Even more samples from the Verizon Nokia Lumia 928’s camera appear

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Although we have no idea what it actually looks like, the Lumia 928 and its camera are sure getting a work out. Yesterday we saw numerous photos leak that were taken with the 8.7MP camera (and even front-facing one) and today from the same source we evidently have more.

We say evidently because some of these photos are missing EXIF information, the crucial data that is embedded in each photo, often revealing the device name, lens, f-stop, etc.; having said that it’s clear that these photos are from the same day as the previously verified photos, so it’s a safe assumption that this is part of a set.

For those curious, the pics come via a private blog that is not open to the public. Ironically though (and much like a Facebook exploit) photos evidently are visible and were pulled by the site Nokia Power User.

At this point we can’t make too much of these photos as we don’t have controls to compare it to and we’re maybe dealing with pre-release software. Likewise, photos taken on bright sunny days generally always look good and these are no different.

Hopefully we’ll have more than just camera samples from the Verizon Lumia 928 in the coming days. The phone  is expected to launch sometime next month on the carrier, bringing with it the first serious competition to AT&T and its dominance on Windows Phone.

Source: Nokia Power User; Thanks, Jaseel E., for the tip

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Executive Editor

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and arguing with people on the internet.

113 Comments
  • Awesome!!! I Can't wait, Nokia Please take my money!!!
  • With this phrase, I might as well change my name to Nokia, and I will take your money lol
  • o.O
  • dont quit your day job >.<
  • http://www.phonearena.com/news/The-Samsung-Galaxy-S-4-wont-be-the-years-...
    Vote your Nokia Lumia 920
  • done :) meehhhhh.... galaxy s4? buhaha.... i never change my 920 to this plastic something :)
  • The 920 is made from plastic also Θ_Θ
  • At first I thought these were leaks but now I feel to be a clever viral media campaign.
  • Enough with this family's vacation photos already.  Just release the blasted phone!
  • Lol. But who are they exactly??
  • These are the guys who stole Elop's phone!
  • +1   LOL
  • Sweet.
  • Who are these lucky people!
  • I doubt those kids know what celebrities they are becoming all because of a smartphone release. Careful, Big Brother is watching.
  • ^^^^
  • At this point, I'd very much like to embed a pedobear.jpg
  • Ty for proving how fked up the interwebs have become
  • The photos were great..
  • At least now we know they are at Sea World.
  • I've never been to sea world (actually haven't been since I was 2) so I wouldn't know much, but how do you know it is sea world? There is Elmo stuff.
  • I was wondering myself where they were at...
  • This tells you all you need to know:
     
    http://seaworldparks.com/seaworld-sandiego/Attractions/Rides/Elmos-Flying-Fish
     
  • 8.7 MP camera? Doesn't the new galaxy have a 13 MP camera or something like that on it? Nokia needs to step up its game with the specs because this may cause people to switch OS's.
  • No
  • There is more to life (and cameras) than megapixels.
  • And who says there is not? If that is the case for you then why are you here reading and commenting on phone because there is more to life than this. What I am saying saying is that it needs to either match or best the competion to remain competitive.
  • real question:  Do you want higher numbers, or better pictures?
     
    Because your posts read like you would go for higher numbers every time.
     
    I just want my camera to take better pictures.
     
  • If you think that the camera needs to match the GS4 on megapixel count to either 'match or best the competition' you have no clue how image sensors work. Higher megapixel count does not equal higher image quality. 
  • True, but have you ever seen a salesman explain that to a customer buying a phone? Has Nokia ever done a picture comparison on any of their ads calling out other phones by name?
  • Yes, but even the HTC one for example, "UltraPixel" is only 4MP. And you can't blow it up as much. I know megapixels aren't everything, but this is a big deal when someone wants to buy a 2013 smartphone, and it only has a 4MP shooter.
  • Sam, you are the man of less words but when you do comment, you make a kill! ;)
  • "What I am saying saying is that it needs to either match or best the competion to remain competitive."
    The problem is you're demonstrating complete ignorance of what makes a camera good (or why more MP is better). It's even more odd with the HTC One about to be launched, considered to be the rival of the GS4, and it only shoots 4MP photos. The HTC Titan II, may I remind you, sold with a 16MP camera this same time in 2012. How'd that work for HTC (and Windows Phone)?
  • That may be the case, however the general public thinks bigger = better.
     
