Xiaomi 14 Ultra 发布，官宣张艺谋任影像首席指导
On February 22, 2024, Xiaomi held a new product launch event with the theme of "New Level" to officially launch the Xiaomi 14 Ultra mobile phone. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is Xiaomi's most powerful imaging flagship ever, featuring a full-range Leica optical large-aperture quad camera, a second-generation one-inch stepless variable aperture main camera, and the world's first AI large-scale computational photography architecture Xiaomi AISP. It also integrates Xiaomi's cutting-edge technology: Xiaomi Dragon Armor architecture to bring all-round reliability upgrades, Xiaomi GSR battery to break through the energy limit, reconstruct the communication system to improve the all-scenario connection experience, and equipped with two-way satellite communication to ensure far-reaching communication. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra will go on sale on February 27, starting at 6,499 yuan.
Xiaomi × Leica Institute for Optics to create a "new level" of mobile optics
From the Xiaomi 12S Ultra's "original Leica image" to the Xiaomi 13 Ultra's "miniaturization of optical lenses", Xiaomi's global imaging collaboration with Leica is a bellwether for the evolution of mobile imaging. Today, the cooperation between Xiaomi and Leica officially enters the third chapter. Xiaomi believes that images should record real people and the world, and reality is brought about by rich layers. The goal of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is to make the real layered: it should be rich in detail and excessively delicate, and it should be clear about the priority and priority, and the distance and the near should be clear, and through good technology and aesthetics, it will restore the richness of life and thus point to the hearts of people.
Optics is the core track of mobile imaging, and only by going deep into the bottom positive research and development can we maintain the independent R&D and design capabilities of new technologies and new products in the field of mobile imaging for a long time. In order to create a leading mobile imaging optical system, Xiaomi and Leica jointly established the "Xiaomi × Leica Optical Research Institute", and the two parties will invest more than 200 interdisciplinary experts to continue to deepen their efforts in the core technology field and establish the most stringent and highest-specification "mobile imaging optical standard" in history.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is equipped with a state-of-the-art optical system, which can be called the "Summilux Mirror King of the New Optical Era of Mobile Photography": the maximum aperture of the main camera is f/1.63, the combined light intake is 136% of the previous generation, and the aperture of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is 205% that of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The wide aperture brings more light in and the optical depth of field effect is direct, allowing for a wide range of spatial layers. All four lenses feature the highest coating process to date with tight control of chromatic dispersion and distortion, and the most sophisticated lens light path design and MTF curve top grid mean you can produce natural, true-to-life high-quality photos without sharpening.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is equipped with a Leica All-Star Quad Camera, which works with ISZ's extended focal length capability to achieve full focal length coverage from 12mm to 240mm. The main camera is equipped with Sony's LYT-900 second-generation one-inch sensor, which jumps to 22nm with a 43% reduction in power consumption, and a native dynamic range of up to 14EV, which is 9.5 times that of the IMX989, so that the rich light and dark details in the picture are fully preserved. The main camera adopts a stepless variable aperture design, which is driven by a high-precision motor to achieve more freedom of exposure and depth of field control. The dual telephoto lenses seamlessly cover the core shooting scenes of 3.2X-10X, and the comprehensive light intake is the industry's leading in the same focal length, and all of them have close-up shooting capabilities, which completely solves the common problem of "falling back main camera" in low-light and close-up scenes of imaging flagships. They use the same Sony IMX858 sensor as the native low-distortion ultra-wide-angle lens, which works seamlessly with the LYT-900 for the best multi-camera consistency.
The first AI large-scale computational photography platform, defining a "new level" of images in the future
The massive amount of raw information captured by the excellent optical system puts forward higher requirements for the data throughput capacity of the image pipeline. Thanks to the underlying empowerment of Xiaomi's surging OS, Xiaomi's computational photography capabilities have achieved a comprehensive leap forward on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra: the Xiaomi imaging brain has been fully reconstructed into Xiaomi AISP, which is fully connected to the Xiaomi surging OS AI subsystem, becoming the world's first AI large-scale model computational photography platform.
Xiaomi AISP will replace Xiaomi Image Brain and support a new algorithm system for computational photography in the next decade. Powered by the powerful AI subsystem of Xiaomi's surging OS, Xiaomi AISP can fully call on the computing power of all computing modules of the SoC except the ISP, with a cumulative maximum of 60TOPS. The powerful computing power has laid a good foundation for the continuous evolution of the algorithm. Based on this, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is equipped with the new Fusion LM large model fusion optical algorithm. Different from the "crop-blend" mode of traditional multi-frame HDR, Fusion LM analyzes the raw light intensity information of each RAW image and each pixel to stitch together a RAW image with a data volume of up to 21 bits within the computing pipeline, surpassing the upper limit of traditional algorithms, solving problems such as light and dark reversal, color faults, and edge halos, so that the light and dark transitions of photos are smooth and the color levels are natural.
