Should i buy lumia 1020 or wait for next nokia camera phone?

[psychotron]

I'm talking about HTC ONE (M8) the new one,.

So was I. He just got it a week or so ago when I upgraded my phone.

 

[Bahamen]

Where did you get this information? I would absolutely hate if they did this. My son has the HTC One and in my opinion the camera is not nearly as great as everyone says it is.

There is no way Nokia would ever do a HTC on their cameras. If you observe the general trend, every HTC attempt in camera technology has originated from their feeble attempt at copying Nokia, but always with much more inferior implementation.

1. The HTC One's Ultrapixel
- The Ultrapixel has its roots in the Nokia 808. HTC was trying to imitate the 808's 41MP camera, but lacked the technical expertise to copy this wholesale. Instead, they copied Nokia's concept that an oversampled 5MP image would have good details with lower noise. HTC failed to realize that the key ingredient to the success of Nokia's camera is in the sensor and optics. You can't just use the same 1/3" sensor with 4MP and expect good results.

2. OIS
- This was an attempt to keep up with the Lumia 920, but with only 2-axis stabilization versus the 920's 3-axis, the HTC's OIS is inferior.

3. Dual camera
- It is widely known that Nokia is interested in Lytro-like technology, possibly with a camera lens array. The Nokia Refocus app provides the software implementation for existing cameras. HTC's solution is quite terrible. Instead of capturing images at multiple focal distances, which Nokia Refocus does, it merely measures depth and applying artificial blurring effect to an image taken at a fixed focal distance. So if you are taking close-up where the subject is in sharp focus while the background is already blurred, there is no way you can sharpen the background. The only thing you can do is blur the close-up subject but this would mean the entire picture will be blurred. It's just a mess. If HTC's hardware can't even match Nokia's software implementation, you can only imagine what happens when Nokia actually launches the camera array (if it does).

Of these 3 attempts by HTC, I'd say only the OIS is reasonably useful and not gimmicky. Which surprises me that they pulled it from the M8 to make room for Dual Camera.

There is simply no comparison between HTC and Nokia when it comes to camera technology. Nokia has introduced genuinely useful technology whereas HTC's has always been me-too and bordering on gimmicky. I don't see the possibility of Nokia doing a 4MP camera in future, but if they do, you can expect the result to blow everyone away.

 

[Bahamen]

The pureview technology in the 1020 and the 808 was a 5 year project prior to Nokia adopting WP... so the whole project was developed around the Symbian OS. I am still impressed that they managed to port it over to WP in two years or so.. I mean yes, they had the basic technology and the optics sort of ready, but still.

Nokia won't just let the 41Mpix pureview stuff go that easily... they will milk that cow for a while by adding things to it like they did with the OIS system. Its too big of investment to be replaced so quickly. They might scale it down toward the mid range camera devices, but I don't think its time yet.. the 20Mpix module they are using for the 1520/Icon/930 is good enough for at least another year.

Actually, the 1020 was launched only one year after the 808, not two years. I'm quite sure adding OIS (which is a very useful feature in itself) also complicated the overall implementation and design decisions. I don't necessarily consider this to be "milking the cow". The 41MP is a genuinely successful technology which enables lossless zooming and clean oversampled images. The OIS really complements the 41MP by enabling even better handheld lowlight performance, as well as stabilized video (especially when zooming). So adding OIS to the 41MP really makes sense to me. If Nokia invents future technologies with better zooming, better lowlight and better stabilization, I'm quite sure they will do it. But Nokia's existing implementation is good enough as it is today. More likely they will tackle other problems in imaging (e.g. focusing etc).

