Leica Leitz Phone 3 is more of a photographic gadget than a smartphone, but an interesting one.

Leica Leitz Phone 3 - a photographic beast from Japan

News comes from Japan about a smartphone and photography curiosity. The third generation of the smartphone debuts under the legendary photographic brand - Leica Leitz Phone 3.

Leica Leitz Phone 3 is manufactured by Sharp, but fully inspired by the legendary cameras. We can see the inspiration mainly in the casing, which refers to the appearance of iconic 35mm cameras - there is even a lens cover. The simplicity of the photographic set also refers to old cameras. Leica Leitz Phone 3 has a 12.6-megapixel selfie camera, with a 27 mm equivalent lens and f/2.3 aperture . At the back we have a rarity these days: only one camera, but a decent one. It has an inch matrix with a resolution of 47.2 megapixels and a lens with a focal length of 19 mm and an f/1.9 aperture. There is also a ToF sensor. It may not look very impressive, but it is supposed to provide unique experiences for photography lovers. The software includes a simulation of the legendary Noctilux-M 50 mm f/1.2, Sumilux-M 28 mm f/1.4 and Sumilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 lenses. Additionally, there are a number of creative filters and effects. There is also a special Leica Perspective Control algorithm that corrects image distortions - but there is no optical image stabilization system visible. It doesn't look like the best photographic smartphone on the market, but rather an eye-catching gadget for Leica lovers, of whom there are quite a few.

Leica Leitz Phone 3
photo: Softbank

Apart from photographic connotations, Leica Leitz Phone 3 offers a flagship specification, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 12+512 GB memory and battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh. There is also a 6.6-inch IGZO OLED display with a resolution of 1260 x 2730 pixels, brightness up to 2000 nits and a refresh rate of 240 Hz. Of course, the system is Android 14, and the housing is IP68 sealed. The price has not been determined yet, as the launch is only on April 16. Unfortunately, only in Japan.