This Smartphone Looks Like a Classic Leica and Has a 35mm Main Camera
Chinese smartphone maker Nubia’s latest handheld, the Z70S Ultra, goes all in on a Leica-inspired photography experience. However, unlike some smartphones that have official Leica-engineered imaging systems and photo features, the Nubia Z70S Ultra is more of an homage, complete with Leica’s iconic red dot logo.
As Timothy Coleman of TechRadar cleverly says, the Z70S Ultra is a “look-a-Leica,” at least when customers opt for the Photographer Edition model, sometimes referred to as the Retro Kit. This kit has a leather case with a built-in grip for holding the phone like a compact camera, a full shutter release, two control dials, and even a shoe mount. Without this kit, the Nubia Z70S Ultra still has the same Leica-inspired style, at least in its Photographer Edition color way, but ditches all these extra camera-inspired physical controls.
In either scenario, the camera system is the same. The Nubia Z70S Ultra has an unusually long 35mm equivalent f/1.7 main camera (50-megapixel “Neo Master” Type 1/1.3), a 64-megapixel 70mm equivalent telephoto camera (Type 1/2), and a 50-megapixel 13mm equivalent ultra-wide camera with a small Type 1/2.88 sensor. These specs aren’t groundbreaking, but the phone is under $750, so it would be unreasonable to expect industry-leading features. The 35mm main camera and Photography Kit add-on are definitely differentiating factors, though.
By the way, there is also the Nubia Z70 Ultra — without the “S” — which is $40 less expensive. Beyond looking less like a Leica camera thanks to the lack of leather covering, there is not much difference between the devices. The telephoto and ultra-wide cameras are the same, but the standard Z70 Ultra trades out the “Neo Master” sensor for a 50-megapixel Sony IMX-series chip. Both have a 35mm equivalent lens, albeit one with an adjustable physical aperture (f/1.6-4) in the case of the standard Z70 Ultra. The Z70S Ultra also has a slightly larger battery and a more advanced version of Nebula AIOS, which is based on Android 15.
Both Z70 Ultra models have a 16-megapixel front-facing camera hidden beneath their 6.8-inch HDR displays. The panel has a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, which is quite bright. The Nubia Z70S Ultra runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.
Pricing and Availability
The Nubia Z70S Ultra is expected to ship on May 28. Nubia describes the Retro Kit for mobile photography as “coming soon” and does not disclose a price for the optional add-on. Complete details and purchasing options are available on Nubia’s global website, and yes, the Z70 Ultra series ships to the U.S.
Image credits: Nubia
