Get the best Photos with Your Nokia Lumia 1020 - tips and tricks

If you bought a Nokia Lumia 1020, you must be after its superb 41 MP camera. Lumia 1020 does not impress as a phone, but, it has one of the best camera unit among the smartphones as of yet. However, what good is a 41 MP camera unit if you can't take good photos with it?

Here are a few tips and tricks from nokia.com to capture that perfect moment.

The Basics

To access the camera, press the camera button or select Camera from the application list. With the phone in landscape position, press the "gear-like" button on the bottom right of the screen to access the settings that are available. There are three settings available depending on what you want to capture.

Normal Mode will give you a good photo of scenery, or a group of people, or a meadow.

Macro Mode is best for an extra close subject. This mode enables the camera to focus on an object that is only centimeters away from the lens.

Bokeh gives an effect where the subject is clear and everything else in the background is blurred. This mode is best to capture as much detail of your subject as possible.

ISO

Change the ISO settings for taking better pictures at night. Setting the ISO high gets maximum light to the sensor. This is best for dark scenarios. However, the photo is more grany but the image is brighter and lighter.

If you want a finer, less grainy photo change the ISO settings to low. It reduces the the light that the camera sensor receives.

Exposure Value

Set the exposure high if you want an effect where moving objects leave a blur behind them. set the exposure as low as possible if you want to capture something with very little movement.

Saturation

The saturation gives you option whether you want brighter or duller color. Turn the saturation high if you want lush vivid colors. If you want it in dull colors, turn the saturation down.

Scenes

If you want to make your life easier, go to the Scenes section to choose settings under different conditions. You can choose from Beach, Candlelight, Snow, or Sunset.

Metering Mode

This function allows the camera to take light from another source. This is useful when taking photos outdoors and you have the glaring sun behind your subject.

Xenon Flash

With Lumia 1020's Xenon flash, you can get a blurry-free image of moving objects. A tip from Steve Litchfield of All About Windows Phone is to set exposure time to 1/125 seconds. This will eliminate ambient light in the image.

Xenon flash is perfect when taking photos of moving people or objects. You can even freeze moving water.

Grid

The use of grid is important when taking picture of a landscape. It will help you level the horizon on the image. You may use "cross hairs" grid, "golden ratio" grid, or "rule of thirds."

HDR

HDR may be used when there is a dramatic difference in light or when you want to "highlight elements in an image."

Silhouettes

By dropping the exposure, you can create silhouettes of your chosen subject. Lumia 1020's exposure can be dropped down to -3EV.

Effects

Lumia 1020 allows you to add effects before you take a photo. Basic choices, such as Black and White, Sepia, Negative, Solarise and Normal, are available.

Lumia 1020 has 2 camera apps: Windows Phone 8 camera app for casual shooting and Nokia Pro Cam app with manual control over shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus. Take advantage of its features to get good photos.

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