Nokia 9 PureView hands-on review

24 February 2019
The next Nokia PureView phone is finally here. The long-rumored Nokia 9 PureView has been unveiled at the MWC in Barcelona and enthusiast photographers may finally have their smartphone sidekick.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • gBV
  • 24 Feb 2019

tonymancs, 24 Feb 2019https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDBF2ak7feo Engadget previ... moreNo, 12 megapixel photos will never have an insane amount of details. Even 12 megapixel monochrome photos will have much less details than a sharp 48 megapixel RGB camera.

    Anonymous, 24 Feb 2019No, I think this was a misleading statement from HMD. They ... moremisleading implies intention. Are you sure they wanted the audience to think that they could capture 240 megapixel photos?

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • gBV
      • 24 Feb 2019

      The last Oracle, 24 Feb 2019It computes 60MP equivalent upto 200MP equivalent depending... moreNo, I think this was a misleading statement from HMD. They likely meant the total number of pixels = 12x5. In certain conditions each camera probably takes 4 photos, so then 12x5x4=240

        Whackcar, 24 Feb 2019No offense, but I see this phone as a gimmick. You don't ne... moreHaving more than one sensor means that it can capture multiple frames at different exposures in an instant, instead of having just a single sensor where it has to be captured in a series.
        This system supposedly also uses stacking from the same sensor, but then it still uses multiple sensors, thus still able to capture more different exposure data in the same time frame compared to a single sensor solution.
        So, no, a single sensor solution can't do the same thing as this system.

          taz-chaz, 24 Feb 2019no ois tho why come on nokia....but beautiful design and sp... moreOIS would probably create a bit of an issue when it comes to combine the data from all the sensors. Not impossible with a system that would use advanced image object recognition, to make sure that the parts of the actual captured image matches, but this system probably uses calculation based on the different positions of the sensors rather that analyzing the captured image.

          OIS also uses a bit of space, meaning that to fit the same size sensor the phone always has to be thicker...but they if the device is made thicker, for compensating for the OIS, they could instead have gone for even bigger senors... So it does create a bit of an issue in terms of engineering decision.

            28mm is a bit wider field of view than looking with only one eye, at a stationary position.
            In my book that isn't wide enough, for a single lens. 28mm could be a good basis for stereoscopic capturing, with cameras with a bit of space between them, to both capture depth in a similar fashion to our vision, but also enabling the wider filed of view of our vision. I would prefer it to go slightly wider than our vision, as our eyes are not stationary and scans an area so we get a mental picture that is wider than our actual vision.
            Without the option of capturing wider than 28mm (quite common width limit of zoom lenses for DSLRs), one will find a lot of situations where it is impossible to capture the scene as one sees it with one's vision, as often the option of backing away from the subject enough is either impossible, or backing of will reveal a new scene, given than out vision from that distance is then yet again wider.
            With a system similar to this, capturing information from multiple sensors, it may not be necessary to double the amount of sensors to capture a stereoscopic image of the same quality as a single setup, given that some of the sensors could sit between the "eye positions" and capture more detail in the most important part that is the center.

            Using a single lens is a compromise that comes from the day of analog photography, it was never optimal. Using Ultra wide angle on a single sensor (be it digital sensor or a strip of analog film) create an effect that is often referred to as fish-eye, as it distorts the subject, and thus we have had to live with photographs not capturing the whole scene as our eyes see it. With digital technology, and image processing capabilities of today’s chipsets we could be freed from this compromise.
            The problem is that many photographers has that limit programmed in to their way of seeing things, and thus comes up with ideas based on that limitation, that they are used to from the way they have been taking pictures for years.
            With stereoscopic capturing we can achieve the field of view of our vision, without the fish-eye effect.
            And with VR/AR glasses, we could actually experience photos captured that way, in a very realistic 3D, yet something new that we didn't used to have, that created limitation in the way of thinking about capturing things in a photo that are no longer true.

            With a good amount of captured details, 12mp resolution would not be limiting compared to our vision, but that all depends of the actual amount of captured detail and not the specified resolution of the sensor.


