When the Nokia 808 PureView smartphone made an appearance at Mobile World Congress 2012, it left mouths agape, tech-heads a-drooling and photographers shaking their heads in disbelief. The Nokia 808 PureView was the first smartphone to feature such advanced optics, and also marked Nokia’s last ever Symbian (“Nokia Belle”) smartphone to be produced. The 41MP wonder blew everything out of the water, and set a new benchmark in smartphone optics. Fast forward, Nokia has integrated second generation PureView optical technologies into the new Windows Phone-powered Lumia 1020. Launched in July 2013, the Nokia 808 PureView is now in Malaysia.
A Lumia through and through
As a smartphone, the Lumia 1020 is very similarly spec-ed with the flagship Lumia 925 – featuring a 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB RAM and a 4.5-inch AMOLED WXGA (1280×768) display protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The display packs Nokia’s famed PureMotion HD+ and Clear Black display technologies. The Lumia 1020 also sports 32GB of internal user memory and is bundled with 7GB SkyDrive cloud storage.
The styling is signature Lumia with its uni-polycarbonate body, measuring 130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4mm and weighing in at a considerably lightweight 158g. When viewed from the front, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the Lumia 925. Turn it to the back though, and the pronounced camera module differentiates this from the flagship.
In terms of connectivity, the Lumia 1020 comes with USB 2.0, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, A-GPS and Glonass and a 3.5mm audio connector. The new device has multiple radios supporting GSM/WCDMA/HSPA+ and LTE.
Reinventing smartphone optics
A very capable top-of-the-line smartphone of course, but its ultimate claim to fame is the class-leading 41MP PureView shooter. The impressive optics consists of the 41.3MP CMOS image sensor, 2/3-inch BSI sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a six element f/2.2 Carl Zeiss lens. Pixel size is 1.12 microns. The large sensor delivers very high image quality, lossless zoom and excellent low light performance.
The PureView camera can capture a maximum image size of 7712 x 5360 (38.2MP) at 4:3 aspect ratio; 7712 x 4253 pixels (33.6MP) at 16:9 ratio.
Using a new application called Nokia Pro Camera, Nokia lets people shoot first, then zoom to reveal more details later. The app simplifies features usually reserved for professional cameras. Reinventing zoom? Indeed.
Nokia calls the Lumia 1020 the most versatile digital camera in the market today. For good reason. It has a unique dual capture feature that simultaneously takes a high resolution 38MP image and creates a 5MP version that is easy to share on social networks.
Nokia hasn’t forgotten about audio capture, as the Lumia 1020 features Nokia Rich Recording that handles sound pressure levels six times louder than conventional smartphone microphones.
It’s all in the grip
To ensure an optimum photo and video taking experience, Nokia has introduced the Nokia Camera Grip, an accessory designed to perfectly fit the Nokia Lumia 1020. The grip makes it easier to shoot photos, especially single-handedly. The Camera Grip includes a built-in, rechargeable 1020mAh battery to capture up to 285 more photos. The grip can be attached to any standard camera tripod.
Specifications at a glance
- Main camera sensor: 41 MP, PureView
- Flash type: Xenon flash
- Display size: 4.5″
- Touch screen technology: Super sensitive touch
- Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4
- Maximum talk time (3G): 13.3h
- Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover
Find full specifications here – http://www.nokia.com/global/products/phone/lumia1020
Pricing and Availability
The Nokia Lumia 1020 will be available in Malaysia at the end of September in the Klang Valley and early October for the rest of the country. Nokia is bundling the Lumia 1020 with the Nokia Camera Grip at a price of RM2,499 (SRP).
Nokia will be having a Nokia Lumia 1020 roadshow from 9–13 October at North Court, Mid Valley Megamall. Early bird customers will be entitled to take home special goodies upon purchase of the Lumia 1020. The new device will be available at all Nokia Store and Celcom outlets.
Our impressions
It’s a niche market the Lumia 1020 is targeting – the hardcore Lumia fan, the avid amateur photographer, the general consumer who wants a smartphone with a really good camera. Here’s what we think in a nutshell. Nokia makes fantastic hardware. And as mind-boggling as it sounds, it has made an out-of-this-world camera too. Nokia’s blowing its trumpet on the PureView, and it has every right to. Its claim to fame is everything that it promises and more (after you zoom) and it’s now the new benchmark in smartphone cameras (sorry GALAXY S4 Zoom), even shaming plenty of point-and-shoot cameras along the way. The only true gripe, is the staggering price. If price isn’t an issue for you though, this makes one hell of a kick-ass smartphone/point-and-shoot/I-don’t-know-what-to-label-it-device.
