As ever, a reminder of raw specifications and imaging features:
| Nokia Lumia 1020 (2013) | Sony Xperia 5 ii (2020) |
|
Dedicated two-stage shutter button/launch key 41 MP RGB sensor, f/2.2, 1/1.5", contrast-AF, OIS Xenon flash plus LED video light Single exposure |
Dedicated two-stage shutter button/launch key Multiple frame stacking when needed |
Although the 1020 doesn't have a telephoto lens, there's 2.5x 'PureView' zoom (at the mandatory 5MP output), using smart cropping into a genuine RGB sensor. Putting it in the same ballpark as the Xperia, though the lower resolution doesn't help keep framing the same, so you'll have to make a few allowances.
Note that I made one rookie slip when shooting the test scenes - I had the Sony in 4:3 and the Lumia 1020 in 16:9. Though as the Sony just crops the 4:3 image to get 16:9 then it doesn't make any practical difference and, when comparing whole images below, I do the same 16:9 crop.
As usual on this site, most photos were taken on full auto and handheld, as a regular user would do. No tripods or RAW editing sessions needed!
Let's pit the results against each other, using our Famed Interactive Comparator (FIC). All 1:1 crops are at 900x500 for comparison, though I've put up the originals, for you to download if you want to do your own analysis.
Note that the interactive comparator below uses javascript and does need to load each pair of images. Please be patient while this page loads, if you see a pair of images above each other than you've either not waited long enough or your browser isn't capable enough! You ideally need a powerful, large-screened tablet or a proper laptop or desktop. This comparator may not work in some browsers. Sorry about that.On Windows 10 Mobile, use the 'AAWP Universal' UWP app, which handles the comparator very competently (see the tips in the app's help screens) |
Test 1: Sunny landscape
The local lock, in weak winter sun in the UK. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Although the Xperia's shot is nowhere near as edge-enhanced as, say, a Samsung, somehow the enhancements still fall short of the ultra-natural detail from the 1020. True, the framing's different (because of that resolution mismatch), but I'd still take the 1020, detail-wise, anytime.
Lumia 1020: 10 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 2: Sunny landscape, take 2
A different viewpoint, further along the lock, even more detail to crop in on. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
While not being as drastic as a Samsung in terms of image processing, you can see a good summary of trends in modern algorithms here. The Xperia's multi-frame HDR manages to bring out extra colour and detail in the hut windows, but at the expense (seemingly) of purity - everything looks just a little artificial. Meanwhile the Lumia 1020's shot looks real. It could even be that this is because our eyes also have limited dynamic range (it's why we have irises) and so losing colour and detail in deep shadow is normal. But also because of the super-naturalistic PureView processing. Again.
I reckon many casual readers might pick the Xperia shot as 'better', while I'd disagree. But I have to give enough props to the Sony for the extra resolution, colour, and detail, that the overall scoring comes out equal.
Lumia 1020: 9 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 3: Sunny, medium-distance
A church tower at 15m or so, looking up, in weak winter sun in the UK. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Honours more even this time, since although the 1020 has a purer image, it overdoes the 'gold' cast a little too much. Yes, the sun was an hour from setting, but the Xperia's colour on the stonework is more accurate. So I'm splitting the points.
Lumia 1020: 9 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 4: Sunny, medium-distance, zoomed
The same scene, but zoomed to the max on the 1020, so 2.5x at 5MP, and using the 3x telephoto (70mm) on the Xperia 5 ii.
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Neither photo is perfect for a pixel-peeper like me, but you can see the uncertainty now in the 1020 shot, i.e. with the smart cropping, there's now no oversampling, so this is what the RGB sensor is kicking out. The Xperia captures a bit more detail (as it should) and preserves more of it in the final JPG.
Lumia 1020: 8 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 5: HDR landscape
The sun low in the sky over the Thames river, shooting straight into the light. You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
Scaled photos first, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
The Xperia is a modern phone and has the processing power for multiple bracketed frames and then an instant HDR image, as you can see here, with some detail even in the shadows and with almost no blow-out in the sky. In contrast, the single 1020 exposure has limited dynamic range and there's too much of a 'silhouette' feel. It is what it is, from 2013!