            In general I'm not that sold of tele-lenses for general photography, at least not for capturing things beyond our own vision (in some cases tele is needed for capturing details that our eyes can see, but a mobile might not be able to capture due to limitations in sensor and lens technology). It has purposes for artistic photography, capturing wild life for documentary purposes.
            For the average person, I would say it is more of a cheat, so it hasn't been entirely bad that mobiles had not really had that option... but clearly the low amount of captured details and especially on video has created a need for tele lenses on mobiles.
            For good portrait composition, I would like to see the option of a lens at about 80-85mm (or a couple for a system like this). It is an artistic composition, but it works very well, even though it isn't similar to our vision. On a photographers phone, having that option could make a lot of sense. But it could also be useful for video capturing for the general user. So I kind of miss it here… and perhaps the Nokia 9.1 will offer something like that, if they really want to target this series at photographer.

              Small battery, last year SoC, only 6GB RAM, no 3.5mm jack, NO OIS, NO widescreen, NO telephoto, mediocre 18W charging.

              This is a total fail from HMD.

                Anonymous, 24 Feb 2019Apparently the Nokia 9 can't take 60 megapixel photos. If t... moreIt computes 60MP equivalent upto 200MP equivalent depending upon the situation. The photos are 12MP with lots of extra data related to depth mapping and othe information.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • a4J
                  • 24 Feb 2019

                  Dear GSMArena,

                  Why you are concerned about the price? Are you serious?

                  If the camera as good as it's been promised and price is lower than it could have been, what's the concerning matter? Consumers will get a good product at a reasonable price, and the company will sell them quickly. Win win.

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDBF2ak7feo
                    Engadget preview
                    This. Is. miles above anything. Look at Nokia 9 portraits from both front and back cameras. The level of details even in counterlight is INSANE. And that all for 699$. Nokia 9.1/10 will be the true triumphant comeback of Nokia.

                      Whackcar, 24 Feb 2019Sorry, meant to say "image stacking" instead of "image binn... moreI don't see this as a gimmick. The gains in HDR and image quality remind me of the 1020, but this time, we don't have a massive sensor. Computational can do a lot, but it has its physical limitations

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • gBV
                        • 24 Feb 2019

                        Apparently the Nokia 9 can't take 60 megapixel photos. If this is the case, then there was a very misleading statement at the presentation which indicated that one could take 60 megapixel photos.

                          I am disatisfied nokia for screen bezzel system its too old nokia need hole display like nova 4 and avoid nokia branding in front of the phone

                            • T
                            • Tom
                            • Pur
                            • 24 Feb 2019

                            Whackcar, 24 Feb 2019No offense, but I see this phone as a gimmick. You don't ne... moreBinning is for the selfie camera.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • gBV
                              • 24 Feb 2019

                              Whackcar, 24 Feb 2019Sorry, meant to say "image stacking" instead of "image binn... moreYou are right, but at the presentation HMD said that the phone can take 60 megapixel photos and in certain conditions (I guess panorama) even 200 megapixels. Though it's strange that HMD doesn't mention this on their website as if they don't believe in their own product.

                                • R
                                • Real
                                • d%2
                                • 24 Feb 2019

                                Actually if you notice , the 5x camera there is helped even by a tof one , i expect this device to reach 100/100 score on bokeh + the average scores for rest on dxo , and lets say 93 video ,120 photo and something like 110-112 overall score . I dont see a reason to blame for no tele or no wide/ultra and etc when you get a good capable of stunning shooting phone . About the proc , really disappointing but the difference between 845-855 is not that huge , eh if you want to maximize gaming (strange thing on a phone ) then yeah you would want 855 . But for now 845 is kinda proc enough powerful to run smooth everything .

                                  Whackcar, 24 Feb 2019No offense, but I see this phone as a gimmick. You don't ne... moreSorry, meant to say "image stacking" instead of "image binning"...

                                    • S
                                    • Sean
                                    • 3Jn
                                    • 24 Feb 2019

                                    Whackcar, 24 Feb 2019No offense, but I see this phone as a gimmick. You don't ne... moreIt's not just for pixel binning it's uses even more depth & other features

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • gBV
                                      • 24 Feb 2019

                                      Gsmarena, where are your camera samples? I want to see some 60 megapixel images that HMD promised at the presentation.

                                        You could as well stick r,g,b filters to those monochrome cameras for better color shots, take off if you Need monochrome.
                                        It would take then best color shots, similar to 48mp camera shooting as 12mp with regular Bayer, but with the 12x pixel size(counting just those 3 cameras).

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