The Nokia Lumia 1020 smartphone has likely come across your radar as the dominant picture-taking mobile device that out-shoots some high-end professional cameras.
While the phone’s main function it still that — a phone, the camera is the big story as it boasts a whopping 41-megapixel sensor (7152 x 5368 pixels). To put that into perspective, some of the most advanced smartphones on the market that rival the Lumia 1020 shoot a solid 13 megapixels or less (at best).
TELUS has provided ChrisD.ca with a review unit to delve much further into this Windows Phone 8 device. We’re also giving it away to one lucky reader.
The first impressions out of the box is that the back of the phone mimics a point-and-shoot camera, with a dedicated Xenon flash and plenty of options to get the best shot. You can even tweak your own white balance, hues, exposure +/- and other effects if you’re finicky about customizing just the right lighting for a subject. While most smartphones pixelate the photo when you begin to zoom in, the Lumia 1020 does a fine job of reducing any quality loss and balancing itself out to produce a finely-tuned visual end product on-screen.
A sample photograph taken with the Nokia Lumia 1020. (HANDOUT)
Nokia decided to use PureView technology in the 1020, with optical image stabilization, but with all of the bells and whistles comes a downside. Your photo sizes will be large — very large. If you’re of the space-saving mindset, you may find your 32 GB phone to be filling up rather quickly. However, with the camera actually snapping at a realistic 38 MP, it also produces a 5 MP version for social, web and e-mail sharing.
Performance-wise, the Nokia 1020 packs a perky Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, which handles an array of apps seamlessly when switching from one to another in a busy environment. The matte black finish (on our review unit) feels comfortable in the palm of your hand, but the phone itself is quite heavy compared to other high-end smartphones on the market, such as the iPhone 5S or Samsung Galaxy S4. Besides the added girth, the 1020 is a nice choice for someone looking for a device with all the capabilities of a phone, but the luxury of ditching their traditional camera for the built-in pro-like option.
Nokia also sells an optional grip with camera socket to snap the 1020 inside if you’d rather hold the phone as a camera, and, well, not a phone. The good news? We’ll throw that in as well if you win.
The device is available in bright yellow and black from TELUS for $199 on a two-year plan ($700 without a contract).
Win a Nokia Lumia 1020
One lucky reader will get their hands on this smartphone courtesy of TELUS.
Simply enter the form below and we’ll choose one random winner. Good luck!
Win this phone? TELUS provides one-on-one training and guidance for your new device through their Learning Centres, located in more than 200 TELUS stores across Canada. Learning sessions are customized to the individual or groups needs and can cover basic usage through to extra tips and tricks for the most advanced user. Learning Centre sessions are complimentary and can be booked online or in store at any TELUS location.
No purchase necessary. One entry per person, please. Multiple entries will not be counted. All personal information is handled in accordance to our Privacy Policy, and then discarded after the contest. Contest closes Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Open to all Canadian residents with a valid mailing address.
