Overall as you would have figured out from my previous posts, I really like the 1020. But I do have one annoyance and it’s more software and app related.
Over the weekend there was a discussion going on twitter with regards the Pureview photos and the need to have to connect the 1020 to a PC or Mac to extract these. This discussion also involved an app called 1shot Beta, which has a easier to understand interface, allows various options in image size, has default modes for things like sport, night, macro etc but more importantly if you shoot at the apps top resolution of 38mp, it saves that on to the camera roll and skydrive will on wifi export that over the air into your skydrive. My mac has skydrive built in to the folder system, similar to Dropbox and will automatically import photo. All done without wires.
A warning of caution. You need to make sure in settings on the Lumia 1020 that skydrive settings are setup to import highest quality. I realised I didn’t have this option ticked, which now explains why my photos from the start of my review didn’t look as detailed as the ones I took on my iPhone 5S.
The discussion on twitter factored around that fact that why would you want the 34mp version anyway. Over 5mp phone screens cannot differentiate the difference and this is the same for social networks. Don’t forget the 1020 saves a 5mp and 34mp for each shot you take. With the 34mp version you can go back into the photo, reframe it and save a different view from the original and keep doing this until the cows come home. It was therefore considered acceptable that using the USB cable to copy off the larger Pureview to your PC. I disagreed with this fact. In today’s world it’s all about the cloud and wireless. There should be the option for both.
Then there was a disagreement that the beta app 1shot actually made using the Lumia 1020 easier and was in some ways better than the Nokia Camera app. Well this comment erupted a stampede. How could any app be better than Nokia Camera app. Well, it all depends how you cut that comment. As a kickback I highlighted the camera app from the Samsung S4 Zoom being one of the best apps I’ve ever used. That response got ignored. Have a look at my review of the S4 Zoom and the booklet that describes the 40 smart camera modes. And that is the problem. People get too stuck in defending a different operating system over another to realise that actually if they did take some of the good bits from one it will improve theirs and make more people want to use and buy their phone. The problem with the Nokia Camera app is that is lacks different modes versus the Samsung S4 Zoom camera app. As an example the S4 Zoom app has waterfall, fireworks, light trails and other modes. It also has manual control options. In my mind the Nokia Camera app needs the great pro mode ring it created along with shooting modes and the option to wirelessly and or via the cloud upload the 34mp version it creates with each photo.
If Nokia implemented the above they would make the phone easier for novices and still as hi tech for pro photographers.
If people buy the 1020 they are more than likely going to be coming from android or iOS. These platforms especially iOS offer smooth seamless photo transfers and this is where Windows Phones need to improve especially with the 1020 and the 34mp photos. If people are used to something on another platform as a minimum it needs to be the same or better elsewhere.
Just my thoughts.
Gavin's Gadgets & Photography 