Camera
The Nothing Phone (3a) Series features bold designs and upgraded cameras
| Image: Nothing |
Mobile World Congress 2025 is in full swing, running through March 6. As a result, phone announcements are coming out right and left. Xiaomi already announced its new 15 and 15 Pro phones. Now, there are new options for those who enjoy something a bit different thanks to British tech company Nothing. The Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro keep Nothing’s unique styling with upgrades to the cameras across the board. Nothing says it is the company’s “most advanced camera system to date.”
Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro camera details
Naturally, the more expensive (3a) Pro promises the most complete camera system. The 50MP main camera on the (3a) Pro features “advanced sensor technologies” that Nothing says result in 43% faster autofocus and “double the pixel full well capacity” compared to the standard 3(a). That means the maximum amount of charge a single pixel can hold before reaching saturation has increased, which should translate to improved performance in bright and otherwise challenging lighting situations – though how much of that translates to improved image quality in real-world situations remains to be seen.
Also on the Phone(3a) Pro is a periscope telephoto camera. It relies on a 50MP Type 1/1.95 (6.5 x 4.9mm) sensor with a 70mm equiv. focal length and F2.55 aperture. The telephoto camera offers optical image stabilization and a mode that crops in to the central portion of the sensor to provide a “6x” field of view. A 60x field of view is also possible with “AI clarity-enhancing algorithms.” AI-based upscaling programs can produce some impressive results, but 60x is quite a significant level of magnification to make up in software. The telephoto camera on the Phone (3a) Pro is also capable of focusing as close as 15cm for macro captures.
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| Image: Nothing |
The Nothing Phone (3a), meanwhile, features a 50MP telephoto camera that is not a periscope design. It offers a 50mm equivalent focal length and F2.0 aperture with 2x optical zoom and 4x in-sensor zoom. Like the Phone (3a) Pro, it provides AI-powered ultra zoom for up to 30x.
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| Image: Nothing |
Finally, the Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro feature the same ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view, though Nothing didn’t provide any details beyond that.
All of the cameras on both of the Nothing Phone models are reliant on AI processing. They are powered by TrueLens Engine 3.0, which Nothing says is a combination of “advanced computational algorithms, AI processing, and multi-frame technology.” Taking things even further, the sensor in both of the main cameras, which was co-engineered with Samsung, integrates “on-sensor deep learning processing software algorithms” to “enhance image clarity, reduce noise, and provide true-to-life accuracy.” In short, expect lots of heavily processed imagery, though that is very much the norm these days on smartphones.
On the selfie side of things, the Phone (3a) features a 32MP front camera. The Phone (3a) Pro uses a 50MP front camera that’s capable of 4K video with “adaptive AI stabilization and night video enhancement.” Nothing says that these AI-powered features will improve brightness by 74.4% and reduce noise by 33.7%.
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| Image: Nothing |
Additional Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro details
Outside of the cameras, the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro feature the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 system on a chip. Nothing says that the Phone (3a) Series will be 92% better at processing AI tasks than the previous model, which could provide some headroom to support AI features down the road. Aiding this is the fact that Nothing says the phone will get updates for six years from the launch date, which includes three years of Android updates and six years of security updates on top of corrective and functionality updates.
The 6.77-inch displays offer Full HD+ resolution with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. They both offer 1300 nits of brightness on auto or peak brightness up to 3000 nits, which Nothing says is a 131% increase over the Phone (2a). Both phones use 5000mAh batteries that Nothing promises will provide up to two days of life on a full charge. They also provide fast charging at 50W, so you can get a full day of power (50% battery) in under 20 minutes.
Finally, Nothing has introduced a button that it calls the “Essential Key” on the side of the phones, which acts as a shortcut to the company’s new Essential Space, an “AI-powered hub for notes, ideas, and inspirations.” This early access feature makes it easier to log and recall content and will be available to all who purchase the Phone (3a) or Phone (3a) Pro.
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| Image: Nothing |
Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro pricing and availability
The Phone (3a) is available in black, white and blue in three storage configurations, starting at 8GB of RAM and 128GB for €329. The Phone (3a) Pro is available in gray and black and in three storage configurations. Nothing only has a price in Indian Rupees for the lowest tier, which is 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and costs ₹29,999. The company says the version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will be available for €459.
While US customers can buy the Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro, it is only available through the Nothing US Beta Program. It’s important to note that the phone, within that program, is primarily for testing purposes and does not support most networks. You can find more details on the Nothing US Beta Program website.
The phone is available for pre-order today for most global customers at Nothing’s website.
Nothing Unveils Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro
The Phone (3a) Series delivers an enhanced all-around experience, featuring a significantly upgraded camera system with optical zoom, boosted performance, a refined design, and Nothing OS innovations, including Essential Space.
