1 day Ago By Korea Bizwire
iPhone 16 series (Image courtesy of Yonhap) SEOUL, March 31 (Korea Bizwire) — As smartphone makers from Samsung and Apple to Xiaomi roll out their latest flagship models, one feature takes center stage: increasingly sophisticated cameras that edge closer to rivaling professional-grade DSLRs. Xiaomi’s recently released Xiaomi 15 Ultra has sparked particular buzz in tech circles this month, following its debut at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 under the tagline “A New Standard for Mobile Cameras.” Early users have dubbed it “a camera with smartphone capabilities,” pointing to its bold ambition to rival dedicated digital cameras.
Launched in South Korea on March 25, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra includes a quad-lens system mirroring DSLR optics: a 14mm ultra-wide, 23mm one-inch main sensor, 70mm telephoto, and 100mm periscope lens—enabling zoom capabilities up to 200mm. An attachable “photography kit,” complete with a physical shutter button, adds to the camera-like experience. Samsung, meanwhile, has equipped its Galaxy S25 series—released earlier this year—with cutting-edge sensors: a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP 5x zoom.
It also offers a robust editing experience via its Expert RAW app and features such as a virtual aperture. At MWC 2025, Choi Sung-dae, Executive VP of Samsung’s MX division, emphasized the brand’s multipronged approach: “We aim to serve users who want full manual control, one-click simplicity, or professional-level editing.” Samsung and Apple (Image courtesy of Yonhap) Samsung is also expanding the Galaxy S25′s AI-enhanced camera features, such as Best Face , across older models like the S24, Z Fold/Flip 5 and 6, and A56 series, via its unified AI platform, One UI 7 .
Apple, too, spotlighted camera capabilities in its iPhone 16 series, released last year. A new camera control button allows quick launch and precise adjustments to settings like exposure and depth of field. Even its mid-tier iPhone 16e features a 48MP camera, previously reserved for premium models.
Despite these advances, experts remain skeptical about smartphones fully replacing DSLRs anytime soon. While smartphones have already rendered compact “point-and-shoot” cameras largely obsolete, DSLRs still offer superior color depth and image quality, particularly when photos are enlarged or printed. “The shallow depth of field unique to DSLRs is still hard for smartphones to replicate accurately,” said one smartphone industry insider.
“Digital simulation can’t fully match the physical optics.” Interestingly, this smartphone surge may be fueling interest in high-end mirrorless cameras, as consumers grow more invested in photography. Camera makers report a drop in unit sales but a rise in revenue as buyers seek more advanced models.
Still, the technological arms race is closing the gap. Samsung, for example, is training its AI models on over 200,000 professional photos to enhance depth simulation and blur effects—hinting that DSLR-level image quality may one day fit in your pocket. Leica, the storied German camera brand, has also adapted to this shift.
After partnering with Huawei in 2016, it has now collaborated with Xiaomi to co-develop the camera system for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, signaling a growing synergy between legacy camera craftsmanship and mobile innovation. As smartphones continue to evolve, one thing is clear: the battle for photographic supremacy is far from over—and the lines between phone and camera are blurrier than ever. Kevin Lee ( kevinlee@koreabizwire.
com ).
