Nokia’s journey to reclaim its lost glory has been a bumpy one largely due to worthy competition in the android world. But HMD global has performed better than we’d imagined, trouncing once regarded heavyweights like HTC by number of global sales. There are actually a couple of devices from HMD such as the latest Nokia 5.3 we’d easily use as our daily driver; it has all the spec’s that’s needed in a mid-tier handset, and to an average consumer, that’s all they’d hope for.

Nokia 5.3 made headlines when it opted for a quad-camera setup, something that’s almost shaping up to become a new normal in the smartphone world. There’s an interesting editorial written by tuvuti clarifying what these setups are capable of in comparison to once single sensors. But it’s still interesting to see a mid-tier phone bring bragging rights of multiple camera setups to the average consumer, we don’t expect photos taken by the setup to rival top-tier occupants such as the iPhone 11 Pro Max or the Galaxy S20 sequels, though it’s a good feeling to just know it’s there.

During the launch, HMD described the Nokia 5.3 as a phenomenal value, coupled with the magical quad-camera setup and the latest soc from Qualcomm® for mid-level devices – the Snapdragon™ 665. We don’t always take word-for-it when it comes to manufacturer stated battery life; however, having using more than a dozen Nokia devices, we expect the marketed signature two-day battery life to be close to the truth.

But we’re a bit hesitant to endorse HMD’s claim that Nokia 5.3’s supposed AI quad-camera setup will take brilliant photos under any circumstance. The same way we saw Huawei Nova 7i touted to be the best in its class; within ourselves, we know there’s a lot of effort needed in the software compartment to make those shots pop.  

And just as we saw in the Nova 7i, the wide-angle and macro lenses are aimed at helping users capture close-ups, or wide, scenic shots. Done with the marketing gimmick on the camera sector, we loved the fact that there’s a reasonable 6.55 inches of screen real estate for our media consumption. HDM also promises to put android 11 when released on the Nokia 5.3.

The phone does however perform better than a slightly cheaper Tecno Spark 5, and the price difference makes sense aiming higher rather than settling for the Tecno alternative

Nokia 5.3 specifications

BODY DIMENSIONS	164.3 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm (6.47 x 3.02 x 0.33 in)
	185 g (6.53 oz)
	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, plastic frame
	Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
SCREEN	IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~82.3% screen-to-body ratio)
	720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~268 ppi density)
	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
	450 nits typ. brightness (advertised)
PLATFORM	Android 10, Android One
	Qualcomm SM6125 Snapdragon 665 (11 nm)
	Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)
	Adreno 610
MEMORY	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
	64GB 3GB RAM, some options have 4GB or 6GB RAM,
	eMMC 5.1
MAIN CAMERA	13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF
	5 MP, 13mm (ultrawide)
	2 MP, (macro)
	2 MP, (depth)
	LED flash, HDR, panorama
	1080p@30fps
SELFIE CAMERA	8 MP, f/2.0, (wide)
	1080p@30fps
COMMS	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
	4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX
	Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
	Yes
	FM radio
	2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go
FEATURES	Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity
BATTERY	Non-removable Li-Po 4000 mAh battery
	Charging 10W
COLORS	Cyan, Sand, Charcoal

Smartphone cameras have evolved to the point of matching if not beating in some cases traditional point-and-shoot cameras. In fact, smartphones have generally outdone traditional cameras when it comes to technology with some devices featuring very complex lens setup that makes us wonder whether we’ve already reached the brim of innovation in the sector.

And just like we overcame the era of phablets by embracing bigger handsets, gone are the days when the selfie camera used to be a thing. It has become a new normal to expect just as good front camera as the backside sensor. The evolution of bezel-less smartphone displays almost threatened the very existence of the so-called selfie cameras, but instead, gave way to notches and in some instances pop-up sensors that have fallen-short of mass adoption due to their practicality. We can therefore agree that of many pieces such as physical keypads that used to make up a handset and finally gave in to newer technologies, we don’t expect manufacturers to abandon a selfie snapper anytime soon.

Things have taken a different direction when it comes to the backside-primary camera, instead of adding a number of pixels and in some cases a camera flash, primary sensors have instead embraced diversity rather than improvements. While you’ll find a phone manufacturer adding more megapixels for the selfie camera, the backside camera will almost have additional sensors to capture different modes of the same photo and combine them into a single superb image.

Camera setups on smartphones

There’s a ton of camera setups that a manufacturer could possibly come up with. But the idea behind several sensors is often abused rather than used to make a meaningful sense to the average consumer. Having several sensors doesn’t necessarily mean superb camera shots, the likes of early Google pixels and iPhones used to achieve commendable quality shots just with a single lens.  

