the new Xiaomi 12S Ultra It is the first smartphone in the world to use the Sony IMX989 camera sensor. At 1 inch, this is the largest camera sensor yet made specifically for smartphones. Xiaomi talks about “a milestone in the relationship between smartphones and compact cameras”.
Sony came Already last year With a phone with a 1-inch camera sensor, but this was an existing sensor from a compact camera that was also not fully used.
The 1-inch sensor on the new Xiaomi 12S Ultra has a resolution of 50MP. Also new is a special lens system that should prevent flare from images with different light sources, such as flare over the image when shooting with lampposts. Furthermore, the 12S Ultra has two 48MP cameras with an ultra-wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens with 120x optical zoom.
Gold ring, faux calf leather
Xiaomi has been working with respected camera maker Leica for several years now. The new devices are equipped with camera software produced by the company Leica, with all kinds of filters and settings.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra camera system is housed together in a large, eye-catching ring, which spans the entire width of the device. In the middle of the loop is the main camera, which is an exception for smartphones where the camera is often in the corner. The round camera unit is surrounded by a 24 karat gold frame, and the back of the phone is made of faux calf leather.
The S12 Ultra has a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels and a dynamic refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz. Max brightness 1500 lumens. The device has a 4860mAh battery and supports fast charging up to 67W.
Xiaomi 12S and 12S Pro
In addition to the Ultra, Xiaomi also unveiled the 12S and 12S Pro. All three new phones use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip. The Xiaomi 12S is one of the company’s smallest new flagships in several years. With a width of 69.9mm, the device is slightly narrower than the iPhone 13 with 71.5mm.
The 12S has a 6.28-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display, with 120Hz refresh and 1,100 nits peak brightness. The battery capacity is 4500 mAh, with fast charging support up to 67W. The main camera of the Xiaomi 12S is Sony IMX707, the same 50MP sensor also used in Samsung Galaxy S22 sitting.
Xiaomi 12S Pro, in turn, has a 6.73-inch amoled display with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels with a dynamic refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 1500 nits, like Ultra. The battery capacity is 4600 mAh, with fast charging support up to 120W. All cameras have a 50MP sensor, a wide-angle lens, and a zoom with 2x optical zoom.
Later to Europe
The new Xiaomi phones will initially be launched in China and won’t appear in other parts of the world until later this year. In recent years, it usually takes more than two months for the phones of the Chinese brand to reach Europe.
The Xiaomi 12S and 12S Pro are available in China at €572, while the 12S Ultra costs €858. European prices will be higher.
