Emir BardakçıSmartphone camera technology has progressed to a level where the size of the sensor, computational photography, and optical quality are equally important. Although Xiaomi has already optimised the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle cameras to a compact camera standard, telephoto cameras were stuck at a low quality because bulk limitations existed. However, with recent flagships, particularly the Ultra line, it is now evident that 200MP telephoto sensors are here to stay as a remedy to long-standing zoom issues.
The Essential Shortcoming in Conventional Telephoto Cameras
Traditional telephoto cameras on mobile devices come with fixed focal ratios of 3x or 5x. Zoom ratios in between are determined by digital zoom, resulting in reduced detail and clarity of the shot, as observed when zooming from 3x to 5x.
A 200MP telephoto sensor marks a departure from this strategy. Here, a region of a high-resolution image is cropped, rather than upscaling. The concept of cropping a region of a high-resolution image, also known as ‘lossless in-sensor zoom’, ensures that detail and texture are maintained even at a wide zoom ratio.
How 200MP Telephoto Sensors Enhance Picture Quality
A telephoto sensor that has high resolution is more than just megapixels. The actual benefit of such an imaging sensor is in its size and binning capabilities.
Contemporary 200MP sensors usually provide a 1/1.4-inch sensor size and are equipped with high-tech pixel binning ideas. When in low-light environments, several of their pixels combine to form larger “pixels,” which enhances image brightness and reduces image noises. The sensor goes to high resolution in high-light environments, making zoom of 5x, 10x, or even higher zoom possible without degrading image quality.
- Consistent image quality from mid to long zoom
- Better low-light telephoto performance
- Natural background compression for portraits
- Reduced need for multiple telephoto lenses
Telephoto Macro and Video Benefits
Telephoto cameras of high resolution enhance close-up photography as well. In traditional close-up photography, ultra-wide-angle lenses need to be employed when shot very close, while telephoto close-up photography enables photographers to take close-up photos of subjects from a greater distance.
Regarding video, the presence of a 200MP sensor makes possible 8K video recording capabilities via the telephoto lens. Additionally, it enables smooth digital zooming capabilities during 4K video recording. This feature comes handy during concerts, wildlife, and content creation.
Xiaomi’s Direction and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Outlook
Xiaomi has been at the forefront in incorporating cutting edge cameras, particularly in its Ultra series. The coming models are likely to come with a Leica-tuned 200MP telephoto lens that includes functionalities such as:
- 1/1.4-inch large sensor
- Leica APO-certified optics
- Floating lens group for macro and long-range focus
- Optical zoom range between 75mm and 100mm (approximately 3.2x–4.3x)
Looking at the layout, it appears that the goal of Xiaomi’s design is to replace several telephoto lenses with one.
