N85 vs N96 : The Camera Comparison

I was really curious to see how the Nokia N85‘s Daytime picture taking capabilities compared to the Nokia N96. In my previous N82 vs N96 daytime camera comparison, the N96 failed miserably compared to the N82. But the N85 was released at the same time as the N96, and both have the same 5 Megapixel Camera with Dual LED flash, so I was expecting the results to be similar, if not exactly the same.

Boy, was I wrong. The results from both cameras are very much different from each other. Which one’s the better one ? Read the comparison to find out.

Introducing the Contenders :

In one corner, we have the Nokia N96 on its new version 12.0.43 firmware. This is the first time we’re reviewed the camera on this device since the firmware update, so we’re hoping for some improvements in that department.

In the other corner, we have the Nokia N85 on firmware version 10.0.45.
Important Note : There’s is an update to this firmware that is version 11.0.47 but it was not available to this unbranded device’s region code at the time of this review. This update brings various bug fixes to the N85 including color and saturation improvements to the camera.
Because of this, we would like to strongly emphasize that this review was done on the old version 10.0.45 firmware of the Nokia N85.

On with the comparison !

Close up Pictures :

Both cameras were set on “Close up Mode” for this section.

Image 1 :

N96 :

N85 :

Here we see that the N96′s image is more focused and has a more natural color. The N85 does a good job but loses out because of its unnatural color reproduction.

Point to N96.

N96 : 1 N85 : 0

Image 2 :

N96 :

N85 :

Here, both camera’s do a respectable job but the N96′s image is definitely better focused and has a more natural color. Notice the leaves in the lower right side of the N96 image and N85 image.
The N85 on the other hand has that unnatural color problem again.

Point to N96 :

N96 : 2 N85 : 0

Image 3 :

N96 :

N85 :

Again, the N96′s image has better color and is definitely clearer and better focused.

Point to N96.

N96 : 3 N85 : 0

Image 4 :

N96 :

N85 :

Egads, what the heck did the N85 do to this picture ? The N96′s image is clear and well focused while the N85′s image is focused on the lower part but clearly not in the upper part of the picture, and the color reproduction is just plain wrong.

Point to N96.

N96 : 4 N85 : 0

Image 5 :

N96 :

N85 :

And then the N85 goes and does this. Take an incredibly clear and well focused picture with nothing really wrong with it. The N96 and the N85 images are both spot on, and there’s nothing wrong with the color reproduction in either case.

Point to both.

N96 : 5 N85 : 1

Image 6 :

N96 :

N85 :

I’m not sure what happened here. After numerous attempts (8 to be exact) at trying to get the N96 to focus, I just gave up and let it take the picture. This is strange because, in our previous comparison with the N96 on its older firmware, it had no problem with a similar picture.
The N85′s image is very well focused and the color reproduction is mostly correct, although the green of the leaf and stem are a lot brighter than they actually are.

Point to N85.

N96 : 5 N85 : 2

Image 7 :

N96 :

N85 :

Again, the N96 seems to be unable to focus on something so close, while the N85 does a good enough job. You’ll notice that the N96 focused on the background, while the N85 focused on the flower, like I wanted it to.

Point to N85.

N96 : 5 N85 : 3

Image 8 :

N96 :

N85 :

While both images are well enough focused, the N96 definitely has better color reproduction.

Point to N96.

N96 : 6 N85 : 3

Image 9 :

N96 :

N85 :

Once again, the N96 has its old problem of focusing on the background instead of the object in the foreground, while the N85 does an “okay” job but the color reproduction is a bit strange.

Point to N85.

N96 : 6 N85 : 4

Image 10 :

N96 :

N85 :

You’ll notice that while both images are well focused enough, the N96′s image looks more natural because of the color reproduction, while the colors in the N85′s images are clearly not on par.

Point to N96.

N96 : 7 N85 : 4

Extras :

Extra’s that werent considered for the review.

Image 1 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 2 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 3 :

N96
:

N85 :

Image 4 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 5 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 6 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 7 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 8 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 9 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 9 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 10 :

N96 :

N85 :

Conclusion on Close up Mode :

The end result out of 10 Images was – N96 : 7 N85 : 4

So the firmware update to version 12 has improved the N96‘s close up imaging skills somewhat, but neither the N85 nor the N96 can go in as close as you can, than with the Nokia N82. And as you can clearly see,
the N96 still has some close up focusing problems.
The N85 on the other hand, doesn’t really have a problem with focusing, but its color reproduction desperately need to be worked on. So far its been off the mark in almost every picture. It also seems to have a slight problem with light management.

A firmware update should hopefully fix this.

Normal Range Images :

Both phones were set to “Auto” mode for this section.

Image 1 :

N96 :

N85 :

Clearly the N85 does a horrible job on color reproduction and looks washed out, while the N96′s image is very natural.

Point to N96.

