Using a Nokia N86 for Photography By Dougie Digital Dawg

Using a Nokia N86 for Photography

By Dougie Digital Dawg

Three years ago I wanted to get a mobile phone which would take decent photos.

By chance I read David Bailey had done an exhibiton called Alive at Night using a Nokia N86.

Nokia N86 announced February 2009, has a Zeiss Tessar 28mm F2.4-F4.8 8MP with Auto Focus. It also has a close up capability which I find useful. There’s no touch screen which I prefer for photogrpahy.

Whereas for various scenarios a much larger sensor, far higher dynamic range, and high iso capability is significantly useful, I have found a small sensor useful in so many scenarios. Small sensor compacts may sometimes get knocked down, especially the megazooms with 1/2.3″ sensor and slow lens such as Sony X50V 24-720mm however they do represent excellent photo taking capabilities.

It really does depend on the way we photograph and our subject.

dgd aka Dougie Digital Dawg.

Nokia N86 boat

Nokia N86 pavement

Nokia N86 leaf

Nokia N86 post cctv

Nokia N86 underpass

Nokia N86 sunset

Nokia N86 highstreet

24 Comments

  1. “I think any half decent camera with manual control and a decent lens will enable a talented photographer to create excellent photographs.” That is so true. Any of today smartphone can, as shown by Dougie, take great photos if you have a clear vision and you can work within the constraints of fixed fov/fixed f-stops. In any other occasion, the previous mentioned decent camera/decent lens can give you more “latitude” in what you can think and what you can do. All other whistles and bells are just consumer bait – and some times you can even do a great shot with a 15$ plasic lens sticked to a 1500$ body…

    • I think any half decent camera with manual control and a decent lens will enable a talented photographer to create excellent photographs. All these new cams with a gazillion megapixels are just Fools gold – people will spend all that money just so they can get some attractive pictures of their cats with nice ‘bokeh’ – it’s a case of, “yep, 2 grand spent on camera, 2 grand on lens, and took nice snaps with nice bokeh – climax achieved – now for the next new camera…”

      I canot understand why people who ejaculate furiously over Bokeha and Zeiss/Leica glass don;t just go the full hog and get a cheap 4×5 such as a Graflex or MPP and shoot wide open – that gives Bokeh and a look which is mind blowing and no full frame or even MF digital/Film can ever hope to match that look.

      And a more talented and creative photographer can use a Pinhole camera, a Holga or a Mobile Phone cam such as here.

  2. Terrific photo’s. Great composition and I just like the look of them too. You are truly an artist.

  3. Excellent work. Beautiful moody artful photos. I also understand the power of a small sensor. For me the V1 has been the miracle camera that has allowed me to realize my vision. 10mp small sensor…

  4. I believe this was the sequel to the N95?

    At any rate, that’s what I used until it died on me two years ago:) Fantastic camera, that still keeps up with at least the mid-range smartphones of 2013, which is stunning.

  5. At work I often can’t be burdened with a regular camera but my iPhone is always with me … well at some locations we have to turn in our phones or have the lenses covered with security tape. Too bad I can post a photo link …

  6. Great pictures.

    Though I would have hated to take such amazing pictures with my phone. I mean it’s like when I started out taking pictures I used jpg, because I thought that was sufficient for me. I took some great pictures then, but now years later I wish I had used raw, because while nice they had so much more potential. I might have been satisfied when I took them but at a later date when I realize a picture taken with my mobile phone was actually the best picture I ever took, I might regret I didn’t use better gear. Especially when wanting to print large.

  7. Interesting images, and they prove that there’s no better camera than the one you’ve got with you.

  8. Wonderful images! Intuitively I knew the Nokia could produce great stuff, but it takes a real photographer to produce the work you’ve shown here. You have a terrific eye. Thanks for posting.

  9. Very nice vision and images !! again, a demonstration that great photography is not as dependent on gear as we sometimes think it is.

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