Outstanding camera, fine build quality, decent processor
Windows Marketplace still a bit lean compared to rivals, no expandable memory
Nokia's latest megapixel bomb includes a 41-megapixel camera, powerful dual-core processor and all the latest goodies that the Windows Phone 8 operating system can offer. But is it enough?
It's not the first 41-megapixel camphone from the Finns of course, that was last year's 808 PureView. This latest version beefs up the processor and switches the operating system from Symbian to Windows Phone.
Design and features
It's not small, but Nokia has kept the bulk to a minimum, cramming all the gubbins into a casing that's just 10mm thick, albeit with just a 2mm bulge for the camera lens and xenon flash.
The processor is much the same as the Lumia 925's dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, though the RAM has now been bumped up to 2GB. That's still quite a powerhouse, and sure enough, it flies. It scored 11,538 in our AnTuTu benchmark test, the highest we've recorded on a Windows Phone handset to date.
Apps, menus and web pages open in a flash and it's running the very latest Amber incarnation of Windows 8, with live tiles showing information updates for selected apps and the ability to turn on the phone with a double tap to the screen. Web pages and movies look great too on the 4.5-inch screen with its HD resolution of 1,280x768 pixels (332ppi).
Photography And so to the camera, which is about more than just big numbers. Since 41-megapixel photos are too unwieldy for sharing or even posting on the web, the camera automatically produces a 5-megapixel version scaled down from the hi-res version. Compression technology means that the 5-megapixel pic retains more detail than a 5-megapixel photo taken on competing devices, and coupled with the Carl Zeiss lens and large F2.2 aperture, the result should be great pics...
And yes, they are, certainly compared to anything else you'll find on a camphone at the moment, with loads of crisp detail, accurate colours and good dynamic range.
The 5-megapixel pics look terrifically good, and even when you look at them closely, they don't appear to lose a huge amount of detail from the hi-res versions, even though they only take up a quarter of the space -- typically around 2MB rather than 8-9MB.
So is it better than the cameras you'll find on other high-end phones like the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One? Yes it is, but not necessarily by a huge margin. All of those phones take good pics, certainly with more than good enough quality for posting on the web, which, let's face it, is where most of them are likely to end up. The 1020's extra level of detail makes it better for photos you want to edit and play with, or (whatever next?) print. If you have a yen to do more, the 1020 will help you get there, but if all you really want is cool selfies for Facebook, there are plenty of other phones that can do the job well enough.
Incidentally, there's a 3x lossless digital zoom and it will save a version of the full unzoomed-in scene as well as the zoomed-in version. But though it's a joy to use, and there are plenty of settings to play with, it's not a super-fast snapper, and takes a couple of seconds to focus, snap and save.
With 32GB of memory on board (although a 64GB model is available exclusively on O2 only for some reason) you've got a decent bit of space for all those hi-res pics and vids, though unfortunately you can't add any more via microSD card. This being a Windows device you also get 7GB of free online storage via Microsoft's SkyDrive service.
The default Pro Cam setting includes more options for exposure, focus and experiments with shutter speed than you'll find on a standard camphone, and you also get a feast of effects with the Nokia Lenses -- camera-centric apps that offer additional functions like Panorama, Cinemagraph (which animates elements of a still pic), Smart Cam (takes multiple shots so you can pick the best one) and more. You also get the Creative Studio that allows you to highlight colours, play with focus and create collages.
Video recording is at 1080p and 30fps - not unusual for quality camphones these days. It's perhaps a little slow to adjust focus, especially in poor light, but otherwise it does a very good job.
Battery life held up very well indeed for such a high-spec phone, and it was still going after a couple of days of heavy use.
Conclusion
The Nokia Lumia 1020 is a high-powered, very capable smartphone with an outstanding camera. No, it doesn't have the app versatility of Google or Apple, but there is plenty in the Marketplace to keep most of us satisfied, though more camera-centric apps, like Instagram for instance, would be nice. It's fast, capable, with extra Nokia features like full Office software, Nokia Music and HERE Drive+ free satnav, and if pictures matter to you, it's the one to get.
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Software: Windows Phone 8
Processor: Dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4
Memory slot: No
Display: 4.5in PureMotion HD+ AMOLED touchscreen, 1,280x768 pixels
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0
Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: 41-megapixel PureView with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, auto focus, 4x digital zoom, dual LED flash; 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera with F2.4 lens
Video playback: VC-1, Windows video, H.264/AVC, H.263, MPEG-4
Audio playback: MP3, AMR-NB, WMA 10 Pro, GSM FR, WMA 9, AAC LC, AAC+/HEAAC, eAAC+/HEAACv2
Radio: Yes
Battery: 2,000mAh
Size: 130x71x10mm
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
