Windows Phone panorama comparison: Nokia vs. HTC

Both Nokia and HTC are providing a Panorama picture function with their Windows Phone devices. Nokia released its “creativity suite”, while HTC integrated this feature in the camera app.

Both devices help you to create your panorama picture. HTC takes three photos, while Nokia takes four photos to create your panorama. I tested the function on a HTC Titan and a Nokia Lumia 800.

Let´s have a look at the HTC-helper:

As you can see on the picture above, HTC uses a line for horizontal adjustment and on this line a dot to find the best point of shooting the next picture.

Once you have reached the circle, the camera shots automatically the next picture.

Let´s have a look at the Nokia-helper:

As you can see on this picture, Nokia uses a different way to create panorama pictures. As mentioned above, Nokia takes four pictures for the panorama. Nokia uses a rectangle to give you help while positioning the device. It takes some time to figure this out, but once you are used to it, it is as easy as with the HTC panorama function.

Also Nokia´s app is taking pictures automatically once the best position is reached.

Now let´s compare the panoramas

First I want to show you two panoramas that I have taken outside (first is HTC, second Nokia):

The HTC panorama is not as wide as the Nokia panorama. Of course this is due to the difference of taking three vs. four pictures. The HTC camera has made the sun flair too lightening, which disturbs a little bit in my eyes. The Nokia panorama looks more natural, even with this difficult painting. Both panoramas are acceptable, but there is room for improvements on both sides.

Let me show you two panoramas from my living room (first is HTC, second Nokia):

Here you can see even more difference between the panoramas caused by the different numbers of pictures that are taken for stitching the panorama. The Nokia one is again wider than the one from HTC. The HTC camera once again has a problem with the lightening (see the windows), while the Nokia camera takes it easy and made a good photo at this part. But on the first photo the Nokia camera had a problem with the focus.

Conclusion:

Both devices have a good camera, and both cameras did their work over all good. HTC gets a bonus point as the panorama shot is integrated into the camera software, while Nokia´s bonus is a wider range for the panorama. As I do not take panoramas all the time, I am fine with using an app. In my eyes the Nokia one is a little better, because lightening is not such a strong problem as on the HTC Titan.