Fresh leaks suggest the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is about to deliver one of the most exciting camera upgrades seen in a flagship smartphone this year: real continuous optical zoom. New camera app screenshots circulating on Weibo appear to confirm earlier rumors that Xiaomi’s next Ultra phone will use a 200MP telephoto setup capable of smoothly shifting focal length, rather than relying on fixed zoom steps or heavy digital cropping.
The leaked interface shows the familiar quick zoom options like 0.6x, 1x, and 2x, but the standout detail is a selectable zoom range that runs from 3x up to 4.3x. That range reportedly corresponds to roughly 70mm through 100mm focal lengths, giving users a more flexible portrait-to-telephoto experience without the usual quality drop that happens between preset lenses. There’s also an additional 8.6x zoom option shown, suggesting Xiaomi is still keeping a longer-reach mode alongside the new variable zoom segment.
What really fuels the hype is the wording visible in the leaked materials, which refers to a “Leica 200 MP continuous optical zoom” and mentions “high-fidelity optical quality.” In other words, Xiaomi doesn’t seem to be chasing a bigger zoom number than before—it’s aiming for better-looking zoom photos, especially in the commonly used mid-telephoto range where portraits, street shots, and travel photos live.
There are trade-offs, though. Details shared by a known leaker indicate the lens aperture changes as you zoom, going from about f/2.2 at 70mm to around f/2.9 at 100mm. If accurate, that would be slightly less bright than the previous generation’s telephoto hardware, which could impact low-light zoom shots. Still, Xiaomi may be compensating with a much larger sensor: the leaks point to a 1/1.4-inch Samsung ISOCELL HPE sensor for the telephoto camera, a major step up from the smaller sensor used previously. A larger sensor typically means improved detail, better dynamic range, and cleaner images—especially when shooting in challenging lighting.
Another possible downside is the reported removal of a telemacro feature, which some users rely on for close-up photography using the telephoto lens. It’s not fully confirmed yet, but it’s something camera-focused buyers may want to watch for once the phone is officially revealed.
Timing-wise, the wait may not be long. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to launch in China during the Christmas period, with December 25 widely rumored as the announcement date. Alongside the continuous zoom, the device is also said to feature a Leica APO lens and a new 1-inch sensor—two additions that could strengthen its positioning as a top-tier camera phone for 2025.
If these leaks are accurate, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra may stand out not by pushing extreme zoom numbers, but by making zoom more usable, more natural, and more consistently sharp—exactly the kind of real-world camera improvement smartphone buyers have been asking for.
