http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-808-pureview
Yup - forty one megapixels :)
Of course, things aren't exactly what they seem.
The real maximum is something like 38 - but that is not how Nokia expect this to be used.
The massive sensor is not just high in megapixels, but physically many times larger than the previous 'best camera phone' (the Nokia N8), and even larger than many compact cameras).
It is designed to use the extra pixels to make improvements to the more normal 5 and 8 MP images that most people will take.
Embracing the idea that it is 'not all about megapixels', they use the extra pixels to improve the image quality in other ways.
Supposedly, this will let you use digital zoom with less degradation, shoot in lower light, experience less pixelation etc etc.
The demo images on the Nokia site do look pretty impressive, and I want one... or rather I nearly do....
The Downside?
It uses Nokia Belle OS (read as 'Symbian with bells on') - its better than older versions of Symbian, but is dead as an OS - will not be supported for much longer.
Seems they have been working on this for 4 years or so, and couldn't easily switch it to their Windows phones.
Apparently, the technology will be transferred over to the Windows phones eventually, and if done quickly enough, I think they will sell a shed load - but until then, not that many I suspect.
Windows phone is looking bloody good. I have been trialing one for a week (current android and iphone user) , very slick, easy to develop for. It 'should' be a real winner, I will be keeping this one I think. Shame Nokia couldn't get this on that platform. It would have been very tempting.
My current phone contract expires in April, if there is a Nokia Windows version in the pipeline I may hang on for it.
Much as I like Android - when I checked the windows phone apps, everything I needed was there, except for Skype and that is arriving any time soon (if not already)
I'd read that this camera phone was more of a proof-of-concept than something they expected to sell much of. Nokia has always been far ahead when it comes to cameras in phones. In a few years we can expect this technology to trickle down to the average phone.
41 MP strikes me as absurd given current sensor technology. I guess the idea is to get redundant signals to allow filtering noise in low-light conditions.
Still, there's a reason that Canon and Nikon do not put 41MP on sensors that are many times as large (the specs don't give a size, but given the form factor, it has to be tiny, on the order of a decent point and shoot camera at the biggest).
>41 MP strikes me as absurd
Right, I cant imagine any situations where that would be needed.
>was more of a proof-of-concept
Right, my thoughts as well.
Quote41 MP strikes me as absurd given current sensor technology
QuoteRight, I cant imagine any situations where that would be needed.
It all makes sense when you read the Nokia explanation.
It is not intended to take pictures at that resolution, rather to use the extra pixels to improve the quality of the images that you get. You are simply capturing more data that you can do 'stuff' with.
eg. digital zoom now becomes useful (limited mostly just by the quality of the lens), better low light performance, more scope for stabilization without image degradation.. etc
Sensor size is supposed to be 1/1.2 inches - which is claimed to be better than some point and shoot cameras, and definitely better than my Sony DSC-R1, which takes exemplary pics.
I suspect that the reason the Canon and Nikon haven't done something similar is because they didn't have to - but if the sample images from the 808 are typical, I think they will be doing something similar soon.
QuoteSensor size is supposed to be 1/1.2 inches
Tthat's larger than the APS-C sensor (consumer SLR sensor) and getting close to a 36mmx24mm full frame sensor (approx 1.4x.95 inches). That's completely astounding for a phone. I'm surprised they can fit that in a body that thin and not have massive distortion exposing it pver such a short focal distance. Very interesting. I'd love to play with one of those.
Quote
Quote41 MP strikes me as absurd given current sensor technology
QuoteRight, I cant imagine any situations where that would be needed.
You misunderstand me. I'm a fan of gigapixel photography (see xrez.com). What I mean is that putting that many pixels on a small sensor is going to result in tremendous noise.
A CMOS sensor has a certain amount of background noise and if the pixel size gets too small, particularly in low light you'll get a lot of noise. This is why, even though the sensor size is quite different, there often isn't a big difference in pixel count between consumer and pro cameras. The pro camera lets you expose in a lot more conditions, rather than forcibly at a higher resolution.
So I'd love to have a massive pixel count if you could manage the noise.
As the man says, pixel count aside, size still matters:
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/size_matters.html
QuoteIt all makes sense when you read the Nokia explanation.
It is not intended to take pictures at that resolution, rather to use the extra pixels to improve the quality of the images that you get. You are simply capturing more data that you can do 'stuff' with.
eg. digital zoom now becomes useful (limited mostly just by the quality of the lens), better low light performance, more scope for stabilization without image degradation.. etc
Understood. I'm still thinking those pixels are awfully small once you zoom in, but now that I know the sensor size, this sounds a lot more interesting.