📱 2022-04-17 08:03:36 – Paris/France.
Introduction
The transition from Symbian to Windows was one of the tough times for many Nokia fans at that time. But there's no denying that the Lumia era was probably one of Nokia's best. It spearheaded many improvements in the display and imaging department. In fact, the Metro user interface and the simplicity of the Windows Phone have influenced the appearance of modern devices.
The Lumia 1520 is the only other 10xx series after the Lumia 1020 and the Lumia 1320. It is monstrous in size, power and endurance. The brilliant red caught my eye and at the time it was the most beautiful device on display. In a sea of monochromatic devices, Lumia stood out with colorful and vibrant designs with a theme to match.
In this retro review, let's re-explore the Lumia 1520, launched in 2013.
Equipment
One of the hallmarks of Nokia has to be the fabulous design, introduced with the Nokia N9 which in my opinion is the most optimal design for a mobile device. The Lumia 1520 took advantage of this, sporting a slimmer profile with a large screen on top. But Nokia has improved on this simple design and made it more premium. On the one hand, the polycarbonate body is not only robust, but has also undergone a treatment that has allowed the colors to penetrate through each layer. So even deep scratches will retain the same color underneath. On the right side, the Lumia 1520 has buttons made up of Zirconium, one of the hardest compounds that retains its shiny metallic appearance without scratches after all these years. On the left side there is an ejectable SIM card and a micro-SD tray. At the top, a 3,5 mm jack port for the head and at the bottom a micro usb charging port.
On the back, a 20MP Pureview with OIS with dual LED flash and a 1,2MP front-facing camera along with 4 microphones complete the imaging setup.
The 6-inch 1080p IPS display is a game-changer. Nokia has always been at the forefront of display quality and offers one of the best outdoor performances, thanks to its proprietary Clear Black Display technology. But with the Lumia 1520, they've collaborated with Apical and brought Assertive display technology into a mobile device. Until that time, all other manufacturers relied on increasing the brightness of the background to improve outdoor readability. This impacts battery life. Using Assertive display technology, device brightness can be kept low and the contrast of each individual pixel adjusted to give better color and detail reproduction without affecting battery life. The technology is embedded in almost all mainstream chipsets these days.
The Lumia 1520's assertive display is a game-changer.
As for performance, the SD800 coupled with 2GB of RAM coupled with well-optimized software let users experience smooth transition and interaction. The device also supports wireless charging, Glance screen, Nokia Maps with offline functionality and even Hey Cortana!
Imagery
The sensor used on the Lumia 1520, although smaller than the 1020, performs well. This is a device that showcased the depth of the Pureview algorithm as you can experience the pre and post processing effects once and the image is taken. It lets you shoot at 5MP with 2X lossless zoom, and even capture in DNG format. OIS enables better low-light performance and adds stability to video recording. The SD800 allows the Lumia 1520 to capture 4K at 30 FPS and the later Windows 10 update adds digital stabilization. The 4 microphones provide better noise cancellation and enable Nokia's rich recording capability. It is the basis of OZO audio technology which is currently used in many Nokia and non-Nokia branded devices.
Here are some examples of the Lumia 1520 camera versus the Nokia G21. More samples and performance video in the link below.
Nokia G21 12.5MPLumia 1520 5MPLumia 1520 19MPNokia G21 12.5MP
Conclusion
The Lumia 1520 is a device meant to showcase the beauty and capabilities of Windows Mobile and Pureview technology. It does, however, have a fatal flaw. The 16:9 aspect ratio on a large screen was not pocket-friendly. This caused pressure on the display, resulting in ghost keys and other display-related issues.
I hope readers and fans will be delighted with the camera and video comparison with the Nokia G21, as both of these devices are champions of endurance. The Nokia G21 lacks OIS and has a 50MP Quad Bayer camera with pixel binning technology while the Lumia 1520 has a standard 20MP RGB sensor capable of 'pixel binning' for a 5MP Pureview image with zoom 2X lossless. But the comparison here is mainly to highlight whether OIS is still relevant with modern technology.
Don't forget to watch the video here and stay tuned for the next retro review.
SOURCE: Reviews News
Do not hesitate to share our article on social networks to give us a solid boost. 📲