Mobile World Congress 2024 is full of new products with countless phones, tablets and wearables unveiled in Barcelona. But to my surprise, my favorite piece of kit is an accessory.
The gadget in question is Xiaomi’s Photography Kit for the Xiaomi 14 Ultra smartphone and is a dream come true for budding photographers and videographers.
I’ve thought about getting a real camera, mainly to take pictures of my daughter, but I might not need it now, especially if I can combine it with my phone.
It’s not like we’ve never seen anything like this before, but it’s strangely rare considering how many smartphones have incredible camera gear in your pocket.
The main part of the photography kit is a camera grip that attaches to the end of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, turning the phone into a real camera.
Chris Martin / Foundry
It has a two-stage shutter release (which you can press and hold to wake the camera), a zoom lever, and a video record button that you can customize. It will also help you, with a wrist strap, avoid dropping the handset while keeping the camera more stable and make full use of its four rear cameras, including a 1-inch sensor.
However, the kit contains much more than that. The USB-C connection to the phone not only sends button signals, but a 1,500 mAh battery will help you keep shooting for longer. Additionally, you can charge the phone without having to remove the handle.
The camera grip slides over a case, which is a shame, adding weight and covering up the 14 Ultra’s nano-tech vegan leather back cover. It locks to prevent it from coming loose.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Xiaomi offers a white model with a leather effect, but the black edition you see pictured here has a plastic “woven texture”. It looks and feels quite nice and should also be durable.
We’re not even done since the photography kit also comes with a decorative ring that snaps around the camera module for a flash of color. More useful, however, will be the 67mm polarizing filter which “can enhance your creations by meeting a wide range of professional needs, achieving richer shooting effects.” according to the firm.
You can buy the photography kit now for £179 or if you pre-order the Xiaomi 14 Ultra before March 18, it will come bundled with a Xiaomi Pad 6 and other items for free.
Check out what else Xiaomi announced at MWC 2024 and we spent 24 hours with the standard Xiaomi 14.
