Xiaomi 17 Ultra to get a monstrous telephoto lens! It is said to have variable focal length and 200MP resolution

Telephoto lenses in mobile phones are nothing new – Samsung, Apple, Google, Oppo, and Vivo all have them as standard in their flagships. However, they usually have a fixed focal length – you either have 2× zoom, or 3×, or 5×. Xiaomi is now reportedly preparing something different: a zoom with a variable focal length of 70-100mm, which should function like classic zoom lenses on cameras. And that’s already more interesting.

Fixed vs. Variable Focal Length

Most of today’s phones with telephoto lenses have a fixed zoom. For example, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has 3× and 5× zoom, but between these values, it must use digital magnification. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra should allow for smooth zooming between 70 and 100mm – roughly 3× to 4.5× – without loss of quality.

This is similar to what the Sony Xperia 1 VII does with continuous zoom between 3.5× and 7.1×. However, Sony “only” has 48 MPx, while Xiaomi, according to the leak, is set to use a 200MPx sensor like last year. Theoretically, this means more details and better options for digital magnification beyond 100mm.

Parameters: f/2.3-3.0 and what it means

According to Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, the zoom has these parameters:

• Aperture: f/2.3 at 70mm, f/3.0 at 100mm
• Leica optics
• 200MPx resolution

Variable aperture (worse at maximum zoom) is typical for zoom lenses – the more you zoom in, the less light reaches the sensor. For comparison, fixed telephoto lenses in current flagships usually have f/2.0 to f/2.8. F/3.0 at 100mm is not ideal for night photography, but for a variable zoom, it’s an understandable compromise.

Built-in Periscope or External Attachment?

This is where the ambiguity begins. A firmware code leak indicated four rear cameras, which would correspond to a classic setup with a built-in periscope. But now there’s also talk of the possibility of an external attachment, similar to the Oppo Find X9 Pro or Vivo X300 Pro.

If it were an attachment, it would be a much more sophisticated system than the competition – they only have simple teleconverters. But at the same time, it would mean you’d have to carry an extra piece of hardware, which isn’t entirely practical.

A third option is a built-in periscope zoom with a variable focal length, like Sony has. That would be an elegant solution, but technically challenging – can complex optics with moving elements fit into a phone’s body?

When will we know more?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to be unveiled in December 2025 or January 2026 – the certification process is already underway. Until then, these are speculations based on test samples, so final specifications may still change.

A variable focal length would be an interesting improvement – most users are content with 3-5× zoom anyway, so having smooth magnification in this range makes sense. However, it must function reliably and quickly.

Does variable zoom make sense to you, or would you prefer a fixed one with better aperture?

Source: Notebookcheck