Xiaomi 14 Ultra review on a smartphone whose camera is amazing

Xiaomi 14 Ultra was an unexpected addition to the manufacturer's latest lineup of smartphones at Mobile World Congress. And this year, the manufacturer does not offer any artificial intelligence (yet), but puts more and more emphasis on photography.

In 2024, nothing is more banal than a smartphone announcing that it wants to revolutionize photography. We've been hearing this for years - even from second-rate models, that's for sure. However, it would be unfair to write that Xiaomi hasn't built a solid reputation in photography over the past few years. The experts at DXOMARK always praise the Chinese brand's top phones, and they get better every year. So what will happen to this Xiaomi 14 Ultra when the Honor Magic 6 Pro just took the top spot in the DXO rankings?

Xiaomi 14 Ultra specifications

• Screen size: 6.73 inches;
• Refresh rate: 120Hz;
• Internal memory: 512GB;
• Random Access Memory (RAM): 16 GB;
• Battery capacity: 5000 mAh;
• Fast charging: Yes;
• Rear Sensor(s) Definition: 50 Mpx; 50 Mpx; 50 Mpx; 50 Mpx; 50 Mpx.

Cameras

• Number of cameras (front and rear): 5;
• Definition of rear sensor(s): 50 MPX; 50 MPX; 50 MPX; 50 MPX; 50 MPX;
• Definition of front sensor(s): 32 MP;
• Video Recording: 4K60fps;
• Camera Stabilizer: Optical;
• Rear Lens Photo Grid Size: 1.6µm;
• Front Lens Photo Grid Size: 1.4 microns;
• Rear Photo Lens Aperture: ƒ/1.6-4.0 ; ƒ/1.8 ; ƒ/2.5 ; ƒ/1.8;
• Aperture of the front photographic lens: ƒ/2.0;
• Optical zoom: 3.2x ; 5;

Camera: Total slap in the face

Xiaomi makes claims every year, trumpeting to anyone who will listen that it is the best in photography. But what if this year was one such year? Let's be clear: Xiaomi's Ultra models have always been very good at photography. But that doesn't mean their reputation is better than the iPhone, Galaxy, or Google Pixel. Does the Xiaomi 14 Ultra have what it takes to change the paradigm?

Xiaomi 14 Ultra camera configuration

• Wide-angle: 50 MP (1"; ƒ/1.63-4.0; 23mm; OIS);
• Ultra wide-angle: 50 MP (1/2.51"; ƒ/1.8; 12mm);
• 3.2x telephoto lens: 50 MP (1/2.51"; ƒ/1.8; 75 mm; OIS);
• 5X telephoto lens: 50 MP (1/2.51"; ƒ/2.5; 120 mm; OIS);
• Selfies: 32 MP (1/3.14"; ƒ/2.0; 22m).

Photo kit

Xiaomi has also provided us with a photography kit (€199) that comes with its latest flagship. The accessory kit consists of a body, a module with a shutter release button and exposure dial, a backup battery, and two filters to attach to the camera.

The contents of the photography kit  

Let's face it, using it won't change the quality of your photos one bit. However, there are two advantages. The first is the ability to screw on filters designed for traditional lenses (67mm diameter). Thus, you can install an anti-UV or even a polarizing lens on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Another advantage is more direct control over exposure thanks to a special dial that is right under the user's index finger when the camera is held horizontally.

Wide Angle

After years of testing top smartphones, we'd be lying if we said that the photo capabilities of smartphones systematically impress us. The truth is that few products manage to come out on top every year. The good news is that the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is one of them.

While we were more impressed with the long lens capabilities, it's impossible to remain indifferent to the incredible quality of the wide-angle shots. In our opinion, everything is perfect. Sharpness is superb, colors are sexy, and exposure is just perfect. There's nothing to throw away.

Wide angle lens capabilities

Xiaomi talks a lot about the wide-angle lens' ability to change the aperture from ƒ/1.63 to ƒ/4.0. In fact, it's hard to see what difference that makes. Only by turning on manual mode and taking pictures at different apertures will you really notice the difference. At ƒ/1.63, the depth of field is logically shorter, which means that bokeh is quite pronounced - like when shooting a portrait. At ƒ/4.0, the background blur is softer, making it easier to distinguish elements in the background. We'll play with this for a few minutes and then put everything into automatic mode; the smartphone is very good at finding the best settings for different situations.

Ultra Wide Angle

We've rarely had the opportunity to use ultra-wide-angle modules, but Xiaomi's latest model meets all the requirements. Generous resolution, the right aperture, enough size to guarantee satisfactory sharpness, it's got it all.

Zoom

Our jaws are still dropping. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra telephoto lens duo is made of the same wood as the other two sensors in the configuration. Allowing 3.2x or 5x optical zoom, as well as 30x with no apparent digital loss, we get an insanely versatile smartphone.

The same adjectives can be applied here as in the previous case. Sharpness is simply exceptional, the level of detail is simply prohibitive, and colors once again explode the screen with their saturation and nuance. We've rarely seen such beautiful smartphone shots.

Night shots

With such a set of hardware, you can expect the Xiaomi 14 Ultra to be a great night photographer. Unsurprisingly, it is: the shots are very well exposed, with a high level of detail and noise that is almost imperceptible if there is a light source in the image. We also note the contribution of the 1-inch wide-angle sensor, which delays triggering the night shooting mode like never before. Proof that the Bug is capable of finding enough light in almost any conditions.

However, it's worth noting that the 5x telephoto lens stands out in terms of colorimetry: its tones are warmer than those of its smaller brothers. We won't judge it much for this, though, as its superiority remains intact.

Portraits and selfies

Like the Xiaomi 14, the Ultra comes with multiple color profiles and allows you to use different focal lengths to find the portrait mode setting that suits you best. By default, Leica's portrait mode is a bit aggressive in contrast. Sure, the photos stand out, but at the expense of naturalness. Rest assured, with a simple tap in the top left corner of the interface, you can switch from one mode to the other.

Portrait shooting is another activity where the Xiaomi 14 Ultra feels right at home. With a set of high-performance lenses, there's plenty of scope to play with depth of field and focal length. This is another point that can be attributed to the versatility of the camera.

The front-facing camera module is just as good at isolating your subject and highlighting them with beautiful colors and light anti-aliasing. However, the portrait mode is perhaps a bit overdone in terms of contrast.

Video

To conclude this thick chapter on images, we need to take a look at the video. First of all, there's a slight annoyance: HDR recording is not available above 30fps. A disappointment for such a well-equipped smartphone, especially when you consider that the iPhone offers a similar configuration with the iPhone 13 two years ago.

However, once we got over that dissatisfaction, we were pleased with the excellent video we got from this monster phone. At 4K at 60 frames per second, the videos are of excellent quality, and the optical stabilization is great. Of course, we wouldn't recommend moving around too much when shooting at the longest focal lengths. The OIS system has its limits when it comes to compensating for walking movements.

Battery

We didn't expect it, but the Xiaomi 14 ended up leaving us with a better impression than its bigger brother when it comes to battery life. There's nothing a priori to explain this difference in feel (same configuration, larger battery, compensating for the bigger screen...), but the fact is that in our "aggressive" test scenario, we rarely managed to use it for more than one day. That is: more than 5 hours of screen time in one day, combining gaming, social networking, video and long nature shooting.