iPhone 4S vs Nokia N86 8MP - Camera Comparison

[Cod3rror]

I know the N86 isn't exactly a new phone, but at the time it was the best cameraphone available and it's 8MP, like the 4S.

This comparison is interesting to show how the camera technology has progressed forward.

It's best to view images in their original size to get the full effect.

The rest of the pictures are at the below link.

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjHHfqZk

 

[Menneisyys2]

I know the N86 isn't exactly a new phone, but at the time it was the best cameraphone available and it's 8MP, like the 4S.

This comparison is interesting to show how the camera technology has progressed forward.

Image

It's best to view images in their original size to get the full effect.

The rest of the pictures are at the below link.

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjHHfqZk

Given that the N86 is a 2009 phone, it delivers admirable results for its age. Of course, it's worse than those of the 2011 iPhone4S - the only positive I could find after checking out your comparison was the slightly wider FoV. For example, low light performance-wise, the iPhone is definitely better: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23240321@N06/9582489889/in/set-72157635209484605

(See particularly the "garden" title's noise / readibility in the lower left corner and also the color moire / aliasing on the N86's shot in the back/white note in the lower right one.)

 

[ChazUK]

I always thought my Nokia N95 was a beast of a cameraphone, especially for the time it was launched.

(click for original size)

I took these in 2008, the time when the iPhone had a laughable camera but things have certainly changed now when it comes to optics from Apple.

 

[Menneisyys2]

I always thought my Nokia N95 was a beast of a cameraphone, especially for the time it was launched.

Yup, my wife is still using the N95 to take photos... I've loved the camera too.

I took these in 2008, the time when the iPhone had a laughable camera but things have certainly changed now when it comes to optics from Apple.

Fortunately, in the meantime, Nokia has developed their cameras further - the iPhone's image quality, manual configuration-ability, FoV etc. are still significantly worse than current camera flagships, even the 2012 Nokia 808.

 

[Cod3rror]

I always thought my Nokia N95 was a beast of a cameraphone, especially for the time it was launched.

(click for original size)

I took these in 2008, the time when the iPhone had a laughable camera but things have certainly changed now when it comes to optics from Apple.

Nokia N95's camera was amazing! So far ahead of its time.

Nokia was on a roll since the N95. N95 8GB, N82, N86, N8, 808, all had amazing cameras. Too bad they completely ruined their cameras with Lumia phones.

 

[Goratrix]

I had a N82 in 2008-2010, that camera was amazing. And it still bugs me that it had xenon flash, something that almost no phone has these days.

 

[adder7712]

I always thought my Nokia N95 was a beast of a cameraphone, especially for the time it was launched.

(click for original size)

I took these in 2008, the time when the iPhone had a laughable camera but things have certainly changed now when it comes to optics from Apple.

Still looks impressive in my opinion.

I always thought Sony Ericssons of yesteryear had pretty good cameras. Now they have appear to have fallen behind.

 

[ChazUK]

Still looks impressive in my opinion.

I always thought Sony Ericssons of yesteryear had pretty good cameras. Now they have appear to have fallen behind.

There's another camera phone I loved to use. The K800i we had had a great little camera.

Xenon flash too.

 

[Pompiliu]

I would really like a Xenon flash on the iPhone.
And a wider lens.
And manual controls...

 

[Risco]

Do you have a Time Machine lol? Your 2009 N86 pictures are exactly the same as your August 2013 pictures.

 

[blitzer09x87]

that's why i always have one Nokia lumia phone with me, they're great for photos (and you also get the smartphone capabilities, why carry two gadgets?), nokia is the best.