London, UK, 4 March 2025 – Nothing today introduced the Phone (3a) Series, elevating its mid-range lineup with advanced features. Building on the acclaimed Phone (2a), it boasts in advanced triple-camera system with optical zoom, a powerful Snapdragon® processor, a brighter, more responsive display, and Nothing OS innovations like Essential Space—all wrapped in two uniquely refined designs.
Design
Both the Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro feature a more sophisticated look and feel, with upgraded glass back panels, enhanced symmetry in the internal structure, and refined visual details and elements throughout the finish. The design celebrates each new camera system through Nothing’s trademark exposed aesthetic and cutting-edge engineering, while meticulously optimising the integration of advanced hardware. The Phone (3a) Series also upgrades its durability to an IP64 rating and achieves Nothing’s lowest carbon footprint on a smartphone to date, with 51.3kg of CO2e.
Camera
The Nothing Phone (3a) Series introduces Nothing’s most advanced camera system to date, featuring an upgraded 50MP main sensor and a Sony ultra-wide sensor, along with optical zoom for the first time. All powered by TrueLens Engine 3.0 combining advanced computational algorithms, AI processing, and multi-frame technology to deliver professional-grade, true-to-life photography.
Phone (3a) telephoto camera
Ready to pull you closer to your subject, Phone (3a)’s telephoto camera features a powerful 50MP sensor combined with a fast f/2.0 aperture for detailed shots at its 50mm equivalent focal length. The 2x optical reach lays the foundation for a quality zoom, while the high resolution enables up to 4x lossless in-sensor zoom. When you need to zoom in even further, the Phone (3a) harnesses AI clarity-enhancing algorithms for 30x ultra zoom.
Phone (3a) Pro periscope camera
Flagship telephoto zoom meets ultimate versatility with Phone (3a) Pro’s powerful periscope zoom. A total upgrade in hardware, it combines a large 1/1.95-inch Sony LYTIA 600 sensor with a 70mm equivalent focal length and a fast f/2.55 aperture. All this translates to excellent zoom and much more.
With optical image stabilisation, Phone (3a) Pro’s periscope camera can capture quality photos across lighting conditions, whether indoors or at night, while the optical 3x zoom is a photographer-favourite, portrait-perfect focal length.
The high-resolution 50MP sensor delivers lossless in-sensor zooming at up to 6x and when boosted with AI clarity-enhancing algorithms, it unlocks 60x ultra zoom. Where Phone (3a) Pro surpasses even flagship smartphones is its telemacro capture. Able to focus as close as 15cm from a subject, it breaks through periscope limitations that hold back flagship phones.
Main camera
The Phone (3a) features a 50MP main sensor co-engineered with Samsung, integrating on-sensor deep learning processing software algorithms trained on millions of photography scenarios to enhance image clarity, reduce noise, and provide true-to-life accuracy.
The Phone (3a) Pro’s 50MP main sensor further elevates the experience with advanced sensor technologies, offering 43% faster auto-focus and double the pixel full well capacity, allowing for more detail in harsh lighting conditions. Zooming out, the Phone (3a) Series’ ultra-wide camera boasts a 120º field of view, enabling you to capture more in each frame, while the upgraded Sony sensor enhances low-light performance.
Front camera
Finally, the Phone (3a) boasts a 32MP front camera, while the Phone (3a) Pro features an upgraded 50MP front camera capable of recording high-quality 4K videos with adaptive AI stabilization and night video enhancement, improving brightness by +74.4% and reducing noise by 33.7%.
Performance
The Snapdragon® 7s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, with breakthrough performance powering select Snapdragon experiences and turbo-charged by Nothing OS optimisations, is on hand to cut down on waiting and level up living. Phone (3a) Series also games faster, delivers more stable frame rates, and goes for longer, thanks to the powerful Snapdragon processor. Getting into some numbers, the CPU is up to 33% faster than Phone (2a), while the Qualcomm® Adreno™ GPU delivers 11% better graphics. Plus, you get select Snapdragon Elite Gaming™ features typically reserved for flagship devices.
Phone (3a) Series is 92% better at processing AI tasks than Phone (2a), making it more future-proofed for whatever AI developments are on the horizon. It also takes full advantage of Nothing OS and Essential Space, saving you time with things like on-device voice to text transcription.
RAM Booster uses a combination of physical and virtual RAM to allow users to access up to 20GB, plus a larger 4,500 mm² vapor chamber reduces temperature by 23% vs. Phone (2a).
Battery and Charging
Phone (3a) Series also lasts longer. With the optimised Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 mobile platform using 8% less power for typical tasks, enjoy 30 minutes more power every day.
Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro both have large 5000mAh batteries, delivering up to two days of use on a full charge. With upgraded fast charging now at 50W, Phone (3a) Series delivers a full day’s power (50%) in under 20 minutes.
