The Xiaomi 14 Extremely is so targeted on being an amazing images cellphone, it’s also possible to purchase an elective equipment package to make it look and behave extra like an precise purpose-built digital digital camera. However since that is nonetheless a £1,300 flagship Android cellphone, albeit one geared up with a quad rear digital camera array, it’s going to nonetheless maintain all of your cellphone wants.
Xiaomi’s promoting the 14 Extremely globally this yr, though nonetheless not within the U.S. So with out the house turf benefit of staying a China-exclusive gadget, the comparisons towards the opposite greatest digital camera telephones we have examined are fairly related. And particularly the cellphone on the high of our information – the iPhone 15 Professional Max.
As you will see under, the Xiaomi 14 Extremely has a number of spectacular on-paper benefits over the iPhone 15 Professional Max, however whenever you take the 2 telephones out into the true world, issues turn into extra sophisticated. We have got a number of pattern comparisons so that you can try, in addition to our opinions on which pictures are higher, and why, under.
Xiaomi 14 Extremely vs. iPhone 15 Professional Max: Digicam Specs
Row 0 – Cell 0 | Xiaomi 14 Extremely | iPhone 15 Professional Max |
Major digital camera | 50MP, variable aperture (f/1.63 – f/4.0) | 48MP (f/1.8) |
Ultrawide digital camera | 50MP (f/1.8) | 12MP (f/2.2) |
3.2x telephoto | 50MP (f/1.8) | N/a |
5x telephoto | 50MP (f/2.5) | 12MP (f/2.8) |
Selfie | 32MP (f/2.0) | 12MP (f/1.9) |
For those who ever neglect the decision of one of many cameras on the Xiaomi 14 Extremely, guessing it is 50MP is a reasonably protected guess. The cellphone options 4 50MP cameras, serving as essential (additionally used for intermediate 2x pictures), ultrawide, 3.2x and 5x telephoto, with a most of 120x zoom on provide. These, plus a 32MP entrance digital camera, had been developed in affiliation with the workforce at Leica, because the outstanding branding on the massive spherical digital camera block needs to remind you of.
The iPhone 15 Professional Max provides the identical most optical zoom vary, however lacks a second telephoto digital camera, and maxes out at simply 25x zoom. It additionally lacks decision compared, coming shut with its 48MP essential digital camera however lagging behind with its remaining 12MP sensors back and front.
Xiaomi 14 Extremely vs. iPhone 15 Professional Max: Photograph samples
Now let’s truly see what the cameras of those two telephones can produce. For reference, the entire Xiaomi pictures had been taken utilizing the “Leica Vivid” shade profile, one among two choices you’ll be able to swap between whereas within the digital camera app (the opposite being Leica Genuine). In any other case, I used default settings for each telephones.
There’s instantly a noticeable distinction within the colours of this picture of Camden City Underground station, taken with the 2 telephones’ essential cameras. The entire scene — however particularly the station’s trademark oxblood tiles — look richer within the Xiaomi picture, and it is a contact sharper too whenever you take a look at high-quality particulars just like the mech across the high of the constructing.
The iPhone has a bit extra shade within the sky although, which makes for a extra balanced picture however if you wish to give attention to the tube station, the Xiaomi’s the higher of the 2.
Winner: Xiaomi 14 Extremely
Somewhat down the highway at Camden Lock, we see the identical shade distinction. Nevertheless, the iPhone’s picture is a good bit brighter, which brings out the element in darkish areas just like the partitions alongside the canal. There’s additionally extra distinction between the tree and the water within the iPhone’s shot.
Winner: iPhone 15 Professional Max
It is the iPhone that is brighter when the solar goes down too, as this snapshot of my yard at night time exhibits. There’s nonetheless element to be discovered within the Xiaomi picture, however it disappears as you take a look at the darkest components of the picture on the proper hand aspect of the body.
Winner: iPhone 15 Professional Max
Shifting now to the ultrawide lens, this shot from the center of Camden Market Buck Road nonetheless exhibits the Xiaomi picture because the extra vividly coloured. That is notably seen within the garments on the stalls and the keychains within the memento store. You may also make out extra particulars within the shadowy areas.
Winner: Xiaomi 14 Extremely
Now we return to the principle digital camera for the primary of our zoom comparisons – a 2x zoom utilizing the principle digital camera sensor. Again at Camden Lock, this picture of the tree overhanging the canal is greatest proven off within the iPhone’s brighter picture. The Xiaomi’s picture continues to be detailed; it simply would not pop as a lot.
Winner: iPhone 15 Professional Max
Shifting to 3x, the Xiaomi can use the primary of its two telephoto cameras, whereas the iPhone has to make do with digital zoom. It is apparent with upon shut inspection that the Xiaomi shot is rather more detailed within the signal. The iPhone provides a extra saturated picture however it’s not practically as sharp.
Winner: Xiaomi 14 Extremely
At 5x, the place each telephones can use devoted zoom lenses, there’s not a lot distinction between them. There appears to be a bit extra texture to the Xiaomi’s picture although, particularly within the bricks.
Winner: Xiaomi 14 Extremely
The Xiaomi’s get together trick is its 120x zoom vary, which I display above with a number of pictures of the Camden Lock bridge. I am astonished at how good all the things seems even on the full 120x magnification, though it took a number of tries and the assist of a close-by streetlamp to regular myself sufficient to get the shot you see right here.
We finish the comparisons as all the time with a selfie portrait. The Xiaomi cellphone’s utilized some skin-smoothing beautification to my face, which suggests it is much less correct to my precise look however is probably a worthwhile function to maintain enabled to your social media posts’ sake. Each telephones have performed a wonderful portrait impact, although I benefit from the iPhone’s blurrier default bokeh extra. And each have missed the mark with my hair. It is too darkish within the Xiaomi picture, and too mild within the iPhone’s on this occasion.
Winner: Draw
It was for this that I appreciated the digital camera accent package probably the most, because it makes it simpler to maintain a secure grip on the cellphone when attempting to zoom in. Zooming in’s additionally made simpler by the camera-style sliding swap, as you need not alter the best way you maintain the cellphone such as you would should you wanted to make use of the on-screen contact controls.
Verdict
It is protected to say the Xiaomi 14 Extremely is a really succesful digital camera cellphone, even with out diving into superior options like its totally adjustable essential digital camera aperture or its in-depth Professional controls for picture and video. Its zoom talents are astonishing, and the colour you get from its pictures makes the iPhone look drab at factors. About the one weak spot is the way it processes the shadows in its pictures, one thing the iPhone has no concern with. Nonetheless, the Xiaomi received this face-off after tallying up the wins, successful or drawing 5 occasions in comparison with the iPhone’s 4.
Regardless of the Xiaomi’s nice exhibiting on this evaluation, I believe the iPhone 15 Professional Max continues to be the higher digital camera cellphone alternative for many customers. Apart from the dearth of availability for American consumers being a difficulty, the Xiaomi’s very costly, even for a flagship cellphone. And as cellphone cameras are primarily meant for use for point-and-shoot functions (no less than to me), the iPhone nonetheless deserves its high spot on our greatest digital camera telephones information, together with different flagship telephones just like the Galaxy S24 Extremely or Pixel 8 Professional, which observe the identical philosophy.
However should you’d quite your cellphone cater to a deeper enthusiasm for images, appearing extra as a pocketable DSLR, the Xiaomi 14 Extremely could fulfill that want higher than the rest on sale proper now.