The class-leading camera on the Nokia N8 is the perfect combination of Nokia's hardware capabilities and Carl Zeiss' optics strength. With the help of a new behind-the-scenes video, we take a closer look at five key points that make the difference.
Nokia N8: Become a Camera Expert in 8 Minutes
Whether you're a Nokia fan or not, you won't have too much trouble identifying the best smartphone camera on the market. The Nokia N8 is in a whole different class to just about everything else out there, and a lot of that is to do with Nokia's partnership with famed lens maker Carl Zeiss.
Thanks to a new video feature from Nokia, which you can check out below, we can now get a better handle on just how these two world-renowned companies have combined to such spectacular effect. It's a fascinating look behind the scenes, and well worth watching, but here are the key points that emerge:
Nokia was the only choice for Carl Zeiss: in looking to align itself with a hardware partner, Carl Zeiss wanted a company that clearly matched its own level of commitment and quality. And in its own words, “the only logical partner was Nokia”.
Nokia image sensor + Carl Zeiss lens = Nokia N8 winner: the “true beauty”, as one Nokia engineer puts it, of the Nokia N8's camera is that it showcases this partnership through both a class-leading 12-megapixel image sensor, and four-element Tessar Optics from Carl Zeiss.
The Nokia N8's lens is as strong as the rest of the phone: in developing the optics for the Nokia N8, Carl Zeiss made it a priority to make sure the lens was able to withstand normal everyday use. That means being able to survive a drop of up to 1m without complaint.
There's no substitute for quality components: the Nokia N8 features a mechanical shutter, large image sensor and glass lens – all fairly established markers of quality in the photography world, and strong contributing factors to the overall excellence of the Nokia N8's camera – there's no secret ingredient here!
The Nokia N8 is as good as a standalone camera: it's a claim that's been made before in fairly hushed tones, but such is the pride Carl Zeiss has in the Nokia N8 that it's prepared to say it's a match for a standalone digital stills camera. And as one of the world's leaders in camera optics, it ought to know.
Want to check out what makes the Nokia N8's camera so special? Then press Play in the video clip below, then let us know your thoughts in the Comments!