to stop it from slipping off smooth surfaces. The screen makes use of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus to withstand knocks and scrapes, while the phone is 1P68 water- and dustresistant (so it should survive depths of 1.5m for 30 minutes).
As with many modern smartphones, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is capable of recording video at up to 8K, with 24fps availab