Powered by powerful computing power and advanced algorithms, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra brings three industry-leading imaging capability upgrades: Ultra RAW Super Negative, Ultra Snap Super Capture, and Ultra Zoom (Beta) Super Long Zoom. Ultra RAW directly extracts massive amounts of raw data from Xiaomi's AISP pipeline, resulting in the largest amount of data in the mobile world to date: with up to 16-bit linear color depth, 50 million pixels, and 16EV native dynamic range, the original film can be pulled back to correct exposure during post-processing, even if the original film is underexposed or overexposed. Ultra RAW is lab-calibrated by Adobe for better compatibility with software like Adobe Lightroom, which is commonly used by professional photographers. Ultra Snap Super Capture benefits from the powerful computing power of Xiaomi AISP, which can achieve up to 150 full-algorithm, high-quality continuous captures. Ultra Zoom is the industry's first ultra-long zoom feature built with an AI model, which invokes the AI model to redraw the original optical data with high accuracy when shooting at ultra-high magnification of 30X or more, significantly improving image clarity.
Zhang Yimou is the chief director of imaging, leading the "new level" of aesthetics of the times
Sufficient raw data and a high-throughput computing pipeline can only guarantee a technically perfect image. Humanistic images record the stories that happened in each era, and they need to have an aesthetic that keeps pace with the times. In the past two years, Xiaomi has built its own image aesthetic with the century-old Leica as its teacher, and the companionship of street photography masters and photography enthusiasts around the world. Xiaomi solemnly invited the prestigious Chinese film director Zhang Yimou to serve as the chief director of the film, and jointly discussed how to use images to tell the story of this era. With this, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has achieved a leap forward in image aesthetics based on the innovation of "optical" and "computing" technologies.
Portraits are key scenes that test the level. Excessive processing of portraits has always been a stubborn industry disease that is difficult to cure, and excessive dermabrasion that ignores details and global blur that lacks depth have been criticized by users. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra relies on powerful technology and advanced aesthetics to systematically reconstruct the portrait mode to achieve a cinematic portrait level. Xiaomi AISP has a built-in independent algorithm module "Portrait LM", which is different from the "function-oriented" design idea of the traditional portrait mode, which imitates the creative thinking of photography masters: lighting and enhancing the portrait subject, modeling and simulating the light path and bokeh shape of the physical lens on the portrait background, and imitating the operation mode of professional retouchers in post-editing, so that the light and shadow transitions of the face are three-dimensional and realistic, the blur light spots look natural, and the transition between the front, middle and back scenes presents a gradual sense like a movie lens.
Not only photos, but also videos should be layered. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra draws on the aesthetics of cinematic color grading with a new "Master Shoot" mode that delivers cinematic video depths. Leveraging the capabilities of the LYT-900 sensor, Master Shoot captures 14EV high dynamic range and presents a wealth of picture information in cinematic specifications: it supports 10-bit color depth, BT.2020 color gamut, and is encapsulated in HLG HDR format with up to 4K resolution, bringing rich details and realistic light and shadow perception. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also gets a huge boost to its video fundamentals and shooting experience: it unlocks unlimited 8K 30FPS UHD video recording and 4K 120FPS high frame rate video recording, with support for up to 4K 60FPS continuous zoom capability, and a 4-MIC array for clean, spatial sound recording with focus tracking.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra's much-praised street mode has been upgraded with extended support for the classic focal lengths of 85mm and 135mm, and a super viewfinder that pays homage to the classic rangefinder camera, making it easier for photographers to judge the composition. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra brings a new professional photography kit with an ergonomic design that connects to the phone via the Type-C port, a built-in 1500mAh battery to recharge the phone in emergency situations, and a new video button and dial that support custom functions and a close-hand layout to facilitate the photographer's muscle memory and greatly improve the control experience. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra Pro Photography Combo still supports the 67mm filter adapter and features an interchangeable lens rim design to make a statement.
