Nokia Lumia 1020 vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom: How Do They Stack up?

Finnish handset maker Nokia Thursday (26 September) announced that the company would release the flagship Lumia 1020 camera phone in to the Indian market in couple of weeks.

Photography enthusiast who are looking to forward to the release of Lumia 1020 can also look in to the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom to make an informed decision to buy a camera smartphone which boasts of a better Interface, processor, RAM, battery, build quality for longer use.

Here is brief description of comparison between Nokia Lumia 1020 and Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom:

Display:

Nokia's flagship smartphone sports a 4.5-inch AMOLED WXGA (1280x768p) display with PureMotion HD+ technology having a pixel density of 334 ppi (pixels per inch), whereas Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom flaunts a subpar 4.3-inch AMOLED screen with qHD 960x540p resolution having pixel density of 256 ppi.

Processor, RAM and Storage:

In terms of power, Galaxy S4 Zoom and Lumia 1020 stand even in this aspect as they both pack dual-core processors with the same 1.5GHz CPU speed. The Lumia phone comes with 2GB RAM and 32GB inbuilt memory (non expandable). On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy phone packs 1.5GB RAM and a paltry 8GB storage space, but it compensates with the inclusion of microSD card slot which increase the capacity up to 64GB.  

Operating System:

In this aspect, the Android powered Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom trumps over Lumia 1020 which runs on Windows Phone 8 OS. Galaxy smartphone owners will have luxury of choosing among the bounty of apps and games from the Android ecosystem. In comparison, the Windows Phone operating system offers very few applications to choose from and is also blamed to be the reason behind the missing quad-core processor and full HD display in Lumia 1020. However, the GDR (General Distribution Release) 3 update which is expected to feature in the upcoming Lumia 1520 will have high-end specifications.

Camera:

The main USP of both smartphones is their camera specifications. Galaxy S4 Zoom camera flaunts a stunning 16.0-megapixel main camera with an array of features such as 10x optical zoom, Xenon flash support, Zoom ring with a retractable lens having (Optical Image Stabilization) and BSI CMOS sensors. Its Smart Camera modes further enrich the photography experience. On the front side, the smartphone houses a 1.9-megapixel camera with CMOS sensor.

On the other hand, Nokia Lumia 1020 houses a massive 41.0-megapixel PureView camera with six physical lenses with OIS (Optical Image stabilizations) and 3X lossless zoom. It features two separate types of flash support - Xenon flash for still images and a separate LED light for videos.

The phone also comes pre-loaded with Nokia Pro Camera application. On the front side, it packs a 1.2-megapixel wide angle HD camera with 1280x960p resolution.

Price:

Nokia Lumia 1020 is already available in the US market and is reportedly selling for $609 (around 38,000). However, the rupee depreciation can lead to a further increase in its price for the Indian market. Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, which made its debut almost two months ago in India, is currently priced around ₹30,600.

Considering all the specification aspects, Lumia 1020 seems more favourable thanks to three key factors such as build quality, design and a staggering 41.0-megapixel camera which is certain to sway more amateur camera enthusiasts into its fold.

Despite its pretty decent camera features, Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is too bulky weighing 208 g. Its back panel has a huge bump, courtesy the retractable lens.

Key specifications of Nokia Lumia 1020 and Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom: