Photo shoot out with Nokia Lumia 920 and Galaxy S3 and JB 4.1.2

I thought I would do a photo comparison between the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone and the Galaxy S3 with the new Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 with its new tools including several camera improvements.

These photos were taken at the same time to avoid any changes in light impacting either phone.

First off I took an outside shot in a very contrasty area - namely beached over cast sky and a fairly dark part of our garden.  The results are as below.  Although not as saturated I think the Samsung wins it:

Samsung S3 - "Low Light" setting in unlit barn

Nokia Lumia auto low light so no specific settings in unlit barn

Nokia Lumia Macro setting

Samsung S3 Close Up setting

Samsung S3 no special settings all auto

Nokia Lumia Auto settings

Another month with the Nokia Lumia 920

Living with my Nokia Lumia 920 - another few weeks

This is MY Nokia - what's yours like?

Well here we are, another few weeks over the Christmas period using my Nokia Lumia Windows 8 phone in anger.  I will start with some immediate gripes:

1. It's a large slippery beast and trying to take photos one-handed is almost impossible.  I have to use both hands - resolution find a gel case!
2. MP3's transferred from my PC, whilst fine volume on the PC and other devices (iPhone, Android) the sound level stinks on the Nokia.  I can barely hear the tracks.  If I pump up the volume to full and use the nasty headphones from the phone box it's then audible.
3. I cannot play M4a (all my CD's are ripped in iTunes as Apple Lossless and so using the Windows Phone APP on the Mac transfers the songs to the phone but they are then unplayable producing an error message "unable to play" when selected.  This is almost enough to stop me using the phone - Microsoft get wider media format support quick!
4. Apps: I am an avid user of Instagram and it simply isn't available yet on Windows 8.  I also need Flipbook, also not yet available!
5. The Lumia camera button is so low down on the phone (bottom right hand side) that using one hand I keep dropping the phone.  It's so heavy!
6. The camera lens position on the Nokia is way too low.  I keep taking pictures with my finger over the lens.  I guess it's set for landscape mode but hopeless for quick snaps.

So, many gripes but I still love this phone.  I am still enamoured with the exciting Windows Phone 8 interface and it's slick feel.  It responds well and I haven't got bored with it like i have with the static iPhone iOS interface.  The live tiles are great and when I am in a 4G area its blazingly fast (I have managed to get 4G in Bristol and London so far.   Let's list the positives:

1. Windows 8 - amazing exciting interface, fast and the live tiles are genius.
2. The Me tile is very useful showing all my interactions on Facebook, Twitter and email.  I love that.
3. Calendar - the best calendar interface and beats iOS calendar hands down.  It even supports private setting and is just more logical to use than others I have experienced on Android and iPhone.
4. Camera - the camera on the Nokia is outstanding.  Glorious scene settings and I especially like the close-up mode which gives an amazing short DOF.  The additional lenses are also great especially the cinematograph lens setting which allows a moving area when all around is static.  The panorama mode lens setting is also great and for me better than the iOS panorama mode.
5. Battery life is good for me so far as long as I manage a charge each night.  However, I need to test in an area of 4G for a whole day to see what that does to the battery life. 

So, a few gripes more than likes BUT I still like the phone.  I am thinking I would have preferred the new HTC Windows Phone 8X.  I have held it and it's lighter and thinner than the Nokia.  I'd like to take it for a test drive - any offers?

Picture taken with the Nokia Lumia 920 on a dull afternoon - great clarity