I’ve finished reading and watching what PetaPixel had to say about the new Leica Leitzphone. I think this smartphone could have been much more than a Xiaomi rebadge with a few extra features sprinkled on top. Not that the Xiaomi phone is bad – it’s actually a hardware tour de force – but it doesn’t align with Leica values.
One of Leica’s core features is the “less is more” approach. Look across Leica’s camera lineup and you’ll see a consistent minimalist philosophy that allows each element to shine. A phone with three cameras strapped to its back doesn’t exactly scream simplicity.
I’m genuinely surprised Leica partnered with Xiaomi for this phone, when they should have turned to Panasonic. In 2014, Panasonic released what I believe to be the best phone camera in the world: the Panasonic DMC-CM1. It had everything photographers wanted in a camera-focused smartphone: a single Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 lens with a proper aperture (stopping down to f/11), a control ring with filter support, an impressive 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor, a dedicated shutter button, and leatherette for better grip.
That design should have been the foundation for the new Leica Leitzphone. Apart from newer electronics, Leica could have updated the camera one of two ways: keep the sensor size, but increase the aperture to f/2 or try to squeeze in a bigger sensor and keep the same 28mm f/2.8 formula. I think fans would’ve appreciated either approach and complained far less about the $2000 price tag.
