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What the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max's New Leica Camera Can Do

Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, and the phone brings some major changes to its camera system. The phone now has two 200MP rear cameras, along with a new imaging feature called Legendary Moment.
The new system is designed to give photos a more camera-like look. It also brings several Leica-inspired styles that are meant to recreate the look of classic Leica cameras and film.

Legendary Moment brings Leica-style photos

Legendary Moment uses AI to change how photos look. Xiaomi says the system can recreate the depth, colors and background blur that you would normally get from a dedicated camera.

The feature offers three different looks. These include a classic CCD-style color look, a black-and-white film style and a more modern Leica-inspired look. It can also add the feel of different focal lengths, including 35mm and 75mm.

The processing is not limited to the phone itself. Xiaomi describes Legendary Moment as a system that can use both on-device and cloud processing. That means the original claim that all of the processing stays on the phone is not correct. But in the end, Legendary Moment is still just an AI photo enhancer in my opinion. It changes the look of your photos through software, nothing special. There are many apps that can do that, but i guess having it built in is a pro.

Two 200MP cameras

The camera hardware is also a big upgrade. The main camera uses a 200MP sensor with a large 1/1.28-inch size, an f/1.67 aperture and optical image stabilization.

The second camera is also a 200MP but it has a periscope telephoto lens. It offers 3.2x optical zoom and has a 75mm focal length. Xiaomi also says it can reach 12.8x lossless zoom. A 50MP ultrawide camera completes the rear setup.

The main camera also uses LOFIC technology. It helps the sensor keep more detail in very bright parts of a photo. Useful for when a scene has both strong light and deep shadows.

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Xiaomi 18 Pro Max starts at $985

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max starts at 6,999 yuan in China. That is around $985 before taxes and other costs. Xiaomi has also confirmed that the phone will reach global markets, although international pricing and launch dates have not been announced yet.

The camera system is more than a simple megapixel upgrade. Xiaomi has added new software, two high-resolution sensors and hardware designed to improve dynamic range. Together, these changes make the 18 Pro Max one of Xiaomi's most camera-focused phones yet.

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