Xiaomi 18 Pro camera test in Beijing

Note: This feature was first published on 28 September 2026.

We have already written about the Xiaomi 18 Pro and its Leica-branded camera system (read about it here), but those specifications only tell part of the story. The phone has a 200-megapixel main camera, a second 200MP periscope telephoto camera and a 50MP ultra-wide one. The telephoto offers a 75mm-equivalent focal length and 3.2x optical zoom, with Xiaomi also claiming up to 12.8x lossless zoom.

I had a day in Beijing to take the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max out for a photo walk, starting at the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall before heading back into the city. The weather had other ideas, unfortunately. It rained for much of the day, while the flat, overcast sky was hardly the sort of backdrop that makes outdoor photographs look their best.

There is another caveat. My phone was an engineering sample, not a final retail unit, so its camera tuning and software may change. Consider this an early look rather than a final camera review.

Xiaomi 18 Pro versus iPhone 18 Pro

Probably the question that I get asked all the time: Does this – insert non-Apple brand – phone take better pictures than an iPhone? Well, since I also carried an iPhone 18 Pro with me, what better opportunity to take some comparison shots for this trip. Okay, but let’s be clear that this is not a comprehensive shootout. Some were taken with different lenses, orientations or framing, while conditions could change between shots.

The comparison photographs are presented as they came from both phones, without further processing. In this limited sample, Xiaomi generally favoured stronger colours, more contrast and brighter shadows. At the Chagee shop across the lake in Shichahai, its trees and reflections looked richer and more dramatic. The iPhone was more restrained, with greens closer to what I remember seeing.

The same difference appeared at the Juyongguan Great Wall. Looking down the steps, Xiaomi lifted the foreground and made the vegetation livelier. The iPhone retained more hazy separation between the distant ridges. Neither is necessarily wrong: Xiaomi gives you the more immediately attractive photograph, while Apple just wants to be as neutral as possible.

The upward-facing pair is less comparable because the iPhone used its ultra-wide camera in portrait orientation, while the Xiaomi image was landscape (sorry, my bad!). Even so, Xiaomi made the steps and visitors easier to see but left much of the sky white. The iPhone preserved more cloud definition, although the wall became considerably darker.

At the National Stadium (aka the Bird’s Nest), the result went the other way. Xiaomi’s image was cooler and darker across the wet plaza. The iPhone made the people and foreground easier to see without losing the stadium’s structure, producing the more balanced photograph.

This sample is too small and inconsistent to declare a winner. It does show that the Xiaomi already has a recognisable, punchier look, while the iPhone generally takes a more neutral approach. Is one necessarily better than the other? It’s your preference.

How far can the telephoto camera go?

Juyongguan was useful for testing Xiaomi’s zoom range too. Starting with a wider view, I gradually zoomed towards a distant watchtower. At the lower settings, the wall, trees and tower remained well defined, and the telephoto isolated features that would disappear into a wide photograph.

At higher magnifications, the building and individual visitors remained visible. Look closely, however, and the limitations are obvious. Roof tiles, stonework and people lose fine detail, with edges becoming blocky and heavily processed beyond the camera’s optical reach.

That is not unusual for smartphone digital zoom, and I would rather have the option still. The 3.2x telephoto range is where Xiaomi feels most comfortable; the extreme settings aren’t going to be very practical anyway.

More sample photos

The remaining photos (click to expand the gallery) below were lightly processed with small changes to exposure, highlights, shadows, white balance and contrast. Nothing was added or removed. Several used the camera’s 200MP mode, providing more room for cropping should you choose to do so.

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Xiaomi 18 Pro photos

Quick impressions

One rainy day with an engineering sample does not qualify for a definitive verdict, but I’m curious how much Xiaomi will refine the exposure and processing post-launch in China and its eventual global launch. Its enthusiastic colour and shadow treatment can make a dull scene livelier, but I thought it occasionally goes a bit too far. I guess we won’t have to wait too long to find out, as Xiaomi Singapore has confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Pro series will go on sale later this year.