N96 : 1 N85 0

Image 2 :

N96 :

N85 :

Both cameras do a respectable enough job in this one. Again, color reproduction becomes the deciding factor and while the N85 does a good job in this case, the N96′s image is just a tad better (notice the color of the pot next to the plant).

Point to N96.

N96 : 2 N85 : 0

Image 3 :

N96 :

N85 :

Again, it comes down to color reproduction, the N96 gets the point.

N96 : 3 N85 : 0

Image 4 :

N96 :

N85 :

The same story again.

Point to N96.

N96 : 4 N85 : 0

Image 5 :

N96 :

N85 :

Eesh. At this point I’m not even going to go into detail anymore.

Point to N96.

N96 : 5 N85 : 0

Image 6 :

N96 :

N85 :

Color reproduction again.

Point to N96.

N96 : 6 N85 : 0

Image 7 :

N96 :

N85 :

Color reproduction again. The N85′s image is clearly more “pleasing to the eye” because of its bright colors on the leaves and plant, but the N96 looks a lot more natural.

Point to N96.

N96 : 7 N85 : 0

Image 8:

N96 :

N85 :

Yet again, it comes down to color reproduction. The N96′s image looks a lot more true to life than the N85′s.

Point to N96.

N96 : 8 N85 : 0

Image 9 :

N96 :

N85 :

Color reproduction again.

Point to N96.

N96 : 9 N85 : 0

Image 10 :

N96 :

N85 :

Color reproduction again.

Point to N96.

N96 : 10 N85 0

Extras :

Extra’s that werent considered for the review.

Image 1 :

N96 :

N85 :

Image 2 :

N96 :

N85 :

Conclusion on Normal Distance Images :

Final score – N96 : 10 N85 : 0 . A perfect score for the N96 ? Whaaat ?

As you can see, the N85 and N96 does a respectable job on Normal-distance shots. The N85 has no problem focusing in this mode, but its only and major problem, is its bad color reproduction, which is why it lost in most cases.

Again, we can only hope for a firmware update to fix this.

Far-distance shots :

Images taken from a distance. Both Camera’s were set to “Auto” mode for this section.

Image 1 :

A double whammy this time.

N96 :

N85 :

This one’s a bit of a thinker. While the N96′s image is okay, the sky is a very strange color, and some of the shades of sunlight near the middle seem to have disappeared, while you can see the change in color over in the N85′s images, yet they have this “dream scene” fuzzy like look to them.

Draw. No points awarded.

N96 : 0 N85 : 0

Image 2 :

N96 :

N85 :

The two images are so similar, that it comes down to color reproduction again. The sky in the N96′s image is an unnatural shade of blue, while its mostly spot on in the N85′s image.

Point to N85.
r />N96 : 0 N85 : 1

Image 3 :

N96 :

N85 :

The N96′s image colors are more natural. The N85′s image colors on the other hand, are more “pleasing to the eye”, and it clearly has a problem with light management.

Point to N96.

N96 : 1 N85 : 1

Image 4 :

N96 :

N85 :

Again, both images are mostly similar, but the N96 image has more natural colors. The N85 has a problem with light management again, and its colors are just a little bit off.

Point to N96

N96 : 2 N85 : 1

Image 5 :

N96 :

N85 :

Again, both images are very similar, so it comes down to color reproduction again. Clearly the N96 does a better job here.

Point to N96.

N96 : 3 N85 : 1

Image 6 :

N96 :

N85 :

Both images are almost identical in this case. Hence a draw.

No Points awarded.

N96 : 3 N85 : 1

Image 7 :

N96 :

N85 :

Clearly the N85 has a problem with light management here. The upper part of the image has almost no detail.

Point to N96.

N96 : 4 N85 : 1

Image 8 :

N96 :

N85 :

Light management is the problem again in the N85 image (notice the right side of the picture).

Point to N96.

N96 : 5 N85 : 1

Image 9 :

N96 :

N85 :

Ick.

Point to N96.

N96 : 6 N85 : 1

Image 10 :

N96 :

N85 :

The N96 image is much more natural in color, while the N85′s image looks washed out because of
the bad color reproduction.

Point to N96.

N96 : 7 N85 : 1

Conclusion on Far-away shots :

The N96 and N85 do a good enough job, but the N85 has major problems with the color and light management in its images.

We will do a comparion on the N85 vs N96′s dual Flash at night soon, so stay tuned !

I have to admit, I was pretty suprised at how different images from the N85 and N96 looked, considering they were both released around the same time, and have similar specifications.

The N85 really needs a firmware update to fix its color and light management problems, but it doesnt seem to have any problems at focusing. Otherwise it could be on par with the N96. It should be worth noting that nether the N96 nor the N85 could go in and focus as close in macro mode, as I could with the N82 usually.

Note : There has been a firmware update available for the N85 since the time this review was made. The new current firmware at the time of publishing is article is firmware version 11.0.47 while the N85 used in this review was on firmware version 10.0.45.

-Teh Cj