 

[buxz777]

key words in your sentence ..... good enough .... why not make it better still ;-) bigger sensor .... keep the 41mp optics ..... bigger pixels for ultimate night time photography .... they can also work on focus and other things like improving ois further , improving rich recording , the build of the optics so we don't get side softness in some 1020s , variable flash settings , there is no doubting nokia have excelled with the 1020 it has a smaller sensor then the 808 and still goes toe to toe with it , however nokia could still improve the 1020 and make an even better camera phone the main thing that would allow this is by adding a few mm to the design but in a world of lover for anorexic/skinny phones nokia are being hampered by todays design language , the 808 had a bigger sensor and a great stealth like design but people still moaned about the hump , the 1020 is very thin and has a nice camera hump yet people still moaned about the camera hump which still makes me scratch my head ...... imagine what nokia could do if they didn't have to make their phones so thin for the media to accept them etc .... imagine what nokia could do with the thickness of the s4 zoom ;-)

 

[ven07]

i am very hesitant , lumia 1020 is nearly 1 year old and the battery is low i think and screen is small , but the camera is very powerful , so should i wait for the next camera phone? or my sight to the lumia 1020 is wrong? what about the battery? how many hours it stands if i use facebook , watching youtube or taking photos? thanks !

I honestly think you should wait especially if you don't need the phone, but just want one lol.. It's better to wait for a new one to come out than to be disappointed later that you don't have the newest or the best software pre-installed

 

[greedo_greedy]

The 1020 hardware will become updated in a year or two.

However, the camera hardware will keep it relevant for much longer than the average smartphone.

I do not have a 1020 yet and I'm planning to pick up one when the price goes down further. :wink:

 

[zombie zom]

The 1020 hardware will become updated in a year or two.

However, the camera hardware will keep it relevant for much longer than the average smartphone.

I do not have a 1020 yet and I'm planning to pick up one when the price goes down further. :wink:

consider about baterry life !!!!

 

[psychotron]

I honestly think you should wait especially if you don't need the phone, but just want one lol.. It's better to wait for a new one to come out than to be disappointed later that you don't have the newest or the best software pre-installed

Not sure I follow. My 1020 came with Lumia Black preinstalled and its set to get 8.1 this summer. Even if it didn't officially get 8.2 whenever that comes out you can still install it unofficially through app studio, so I'm not sure what you're talking about here. I just bought mine a week ago and have no fear of being left behind any time soon.

 

[Bahamen]

key words in your sentence ..... good enough .... why not make it better still ;-) bigger sensor .... keep the 41mp optics ..... bigger pixels for ultimate night time photography .... they can also work on focus and other things like improving ois further , improving rich recording , the build of the optics so we don't get side softness in some 1020s , variable flash settings , there is no doubting nokia have excelled with the 1020 it has a smaller sensor then the 808 and still goes toe to toe with it , however nokia could still improve the 1020 and make an even better camera phone the main thing that would allow this is by adding a few mm to the design but in a world of lover for anorexic/skinny phones nokia are being hampered by todays design language , the 808 had a bigger sensor and a great stealth like design but people still moaned about the hump , the 1020 is very thin and has a nice camera hump yet people still moaned about the camera hump which still makes me scratch my head ...... imagine what nokia could do if they didn't have to make their phones so thin for the media to accept them etc .... imagine what nokia could do with the thickness of the s4 zoom ;-)

I'm sorry, but the S4 Zoom is an abomination and not meant to be used as a phone. The race to ever thicker cameras is not the kind of game that Nokia is going to play.

 

[trandz]

I had the 1520 and now the 1020. Speed is slightly, but barely noticeable to be any different. However, the battery is very mediocre on the 1020.

 

[buxz777]

I'm sorry, but the S4 Zoom is an abomination and not meant to be used as a phone. The race to ever thicker cameras is not the kind of game that Nokia is going to play.

lmao people in these forums can be very serious sometimes .... all I said was imagine what nokia could do with a phone that thick .....It was just a observation a hypothetical question if you like ..... I never said that I wanted nokia to make one , or I thought they would/should make a s4 zoom nokia device ..... I was literally just pointing out if nokia and the whole world didn't obsess over the thinness of phones then we could get even better camera phones ...... I was also pointing out that if nokia built a phone like the s4 zoom imagine how much better it would be

 

[Bahamen]

lmao people in these forums can be very serious sometimes .... all I said was imagine what nokia could do with a phone that thick .....It was just a observation a hypothetical question if you like ..... I never said that I wanted nokia to make one , or I thought they would/should make a s4 zoom nokia device ..... I was literally just pointing out if nokia and the whole world didn't obsess over the thinness of phones then we could get even better camera phones ...... I was also pointing out that if nokia built a phone like the s4 zoom imagine how much better it would be

It doesn't take much imagination to know what can be achieved with a phone that thick. In fact, Sony has already demonstrated this with their RX line of cameras. And I'm sure Canon and Nikon can also come up with some pretty decent compact camera phones where thickness is not a concern.

