Leica Camera announced a new Leitz Phone 3 smartphone. The new model will be available exclusively only in Japan. The phone was designed in cooperation with Sharp and will be available through Softbank – the leading provider of information and communications technology in Japan. Additional information:
On sale exclusively in Japan starting April 2024.
Leica Camera AG introduces its Leitz Phone 3 today. The newest and third smartphone from the renowned camera manufacturer features enhanced imaging as well as additional unique functionality, such as the new Leitz Looks and a “variable aperture”. With this visually stunning smartphone, Leica Camera AG writes another chapter in the company’s over 100-year history and once again affirms its commitment to the highest degree of technical innovation. The Leitz Phone 3 will be available exclusively in Japan starting April 19.
New iconic design
The Leica brand is inextricably linked with photography and quality. Over the last century, it has established a unique connection between the user and camera. Based on this legacy, continuous improvements have been undertaken to align the Leitz Phone series more thoroughly with the Leica brand.
Inspired by the iconic Leica cameras, the housing of the new model exemplifies Leica’s passion for concentrating on the essentials through uniquely functional aesthetics and feel. The back has a premium polyacrylic texture, emulating the feeling of holding a high-quality Leica camera in your hands.
The device’s iconic design is also mirrored in the user interface and experience. The widgets have been rearranged, making the entire layout even clearer and more user friendly. This means signature Leica features like the Golden Hour and LFI widgets are even easier to find and use.
The Golden Hour widget, which was developed exclusively for Leitz Phones, alerts the user to the hour before sunset and after sunrise. Light is particularly warm and perfectly suited for spectacular photos at this time. The LFI widget, which was also developed exclusively for Leitz Phones, continuously presents images from the Leica Fotografie International Gallery – the curated platform for Leica photographers worldwide.
Capture the moment like a pro
The centerpiece of Leica’s innovative phone is the rear camera system, which has a wide-angle lens with an effective resolution of 47.2 megapixels (MP) and a 1-inch CMOS image sensor. With Octa Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) for quick and precise focusing, impressive photos can be taken even under difficult lighting conditions. The front camera has 12.6 MP and a large field of view of 78°. With an impressive aperture of f/2.3, it is ideal for selfies and video calls.
Professional pictures with “Leica Perspective Control”
“Leica Perspective Control”, a software feature that has only been available in Leica cameras until now, makes its premiere in a smartphone. It corrects the perspective of vertical falling lines, especially in architectural photography. A gyroscope measures the angle at which the camera is held while taking the picture. An algorithm then calculates the correction. The corrected image is then shown by means of a white rectangle with the new image frame. Professionals should note that the correction is only made in the JPG file. The Digital Negative Format (DNG) file remains unchanged.
The Leitz Phone 3 features a sleek and compact design, which is particularly user friendly. Weighing in at only 209 g, it achieves a perfect balance between form and function.
The powerful Qualcomm[1] Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 chipset is the beating heart of the Leitz Phone 3. Its high performance enables efficient multitasking and a smooth user experience.
Another distinguishing feature of the Leitz Phone 3 is the robust battery with 5000 mAh, which will power you through a full day of work and play. The fact that the device can also be charged wirelessly is an added bonus.
The new Leitz Looks and Leica Tones
A “variable aperture” for the Leitz Looks camera mode is another new feature. This simulates various aperture stops of the most popular Leica lenses: Noctilux-M 1:1.2/50 mm, Summilux-M 1:1.4/28 mm, and Summilux-M 1:1.4/35 mm. The bokeh effect of photos can be controlled with this exclusive software feature by selecting an aperture stop between f/1.2 or f/1.4 to f/8. With a total of six or seven aperture stops, depending on the lens, this feature offers a unique level of creative control in photography.
A key distinction of this device is its ability to simulate physical effects from each of the three Leica lenses from the M-System, resulting in breathtaking pictures.
User can discover an entire world of new artistic possibilities for mobile photography with bokeh, vignetting, and spotlight rendering, available only in the Leitz Phone 3.
With the Leitz Phone 3, the image quality in the Leitz Looks camera mode has been significantly enhanced:
Improved depiction of spotlights in form and color for realistic light effects.
Refined object segmentation for precise and impressive composition.
Improved Leica color simulation data to capture the essence of the legendary Leica color expertise.
The Leitz Phone 3 comes with the new Vivid and Enhanced Leica Tones. Vivid creates lively, dynamic colors and Enhanced increases contrast and lightens shadows. These have been added to the three existing tones – Monochrom, Cinema Classic, and Cinema Contemporary – which were all developed exclusively for the Leitz Phone.
New watermark improves branding
A new watermark adds your pictures an air of professionalism by showing important camera parameters, such as aperture, ISO, shutter speed, focal length, and the LEITZ logo. The device also keeps its promise of quality with respect to durability, showcasing an IP68 rating, which provides robust protection against dust and water ingress. This ensures that it can withstand a variety of environments, so that your memories can be captured no matter the conditions.
The Leitz Phone 3 features a Pro IGZO OLED display with a refresh rate of 240 Hz. The 6.6-inch display has a resolution of WUXGA+ (2730 × 1260) and shows pictures in vivid colors and with deep contrast. With a maximum brightness of 2000 nits and density of 480 dpi, images are clearly visible regardless of the lighting conditions.
The Leitz Phone 3 offers enough room for apps, photos, and videos with its 512 GB of lightning fast UFS 4.0 memory as well as up to 1 TB of memory extension via microSDXC and UHS-I support. Ample 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM ensure a smooth user experience.
