Leica presents Leitz Phone 3 with 1-inch sensor and 240 Hz display

Camera manufacturer Leica has been working with Xiaomi in the smartphone sector for some time. The current camera flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra also features a Leica camera with a 1-inch sensor. But Leica also manufactures its own smartphones. With the Leitz Phone 3, the company has now presented a new model with a 1-inch sensor and a 240 Hz display.

The Leitz Phone 3 from Leica in detail

The cult manufacturer’s third smartphone is now called the Leitz Phone 3 and was initially presented exclusively for the Japanese market, where the device is due to be launched in April 2024. The flagship is, of course, the camera setup, which has it all.

The wide-angle camera has a resolution of 47.2 megapixels and uses a 1-inch CMOS image sensor with an aperture of f/1.9. It offers an equivalent focal length of 19mm and relies on Octa PDAF for precise and fast focusing, even in poor lighting conditions.

However, the new Leica smartphone does not have any other rear cameras. Neither an ultra-wide-angle nor telephoto camera are available. However, there is of course a front camera in a punch hole with a resolution of 12.6 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.3.

The Leitz Phone 3 inherits the “Leica Perspective Control” software function from the Leica cameras, which can correct falling lines. This is particularly suitable for architectural photography. A gyroscope measures the angle at which the camera is held during the shot. An algorithm then calculates the correction data, after which a preview of the straightened lines is displayed. The algorithm only works in JPG files. DNG images (in RAW format), which can also be created, remain unaffected.

The so-called Leitz looks are intended to simulate well-known lenses from the manufacturer such as the Noctilux-M 1:1.2/50 mm, Summilux-M 1:1.4/28 mm and Summilux-M 1:1.4/35 mm and adjust the bokeh effect of the photos, as variable aperture effects from f/1.2 or f/1.4 to f8 can be selected here.

However, this is obviously only done on the software side. However, the Leica smartphone does not offer a real variable aperture, as found in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The manufacturer also promises that the image quality of the Leitz Looks has been significantly improved.

For example, the representation of headlights in shape and color, object segmentation and color simulation data have been improved to deliver an even more realistic image. The Leitz Phone 3 also introduces the Leica Tones Vivid and Enhanced. Vivid produces more vivid and dynamic colors, while Enhanced increases contrast and brightens shadows.

Fast display and reasonably modern features

The Leitz Phone 3, which weighs 209 grams and is available in Leica Black, has a 6.6-inch Sharp IGZO OLED display with a resolution of 2,730 x 1,260 pixels and a refresh rate of a whopping 240 Hz. It is up to 2,000 nits bright and offers a pixel density of 480 ppi.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is not the latest chip under the hood, but it should still offer more than enough power. Leica provides it with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of UFS 4.0 system memory, which can be expanded using a microSD card.

Leica has integrated a fingerprint sensor into the display, as well as NFC, a 3.5 mm jack connection and Wi-Fi 6 with Bluetooth 5.3. The battery has a capacity of 5,000 mAh and is charged via USB-C. Thanks to the IPX5/8 and IP6X rating, the device is also both waterproof and dustproof.

Price and availability

Like its predecessors, the Leitz Phone 3 from Leica will be released exclusively in Japan on April 19, 2024. Whether the device will also make it to Europe is currently just as unclear as the price, which Leica is not revealing. Additional details can be found on the official website.