Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition: Is the master zoom ring a gimmick or true zoom control?

Xiaomi is releasing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in China today on Christmas Day 2025, but it is the Leica Edition that is keeping all the initial interest, courtesy of a genuinely unique camera option, that is a physical zoom ring integrated into the phone itself. Is this a genuinely unique camera option that positions it as a flagship camera smartphone? Rather than swiping the screen, this exactly is a Master Zoom Ring, which allows you to spin around a mechanical circular ring on the camera component, thereby controlling zoom in the way a physical camera lens does, which begs a real question to photography lovers and even those compelled by technology: Is it actually raising interest among mobile photography enthusiasts and tech-savvy users? Is this just clever marketing, or does it mark the dawn of a new era of smartphone zoom control?

What is the master zoom ring on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica edition?

The Master Zoom Ring of the 17 Ultra Leica Edition of Xiaomi is not a gimmick in itself, but a solid first in the direction of having manual zoom control in smartphones. Xiaomi supports physical hardware (a mechanical ring that can directly power optical zoom) to allow the user to adjust focal length with an experience similar to the act of rotating a lens barrel, because it is physical and mechanical in operation. It is also particularly valuable among the creators who aim to create accurate frames and transitions, as opposed to having to use sliders only using fingers. Although it is not as detailed as the controls available on more specific cameras, it adds a degree of physical interaction as offered by most smartphones, which makes it an interesting feature to photographers and not a marketing gimmick. This makes the Xiaomi 17 Ultra one of the first examples of a physical zoom ring smartphone.

The Master Zoom Ring by Xiaomi is placed around the huge circular back camera and this is activated as a mini lens barrel that is part of the phone. It is not merely a cosmetic ring or a sham-like texture - it actually rotates and is physically connected with the telephoto system of zoom, allowing the users to change focal length not pinching on the screen, but twisting the ring. The action is mechanical and designed to replicate the feel and control of having a dedicated camera, particularly to users who prefer to have the precision of framing and control in manual composition. Unlike traditional touchscreen zoom, this redefines smartphone zoom control.

How the zoom ring works with the 200MP Periscope Telephoto

The Master Zoom Ring is inextricably mated with no-joking telephoto gear. Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition is equipped with one 200MP periscope lens that probably is a 1/1.4-inch Samsung HP9 to provide an actual constant optical zoom instead of discrete steps. It has the range of 75 mm to 100 mm focal length which would approximately be 3.2X to 4.3X optical zoom, where the aperture is f/2.39 at shorter end to about f/2.96 at longer end. It implies that as you spin the zoom ring, you are really adjusting the optics not merely within digital crops or discrete lenses providing a greater amount of perspective, compression and background blur. This approach strengthens Xiaomi’s position in the Leica camera phone segment making it one of the most advanced optical zoom smartphones so far.

Why a physical zoom ring could matter for smartphone photography

A physical zoom ring also provides something the users are not used to have on a phone like muscle memory and fine control. Rather than needing to tap small sliders or attempting to position the preview precisely on a focal length via a swipe, designers are able to turn the ring to refine the composition in a shot. This may be of particular benefit to:

• Photographers who would rather reframe just in one glance and not resort to look away.

• Portrait shooters who prefer to move the micro adjustments between 75 mm to 100 mm to obtain the appropriate compression.

• Those who want to have it under controlled zoom movements and not jump-cut type, with a better cinematic feel.

• This level of control appeals strongly to users seeking a true flagship camera smartphone experience.

That is, Xiaomi is attempting to bridge the wide-varying part between phone camera and camera that will occur to be a phone, and the zoom ring is the physical aspect that brings those two domains together.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica edition:Leaning fully into the camera identity

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition even goes fewer steps further with its camera-first identity being visualised. It has increased branding of Leica, with a raised and three-dimensional red Leica dot, and a more elaborate finish around the camera island. The Leica Edition reflects Xiaomi’s broader push in Xiaomi camera innovation.The basic design is no different than the typical Xiaomi 17 Ultra because it has a central circle-shaped camera, but the Leica Edition obviously is more inclined to the aesthetic and the feel of a full-fledged camera. Combined with the Master Zoom Ring, the entire rear of the phone sends only one message: this phone is made for the individuals who approach mobile photography with seriousness.

Will the zoom ring trend catch on – or stay a niche experiment?

By launching the Master Zoom Ring, Xiaomi is indicating that the 17 Ultra Leica Edition is more than a cosmetic edition, that is an exclusive edition that focuses on consumers that need more than taps and sliders in order to create a shot. The question of whether this feature becomes a larger trend or is a niche experiment will be determined by the nature of its performance in the real world - how comfortable the ring is to feel, how accurate the zoom control is, and whether users and critics will feel that it does indeed enhance the shooting experience. If successful, this could influence how future smartphone zoom control systems are designed. Should it come, the other brands will be forced to reconsider the extent of physical control which they could be prepared to revert to the touch-sensitive environment of smartphone cameras.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.