The brilliant thing with Nokia is their 'out of the box' thinking, beyond simply bigger sensors and bigger lens (thickness be damned), that improves image quality within a phone form factor.

Am I too serious? Yes. But you have raised a valid question that many others have asked before, which is, why isn't Nokia putting a large sensor (some even suggested APSC size which is ridiculous), or why aren't they using optical zoom, etc. It is important to put all this into the right perspective, which is that Nokia specializes in the miniaturization of high quality camera modules in pocketable form, not in making traditional large-bodied dedicated cameras.

 

[vlad0]

The brilliant thing with Nokia is their 'out of the box' thinking, beyond simply bigger sensors and bigger lens (thickness be damned), that improves image quality within a phone form factor.

With the current technology we have, this is the only way you can improve IQ in a meaningful way. The only reason Nokia are where they are in terms of imaging is because they use bigger sensors and optics. All of their flagship imaging devices have much bigger sensors than the industry standard.

 

[Bahamen]

With the current technology we have, this is the only way you can improve IQ in a meaningful way. The only reason Nokia are where they are in terms of imaging is because they use bigger sensors and optics. All of their flagship imaging devices have much bigger sensors than the industry standard.

They could have just done a normal 12MP, 1/1.2" sensor, with good image quality and be done with it. That's what traditional camera-makers would do. Or, they could have used a 1/3" sensor with optical zoom assembly with 3x zoom, and be done with it. It takes some creative thinking to figure out that a 41MP, 1/1.2" sensor, combined with oversampling technique, would be able to kill two birds with one stone.

To have better lowlight performance, they could have used even bigger and thicker lens, maybe f1.8 instead of f2.2. Or even larger sensor 1" instead of 1/1.5". That's the game that Canon, Nikon, Olympus have been playing for decades. Instead, Nokia figured that it is more effective and space-efficient to introduce Optical Image Stabilization to allow longer shutter time (and therefore lower ISO). The added bonus - more steady video recording. And the OIS technology can be used across Nokia's entire range of Pureview devices, including those 1/3" cameras like the 92X series.

Anyone can do bigger optics. Just stick a bigger sensor, wider lens or optical assembly. But only good, out-of-the-box thinking will allow you to make the most of your hardware. There are brute-force ways of doing things, or smart ways of doing things. I'm looking forward to more clever things to come out from Nokia's lab.

 

[Dan Strong1]

The only thing that bothers me about the 1020 is the camera bump on the back. Thats it, the phone is amazing.

 

[Dexterrino]

wow i too wanted to know if i should buy the 1020 now or wait if a newer model is coming this year.
waiting new camphone this year only. buying now means literally now.

 

[vlad0]

no Bueno

Apple hires Nokia's Lumia photography lead | The Verge

 

[Byrese]

So I'm gonna kinda bum on this thread. Im at a crossroads. Im on TMO with an unlocked 920 but im getting bored. Yet TMO has no Lumia id like to switch to (no im not getting the 925). Im highly considering and almost today bought an unlocked 1020 (for the awesome camera) but wanted to think some more on it. I'd love a 1520 for the bigger screen and 20mp camera but the 32g is way to expensive outright. The Icon doesn't seem to be compatible with TMO. It would seem to me that I have the following options:
1. Get a 1020 (awesome camera but I think I may want a bigger screen)
2. "Suffer with a 16g 1520
3. Dish out for a 32g 1520 ( what I really don't want to do).
Am I missing an option here? Since TMO is not getting anything soon (and I'm not switching) I can make this decision whenever. Am I missing something here?

 

[o_OAndys]

The 1020 has a small screen? My 1020 has a 4,5 screen.

i know right! i literally laughed when i saw the small screen comment. you can say, it's not big enough for what you want in a phone, but calling it small? how laughable.

 

[Dexterrino]

2. "Suffer with a 16g 1520

you do know that the lumia 1520 comes with a microSD expansion right?