MWC 2012: Nokia contract megapixel madness with 41MP 808 PureView smartphone

Don’t worry, you read that headline correctly: Nokia have taken Mobile World Congress 2012 to reveal that Nokia 808 PureView, a smart cameraphone packing in a 41MP sensor.

According to Nokia, this allows for “incredibly sharp, detailed images, superior low light performance and the capability to save images in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS and on social networks”.

Of course, these whopping image sizes can be scaled down with options ranging from 2MP to 38MP, though the high-res settings will be ideal for those looking to shoot images for banners and posters, as well as using the onboard 4X zoom without loss of definition.

You’ll also get 1080p video recording and the new Nokia Rich Recording functionality, which allows for CD-quality audio capture.

However, it’s not all good news; rather than push this device out as a Windows Phone 7 handset, Nokia have opted for Symbian.

While it’s all well and good chasing new highs in mobile photography, we do worry that Nokia may be falling into old habits with the 808 PureView. Their Windows Phone 7 smartphone output has been solid so far, so why use Symbian here?

Nokia need to keep their eye on the prize (smartphone supremacy) rather than chasing what are basically novelty ideas if they’re to ride out the rough wave they’ve had since the iPhone came onto the scene.

Expect to see the 808 PureView in stores by May.