Rumors were true! Dream camera phone Xiaomi 13 Ultra coming to life with Leica inspired body

This is the closest we've been to a true camera replacement in the smartphone market: the special Xiaomi 13 Ultra version with a Leica-inspired camera body and support for on-camera filters is now officially confirmed to be a real thing that is coming to market.

"This is a professional imaging device, not a camera phone,"Xiaomi posted on Weibo today (via Notebookcheck), teasing the exciting launch scheduled to happen next Tuesday.

And indeed the Xiaomi 13 Ultra pictured above looks like a professional imaging device. It's a look and functionality you simply do not get with an iPhone 14 Pro or a Galaxy S23 Ultra.

We have already seen plenty of leaks for the 13 Ultra, but this is the first time we get to see this special version that will apparently be sold with a camera handgrip accessory as well as support for threaded filters, so you could screw on a polarizing filter, or an ND filter just like you would do on a professional camera.

We have previously seen leaked photos showing some mysterious connectors right on the camera system, and it seems that these will be used for the threaded filters that you can add to this phone. Even the filter size has leaked out and the 13 Ultra is expected to support 67mm filters.

Except for hitting all the right design notes to get that hipster look, we have learned from Xiaomi camera chief that this special model will be fine tuned for street photography, where the speed of a camera is of crucial importance. Imagine trying to capture a glimpse from a person you get on the street, or on a crowded subway station. Those are mere moments that require an instant reaction. You cannot waste time to set up the camera, or even focus.

That is where the company's collaboration with Leica has helped them include Hyperfocal Distance technology on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

But what is Hyperfocal Distance? This is a term that refers to a point where everything on a camera is at an acceptable focus and this is what you need to capture those precious impromptu moments of street photography.

In the words of Xiaomi CEO, "no need to focus is the fastest focus". For this, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is perfectly set up. A double click of the volume button starts the camera and it instantly captures a picture within 0.8 seconds. You even get a simplified interface specifically made for street shooting.

By default, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra starts at a 35mm focal length, but you have a toggle to go from 23mm to 50mm. The aperture is set at ƒ/4, which helps have everything in focus.

We have now also learned the final details of this exciting new camera phone, so let's take a look.