    Perhaps we need an ePixels number.  We can rate the phone at 20 ePixels (equivalent/effective pixels) and make the Nokia sound better than the Samsung.
     
    The public looks at numbers.  8 cores  > 2 , 13 MP > 8 MP. etc.
  • Nokia stopped the megapixel war with 808 (41MP), and showed that it is all about quality, not about numbers. 808 is unmatched until Nokia goes Phase 3 on their Pureview technology.
  • But... 41MP > 13MP. Better = more pixels here... 808 proves that! /s That's the simple view. People don't think sensor size etc.
  • More megapixels doesn't automatically mean better pictures
     
  • Has this been explained to Joe consumer? Typically it's, hmmm I take pictures...oh this phone has a 5mp camera, this one has 8.7mp, oh wow 13mp! I'll take that one!
  • By your rationale, we should have 60MP cameras by now. It's well understood in the point and shoot industry/consumer cameras, the "megapixel wars" are over and we've moved beyond it (much like the MHz race from a few years ago with CPUs). HTC is going with 'ultrapixels' and a 4MP camera on their flagship phone. No, it's not all about "higher is better = more sales". Like I mentioned above, see the Titan II with a 16MP camera 12 months ago...no one cared.
  • Unfortunately mom, dad, and Cynthia the highschooler aren't professional photographers. Very easy to market 60mp than trying to explain why 7mp is better. A bulk of the public buying only see specs. Its marketing. Pretty simple stuff.
  • This is true. Even Microsoft's minimum specs dictate megapixels. They don't say, "The camera must take good pictures regardless of specs." They say, "5 Megapixels minimum."
     
    I don't question the truth to the "megapixels aren't everything argument," but your average moron always thinks more is better. As long as Nokia et al are selling to average morons they need to either play the game or change the rules. 
  • Nokia has been doing their part to help explain it to Joe consumer. I think all their phones have "Carl Zeiss" on them and my 920 has "Tessar 2.0/26" on it. Tech blog reviews also point out these things on Nokia phones. Beyond that, if a sales person wants to lie or not tell the truth about the better camera, there's hardly anything anyone else can do about it.
  • This sounds like an Android fan claim. If all you want are specs to flex that e-peen, Android is for you
  • Do not be a fool, and think that whenever someone criticizes or says something negative about windows phone is either a troll or an Android fan. I have an L920, and I like the phone. However, if Nokia wants to stay competitive it needs to either match or best the competition. We should critique and give our true opinions of windows OS and windows hardware instead of just accepting everything or else they will never improve.
  • Then maybe you should wait to see actual samples from both cameras before declaring that the GS4 is better simply because it has more MP
  • The problem is, even if the Nokia 928 blows away the Galaxy S4, nobody will even know. Nokia won't advertise that. You need to subscribe to a windows phone site. Nokia creates amazing features they never advertise. Its like the worlds best kept secret. Not exactly what they need. Microsoft is busy pushing Ben Rudolph in movie theaters still pushing live tiles. Its frustrating watching opportunities missed by everyone on our team.
  • I don't know if you saw this Nokia video, but if not have a look
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t75tpqKTAF4
     
