One of the biggest improvements with the new T Series from Xiaomi is the new Xiaomi 15T Pro Telephoto Camera, as it now replaces the fixed telephoto for a periscope setup. What does this mean? Well, let’s talk all about it.

Xiaomi 15T Pro Telephoto Camera

Last year’s 14T Pro had a 60mm optical telephoto sensor, like the Xiaomi 15 telephoto sensor. And for the first time, ever, we are seeing a Periscope Telephoto Camera setup on the Xiaomi 15T Pro. Compared to a conventional optical telephoto sensor, which usually has a fixed focal length and relies on software for its zoom, and this is where the whole AI-hoohaa does the enhancing, the Periscope Telephoto Sensor is a much better camera to shoot photos of a further subject with better sharpness, clarity and colour retention.

Think of it this way, you have a camera body – and three prime lenses with 3 different focal lengths – 24mm, 50mm and 85mm. These are fixed focal lengths, and you can zoom or anything, you just have to make do with it – and that’s how the 14T Pro camera setup was.

The 15T Pro setup is different – you have two prime lenses and a zoom lens – in this case, the two primes are the ultrawide and main sensor, and the zoom is the Periscope telephoto as it now hits 115-240mm equivalent focal lengths by adjusting a physical glass in the telephoto system.

Checking out the samples

Just to do a quick highlight – you can see how the detail retention and colours are different with a fixed optical telephoto and periscope telephoto – because the latter has the ability to provide an optical zoom, similarly to a zoom-type lens, whereas the fixed optical lens has to leverage digital zoom.

Now, for those who love concerts, the Periscope Telephoto camera does a much better job than an optical camera. We couldn’t go to Tinashe’s concert in Singapore, but recently we shot these photos of Mimifly at an event, and you can see the following samples – I have to say that these are pretty well retained details under lowlight conditions, and I was expecting a completely different performance. The 115mm does a nice job, though the tone with this sensor appears to be more on the cold side than warm, which I hope to see get fixed in an update.

Punch it to 230mm; this is where you will notice the slight setback you will experience with ANY periscope telephoto camera, the softening of the edges, which is something we must live with for a slightly better photo. 115mm does a decent job over 230mm.

And of course, from where you shoot matters too – so, if you are doing a 115mm/230mm shoot in a short range, you can get amazing details like these lanterns, and if you want to do the usual skyscraper shots, then you get shots like this.

One thing I do love about the periscope telephoto setup is the depth separation – like in this image, where you can see the tree branches are in different focal planes, which gives a nice depth to be honest.

Overall, the entire camera setup with the T Series is getting better, though I am still holding out hopes for that Ultrawide to get better, but man, the telephoto sensor with the Periscope Optical setup is a step in the right direction. But of course, the software needs to improve, which can be done. Check out more photo samples below.

As for the rest

We have talked about the main sensor and the ultra-wide in our video, which you can watch, but the Xiaomi 15T Pro brings more improvements in other departments of the phone.

The 15T Pro feels more premium than last year’s 14T Pro. A sleek body follows a similar design language as the Xiaomi 15, with that nice curve at the right places, which is noticeable when you put it side by side. The Corning Gorilla Glass used here is the 7i, which is their cost-cutting measure to keep this phone in a more obtainable price point.

The display is actually “slightly” bigger than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra – coming at 6.83” with 1.5K resolution and pretty thin bezels too – in fact, the first time we see a very premium finish on a Xiaomi T Series, I feel. This time, it uses a Mediatek Dimensity 9400+, and the T Series has mostly been powered by MediaTek. Honestly, the hate has to stop, and the performance out of this one is actually pretty decent. And then you have a 5500mAh battery, support for 90W Charging, WiFi 7 and IP68.

All of this…

Xiaomi is pricing it starting from RM 2,699, and you get to pick between three different storage options, all the way up to 1TB. If you are really looking for a phone that hits the right mark with the camera at this price range, the Xiaomi 15T Pro is truly worth your consideration.

Open Sales Promotion

Currently, Xiaomi Malaysia is having a pretty amazing deal for customers who are going to purchase the Xiaomi 15T Pro and the 15T – which you can check it out below.

This article is brought to you by Xiaomi Malaysia.

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