Nexus 4 vs iPhone 5 vs S3 vs Lumia 920 vs BB Z10 head-to-head review

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By Khidr Suleman
published

We put the best devices from Apple, BlackBerry, LG, Nokia and Samsung head-to-head.

All of the devices on test have a similar camera set up. The BB Z10, iPhone, Nexus 4 and Galaxy S3 have 8-megapixel snappers on the rear, whereas the Nokia has a slightly larger 8.7-megapixel camera. All devices also have front-facing cameras, primarily for video calling purposes.

As the devices have similar resolution, picture quality is unsurprisingly similar. The camera software also helps to differentiate between them, so we've run through what each has to offer.

BlackBerry Z10

  • Rear Camera 8-megapixel
  • Front camera - 2-megapixel
  • Panorama mode - No
  • Time shift - Takes a burst of shots and allows users to cycle through them to manipulate images.
  • Story maker - Ability to edit together videos + images with music.
  • Image + video stabilisation Yes
  • Effects In-app, post-picture.
  • Digital zoom 5x
  • In-app photo sharing Yes
  • Video recording 1080p

Lumia 920

  • Front camera 8.7-megapixel with Carl Zeiss optics
  • Rear camera - 1.3-megapixel
  • Panorama mode - Yes
  • Smart Stay allows you to choose the best photo from a selection and also delete items that may be unwanted. This works best when you take a picture of someone and a stranger accidently walks through your shot.
  • Image + video stabilisation Yes, technically the best optical stabilisation means the lens moves to compensate for any shaking.
  • Effects: Third-party, post picture.
  • Digital zoom 4x
  • In-app photo sharing Yes
  • Video recording 1080p

iPhone 5

  • Rear camera 8-megapixel
  • Front camera - 1.3-megapixel
  • Panorama mode Yes
  • Video stabilisation Yes
  • Effects - Third-party, post picture
  • Face detection Up to 10 faces
  • Digital zoom Yes
  • In app photo-sharing Yes
  • Video recording 1080p

Galaxy S3

  • Rear camera 8-megapixel
  • Front camera - 1.9-megapixel
  • Panorama mode Yes
  • Image stabilisation Yes
  • Effects In app, pre-picture.
  • Burst mode/ Best picture Yes, allows users to pick the best picture.
  • Digital zoom 4x
  • In-app photo sharing - Yes
  • Video recording 1080p

Nexus 4

  • Rear camera 8-megapixel
  • Front camera - 1.3-megapixel
  • Panorama mode Yes, 360 degree panoramas which can be uploaded directly to Google Maps.
  • Image stabilisation Yes
  • Effects In-app, post-picture.
  • Digital zoom 4x
  • In-app sharing - Yes
  • Video recoding 1080p

Winner: Lumia 920

It's a tough call - but based on the features and quality available we would say the Lumia 920 just shades it overall. The Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5 are vying for the runner up position.

Next: Internet Performance

Khidr Suleman
Khidr Suleman is the Technical Editor at IT Pro, a role he has fulfilled since March 2012. He is responsible for the reviews section on the site  - so get in touch if you have a product you think might be of interest to the business world. He also covers the hardware and operating systems beats. Prior to joining IT Pro, Khidr worked as a reporter at Incisive Media. He studied law at the University of Reading and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism and Online Writing at PMA Training.