Flashback: the Nokia 808 PureView was from the future

17 November 2019
A higher resolution sensor with pixel binning for zooming and low-light shots six years before Androids started doing it.

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And this was way back when there was no AI processing on photos. I mean, look at that natural bokeh.

I still have my 2nd 1020 in a box somewhere. Wish it was as good as the 808 in pictures.

    necropedo, 17 Nov 2019I would take ANYTIME a phone with 23 mm thickness if it cou... moreWe generally simply needs more variety, and these almost identical slabs.

    Some (like you) want large devices with long stamina, other want compact devices that slip easily into a dinner jacket or purse. Why do they think that all people got equal wishes/needs for their devices???? With literally BILLIONS of users even a 1% segment is still a fairly huge market to target... And if you can get just 10% of that small segment, you are still selling millions...

    My point was here that fully extended the lens of CM1 was quite a bit out (browsing images it actually might have been closer to 30 than 23mm), but a longer optic system is needed to have a larger sensor - with the physics/materials we know. So thin phones do inevitable mean inferior cameras. And sure they try to compensate for that combining multiple images, and that is all well if the motive is still, or there is plenty of light.

      • s
      • shpe11
      • srr
      • 18 Nov 2019

      Awesome phone

      You forgot the also awesome AMOLED screen with contrast ratio that was just recently achieved

      Also xenon flash like in handled cameras instead of LEDs

      Why wasn't bootloader unlocked and some little port of an Android??? I would defenitly use this if I have some up-to-date software... Same thing with some other awesome phone lumia 930.

      Got a Nokia collection as former Nokia Developer Champion: 5800 the first symbian touch, N8, N800 the one with full Linux, N8, Lumia 800 first wm, 808 the last symbian, 1020, 930 last true Nokia

      Currently gone Android on CAT s60, with awful camera... But got it for about 100eur... Every photo I miss the 930... Guess going back even I have no WhatsApp working for the next year... Maybe I could develop something web with an API if exists... Because web.whatsapp.com won't work...

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • u1A
        • 18 Nov 2019

        itsmypostbaby, 18 Nov 2019i just want that xenon bulb flash!#metoo :P

          • J
          • Jim
          • t@g
          • 18 Nov 2019

          Carol, 18 Nov 2019Nokia designed the camera they needed a manufacurer to also... moreNot like that, Nokia just asked not designed, you can make me a sensor with the specifications like this to Toshiba, and yes Toshiba can make it. If they full the design it will called Nokia sensor and not Toshiba sensor like Apple or Snapdragon or kirrin do with their SoC.

            • F
            • Fayth
            • r@s
            • 18 Nov 2019

            itsmypostbaby, 18 Nov 2019i just want that xenon bulb flash!me too, I wonder why flash is not popular in smartphone

              Nokia 808 Symbian Os the best phone!

                • B
                • Becool
                • P%j
                • 18 Nov 2019

                I still own this master piece ...love it...Nokia did amazing innovation...have 808 pureview and lumia 1020
                Real diamond in camera phone world

                  • n
                  • nokiauser
                  • nCe
                  • 18 Nov 2019

                  this is what i love with nokia they are very innovative in their own way and they teach it to the other people to do it as well. King is always a king, the name the innovation is always there no matter what. it is like similar to electric motors, tesla followed by porsche. tesla teach others to create also electric motors.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • I8m
                    • 18 Nov 2019

                    Carry mine with me every day.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • I8m
                      • 18 Nov 2019

                      Whackcar, 17 Nov 2019Some people have misconceptions regarding these Pureviews b... moreYou're the one with the misconception.
                      Nothing produces shots so full of rich, beautiful, natural, fine, detail. And that's not just hardware. That's mature image processing too.
                      And actually night shots can still come out amazing. Of course just like today's phones a tripod and manual settings makes a difference. Though unfortunately you don't exactly have manual settings on 808.

                      What phones have now are faster focus tech, better hdr, and faster image processors. So they can focus a little faster and take better one shot hdr.... you can do image bracketing on the 808 and get stellar shots.
                      And a little better better low light.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • I8m
                        • 18 Nov 2019

                        Whackcar, 17 Nov 2019The point is, that at the end of the day, the PureView &... moreNo there is definitely a difference in the level of pure refined detail without a doubt.

                          @GSMArena - please, reshoot 808 in a new studio setup. p.s. 808 didn't have "shoot now, recompose after feature" - it was Lumia 1020's thing.
                          @HMD - 909 or 2020(!) with the same specs and new hardware and software would be welcome. Even with a bump.

                            Vegetaholic, 18 Nov 2019Symbian didint need because it, was inferior os in any way ... moreAre you not able to understand that his complaint is against "Spying" of Androids?
                            So, US had a 9/11 attack, should it mean that everyone of us should suffer from this lack of privacy?

                            What's so fanboyish about asking for privacy? And what, is iOS private, are you believing that propo-rubbish?

                            Symbian was truly a smart OS. Android and iOS are just oversmart.

                              Vegetaholic, 18 Nov 2019Symbian didint need because it, was inferior os in any way ... moreTypical fanboy BS? Man, go and educate yourself. You obviously don't know anything about Symbian. Nor about early Spydroid in that case. Did you mention some 1 core 'superior' Spydroid phone that could record and play 1080p video, btw? Ignorant fanboys like you were reason why Spydroid won. Belle wiped floor with its early iterations.

                                @GSMArena I think, you MUST reshoot Nokia 808 photos in your new comparison studio setup. BTW, one could not resize a photo after capturing 808. It was a Lumia 1020's thing.
                                @HMD just make 909 or 1030 (2020????), you fancypants! Same specs, new hardware, new software. I certainly wouldn't mind a bump! That Nokia 808 felt far better in the hand and the pocket than most of the phones do today.

                                  SpiritWolf, 17 Nov 2019They had those processors because Spydroid was/is ineffecti... moreSymbian didint need because it, was inferior os in any way comparing to Android, not because it was efficiant, it was build like in 90's without any touch screen UI in mind. Android was already much better than iOS in functionality, your argument makes no sense. Typical fan boy BS

                                    Nokia sure is travelling in time... With Nokia 808 they travelled 5 years into the future, with the new Nokia 7.2/6.2 they travelled 2 years into the past.

                                      • i
                                      • itsmypostbaby
                                      • RN5
                                      • 18 Nov 2019

                                      i just want that xenon bulb flash!

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • ptU
                                        • 18 Nov 2019

                                        Anonymous, 17 Nov 2019Someone needs to try making the 2020 version of the legenda... moreYou wouldn't want it for size reasons.