TEST: Is the Nokia 808 PureView's camera any good in 2021?

18 July 2021
The new sensor size champ takes on the legendary PureView.

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • kky
  • 19 Jul 2021

Harshan, 18 Jul 2021Nokia lacks a lot in image processing and edge detection al... moreDo you people even try to think before commenting?

The software was amazing then. It still is now. Its basically one of the most fine tuned.
What it lacks is hdr and over sharpening algorithms. Which the hdr was mostly a lack of powerful enough hardware at the time.

    • R
    • Rkm
    • ypc
    • 19 Jul 2021

    Carol, 18 Jul 2021So ,you tried to make it look like you actually know but th... moreI was saying by comparison. Xiaomi when hdr turned off (auto HDTV kicking when necessary) takes pretty conservative pics compared to Samsungs and apples. They were bonkers before, but seemed to have toned down recently.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • kky
      • 19 Jul 2021

      Anonymous, 18 Jul 2021This shows why a bayer sensor with lots of MP phased out. H... moreThat literally makes zero logical sense at all.

      You think the xiaomi didn't have noise???? It just uses a lot more noise reduction and then over sharpening to make up for it.
      Nokia has a little more noise because it doesn't use excessive noise sharpening.
      Because all that noise reduction smears the fine details. Sometimes noise even adds texture and character.

      The whole point is the 808 went for a realistic representing of the scene. Even when you zoomed it the picture is full of tons of detail. But its fine and natural. It doesn't look like a jagged plastic artificial mess.

      And you are also completely off about the time of the sensors.
      If the bayer sensor was also made back in 2012 it would probably be worse.
      Just the same as if we had a brand new updated version of the 808 sensor it would probably have demolished the xiaomi more than it did here.

      Please try to think next time before commenting.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • kky
        • 19 Jul 2021

        Nick Tegrataker, 18 Jul 2021By ”hotel shots” I was referring to the second set of photo... moreThat has to do with the structure of the sensor. Clearly not the resolution.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • kky
          • 19 Jul 2021

          Jim, 18 Jul 2021For what if we shoot a picture but we can not see it.It can be visible and slightly enhanced exposure while more natural still.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • kky
            • 19 Jul 2021

            Anonymous, 18 Jul 2021Yep yep those nighttime photos from Nokia look like a compl... moreSure....

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • kky
              • 19 Jul 2021

              Abyss3, 18 Jul 2021Well, it is obvious that the Mi would be a notch better tha... moreThere's been progress and also regression.
              There's not been any exponential leap.

                • S
                • Shui8
                • KZK
                • 19 Jul 2021

                Rkm, 18 Jul 2021Gsmarena doesn't do that though. They just provide the... moreWhen you said some Youtubers try to take the shape of the sun, I laugh so hard 😂😂😂 Yeah that DR appreciation take on another level where photographers itself dont care about it. Youtubers try to play smart, when they are not. Even the 'WillItBeatNokia' comparison is laughable & bias.

                'The apple proraw and pixel computational raw have all the data from stacking / merging without applying any processing'
                - Nope, evnthough it sounds good, wont use RAW from any 1/2.6" or 1/1.9" sensor camera, much prefer my own 1/1.28" JPEG output with no oversharpening at all, along with BM3D noise reduction from my P40. If I want to use RAW, got my APSC Fuji camera to work with.

                  • B
                  • Bane
                  • 0pA
                  • 19 Jul 2021

                  Just improve 808's processing and bam, you have better camera. Xiaomi does sharpening + AI staff, HDR and that's why it's better

                    • A
                    • Arman
                    • nxB
                    • 19 Jul 2021

                    Carol, 18 Jul 2021That would be nice, is actually not true, they manipulate p... moreYour completely right also the shots with nokia were taken bad my old 5800 get better shots with same condition how a great camera got this
                    The night photo of xiaomi is total disaster it makes photos completly fake and make the photographer look s a newbie other thing is xiaomi just removing shadows and take sharpness to highest in darker areas
                    But anyway everyone here with 20+ age knows that golden time had gems likes Nokia and SonyEricsson

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • JHM
                      • 18 Jul 2021

                      Video quality has improved massively.
                      Low-light photos have improved massively.
                      Daylight photos have regressed.

                      The Nokia has a more natural look with less artifacts.
                      Looking at them side by side, it seems like the Xiaomi photos had a bunch of filters applied by a 12 year-old.

                        • C
                        • Carol
                        • n@x
                        • 18 Jul 2021

                        Rage, 18 Jul 2021Xiaomi is years ahead.. but I wonder if is the same advanta... moreYears ahead? You gotta been jocking.

                          • c
                          • carol
                          • n@x
                          • 18 Jul 2021

                          Shui8, 18 Jul 2021Modern phones in computational using Auto HDR + image stack... moreI don't, no photographer does, there has to be a reason.

                            • C
                            • Carol
                            • n@x
                            • 18 Jul 2021

                            Rkm, 18 Jul 2021I have no problem with HDR. My issue is when reviewers choo... moreSo ,you tried to make it look like you actually know but then ended to apreciate a highly faked shot algorithm, xiaomi tries nothing, they have pretty much bought/stollen some patents on photography and that's about it put some extreme sharpness and iso in it to make it appear better while being worse. Anyway, this is pretty much sad how much acting is permited here.

                              • C
                              • Carol
                              • n@x
                              • 18 Jul 2021

                              Rkm, 18 Jul 2021Gsmarena doesn't do that though. They just provide the... moreThat would be nice, is actually not true, they manipulate peoples views on things with every review. You might not be in the wagon, there are a lot of people that take everything said, very streightforward, tough. You can clearly see that when they call the xiaomi abomination of a night shot... better.

                                • C
                                • Carol
                                • n@x
                                • 18 Jul 2021

                                YUKI93, 18 Jul 2021That is why I'm not using modern smartphones for photo... moreQuad bayer is actually a crappy sensor and pure bayer is way better. The pure view is not just a sensor, is everything in the end result. Xiaomi photos are nothing impresive, a lot of oversharpening, color mutation and extreme ugly night shots. It puzzels me how gsmarena can call those abominations good, night should be night... some forget.

                                  You can compare it with Nokia 9 PureView.

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-844232
                                    • 39y
                                    • 18 Jul 2021

                                    So final words only prooed dat this review was in reality about xiaomi not an nokia... ONly show some sh!tty images to make xiaomi look best...

                                      TheAlienNextDoor, 18 Jul 2021Couldn't agree less with the Xiaomi fanboyism going on... moreThat is why I'm not using modern smartphones for photography. I have tried a lot of modern smartphones to find a viable replacement for the Lumia 1020 and also the Lumia 950/950 XL but not one can capture the same level of natural detail and realistic colour as them. The only noticeable advancement I see with today's modern smartphone camera is dynamic range and zoom capability. The rest doesn't do enough justice.

                                      At this point, I really begin to question myself about the existence of the Quad Bayer array in the first place. I would imagine either the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra or the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra with a native RGB main and telephoto sensor coupled to the Nokia PureView oversampling algorithm. That could be the day where I would wave goodbye to my current daily-driving Lumia smartphone.

                                        Anonymous, 18 Jul 2021Details in daylight: Nokia Everything else: Xiaomi Case c... moreEverything else is Xiaomi? Lol, the video quality shows how bad the Xiaomi's oversharpening effect. Even the colour rendition is not impressive enough.