The Xiaomi 15T Pro brings three Leica rear cameras, including a 5x super telephoto, to a much more affordable price than Xiaomi's Ultra phones. I wanted to see if it could keep up at a real portrait photo shoot, so I took it to the water's edge in Sydney and shot in Pro mode with my own camera settings.
In this Xiaomi 15T Pro camera review I share real photo samples from the 1x, 2x, 0.6x and 5x cameras, unedited and edited, plus what you need to know about the selfie camera and video. You can see the 100% crops, the vlogging tests and the microphone test in my full review below.
Xiaomi 15T Pro camera specs and price
| Xiaomi 15T Pro | |
|---|---|
| Main (1x) | 23mm equivalent, 50MP, Leica |
| 2x | 46mm equivalent, a digital crop from the 50MP main sensor |
| Ultrawide (0.6x) | 15mm equivalent, 12MP, 120° field of view, Leica |
| Super telephoto (5x) | 115mm equivalent, 50MP, Leica, digital zoom up to 100x |
| Selfie camera | 21mm equivalent, 32MP, 90° field of view |
| Video | Up to 8K 30p, Log, HDR10+, import your own LUTs for monitoring |
| Price (Australia) | A$1,299 RRP (256GB) |
| Price (US) | Not officially sold in the US. It's around €799 (256GB) in Europe, roughly US$930 |
All the edited photos in this post were edited with my Hazel Lightroom preset pack, and I've labelled the unedited JPGs straight from the phone so you can compare.
Main camera (1x) photo samples
The main camera is 50MP with a 23mm full-frame equivalent focal length, and it produces surprisingly high quality images for a mid-tier phone. The photos are razor sharp with lots of detail. I do find the standard Leica colours a bit hit and miss, especially on skin tones, so I shot in Pro mode, where you can create your own camera presets. I show the exact settings I used in the video.
Unedited JPG
Edited with Hazel
1x camera: unedited JPG (left) and edited with my Hazel preset (right).
1x camera, edited with my Hazel preset.
Pro mode is also how you get the full 50MP files. Standard mode produces smaller JPEGs, and if you want smaller files in Pro mode you can switch the 1x and 5x cameras to 12.5MP.
1x camera, edited with my Hazel preset.
2x camera photo samples
The 2x option is a digital crop from the 50MP main sensor rather than a separate lens, and it's only available in the standard photo mode, not Pro mode. Even so, it looks just as sharp as the main camera, with a smaller file size.
2x camera, edited with my Hazel preset.
Ultrawide camera (0.6x) photo samples
The Leica ultrawide is 12MP with a 15mm equivalent focal length and a 120° field of view. Ultrawide is usually my most used lens, so I was excited to test it. Images are sharp in the centre, with some softness and mild distortion in the corners, and it does best in bright light. See how it handles low light in the video.
0.6x camera, unedited JPG straight from the phone.
Super telephoto camera (5x) photo samples
The 5x super telephoto is 115mm equivalent and 50MP, and it keeps up the quality of the other cameras with very sharp images. It's the perfect focal length for portraits. Like most phone cameras, it performs best with plenty of light.
Unedited JPG
Edited with Hazel
5x camera: unedited JPG (left) and edited with my Hazel preset (right).
The 15T Pro can also zoom digitally all the way to 100x, and the stabilisation makes it surprisingly easy to shoot at that focal length. I also tested portrait mode, and you can see the 100x sample and portrait mode results in the video.
5x camera, edited with my Hazel preset.
Selfie camera
The 32MP front camera is the only one not labelled Leica. It's a 21mm equivalent with a 90° field of view. I like that selfies aren't over-processed or over-sharpened, so they look natural and flattering, but I'd personally prefer it a little wider, so I often flip the phone and use the rear ultrawide instead.
Xiaomi 15T Pro video and vlogging
You can film in up to 8K 30p, and for a mid-tier phone it's impressive that you can shoot in Log and import your own LUTs for monitoring. HDR10+ is available at any focal length, and the video looks sharp and detailed. I shot the video in Pro mode with my own settings, and if you film in Log, my LOG to Rec 709 Essentials preset is an easy way to get a natural starting point in Premiere Pro.
There are a few limitations in video mode to know about before you buy, plus how the stabilisation feels while walking. I go through them in the video, along with vlogging tests on the selfie, ultrawide and main cameras, and a microphone test with smart noise reduction on and off.
Should you buy the Xiaomi 15T Pro?
For a more budget-friendly phone, I was impressed with the cameras the 15T Pro has to offer. It took me some time to customise the camera settings so I'd be happy with the JPEGs straight out of the phone, but once I did, the images were sharp with a nice overall look. There are a few small optical quirks, so watch the full review to decide if it's the right phone for you.
Considering the flagship instead? Read my Xiaomi 17 Ultra camera review, or compare it with my iPhone 18 Pro Max camera review.
Xiaomi 15T Pro camera review FAQ
Is the Xiaomi 15T Pro good for photography?
Yes, especially for the price. It has three Leica rear cameras, including a 50MP 5x telephoto, and the main camera produces very sharp images. Shooting in Pro mode with your own settings gives the best results.
How much does the Xiaomi 15T Pro cost?
In Australia the RRP is A$1,299 for 256GB. It isn't officially sold in the US, and it's around €799 for 256GB in Europe.
Does the Xiaomi 15T Pro have a telephoto lens?
Yes. It has a 5x super telephoto camera with a 115mm equivalent focal length and 50MP, plus digital zoom up to 100x.
Is the 2x camera on the Xiaomi 15T Pro optical?
No. The 2x option is a digital crop from the 50MP main sensor, but it still looks very sharp.
Can the Xiaomi 15T Pro shoot Log video?
Yes. It can film in Log, record up to 8K 30p and let you import your own LUTs for monitoring.
What Lightroom preset did you use on the Xiaomi 15T Pro photos?
I edited the photos with my Hazel Lightroom preset pack.
The photos in this review were edited with Hazel. Browse all my packs in the Lightroom Presets for Portraits collection, and if you're stuck between a few, you can buy any 3 presets and save 10%.
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