My favorite camera phone, since the last quarter of 2018, right through 2019, still going strong in 2020, or until it faces a significant malfunction, is the vintage circa 2011 candy-bar feature phone, the Nokia Asha 300. Weighing in at 85 grams, the Asha 300 is the smallest, slimmest, and lightest feature phone I have used and is completely capable of capturing great images even with its 5MP camera.
I started to use the phone again after taking it out of storage, where it has been for more than a couple of years (five to be exact), as a temporary replacement for a newly purchased smartphone which I was not very happy with.
Though decent, images from the newly acquired consumer-grade phone were rather soft, lacked depth, and appeared flat, not much to shout about.
Basic MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY Tips to Make Your Photos Stand Out
Do you struggle with frustration and feelings of inadequacy surrounding your photography skills or Instagram feed? Have you bought into the lie that you need a fancy DSLR camera in order to take good photos? Do you have a dream of sharing a story, service, or product with the world, but you lack confidence in your photography or Instagram skills?
I had the Asha 300 hooked up to the charger, and it looks to be working fine, took it outside to grab a few test shots, and Walla! what a surprise. In bright daylight, the images were simply exhilarating, sharp and clear, finely detailed, and the colors crisp.
The New Experience
That was an eye-opener. Just to make sure that I was on the right track, I took the camera out again for an evening shoot. Again, the images were fantastic, and after a batch of night shots, I realized that I could have more fun with this camera than I ever had before.
Using it purely as a camera, the Nokia Asha 300 has to be the smallest and the slimmest fixed-focus point-and-shoot that I have used so far. It is only 113mm x 50mm x 13mm thick, weighs 85 grams, and slips anywhere you want to place it.
The phone is fitted only with a 5MP rear-facing camera with an F2.8 wide-angle (presumably with a focal length of 28mm) lens, and no flash support.
The Nokia is capable of recording images at a maximum resolution of 2592x1999 pixels, and with the built-in memory bank, the camera can record up to 112 JPEG images.
Not all are sweet and dandy, though. With a 2.4-inch screen that you can hardly see in bright light, shooting is more of an arm-forward hipster style point-and-shoot. Images take ages to save, literally giving you enough time to take another sip of the coffee, and chimping is something you wouldn't want to do with.
On the plus side, the fixed-focus F2.8 lens has just the right angle of view to bring in a scene without perceived distortion, it is wide enough to be considered a street shooter's delight.
The availability of a USB port and easy Windows connectivity makes image transfer for post-processing and print sharpening make for a seamless workflow.
Looking Forward
The fun and creativity, however, are definitely there,e and doing the assignments at different locations, and times of day, with a varied subject matter, does keep your juice flowing. Set yourself regular assignments, even the lowest-end camera you can find, and see how much more you enjoy your photography and how much your skill improves.
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