Calling all Lumio 900 owners - need your advice

[ousooner314]

Lumia 900 Owners, I need your advice!

I'm thinking of getting the white Lumia 900 for my wife. I've read all the reviews and feel confident about it. However, there were several reviews that talked about the lackluster camera performance. I wondered if some Lumia 900 owners would be kind enough to share their experiences regarding the phone in general, as well as the camera. Would the camera hold up to daily picture taking? Thanks!!

EDIT: Apologize for the typo in the thread title. I meant "Lumia" instead of "Lumio"!

 

[jbjtkbw007]

I might recommend going to the Lumia sub forum directly as there is a ton of discussion on this topic already.

 

[cp2_4eva]

I'm thinking of getting the white Lumia 900 for my wife. I've read all the reviews and feel confident about it. However, there were several reviews that talked about the lackluster camera performance. I wondered if some Lumia 900 owners would be kind enough to share their experiences regarding the phone in general, as well as the camera. Would the camera hold up to daily picture taking? Thanks!!

EDIT: Apologize for the typo in the thread title. I meant "Lumia" instead of "Lumio"!

Most windows phones aren't that much different than another. Main differences are camera quality, build quality, voice quality, etc. The Lumia doesn't have the "it" thing in the camera department. Thats it's weakest link. But everything else about it I like. I compared the cam to that of the titan 2, and the titan 2 is better. Even in dark areas. It's a camera on a phone though, so remember that and don't expect picture perfect miracles. Still, Titan 2 has the advantage in that department. The Lumia take blueish pics too. Titan 2 seems like a great phone as well. I never owned it, but did my own comparison in the store to the Lumia I own. Titan 2 has a price tag of 199 on a two year contract. The screen is not as good as the Lumia 900, but thats not saying it's bad. The screen is ok. but the Lumia has richer deeper colors. And for me the battery life and antenna receptions is tried and true with the Lumia. See if someone else can chime in about their experience with the Titan 2 as far as battery and antenna reception goes.

 

[ousooner314]

I might recommend going to the Lumia sub forum directly as there is a ton of discussion on this topic already.

Thanks! I'll check the sub-forum to see what the general consensus is.

 

[HeyCori]

If you're girl is very dependent on her camera then you may want to look into getting a Titan II or a Focus S instead. If not, then go with the 900. The 900 doesn't take the best pictures (especially in low-light situations), but it can still take good pictures for a cell phone.

 

[ousooner314]

Most windows phones aren't that much different than another. Main differences are camera quality, build quality, voice quality, etc. The Lumia doesn't have the "it" thing in the camera department. Thats it's weakest link. But everything else about it I like. I compared the cam to that of the titan 2, and the titan 2 is better. Even in dark areas. It's a camera on a phone though, so remember that and don't expect picture perfect miracles. Still, Titan 2 has the advantage in that department. The Lumia take blueish pics too. Titan 2 seems like a great phone as well. I never owned it, but did my own comparison in the store to the Lumia I own. Titan 2 has a price tag of 199 on a two year contract. The screen is not as good as the Lumia 900, but thats not saying it's bad. The screen is ok. but the Lumia has richer deeper colors. And for me the battery life and antenna receptions is tried and true with the Lumia. See if someone else can chime in about their experience with the Titan 2 as far as battery and antenna reception goes.

She's really intent on getting a white phone, so her options (at least at the AT&T store we went to) are the iPhone, a Samsung Android phone, and the Nokia. She's coming from an iPhone, and finds the Android too cluttered. So, really, her options are the iPhone and the white Nokia, and after seeing my Focus, she was interested in getting a Windows phone for herself. I'm sure she'll be happy with the Nokia, but she occasionally takes pictures (nothing professional) to share and so I wanted to make sure it wouldn't ruin her experience.

 

[ousooner314]

If you're girl is very dependent on her camera then you may want to look into getting a Titan II or a Focus S instead. If not, then go with the 900. The 900 doesn't take the best pictures (especially in low-light situations), but it can still take good pictures for a cell phone.

She'll just be using it for daily picture taking, nothing professional or anything like that. Just your usual stuff like taking pictures and sharing it via SMS, or uploading to Facebook, etc.

 

[HeyCori]

She'll just be using it for daily picture taking, nothing professional or anything like that. Just your usual stuff like taking pictures and sharing it via SMS, or uploading to Facebook, etc.

Here's a wide range of different shooting conditions for the 900.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/lumia-900-ace/188817-3.htm

 

[ousooner314]

Here's a wide range of different shooting conditions for the 900.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/lumia-900-ace/188817-3.htm

I was just taking a look at those. Seems like it does a good job overall. I wonder how many of those blurry pictures are also because the auto-focus didn't have time to adjust (half-press to focus, and then press again to take a picture).

 

[borjeboy]

Also if you use lke macro mode or something Else then just auto it Will do ? little bit better..

 

[cp2_4eva]

If she wants a white phone and isn't totally dependent on a GREAT camera, the lumia will do just fine. it's not horrible. But you do have to take your time and get the right lighting and other settings it offers you.

 

[ousooner314]

Awesome! Thanks for all your comments and feedback! It looks like the Lumia 900 will do just fine for daily use. We'll also take some test shots at the store so she can look and decide for herself. Thanks again, I really appreciate it!

 

[J4rrod]

The outdoor, well-lit pictures are above average IMO. The low-light pictures are mediocre, but definitely acceptable.

Sent from my Samsung Focus S using Board Express.

 

[ousooner314]

The outdoor, well-lit pictures are above average IMO. The low-light pictures are mediocre, but definitely acceptable.

Sent from my Samsung Focus S using Board Express.

I wonder if these issues can be fixed with an update, or, if they are inherent to the type of hardware used.

 

[HeyCori]

I wonder if these issues can be fixed with an update, or, if they are inherent to the type of hardware used.

The 900 doesn't have a BSI sensor for low-light situations so there's not much software can do because the hardware isn't there.

 

[jbjtkbw007]

Also, coming from someone that's been inside a character costume for many years at Disney, there are just some people that can't take pictures worth a damn. Sorry to be brutally honest, but there's a lot that really can't. I worked for Olympus' digital camera division for some time and it amazed me at what some people took as 'good' photos.

Even a sub-par shooter can take decent pics in the hands of someone that's a decent photog. That's all I have to say about that. :dry

 

[cp2_4eva]

Also, coming from someone that's been inside a character costume for many years at Disney, there are just some people that can't take pictures worth a damn. Sorry to be brutally honest, but there's a lot that really can't. I worked for Olympus' digital camera division for some time and it amazed me at what some people took as 'good' photos.

Even a sub-par shooter can take decent pics in the hands of someone that's a decent photog. That's all I have to say about that. :dry

You speak the truth man. I tell people this all the time.

 

[jbjtkbw007]

I only mentioned the Disney experience because when it's 90+ degrees with 90 percent humidity and you are sitting there in a costume watching people try and take pictures, it amazes me at the lack of skills most people have. These will also be the same people that complain about pictures that their camera phone takes, expecting them to be of the best quality. Sometimes.....it's just the person behind the lens too ya know.

I'm no pro, but I've taken pictures long enough to make pictures taken on a cheap camera look like gold sometimes (to the best of the device's ability). Just like with driving, shooting, dancing, singing, ANYTHING: not everyone is going to be good at it. The tools will only get you so far.

I'll get off my soapbox now. The $100 off is what made me purchase this even though I know the Titan II has the better camera. Then again, I'm the one behind the lens, so I'll make it work to the best of its ability. I know this going in. Not going to take it out on Nokia.