Display
Balancing size and quality, Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro’s displays are immersive and brilliant. At 6.77 inches, their flagship size means on-screen content has room to breathe. Slightly taller and with less rounded corners than past Nothing phones, Phone (3a) Series’ displays represent a maturity and confidence befitting of a second-generation device.
At Full HD+ resolution, visuals look crisp with 387 pixels in every inch of screen, and with a fluid 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The standard touch sampling rate is 480Hz, a 100% increase from Phone (2a), and 1000Hz touch sampling rate when in Gaming Mode, swiping through Phone (3a) Series is smooth, and responsive.
Fire up auto brightness and your Phone (3a) climbs up to 1300 nits all by itself, making it viewable under a scorching sun. But peak brightness now reaches 3000 nits, a 131% increase from Phone (2a).
Nothing OS
Nothing OS 3.1 is a fast, smooth foundation tuned for stability, utility and customisation, built with Android 15 at its core – there have also been updates to the Nothing Gallery, Camera and Weather apps. Phone (3a) Series peels back a new level of personalisation. Dial distraction back with a monochromatic theme, hide app labels to clean up your home screen, customise the lock screen and quick settings so everything you need is at your fingertips, and you can even shake up your apps. Phone (3a) Pro also supports eSIM (excluding India).
Phone (3a) Series will get updates for 6 years starting from when the device first became available on nothing.tech. This includes three years of Android updates and six years of security updates in addition to corrective and functionality updates.
Essential Space (early access)
Essential Space is a new, AI-powered hub for notes, ideas, and inspirations. Taking the friction out of logging and recalling content, it can capture, process and remember – just like a second memory.
To make sure Essential Space is always a click away, Nothing created the Essential Key. Easy for a thumb to find and press, it’s on the right side of Phone (3a) Series. Press the Essential Key to capture and send content to Essential Space, long-press to record a voice note, and double-tap to head straight to all your saved content.
Nothing is made better by its community, and so too is Essential Space. That’s why Essential Space Early Access will be available to all customers who purchase a Phone (3a) or Phone (3a) Pro. Early Access will open the doors to the full Essential Space experience, including upcoming features set for launch in the coming months such as Camera Capture, Smart Collections, Focused Search and Flip to Record.
Availability and Pricing
- Phone (3a) is available in Black, White, and Blue (not available in the US)
- 8+128GB – £329 / €329 / ₹24,999
- 8+256GB – ₹26,999
- 12+256GB – £379 / $379 / €379
- Phone (3a) Pro is available in Grey and Black
- 8+128GB – ₹29,999
- 8+256GB – ₹31,999
- 12+256GB – £449 / $459 / €459 / ₹33,999
- Most global customers will be able to pre-order Phone (3a) today (4 March) via nothing.tech
- Phone (3a) Pro pre-orders start from 11 March via nothing.tech
- Nothing Store Soho (London) will be one of the first places in the world where Nothingfans can purchase Phone (3a) Series from 11:00 AM GMT on Saturday 8 March
- In the US, the Phone (3a) series will be accessible to users exclusively through Nothing’s US Beta Program. Participants will be provided a Phone (3a) / Phone (3a) Pro and are encouraged to provide feedback on their experience. More information can be found on nothing.tech
- Phone (3a) will go on Open Sales via nothing.tech and partners on 11 March
- Phone (3a) Pro will go on Opens Sales via nothing.tech and partners from 25 March onwards
A full list of specifications and features can be found on nothing.tech. To stay updated on all the latest information, please follow Nothing on Instagram, TikTok, and X.
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While visiting Dry Tortugas National Park, located 109km west of Key West, Florida, I looked down from the top of Fort Jefferson and saw this group of snorkelers just off Garden Key. Moments after this photo was taken, one of the snorkelers had the bad luck of being stung by a Portuguese man o’ war.
Photo: Dale Baskin |
The theme for our March Editors’ challenge is ‘Water’.
Show us the essence of water in its many forms, from the roaring power of the ocean to a gentle rain, reflections on a lake, smooth waterfalls, frozen ice, or even fine art. The possibilities are endless, so let your creativity flow and show us your best photos that revolve around water. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 16, and Saturday, March 22 (GMT).
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Visit the challenge page to see all the rules
| Images: Vanguard, Apple, Elinchrom |
CP+ may have ended last week, but that apparently hasn’t stopped the flood of accessory news. Today, we’ll look at a few lights, bags, computers and more, but first, let’s see what’s on sale.
Second-gen Goodness
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Canon’s Stacked sensor flagship, the EOS R5 II, is currently on sale for $300 off MSRP. We reviewed it late last year, and came away very impressed – it’s a camera that excels at nearly everything.
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Panasonic’s S5II isn’t quite as performant, but it’s still quite a good camera. It’s also substantially cheaper than the EOS R5 II, especially given the current sale that gets you $500 off.
