Best "Always in your pocket" camera: I ran across an article on National Geographic about a 10 day assignment of a pro photographer using only the new Nokia Lumia 1020 smartphone...

JPL

I ran across an article on National Geographic about a 10 day assignment of a pro photographer using only the new Nokia Lumia 1020 smartphone camera.

Here is a link http://www.nationalgeographic.com/nokia

I think this is an article (with pictures) that every photographer interested in gear development and progress should read.

And for everyone who is thinking of a handy pocket camera this new Nokia 1020 should be considered. Not only is it the best smartphone camera available but also one of the best smartphones available.

crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

very interesting, as an aside, I wonder if he had any phone reception :-)

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

WOW! That is amazing.

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

I totally dislike these types of articles , even if they are put out by NGeo... Somewhere along the was , someone made some big money (the story writer) to review the camera and naturally it is bias.. To make it legit, the article should include numerous cameras...
NatGeo did not do itself any favors printing it...

JPL

donrent wrote:

I totally dislike these types of articles , even if they are put out by NGeo... Somewhere along the was , someone made some big money (the story writer) to review the camera and naturally it is bias.. To make it legit, the article should include numerous cameras...
NatGeo did not do itself any favors printing it...

I agree, we must, when reading this and looking at the pics, keep in mind that this is not a comparison article between 2 or more cameras. Still it is a good indicator of what the camera used is capable of. And it shows us where smartphone camera technology is heading. And it gives us enough info to let us think about if the extra camera we want to carry in our pocket all the time should perhaps be this Lumia 1020 smartphone instead of a smartphone plus a bulky or not pocket camera.

RetiredPhotog Loc: South West Ohio

JPL wrote:

I ran across an article on National Geographic abo... (show quote)

Thanks for the link, very interesting photo project from National Geographic. I have an HTC Evo 4 G LTE that I shoot some interesting photos with occasionally and it does a pretty good job for what it is. As matter of fact, the camera in that phone is what originally sold me on it. One of the features I like the most is shooting high definition videos and being able to take still pics during the shooting or taking stills while viewing.

Since I don't always have one of my good cameras with me all the time the cell phone is always with me. Some of the shots I have made with it gives my Nikon and Canon a run for the money.

JPL

crimesc324 wrote:

very interesting, as an aside, I wonder if he had any phone reception :-)

Probably not, looking at those places he was in. No smartphone is yet so good to have a reception where there is no network ;)

RetiredPhotog Loc: South West Ohio

JPL wrote:

Probably not, looking at those places he was in. No smartphone is yet so good to have a reception where there is no network ;)

At least the camera still works.

PAB20 Loc: From Louisiana, but now live in Florida

I personally use my IPhone 5 when I don't have my camera(s) with me & come across something I want to capture. It does fairly well in my opinion. I also have tons of photo editing apps.

lemontart Loc: uk

I have a samsung wb700 - had it a couple years or more now and more than happy with the results

you can pick them up really cheap now

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B004INGFFY?tag=ketteringsnap-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8434

fvanriper Loc: Wash. DC, Lubec, Me.

And let's not forget: no smartphone has an eye-level finder. Too, this is like the dancing bear: not that it dances well, but that it dances at all. Yes, smartphones have amazing cameras--for pocket telephones, period.
I still love my Canon G-12 for in-your-pocket ease, great features (including an articulated LCD screen), remarkable sharpness, as well as a welcome ruggedness.
All for less than $500.
An example: I have done five books, all with top-of-the-line gear, including our latest on Serenissima: Venice in Winter. One project I am working on now is working-titled Recovered Memory: vintage bxw images of NYC and Paris, twinned with contemporary color images of both cities. I have been delighted with what I am getting in NYC with the G-12--and delighted, too, with not having to lug around so much stuff. It's really liberating. Some examples follow.
Good shooting.

NYC subway

NYC street abstract

NYC elevator portrait

gemlenz Loc: Gilbert Arizona

What editing apps do you have?

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

JPL, there is an old adage in photography, that if you give the ten best photographers a Kodak Instamatic, and send them out into the world, they will return with the ten best photos ever taken with an instamatic !! SS

olcoach Loc: Oregon

One thing it proves is that a good photographer can take good pictures with any equipment. The Nokia is not a top of the line camera but when it, or any other, is operated by an expert good pictures result.

JPL

SharpShooter wrote:

JPL, there is an old adage in photography, that if you give the ten best photographers a Kodak Instamatic, and send them out into the world, they will return with the ten best photos ever taken with an instamatic !! SS

Well, and since the Instamatic is mentioned it is interesting that now we can buy a smartphone with a 41 mpx camera with flash and video and a powerful personal computer and navigation and alarm clock and much more that is smaller in size than the Instamatic. I think the only thing in favor of the Instamatic in comparison today is the price!! ;-)