Ultra is not only an image, but also a centralized review of Xiaomi's hard-core technology
Imaging is the soul of the Xiaomi Ultra lineup, but it's by no means the whole story. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra debuts a number of innovative technologies that provide users with an uncompromising experience.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra debuts the Xiaomi Dragon Armor architecture, and the body frame, screen cover, and back cover are all made of Xiaomi's most advanced materials and processes to date to create the strongest reliability of the whole device. The middle frame is designed with a CNC all-in-one metal frame and 6M42 high-strength aluminum material, which is 2 times stronger than the Xiaomi 14 Pro. The screen adopts a full contour slightly curved form, which ensures that the display content is not distorted at the same time, and improves the stability of control and holding, and the surface is covered by Xiaomi dragon crystal glass, and the drop resistance is 10 times higher than that of ordinary glass. The surface of the back cover is also made of high-strength material: the new Conapi has 6 times more abrasion resistance than the previous generation, and has significantly improved its resistance to yellowing and dirt, and has passed the five-star durability certification of SGS for the first time. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra's much-loved ceramic back is back in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and the "Dragon Crystal Blue" version is made of Xiaomi Dragon Crystal ceramic, which maintains high strength and warm texture, while reducing the weight by half compared to traditional ceramic. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is only 9.2mm thick, and the Dragon Crystal Blue version is as light as 229.5g, and the Conapi version is even lighter at 224.4g.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra debuted the Xiaomi GSR battery, breaking the "impossible triangle" of mobile phone batteries through technological innovation, allowing for a combination of larger capacity, smaller size and longer life. For the first time, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's GSR battery achieves a high silicon content of 6% and an energy density of up to 779Wh/L in a silicon-carbon anode battery, resulting in a capacity of up to 5,300mAh, an increase of 300mAh compared to the previous generation, while reducing the size by 8%, and maintaining 80% life after 1,600 cycles. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has a measured battery life of 1.58 days in the internal DOU battery life model, and supports both 90W wired and 80W wireless second charging, ensuring that users feel safe and secure.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra completely reimagines the communication system to create a cornerstone of connectivity for the "whole ecosystem of people, vehicles, and homes". Thanks to the special mid-frame shape, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has an antenna radiation area far superior to that of competing products, and the comprehensive antenna performance is up to 91% higher than that of the previous generation. Xiaomi's self-developed Surging T1 signal enhancement chip allows the antenna to maximize performance in different scenarios, with measured cellular performance increased by up to 37% and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth performance increased by up to 16%. The Xiaomi Surging OS comprehensively reconstructs the network subsystem to greatly improve communication efficiency, and at the same time, it is connected to the AI subsystem, which can actively perceive the user's daily route and self-learn the status of the base station, so that the communication experience is better and better. In response to overseas travel needs, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has enhanced its global roaming capabilities, and the time it takes to land at overseas airports is as low as 4 seconds.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also supports two-way satellite communication for the first time in a Xiaomi product. The Xiaomi Surging T1 Signal Booster chip boosts the satellite communication signal by 21%, ensuring a stable connection over long distances. After measurement, the indicators such as star search, connection, and call delay are significantly better than those of competitors. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also takes into account the needs of emergency communication in extreme scenarios: it supports extreme battery life mode and SOS mode to ensure that you can still call for help through satellite communication in extreme scenarios such as low battery and touch screen failure, and it also supports real-time acquisition of key vital sign data from wearable devices and sending them with distress SMS. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra can also be equipped with an optional satellite amplifier accessory, which doubles the signal after connection and improves communication capabilities in extreme environments.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is powered by the third-generation Snapdragon 8 flagship processor, which delivers peak performance and superior power efficiency. The "Dual Annular Cold Pump" cooling technology has been upgraded to add a new circulation path for the camera module to improve the heat dissipation capacity in long-term continuous shooting scenes. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra comes with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of UFS4.0 storage, and supports FBO storage refreshment, with USB 3.2 Gen2 interface, transfer rates up to 10Gbps, and DisplayPort video output up to 4K 60Hz.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra has three regular versions: black, white, and dragon crystal blue, and offers a variety of memory versions to choose from, including 12GB+256GB priced at 6499 yuan, 16GB+512GB priced at 6999 yuan, and 16GB+1TB priced at 7799 yuan. At the same time, it brings the Xiaomi 14 Ultra Titanium Special Edition, which is made of TC-4 titanium material, with a yield strength of up to 900MPa, and is injection molded through the MIM process, with 16GB+1TB large memory, priced at 8799 yuan. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be available for pre-order on February 27 and the Titanium Special Edition on March 12. With its all-round leap forward in imaging capabilities and technological prowess, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is sure to be a new milestone for the flagship of the Xiaomi Ultra series, which is worthy of everyone who loves to record life and create on the go!