[TK2011]

dpreview.com released their review of 920's camera. They do some serious reviews of DSLRs and have started reviewing key smartphone cameras only recently. The review is more or less in line with what we (at least I) know about.

Nokia says this happens 500 times per second and results in a three-stop advantage in hand-holdability, which is on par with claims from dedicated camera makers. In other words, if you can normally hold the phone steady enough for a clear shot with a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second, Nokia’s OIS should keep you virtually steady down to 1/4 second. Another way to look at it: a low-light shot that would normally require ISO 800 (and all the noise that implies) could be shot at a more reasonable ISO 100 without shake-induced blurring.

Does it deliver? Nokia’s three-stop claim is largely borne out, with the 920 routinely delivering sharp images at 1/3rd of a second shutter speeds. You can see the OIS in action before you take a picture: the system kicks in when you half-press the shutter, and the preview image immediately snaps into a spooky steadiness, floating ghostly and immune to the usual micro-movements of your muscles.

The urge when given OIS is to push it to the extreme, and we did. The system hugely increases the number of sharp shots you’ll get at very slow, sub-1/10th of a second shutter speeds. That means you can afford to lower ISO for cleaner images, or in very low light, just get photographs that would be otherwise impossible to capture.

The 920’s F2.0 lens gives you about a half-stop advantage over most of the competition. So for example, with lighting and shutter speed being equal, the 920 could use an ISO setting of 200, while a competitor might need 280 or more. It’s not a big difference, but it’s an advantage.

This makes it an ace at low-light photography of stationary objects, and partially addresses the Achilles heel of every phone camera on the market except Nokia’s own 808: poor low light performance. OIS also helps with borderline shutter speeds that non-stabilized phones routinely use anyway. While they simply hope for the best, the 920 stands an excellent chance of delivering a sharp image.

Nokia Lumia 920 Camera Review: Connect

[realwarder]

Nice review. I still find myself expecting DSLR shots and have to remember it's a camera phone, but OIS really helps.

His comment on the photo button being too hard to depress is something I find too. The pressure required to press the button is definitely too high.

Love the video off the phone. Camera is good.

[sanders2232]

Sweet review!! One of the best I've seen.

[Alex Kj]

Nothing new there, really - basically it says "nighttime photos are awesome for a smartphone, daytime photos are just OK", which has already been said by multiple reviews.

[Jari P]

"Optical image stabilization enables blur-free slow shutter speeds" ... that's not always mentioned clearly as an big advantage of OIS of Lumia 920 ... I can say that I have never had before so little blurred photos as now, with Lumia 920 ...

[Aldiggi]

A photo button on the screen would be great.


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[irvin792]

A photo button on the screen would be great.


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why?

[Aldiggi]

why?

Why not???? Instead of the shutter button the on screen shutter button is great.


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[Aldiggi]

Why not???? Instead of the shutter button the on screen shutter button is great.


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Having both would be great. That little bit of movement while pressing on the physical button does impact the pq.


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[jhoff80]

It's a good review, but let's not confuse DPReview's "Connect" sub-site with their main site. The Connect site is completely focused on mobile photography and just doesn't have as in-depth analysis as their main site.

[TK2011]

It's a good review, but let's not confuse DPReview's "Connect" sub-site with their main site. The Connect site is completely focused on mobile photography and just doesn't have as in-depth analysis as their main site.

True. But it's still better quality than just about all other reviews out there done by smartphone fans who don't even know what it means to have a "3 stop" advantage.

I do wish they had gone deeper into video performance. These guys are more into still photography and don't seem to cover video side as much. That's too bad because I think people use their phones for video probably more than DSLR users and the 920 excels in video.

[Alex Kj]

True. But it's still better quality than just about all other reviews out there done by smartphone fans who don't even know what it means to have a "3 stop" advantage.

Well, you don't actually NEED to know such details (however interesting they may be), all you realistically need is to visually compare the resulting photos taken using "auto" setting, which any smartphone fan can easily do ;-) So the amount of technobabble doesn't necessarily increase the relevance or the "quality" of review, at least for the majority of the smartphone users ;-)

[bawboh86]

Having both would be great. That little bit of movement while pressing on the physical button does impact the pq.


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You don't HAVE to use the shutter button. You can tap on the screen for it to take the shot as well. Then again, I'm all for extra options. ^_^

[Aldiggi]

You don't HAVE to use the shutter button. You can tap on the screen for it to take the shot as well. Then again, I'm all for extra options. ^_^

When you tap the screen it focuses on that specific area you touched and shoots. Instead of having a whole area focus.


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[Clevinger]

It's a good review, but let's not confuse DPReview's "Connect" sub-site with their main site. The Connect site is completely focused on mobile photography and just doesn't have as in-depth analysis as their main site.

The url says "nokia-lumia-920-camera-review-first-look". Compare it to the 10 page review of the Nokia 808. I'm guessing we'll see a in-depth review soon.

[gilesjuk]

Nothing new there, really - basically it says "nighttime photos are awesome for a smartphone, daytime photos are just OK", which has already been said by multiple reviews.

True, but this is a review from people who know cameras inside out. People who review professional SLRs and lenses as well as compacts and now phones. I trust their review more than some biased technology review site.

Quite a bit of their criticism can be levelled at Microsoft, they need a better camera app. Obviously the choice of sensor and other elements are down to Nokia.

But it's like anything, if the camera was brilliant and the video poor people would complain. As it stands the photos are okay to good and the video excellent. I'm sure these days people are more interested in videos and photos are largely about snapshots for social media.

[GSOgymrat]

The people at dpreview really know their cameras and I definitely respect their opinion.

[pennzoilgtr]

Off topic, just felt impressed with this. and it's Fully automatic.

WP_20130101_011.jpg

[bawboh86]

The people at dpreview really know their cameras and I definitely respect their opinion.

Completely agree. They're some of the best, most objective camera reviewers I've found on the web.

[Silent Rage]

Completely agree. They're some of the best, most objective camera reviewers I've found on the web.

They definitely have my respect!! Although some of the commenters in the article really like to take things out of context or make the Lumia 920 worse than it seems.

[TK2011]

They definitely have my respect!! Although some of the commenters in the article really like to take things out of context or make the Lumia 920 worse than it seems.

They are just typical MS haters you see everywhere. Lumia 920's camera blew away their phone camera so they need to bash like that to pretend theirs don't suck.

[spaulagain]

Having both would be great. That little bit of movement while pressing on the physical button does impact the pq.


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There is an on screen photo button. Just tap the screen, it takes the photo!

[cameradork]

There is an on screen photo button. Just tap the screen, it takes the photo!

An autofocus-and-shoot button in the UI might be useful - that's how the iPhone's on-screen shutter button works and people are used to that. The hard button is in kind of a weird place if you want to do a quick one-handed portrait shot and would rather have AF than mess around with focus.

[TK2011]

An autofocus-and-shoot button in the UI might be useful - that's how the iPhone's on-screen shutter button works and people are used to that. The hard button is in kind of a weird place if you want to do a quick one-handed portrait shot and would rather have AF than mess around with focus.

How is it different than WP's tap-to-focus-and-shoot? Sorry, I've never owned an iPhone.

[maverick786us]

how do you usually change the aspect ratio? I want to change the aspect ratio to 16:9, where can I find that setting?