Best Windows Mobile Camera?

[peterkendrick]

Which Windows Mobile has the best cam? I am trying to experience Windows Mobile because of camera superiority over other phones I heard.

 

[MDK22]

Re: Is the Lumia 1520 still worth to buy??

Which Windows Mobile has the best cam? I am trying to experience Windows Mobile because of camera superiority over other phones I heard.

The BEST camera is on the long in the tooth Lumia 1020 ...

Followed by some very good cameras on the Lumia(s) 950XL, 950 & 1520.
I may have missed one (or 2) ...

 

[RumoredNow]

Which Windows Mobile has the best cam? I am trying to experience Windows Mobile because of camera superiority over other phones I heard.

What MDK22 said above... I'd also add Lumia 830 and 930 to the list.

Features you want to look for would be all of the following:

• Carl Zeiss Lens
• OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)
• PureView
• Ability to capture DNG (Digital NeGative)

Other considerations would be:

• f-stop
• flash type
• sensor size
• mega-pixel capacity of the sensor
• size of the pixels on the sensor

That said...

What do you plan on doing with it? Just as a camera? Do you want Windows Phone 8.1 or do you plan to test Windows 10 Mobile? If W10M do you want a built for W10M model or would you upgrade the device?

Are you interested in primarily capturing stills, or is video capture very important?

 

[peterkendrick]

What do you plan on doing with it? Just as a camera? Do you want Windows Phone 8.1 or do you plan to test Windows 10 Mobile? If W10M do you want a built for W10M model or would you upgrade the device?

Are you interested in primarily capturing stills, or is video capture very important?

Thank you for the advice and suggestions, I appreciate your help. I would buy it primarily for camera. I am learning photography as a course so I am trying to get hands on Windows Mobile as well. I would probably buy W10M. Is Lumia 1020 on W10M OS? Currently, I'm practicing on still photographs.

 

[digitaldd]

What MDK22 said above... I'd also add Lumia 830 and 930 to the list.

Features you want to look for would be all of the following:

• Carl Zeiss Lens
• OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)
• PureView
• Ability to capture DNG (Digital NeGative)

Other considerations would be:

• f-stop
• flash type
• sensor size
• mega-pixel capacity of the sensor
• size of the pixels on the sensor

That said...

What do you plan on doing with it? Just as a camera? Do you want Windows Phone 8.1 or do you plan to test Windows 10 Mobile? If W10M do you want a built for W10M model or would you upgrade the device?

Are you interested in primarily capturing stills, or is video capture very important?

Yeah the thing that got me when i saw the specs of the Alcatel Idol 4S was it did not have OIS but the Lumia 830/930 both had it. Why oh Why TCL would you gimp a phone like that.

 

[MDK22]

Thank you for the advice and suggestions, I appreciate your help. I would buy it primarily for camera. I am learning photography as a course so I am trying to get hands on Windows Mobile as well. I would probably buy W10M. Is Lumia 1020 on W10M OS? NO, that's the only phone, all the others (Lumia 950, 950XL, 1520, 930, 830) are on WM10.
Currently, I'm practicing on still photographs.

 

[RumoredNow]

Thank you for the advice and suggestions, I appreciate your help. I would buy it primarily for camera. I am learning photography as a course so I am trying to get hands on Windows Mobile as well. I would probably buy W10M. Is Lumia 1020 on W10M OS? Currently, I'm practicing on still photographs.

There are 3 choices for Windows Phone 8.1 phones... They may be put on W10M (with more or less effort and official support), however if what you desire is just the camera experience you might choose to leave one of them on 8.1. Reasons: smoother operation at the OS level, demonstrably better shot-to-shot and post shot processing times. Many believe the processing algorithms of 8.1 are generally more aesthetically pleasing than the algorithms of 10.

Lumia 1020 would likely be the best dedicated camera:

• 41 MP
• Shoots DNG
• f/2.2
• 26mm focal length
• Zeiss Lens
• OIS
• PureView
• Xenon flash
• 1/1.5" sensor (larger is generally better, it allows for greater overall picture resolution)
• 1.12 ?m pixel size (smaller is generally better, it allows for finer detail as the pixels are packed closer together)

Lumia 1520 would be a powerful choice:

• 20 MP
• Shoots DNG
• f/2.4
• 26mm focal length
• Zeiss Lens
• OIS
• PureView
• Dual LED flash
• 1/2.5" sensor
• 1.12 ?m pixel size

Lumia 830 has an underrated camera and is actually a highly competent all around snapper:

• 10 MP
• Shoots DNG
• f/2.2
• 26mm focal length
• Zeiss Lens
• OIS
• PureView
• LED flash
• 1/3.4" sensor
• ?.?? ?m pixel size (can't find this spec)

Lumia 1020 is sort of slow on the shot-to-shot times, but it does produce beautiful images in highly generous sizes for post process and cropping. Lumia 1520 has the exact same camera as L930/ICON, but I believe that overall the 1520 is more worthwhile for battery life and expandable storage. The 1520 is not the best in low light situations. Lumia 830 does not give the sheer MP size of other choices, yet the quality of the images is top shelf and I think it performs well across a wide array of circumstances. If you want to see some head to head samples of 1520 vs 830 check this thread: http://forums.windowscentral.com/de...mia-camera-shootout-928-vs-1520-vs-830-a.html

I've owned all three of the above. I have owned a 1520 since August 2014 and recently added a 1020 to my collection: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ge...after-party-1five2oh-1oh2oh-nine3oh-1c0n.html

I really don't think you can go wrong with any of those 3. However, age is definitely a factor for them. 1020 is oldest, then 1520, then 830. Choose the right seller and age can be mitigated.


When it comes to made for W10M, there are really only 2 choices: Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Both cameras are identical so you would choose on other factors like screen size and SoC.

• 20 MP
• Shoots DNG
• f/1.9
• 26mm focal length
• Zeiss Lens
• OIS
• PureView
• RGB triple LED flash
• 1/2.4" sensor
• 1.12 ?m pixel size

By most accounts the 950/XL is a great performer. If you want W10M, I would buy a built for W10M device. The processing started out a bit rough, but really seems to have improved over time. The next major update to the OS (Creators Update) promises to advance camera even more. I've not had the chance to own either so I have no first hand info for you...


Our device forums each have a thread for pics and videos users have captured. You might want to scroll through them. Perhaps start at the end to get the most up to date look at the state of the camera today. I've arranged these in order of newest device to oldest:
http://forums.windowscentral.com/mi...44-pictures-videos-taken-my-lumia-950-xl.html
http://forums.windowscentral.com/mi...621-pictures-videos-taken-my-lumia-950-a.html
http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-830/315406-pictures-videos-taken-my-lumia-830-a.html
http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-1520/250141-pictures-videos-taken-my-lumia-1520-a.html
http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-1020/233015-pictures-video-taken-your-1020-a.html