So Xiaomi’s next Ultra flagship could be a camera-first affair, with a trusted industry tipster suggesting that it will see ‘huge’ image quality improvements and even be split into two versions. The leak is indicative of an ambitious sensor composition, a heavily retooled periscope package, and an upper-echelon model that leans on fresh computational sorcery to differentiate itself.
Leaked camera configuration hints at major upgrades
Noted Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station laid out a configuration described as “50MP-50MP+50MP+200MP,” along with rumors of an ultra-high dynamic-range main camera and periscope lens on new optical technology, like mixed-resolution zoom. The punctuation is open to interpretation: This could be a four-camera array, or it might include the 50MP front camera plus three rear shooters. Either way, it indicates that Xiaomi is preparing one of its most ambitious imaging stacks to date.
The headliner is, for sure, the 200MP module. In reality, with sensor resolutions pushing higher and higher, an in-sensor crop won’t just help if you need it later; it also allows for the possibility of multi-frame pixel binning to produce cleaner detail or even non-digital zooms that maintain texture better than digital crops. If Xiaomi marries that with faster readout and wider dynamic range on the primary 50MP sensor, you might see the phone go beyond normal HDR pipelines to capture more highlight and shadow data in complex scenes.
The periscope lens is seeing some love as well. Xiaomi has already introduced formidable long-range optics, and an optical refresh could translate into bigger glass, a larger sensor behind the prism, or even a varifocal solution to bridge the difference between 3x and 5x (or more, for that matter). A lot of times, changes here mean sharper nighttime zooms and better color matching from minimum to 100x—two issues for long-zooming phones.
Two versions with same sensors, new imaging tricks
The leaker adds that Xiaomi intends to launch two variants of the device. Both are said to use identical camera sensors and lenses, but the high-end model will enable “revolutionary” imaging features. That wording suggests less in the way of contrasting hardware and more along the lines of a different processing pipeline: maybe a dedicated imaging DSP or NPU, superior multi-frame fusion, or special long-exposure/video modes not found on the base model.
There’s precedent for this strategy. Rival brands have launched bespoke ISPs and co-developed algorithms to pluck detail from either side of the day in dark-light texture, slice motion blur, and steady video with less rolling shutter. Xiaomi already relies on heavy computational processing and brand partnerships for color science and lens tuning. A two-tier approach — same optics, different brain — would let the company keep supply chains simple and give enthusiasts a clear reason to pay more for the premium variant.
How this strategy fits Xiaomi’s evolving Ultra playbook
In its recent Ultra phones Xiaomi has favored big sensors and all-around color consistency across no fewer than four focal lengths, adding features like variable aperture and bright periscope optics to make real-world handleability better than you might expect it to be. The 200MP switch would be a strategic move for increased resolution capture and improved in-sensor zooming alongside a main camera tuned to capture wider dynamic range.
The larger market backdrop is why this matters. Counterpoint Research has identified camera quality as the leading purchase driver in the premium segment, and recent leaderboard-topping phones from rivals have relied on larger sensors, more advanced periscope designs, and brawny computational pipelines. Independent benchmarks such as DxOMark — which tend to favor when hardware and software are well-aligned — regularly give high scores to devices that pair strong optics with clever processing; Xiaomi’s rumored approach would seem an obvious stab at that same recipe.
What ‘revolutionary’ imaging features could include
“Revolutionary” is a charged word, but there are plausible candidates. Xiaomi has in the past investigated approaches such as liquid lens technology, and the industry more broadly is considering variable telephoto lenses, multi-spectrum sensors for truer colors, and stacked sensors that read out faster to reduce motion artifacts. On the software level, the next-gen HDR engine can merge multiple exposure brackets at the RAW level, and AI-driven subject masking can isolate skin tones or skies for more natural rendering without touching a slider.
If the two versions do indeed sport the same sensors and lenses, then count on the premium model to have proprietary modes or processing speeds — say, higher-bitrate video recording, enhanced night portrait effects, or additional shove beneath Pro controls — triggered by extra silicon or firmware.
What to watch next as Xiaomi 17 Ultra rumors build
Things to keep an eye on are the identification of sensors (such as a Sony LYT 50MP main or a 200MP Samsung HP‑series unit), the focal length and aperture of the periscope, and whether there’s mention of dedicated imaging hardware. Clues that a phone is en route often turn up earlier in China through certification filings with entities like TENAA, or in code for a camera app within early software builds of HyperOS.
Take these specifics with a grain of salt until Xiaomi officially confirms the lineup. Nevertheless, the trajectory is set: a 50MP-led array complemented by a 200MP module, an overhauled periscope, and a bifurcated strategy that separates models through computational photography. Should that turn out to be the case, the 17 Ultra could establish a new bar for long-range detail and HDR realism in a mainstream flagship.
