Forget phones with triple or quad-cameras at its back. HMD Global-owned Nokia is here to take things to the next level with the Nokia 9 PureView. As the PureView branding suggests, the Nokia 9 is a camera powerhouse featuring 5 rear cameras. It is a unique setup which makes use of five camera sensors of the same focal length and resolution — 12MP and f/1.8 aperture.
Out of the five camera sensors, three shoot in monochrome and two shoot in color. When one presses the shutter button, the Nokia 9 PureView captures photos from all the five camera sensors in varying exposures. This is in addition to a single camera sensor taking shots of multiple exposures itself depending on the lighting conditions. In the end, all the photos are merged together for more details and clarity. It also allows users to adjust the focus after taking a picture.
Nokia has partnered with Light for the five-camera setup. It is also using the company’s Lux Capacitor camera control chip to manage the five-camera setup since the Snapdragon 845 cannot handle so many camera sensors. While Nokia’s approach here is definitely unique and the end results might also be impressive, the Nokia 9 PureView simply does not offer the same kind of versatility and flexibility as other phones featuring a triple-camera setup like the Galaxy S10 or LG V40. Internally, the Nokia 9 PureView is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chip from 2018, packs a 5.99-inch FHD+ OLED panel, IP67 certification, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, in-display fingerprint scanner, and a 3,320mAh battery. Other specs include USB-C, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, 20MP front camera, Qi wireless charging, and no headphone jack! The Nokia 9 PureView will go on sale in March for $699.
