Nokia has launched the Lumia 1020, the first Windows Phone handset to use the company's 41-megapixel Pureview camera.
Having previously only been available in Nokia's Symbian-powered PureView 808, the camera sensor can capture 38-megapixel still images, or supersample 5-megapixel shots for greatly improved noise reduction and low-light sensitivity.
With an F/2.2 lens, optical image stabilisation, a lossless 3x zoom, Xenon flash and six different lens effects, the PureView camera should be capable of some impressively detailed shots. It shoots full-resolution and supersampled photos at once, saving both to the camera roll, and will "zoom" up to three times without losing quality, by cropping a full-resolution shot. It can also record video at 1080p, zooming in without losing quality by using the extra pixels. More advanced photographers will appreciate the Nokia Pro Camera mode, which lets you customise ISO, white balance and shutter speed.
If the sensor specifications weren't enough, Nokia has also introduced a camera grip accessory to convince customers of the Lumia 1020's photography credentials. It adds a chunky hand grip, two-stage shutter button for focusing and shooting, an extra battery and a tripod thread.
When we compared the PureView 808 to an Olympus compact system camera late last year, we were impressed with its ability to capture high quality images, but were less thrilled with the operating system. Nokia has finally resolved this by switching to Windows Phone 8, a far more modern OS which is much easier to use.
Looking very similar to existing Lumia smartphones, albeit with a protruding camera module at the back, the Lumia 1020 has a 4.5in OLED display with a 1,280x768 resolution. It doesn't match the Full HD screens found on the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One but that's hardly surprising - Windows Phone doesn't currently support 1080p resolutions. It is, however, an OLED display, meaning blacks are incredibly deep and colours appear vibrant. It uses Nokia's ClearBlack technology and is protected by Corning's ultra-tough Gorilla Glass 3.
The handset is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, with 2GB of RAM to power the latest version of Windows Phone 8 - otherwise known as Lumia Amber. There's 32GB of internal storage, but no MicroSD card slot for adding extra capacity later. It's fully LTE-compatible, so will work on EE's 4G network here in the UK, and also includes Bluetooth, NFC, A-GPS and the Russian GLONASS navigation system.
Wireless charging isn't included as standard, with Nokia opting to sell an optional Wireless Charging Cover instead.
Available in white, black and yellow colour variants, the Lumia 1020 will go on sale later this year, although we have yet to learn any official pricing. So far, O2 is the only confirmed network, but we expect all the major providers to carry the handset when it launches in the coming months.
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