Let there be lights
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| Image: Godox |
Godox’s latest light for videographers and photographers is the Litemons C30. It’s a tiny LED panel weighing 248g that packs an internal battery capable of putting out 30W of light for up to 45 minutes. A USB-C port lets you recharge the battery or run the light for an extended period of time.
There are two versions of the light – a bicolor model, which costs $59, and an RGB model that will run you $89.
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| Image: Elinchrom |
If you need something a little more powerful, there’s the recently released Elinchrom LED 100 C, a continuous RGB light with an integrated 72Wh battery that provides up to 40 minutes of power in the field. It comes with a diffusion dome and an adapter for Profoto light modifiers and can be charged via USB-C.
On the level
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| Image: Vanguard |
Ball-head tripods are great if you want to easily level your tripod without messing around with leg length, but what if you already have a tripod that you like? Vanguard’s LVL accessory might be for you. It’s designed to sit between your sticks and your tripod’s head, adding a bit of height and letting you level your tripod head in a matter of seconds.
Vanguard makes several sizes, so it should be compatible with a wide range of tripods. The smallest, the LVL 42, has a 42mm base and can support up to 20kg (44lb), while the LVL 75 can support up to 40kg (88lb) – just make sure the rest of your tripod can handle that much weight too.
In the bag
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| Image: Wandrd |
If you want to carry around some camera gear without using a massive backpack, Wandrd’s Stratus Photo 18L may be the bag for you. It’s relatively small and has built-in organization for your camera gear, as well as access hatches on both the right and left-hand side. It’s made of weather-resistant materials and has load-adjustment straps and a chest strap, which should let you carry it comfortably even if you’ve got it filled with gear.
New affordable iPads
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| Image: Apple |
People don’t always think of the iPad as a photographic tool, but nowadays Apple’s tablets have a lot of processing power and can run many of the apps photographers use on their desktops. The company’s entry-level models – the iPad Air and the plainly-named iPad – have just gotten updates that make them better than ever. The Air gets the laptop-class M3 chip, as well as a new, optional keyboard with a bigger trackpad, function row and aluminum design. The M3 iPad Air starts at $599, and the new keyboard costs $269.
The cheaper iPad, meanwhile, gets the A16 chip from the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. While it’s not as powerful as the M-class chips and doesn’t support Apple’s suite of AI features, it should still be plenty for light photo editing and organization. Its base storage has also been doubled from 64GB to 128GB. It starts at $349, which is what its predecessor sold for ever since Apple cut the price by $100 in 2024.
That wasn’t all Apple announced this week, though…
Get caught up
Some accessory news is so big that it gets its own article during the week, but we’d feel remiss not also mentioning those products here.
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| Image: Apple |
As an example, Apple’s new computers. The company announced updates to its entry-level MacBook Air and top-of-the-line Mac Studio this week, adding its latest processors. The MacBook Air has enough processing power to handle the typical Photoshop and Lightroom tasks that most photographers need, all while being hyper-portable, while the Mac Studio can handle the highest-end photo and video editing tasks.
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| Image: Peak Design |
Also announced this week: Peak Design’s Roller Pro, the company’s first piece of roller luggage. It’s a bit of a hybrid between a hardshell case and a softshell one, with plenty of padding and a front sleeve that can hold a laptop and other everyday carry items. You can read our full coverage of it here.
It’s currently being sold via Kickstarter for a discount over its $599 MSRP, but the usual disclaimer applies: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.
| Photo: Richard Butler |
Sony has released a firmware update that brings its Content Authenticity Solution to the a7 IV. The company announced a similar update for the a1 II, a1 and a9 III in January. However, this is the first time the tool to authenticate images will be available on something other than high-end, professional-grade cameras.
Software Ver. 5.00 for the Sony a7 IV adds support for the “Write Digital Signature” function for still images. This function allows photographers to add an electronic signature to their images to prove that they were taken with that camera. Authenticity tools such as this are becoming increasingly important with the growing prevalence of generative AI-created imagery and, as a result, the spread of fake images.
Of course, as with the update for the three pro-grade cameras in January, there are some caveats involved. The Digital Signature function requires a paid license and is only available for certain media outlets, not the general public. Unfortunately, Sony still hasn’t provided any additional information on if or when it will be available for general consumers. On the firmware update page, Sony simply says that the “timing for the provision of paid licenses to customers other than certain media outlets is yet to be determined.”
Even though the current usability is limited, Sony rolling this out to consumer models is a step in the right direction. The Content Authenticity information page also says that “more camera models will be supported in due course,” so it sounds like we should see additional cameras with the tool at some point. If Sony makes the feature more widely available beyond media outlets, the Digital Signature feature will already be on cameras and ready for use.
If you want to be prepared, or happen to work for one of the select media outlets, the Sony a7 IV firmware update Ver. 5.00 is now available for download.
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