Lumia 1020: 8 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 10 pts
I was curious about all that fine detail in the trees on the horizon though. 1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Both phone cameras do a great job - the fine branches may look fuzzy here, but remember that these are pixel-level crops and no real person is going to look this closely. But I have to give the win to the Lumia 1020 - look at the water, look at the finest branches and the 1020's image (away from the sun blow-out!) is just stunning in terms of purity.
Lumia 1020: 10 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 6: Close-up
A lovely yellow flower, all on its own. You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
Slightly cropped and scaled photos first, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
This is tricky to score, because I cheated slightly. I had to, since the Lumia 1020 didn't have the dynamic range to capture the flower, as is, without lots of blow-out on the petals - so I popped open the 'Pro' settings on the Lumia and knocked the exposure down by 0.7 of a stop, to get the remarkable image above - though the reduction in exposure has meant that the background is now too dark. The Xperia was on full auto and the petal brightness stops just short of being blown out, while the background looks right.
(In hindsight, if I was going for perfection, I'd have dropped the exposure down by 0.3 on the Xperia, to get the absolute best balance of flower light and background!)
Lumia 1020: 9 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 7: Indoor detail
Inside a church in fairly low light. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Considering the light levels, I'm blown away by both photos, the colour and the 1:1 detail. Top marks all round.
Lumia 1020: 10 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 10 pts
Test 8: Stained glass
Always an interesting camera phone test - 10 years ago phone cameras struggled to take this sort of shot, amazingly. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Cracking photos and it seems wrong to dock the Lumia 1020 a point, its photo is almost perfect. However, the Xperia 5 ii's shot blew me away - again, remember this is 1:1, pixel-level detail. Stunning, simply stunning. So I'm going to break with tradition and give it a bonus point. Seems only fair.
Lumia 1020: 10 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 11 pts(!)
Test 9: Indoor detail - the cheesemonger!
Artificial light in a supermarket. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
I think I should point out one slight design issue with the Xperia 5 ii in low light - the Photography Pro application (built-in) relies solely on the physical shutter button, meaning that you have to have a really steady hand to take photos accurately, without nudging the phone down at depression time. In good light, this isn't an issue, but in low light, as here, there's a very slight blurring effect to having all shots taken with a physical press. Or maybe it's a question of practice! Certainly I think that the app should offer an on-screen shutter as well.
Back to the crops though, the 1020's photo is crisper and with zero blur. You wouldn't know that the Xperia's shot was minutely blurred unless you look as closely as I do, but I'm docking the Sony a point.
Lumia 1020: 10 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 9 pts
Test 10: Indoor zoom
Indoors in typical lighting, but trying out the zoom systems under common, but challenging, conditions. Here's the scene, for context:
You can grab the original photos from the Lumia 1020 and Xperia 5 ii for your own analysis.
1:1 crops then, from the zoomed shots from the Lumia and then the Xperia, just wait to make sure the page has fully loaded and then use your mouse or trackpad pointer to compare the images:
Unsurprisingly, the 1:1 crops are less pretty in low light, but both photos are useable as a whole, if you don't look too closely. You can see sensor noise in the Lumia shot (with no oversampling available) and edge enhancement artefacts in the Xperia's. And although I prefer the smoothness of the 1020's photo, up close, it gets the pale yellow wall colour completely wrong, so the two phone zoom cameras come out even overall.
Lumia 1020: 8 pts; Xperia 5 ii: 8 pts
Scores on the doors
For the record, the scores add up as:
- Xperia 5 ii (2020): 102 pts (/110)
- Lumia 1020 (2013): 101 pts
Such a tight result doesn't prove anything conclusively, but then this whole feature was just for fun. No one is really going to use a 2013 phone with an unsupported OS in 2021. But the Lumia 1020 was an iconic imaging data point and you can see here that the Sony Xperia 5 ii fares pretty well across the board. And there are other positive factors in its favour: the presence of an ultra-wide lens as well, the instant capture (compared to the 1020's three seconds shot to shot time!), the fact that it runs the very latest Android OS and applications.
Is the Sony Xperia 5 ii a good recommendation for someone who used to be a Lumia 1020 fan? Abso-flippin-lutely. It's my favourite phone, even at the end of 2021, to take photos with. Plus it has all the extra gadgets, ports, expansion that many other modern smartphones forsake.
Your comments welcome if you use one of the recent Sonys.