  • true in a relative sense....because samsung's marketing expenditure for their mobile devision dwarfs even Apple's marketing budget....2012 total marketing expenditure was 10Billion $...that a 10,000 millions....and Nokia had a loss of over a billion last year so no way it can take out that sort of a massive  marketing campaign to show each of thier superior features... Nokia has to rely on word of mouth from people like us for some time till they become profitable and have money to spare on marketing
  • Lumia 920 doesn't only match other phones in camera department. It already destroys them. It will destroy it simply by the fact that it has OIS. GS4 doesn't have that. OIS already allows L920 to take better low light pictures than GS4.
  • By that rationale, we should have 87 GHz CPUs today. They decided "lower frequencies, less energy consumption and more performance from other design techniques" and that's why my Intel i3 laptop has a 2.53 GHz CPU in comparison to i5's and i7's with like 1.5 GHz;  and that is EXACTLY what happens with something like PureView or HTC's UltraPixel today in the camera front.
    "Besting the competition" doesn't mean more megapixels as it no longer means higher CPU frequency.
  • The sony xperia phone had a 13mp shooter too. You don't see anyone raving about the quality of that camera. Megapixels help if you zoom or crop a photo. Otherwise, it's just a marketing ploy to to make you think the camera is better.
  • The only reason GS IV has a 13 mp camera is that ignorant and gullible people like you exist. So manufacturers decide to use that ignorance to their advantage and create buzz around their new products.
    Let me put it this way: a FullHD display has a little more than 2 million pixels. You would be looking at your photos on such a display; see all the GREAT quality movies with FullHD resolution? In each frame, they give you 2 mp only. Do you object to their quality, or get stunned by how amazing they look?
    Now imagine having a standard, "old" 8 mp camera. It produces images with roughly 4k resolution. That is 4 times the number of pixels on a FullHD screen. 4k resolution screens are just being announced and won't become mainstream in a few years at least. Even if they were already here, current cameras would have been able to provide them with enough pixel data.
    Now you tell me: the problem with phone cams is their resolution, or the quality of the lens, the software, etc. that capture and process the pixels? 
    Bet you only thought "13 is bigger than 8" and never spent time thinking about what the numbers actually mean.
  • Mp are just # my Samsung focus has 5 mp camera and my galaxy 3 has 8 and the pic. Are exactly the same. Sold g3, owner of a Lumia 920 since launch won't go back.
  • Wonder if more phone providers will offer more 928. Lets see if he will make a bad comment again. I am watching you and been recording you d. :-P
  • The photos look nice but EXIF data can be easily manipulated.
    If these are not part of a controlled leak then this guy might be in some trouble
  • Are they using the suppose demo phone...
  • I'm not a fan of Nokia Power User taking pics off a private blog and reposting them for everyone, especially when they inolve someone's family. Yes the person who posted them should have been more careful but at the same time the pics were obtained by some kind of workaround.
    I doubt a controlled leak would use pictures of a person's family
  • yeah perhaps they should had blurred the kids' faces
  • Agree. Shouldn't be posted here either.
  • It's a controlled leak. Pictures of people make the experience more personal thus making us imagine a scenario with our own families. Its good marketing hype if you ask me.
  • Thank you!!! I don't get why people think this is some intimate moment that was stolen. This was all a controlled leak. I bet these photos will even be used in the demo reel at a Verizon store to showcase the phone.
  • A small girl in a bathing suit on a beach? I highly doubt it.
  • Microsoft and Verizon use kids all the time in their ads; a kid in a swimsuit isn't far fetched by any means, especially if it's summertime. Furthermore, guess what, kids model in bathing suits all the time! Check out JCPenney or Gap Kids and you'll see child models in swimsuits. This isn't anything new or even remotely predatory. 
    What better way to show family using and playing with a Windows Phone than to show them enjoying sites in San Diego, which includes the beach?
  • Err... so what? Yes, obviously I know kids are used in advertisements.
    Ever heard of the precautionary principle? Here you go assuming a blog that is supposedly is private is a manufactured leak and therefore its perfectly fine to post pics of someone elses kids?
    A smart approach would be to NOT assume anything and do the right thing and if posting any of the pics, post just those with adults and/or cut out the kids.
  • Btw, the source site NokiaPowerUser removed those pics after I pointed this out. They did the right thing.
  • Just think how many more phones would of been sold if the launched it around the same time as the 8X. They would of had my money, oh well.
  • If these are from a private blog, PLEASE refrain posting at least those with pics of the children!!
  • One can hope if the camera hardware (aside from the supposed xenon flash) turns out to be the same as what is in the 920, and the improved daytime shots turn out to be from further firmware or software tweaks and optimizations, that could also be brought to the 920...
  • Its Elmo!!!!!!!!!!
  • Soft-focus issues seem to remain on the 928. 
    Can't tell much from these photos, other than that someitmes ambigously southeastern Asian looking people like to take their kids on outings in Southern California. 
  • I also see soft focus issues... I think the whole optics need to be revised.
  • Can u guys explain what soft focus is to a novice... Is it what the camera does automatically like auto focus?
  • you really didnt have to post every photo of the  family who thought these photos are private .... so stalkerish ... scary.
  • We're just re-reporting the story from another site. We did not grab or originally post the photos. If we don't report the story, does it not exist on the internet anymore? 
  • It does. However, for example, I did not go to the other website, nor would I in particular now that I have already seen the story and the pics on yours. Why not take out the obviously more private pics and reduce the spread?
  • That's low. It's called stealing and you know it. Just because someone else did it first does not make it right.
  • Agreed. If everyone one else is beating up homeless people, it does make it right for you to do it.
    Re-posting the story from another site, you can still edit which photos are used at this site. It is this kind of forethought which distinguishes say TMZ from 60 Minutes. Be the class act site we know and love.  
  • I understand both points...the blog was supposed to be private, yet posted on the world wide web...where nothing is private! Ppl should understand this by now, but sadly some don't. I would have just emailed them to family and friends, because even if they are removed, they are still cached in search engines. It is definitely scary to those who don't understand.
  • So, just because you can, doesn't make it right. Cracks for apps are freely available on the web, so does that make it right to promote W8 warez? 
    These pictures are copyrighted. At most, you can claim fair use to post thumbnail size of these pictures, but nothing more. But to then to actually reproduce these images here on an advertising-supported website is wrong. Will WPCentral be reimbursing the owners for these pictures?
    I have images on Flickr, but always with my rights reserved. If anyone want to use it, they are more than happy to e-mail me and negotiate a price. I would hate to see legitimate websites profiting from my own work.
  • What I said is that I see both points, yours and jay from wpc. Wpc claimed that they are only re-reporting the pics from another site. I have no idea what that original site is or how the original site found the photos. What I was saying is that it is scary that photos that you may think are private are NEVER private when posting ANYWHERE on the internet, and ppl should understand this before posting anything- photos or words. Personally, I believe that a private blog site should remain private. But WP Central (according to Jay) did not steal the photos from the private blog, they were simply reposting from another Nokia site. It is the job of WP Central to report any WP news they find credible, and that is what I think happened here. If someone stole the photos from a private blog, they have to make amends for that. It is unethical, in my opinion. However ppl need to understand that nothing in the internet is private! And now my new famous quote: This is simply my opinion that has been proven true time and time again. :)
  • Reposting stolen images is the same as stealing actually. Same applies to games, music, videos and physical goods.
  • Or it's all a purposeful leak to build anticipation. PR 101. 
  • I forgot to mention that I take it that you're a photographer or artist, and as such you should be very protective of your original creations. I would be upset if someone used my photos, whether public or private. I have learned that watermarks are great, but for family photos, I would rather email those. It is unfortunate that everyone doesn't view privacy as sacred. Ppl just need to be careful. Hopefully they will see this story or the original one on the Nokia site and write a cease and desist notice for them to take the photos down. Unfortunately, the photos are on several tech sites by now. This is of course, assuming that this was not meant to be a leak of some kind.
  • Or these photos are a staged leak by Nokia and Verizon?
  • Look blurry just like 920 did, same with focus and same with color reproduction.
     
