Nokia has finally decided to formally announce the Nokia N86, its brand new 8 megapixel camera phone that it inadvertently showed off to the world in Singapore when the rest of the mobile phone world was at MWC 2009 in Barcelona.

Now the full details have been released, we can see that the N86 is, firstly, a cracking camera phone, at least as far as the camera part is concerned; but secondly, not exactly as innovative a device as you’d expect from an N-Series phone.

Full details, pics and vids after the jump.

Nokia N86 Overview

The Nokia N86 is a camera phone first and foremost. Nokia has also bestowed it with GPS, a compass, geo-tagging of pics, HSDPA, N-Gage, 8GB of internal memory (expandable up to 24GB), and a superb battery that can withstand 25 hours of solid music playing.

However, it’s the camera that really stands out on the N86. The camera is 8 megapixels, but this is nothing new for 2009 – all the major manufacturers were showing off 8 megapixel cameras at MWC, while Sony Ericsson were showing off their 12 megapixel camera phone, the Idou.

What makes the Nokia N86 different is its camera’s quality – it really should push into dedicated digital camera territory.

You get the usual Carl Zeiss optics that you’d expect from a Nokia N-Series phone, but this time there’s also a wide angle lens for panoramic pictures, shorter latencies and variable aperture – in other words, a lens capable of giving you pin-sharp photos in challenging bright and low light conditions. Motion blur is reduced too thanks to a fast mechanical shutter, while a dual LED flash enables you to take great pics in low light conditions.

Better still, there’s a dedicated panoramic mode which helps you take 180 degree panoramic shots (see the video, below).

As camera phones go, then, the quality of the N86’s photos should be up there with the best.

And now for the bad news

Unfortunately, that’s about all that can be said of the N86. Although it has a scratch-resistant glass front, it’s not a touch screen phone. Worse, it comes with the same standard S60 user interface that’s been on Nokia’s phone for some years now. In other words, Nokia have improved the camera on the N86, and that’s about it.

When competitors such as Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson are releasing powerful to-end phones with superb and innovative user interfaces, you’d expect Nokia to release a phone that at least matches them, or even surpasses them. But no, the N86 trails somewhat just behind them.

HTC, LG, and Toshiba have all shown that Apple aren’t the only company capable of making a great touchscreen user interface. Nokia themselves have shown that they can do it too, with the N97. Why they didn’t do it with the N86 is anyone’s guess.

That said, there is rumour that Noia are working on a 12 megapixel camera phone, so maybe they’re reserving their best interface for that. Let’s hope so, as the world number 1 is in danger of being overtaken by its ultra-competitive rivals.

Nokia N86 in detail

From the press release:

When Nokia set out to make the best mobile imaging device, it combined wide-angle Carl Zeiss optics and an 8 megapixel sensor, resulting in performance comparable to a stand alone digital camera. The Nokia N86 8MP is designed to excel in both bright and low light conditions, and it’s optimized for both video and still imaging. Its high-speed connectivity ensures easy and convenient sharing. The Nokia N86 8MP is expected to begin shipping in the second quarter of 2009 with an estimated retail price of EUR 375, before taxes and subsidies.

“People demand mobile cameras that take excellent pictures in all light conditions,” says Juha-Pekka Sipponen, Director, Nokia Nseries. “That’s why the aperture of the Nokia N86 8MP is comparable to that of a high-quality, stand-alone digital camera. Whether it’s running with the bulls in Pamplona or capturing the panoramic beauty of a sunrise over Sydney, the Nokia N86 8MP will take brilliantly clear, wide-angle images that are instantly geotagged to be uploaded onto sites like Ovi Share or Flickr.”

Easy enough for a novice to use, the Nokia N86 8MP packs enough punch to impress an experienced photographer. This includes a wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar lens for panoramic pictures, shorter latencies and variable aperture for super sharp photos in challenging bright and low light conditions. The fast mechanical shutter ensures pictures with less motion blur while the dual LED camera flash is powerful enough for excellent photography and video capture.

“When it comes to taking the best digital photos, it’s the quality of the lens and the sensor that count, not just the quantity of pixels. The Nokia N86 8MP is the first mobile device with variable aperture, adding to the Carl Zeiss Tessar lens for excellent results. It has never been easier to capture special moments in such a great quality,” says Helmut Heier of Carl Zeiss.

Every detail of the metal-framed Nokia N86 8MP is thoughtfully designed with photography in mind, including 8 GB of internal memory for up to 4,000 images. Like any high-end digital camera, the memory can be increased with an exchangeable 16 GB microSD card. The device also offers a bright OLED screen with scratch resistant hardened glass, easy photo management, full sync capability with a PC and TV-out support for slide shows.

Shipping with the latest version of Nokia Maps and full Ovi integration, the Nokia N86 8MP gives a personal dimension to photos and videos. People can share their location with personal content like geotagged photos. The Nokia N86 8MP comes with a built-in compass, along with an integrated 3-months license for full voice and pedestrian navigation so that happy snappers don’t lose their way when capturing life through the camera lens.

Multimedia features – music, games, video

The Nokia N86 8MP, with its integrated kick stand, is ideal for watching videos and playing games. Each Nokia N86 8MP can play up to 25 hours of music on one charge which can be enjoyed with the Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-214 also announced today. People can build a personal music collection from the millions of tracks and playlists available from the Nokia Music Store, where available.