India, March 12 -- Clicking photos and shooting videos is my favourite hobby, and in many ways it is also how I earn my bread. I genuinely believe that a camera has to inspire you to take images. At least, that is how it works for me. I do not care much about specifications, nor about the marketing narratives that brands build around their cameras. This holds true whether it is a phone or a dedicated camera.

You can see this reflected in the cameras I have chosen for my own work. The Sigma fp, the Sony RX100 IV and the Canon 70D are not necessarily the most conventional choices, yet each of them inspired me to refine my craft. And now, after spending the weekend with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, I can say that it inspired me as well.

So while I...