    How hard can it be to fix that?
  • ^^^
    Even the iPhone 5 is sharper outside.
  • Are we all looking at the same pictures??
  • why this type of set only for verizon. how many set verizon sold last year only 10 m so it may be 1 million for this set. whta benefit nokia gain selling only 1 million set. what about its international version.
  • Ok seriously enough of people's pictures and release the phone already. For gods sake I know more about this family than the phone
  • Lol
  • Could this be a joint leak from Nokia and Sea World? Lol! Just had to put something off the wall here....;) So....has anyone heard anything else about the next flagship phone that I think they called the 'Catwalk'? This one is the Laser right?
  • Yeah..just release that phone or
    at least reveal the date of release or the real deal.........
  • VZW usually announces in mid to late April for a May release. Which is when they release the summer flagships.
  • They better release this phone before MAY. My HTC trophy is near broken and on it's last limb. I am WP fanboy, but sick of excuses/exclusives.  I don't want an 8x or the 822. I want I HIGH END windows phone. My contract is up and if the 928 is out by then, I will stay with vzn / wp. If not I am going to switch to a droid. I am sick and tired of the VZN exclusive phones releasing 6 months after international version. The samsung phone they came out with on verizon is a joke. Why is microsoft pissing off it's fan base?
     
  • Taking people's private and copyright'ed pictures and then posting them up. Classy.
  • Geez! Those pictures are awesome! Very detailed & loving the colors rep.!!!! Can not wait... But... If 920 can do the same with future updates, i'll stick to it :p
  • Hehehe finger crotch
  • I know lots of people are getting up in arms that these photos were used privately and then leaked, but did it dawn on anyone that maybe these were purposefully leaked? They actually almost looked staged, like they are photos that will be in the demo reel at a Verizon store for the Lumia 928. That'd be my bet. I wouldn't be surprised if these aren't "official" photos of the 928 in action and were purposefully leaked to build anticipation. 
  • Not impressed... GS3 and iPhone5 still better.