SMARTPHONE TEST
Xiaomi’s latest model is the most affordable Leica-branded phone on the market. But can it live up to the name? Joshua Waller reviews it
Xiaomi continues to make an impression in the smartphone market, in part thanks to a partnership with Leica. Last year, the Xiaomi 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Ultra were the flagship models in the range. Now we’ve got the Xiaomi 13T Pro, a more affordable option, with a triplecamera system and, of course, Leica branding. Could this be the cheapest Leica camera available, and how does it compare to other phones on the market?
Features
Let’s start with the Leica-branded cameras. The main camera has a wideangle lens, with a 24mm equivalent focal length. This 50MP camera uses a large sensor (for a smartphone) of the 1/1.28in type. There’s PDAF (phase-detection auto-focus), and optical image stabilisation (OIS) to help with low-light shooting. You can shoot at the full resolution of 50MP but to use all of the different shooting modes, the camera will (by default) use pixel-binning, and give you 12.5MP images.
The ultra-wideangle camera has a 15mm equivalent focal length, and is the smallest of the three cameras on the back – it’s the one just under the LED flash! This features a 12MP sensor, an f/2.2 aperture, and is fixed focus, which means you won’t be able to use it for close-up macro shots.
The telephoto camera has a 50mm equivalent focal length, so offers roughly 2x zoom compared to the main camera. It’s also got a 50MP sensor, with an f/1.9 aperture, and whilst it has autofocus, it doesn’t feature optical image stabilisation (OIS).
Finally, the selfie camera can be found at the top of the screen in the middle of a small cut-out. It features a 20MP
Quad-Bayer sensor, with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 26mm equivalent focal length.
Video recording supports HDR10+ at 4K and 30fps. But if you don’t need HDR10+, then you can also record 8K video at 24fps, as well as 4K video at 60/30/24fps. There’s also 10-bit LOG video recording, with support for LUTs.
Design and handling
The Xiaomi 13T Pro has a good looking 6.67in AMOLED screen, ISO 50 with the option to have it always-on without eating too much power. The screen also offers a fast 144Hz refresh rate, as well as support for HDR1
