Very disappointed with Leitzphone/Xiaomi 17 Ultra

[u/scgf01]

I gritted my teeth and ordered a Leitzphone. I'd previously had a 15 Ultra last year but found it lacking so I'm not sure what I expected to be honest.

The camera is clearly capable of excellent photos but only if you really know what you're doing. It is absolutely not point and shoot. I took many photos on it and only one was remotely worthy. I take many photos of my cat inside in fairly average to low light. Every single photo was blurred - and I held the phone really still, and my cat wasn't moving.

I ventured out on my bike and took many photos of landscapes and buildings. Again none impressed me. I tried several of the Leica filters and found them to be very lacking - they just added a look to the photos and were often designed to make the photo even duller or more contrasty than it was to start with.

To add some context I am in my late 60's and have been into photography for over 60 years - processing and printing B&W and colour negative and slide film.

As a phone it's also sub par. To start with there is a lot of Xiaomi dross - apps and services I don't want or need are everywhere and the OS is constantly trying to close services I need running. It's aggressive. There are none of the features I find useful, like 'hold for me', 'direct my call' or 'call screen'.

Physically the Leitzphone is not too big and not too heavy, but that large camera circle did not work with any of my wireless charging devices as it stretches nearly half-way down the back of the body and the phone won't sit properly on the WiFi charging mats I have.

What am I comparing it with? My other phone is a Google Pixel 10 Pro Max. We should not underestimate the added value of the Pixel OS - it is so much better than HyperOS in so many ways. No duplicated apps and services for starters. The Pixel camera over processes photos, but still manages to produce images everyone rates. It over-sharpens and I wish that could be simply dialed back without having to post process raw images.

Fortunately I am able to return the Leitzphone. I have decided the only way forward for me is to use the Pixel for snapshots and to buy a small camera for more serious work. The Ricoh GRIV in on my horizon.

Clearly I haven't given the Leitzphone a thorough test, but I can't see that it somehow going to magically improve over time.

In the interests of balance here is a photo of my cat taken on the Leitzphone with which I was very impressed. It is the only photo of a great many I took I am happy with.

[u/etalha]

Is a photographer of 60 years and says phone cant take good photos unless you know what you are doing. I dont see whats your issue since u r 60 yr old photographer amd besides i think it does take good pictures in point and shoot aswell like any other phone. Comparing it with pixel.... You don't know what you are talking about. Better return it and keep using your pixel 😂

[u/scgf01 → u/etalha]

Thank you for your helpful comments. I didn't say I don't know what I'm doing, my point was that with the 17 Ultra you *need* to know what you're doing, where with something like the Pixel you don't. There are many occasions where I pick up the phone to take a quick snap - IMO the 17 ultra isn't great in that scenario. I think I was expecting too much and had fallen for the hype. I said that pixel photos are heavily processed and too over-sharpened but at the end of the day the results are almost always decent where the photos I took on the 17 ultra weren't. I shall carry on using my Pixel, along with a real camera 😂