To snap quality photos, you need more than just several sensors and many megapixels

The average consumers will probably make sense of what they see physically at the back of their devices, but there’s a lot that should be done under the hood with software to make that snap pop. That’s why the likes of Apple and Google thrashed the competition with usable shots is challenging environments such as night shots and moving objects. Smartphones being released now in the mid-tier segment will almost certainly have several sensors such as the recent Huawei Nova 7i, but what makes the difference is the actual implementation when taking those memorable moments.

The android world has already seen sensors with more than 100 megapixels, while this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be able to take first-class pictures, it does however allow to shoot more distant objects and generally take in more detail if well implemented in both hardware and software.

Most phone makers have branded their cameras to support Artificial Intelligence (AI), the AI term is just a fancy marketing term that means there’s some tweaks done by the device’s software to enhance its capabilities such as detecting various lighting conditions or moods. Some phones can detect when you’re smiling and enhance that magic smile, refine photos to look as if you had makeup on you and hide pimples that could otherwise spoil an incredible moment.

Types of smartphone camera sensors and what they mean

As mentioned earlier on, there are different types on cameras you’ll possibly find on a smartphone with multiple primary camera setups.   

The Primary camera

Usually this is the main sensor with multiple megapixels under the hood to snap photos that will later be enhanced with details captured with other sensors.

Ultra-wide-angle camera

Like the name suggests, this is the sensor that captures an image at a wider angle. It’s very common with taking group photos to accommodate everyone, or taking a photo of a landscape that can only be envisioned as a whole to bring out the beauty.

The ultra-wide-angle sensor, is able to cover a much broader angle of view and is perfect for capturing the full view of a magnificent work of architecture, or of the far-stretching cityscapes. It can also easily fit the entire party into a group picture.

Depth sensor lens

The depth sensor has an important role in the setup to create studio-grade portraits by precisely blurring even the most complex background. This also works for multiple subjects. They’re used in smartphones to achieve portrait images that blur the background while keeping the subject in focus. it basically creates a 3D effect as well as measuring the distance of each point.

Telephoto Camera

A telephoto camera has a longer focal lens than normal that gives a narrow view and a magnified image. As we all know, one of the limitations with smartphone lenses is that they cannot change their focal length optically except periscope lens cameras, so manufacturers offer an extra camera with increased focal length. Users can therefore extend the reach of the camera without losing quality. In simple words, it gives you another zoomed in camera.

Macro camera

There have been mixed reactions as to what value the micro-lens actually adds to the smartphone photography. But in essence, macro camera lens are ideal for close-up shots, for instance small objects or insects or of a creative miniature world.

Pre-orders of the recently announced Huawei Nova 7i are now live here in Kenya. Tuvuti recently reported on Huawei’s intention to bring the phone to the Kenyan market and indeed is now on pre-order. The Chinese phone manufacturer announced a price tag of Ksh 29,999 with some premium accessories included. Customers are expected to make pre-orders up until 24^th May from retail outlets across the country including Jumia and Lipa Later. The Nova 7i will be bundled with a free band 4 worth Kshs 4,699 and Bluetooth headset worth Kshs 2,499 for customers who make a pre-order.

Touted for its social media emphasized specs, the handset is expected to impress social media fans with its 48MP Quad AI camera setup that offers exemplary shots. The setup consists of a 48MP HD camera, 120° ultra-wide-angle sensor, a dedicated macro lens and an independent depth sensor, which work in sync to generate flawless images that are worthy your social profile. Underneath are all the necessary sharing apps that will upload those photos in a few touches.

On the front panel, there’s a 6MP AI single-camera setup that Huawei says it’ll master and capture the best of you anytime, anywhere, in any lighting. Huawei Nova 7i’s selfie is said to perform just as well under low lighting environments with a built-in night setting that will capture just as much detail in the neon-lit background, and brilliantly renders your skin as well as facial contours.

The primary camera with 48 megapixels underneath is supported by the proprietary Kirin 810 chipset and its magnificent AI, to enable an intelligent image synthesis algorithm that merges the best parts of multiple shots to form a final image with sharper, richer details than what a standard 48MP sensor would otherwise capture.

Adding some icing to the cake, there’s a 120° ultra-wide-angle sensor, that will capture a broader area and is touted for those perfect full view snaps whether it’s an interesting architecture, or far-stretching cityscapes. It can as well fit the entire party into a group picture.

And lastly within the primary setup is a macro camera that is best suited to snap close-up shots, such as the extraordinary patterns on a butterfly’s wings, or of a creative miniature world. The depth sensor plays a critical role in creating studio-grade portraits by precisely blurring even the most complex background. This also works for multiple subjects.

IThe HUAWEI nova 7i comes with a high-performing Kirin 810 chipset, a 4200 mAh high-capacity battery, and 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge technology.