Camera hardware
The camera hardware is arguably the biggest difference between the Nothing Phone (3a) and the (3a) Pro. We tried our best to get some hardware information from the early units we acquired, but that proved harder than we expected. Still, Nothing has shared at least some details.
We know that both phones use a Samsung-made 50MP, 1/1.56″ main sensor behind an f/1.88 lens with PDAF and OIS. These, however, are not the same sensors. As per Nothing, the one inside the Pro has 100% greater full well capacity and captures more light. We think that these sensors might be the Samsung ISOCELL GHJ and the Samsung ISOCELL GN9, but we can’t say for sure.
The telephoto cameras are not identical across the two phones either. The Phone (3a) has a 2x “traditional flat-style” telephoto with a 50mm focal length equivalent and an f/2.0 lens. We know that it uses a Samsung-made 50MP sensor with a 1/2.74″ size. There is just EIS on board, no OIS.
As for the Phone (3a) Pro, it has a periscope-style 50MP 3x telephoto with a 70mm focal length equivalent. It is based on the Sony LYTIA 600 sensor with a 1/1.95″ size, sitting behind an f/2.55 lens. Understandably, the periscope is equipped with OIS.
The ultrawide cameras on both phones are identical. These use a Sony IMX 355 sensor (1/4″ size) with fixed focus behind an f/2.2 lens with a 120-degree field of view. Nothing too special.
Finally, we have the selfie cameras, which are also different across the two phones. The Phone (3a) Pro has a 50MP selfie with a 1/2.76″ Samsung sensor behind an f/2.2 lens. It is capable of 4K video capture. The regular Phone (3a), on the other hand, has a 32MP selfie with a Samsung-made 1/3.44″ sensor behind an f/2.2 lens.
Nothing is particularly proud of TrueLens Engine 3.0. It is an image processing pipeline that uses AI to do tone mapping and scene detection across multiple shots that get combined into the final result. Nothing says that it strives for tonal quality and a balance between detail in highlights and depth in shadows.
Regarding photographic processing, the Nothing Phone (3a) pair supports Google’s Ultra XDR format.
Nothing Phone(3a) samples
We begin with the main camera and its 12.5MP stills.
Nothing Phone (3a) main camera samples
Next up, we have some 2x and 4x zoom samples from the telephoto camera.
Nothing Phone (3a) telephoto camera 2x samples
Nothing Phone (3a) telephoto camera 4x samples
We continue with some non-native zoom levels for the Nothing Phone (3a), but since these are optical on the (3a) Pro, we decided to grab some samples.
Nothing Phone (3a) telephoto camera 3x samples
Nothing Phone (3a) telephoto camera 6x samples
We have some telephoto macros since Nothing says that the Phone (3a) excels at these.
Nothing Phone (3a) telephoto macro samples
Here is a video sample from the main camera as well. It is perhaps worth noting that the Nothing Phone (3a) can only capture 4K videos with its main and ultrawide cameras.
Nothing Phone(3a) Pro samples
Again, we start things off with the main camera and its 12.5MP samples.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro main camera samples
We continue with some 2x zoom samples from the main camera.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro main camera 2x samples
Now, on to the periscope telephoto camera and its 3x, 70mm-equivalent samples.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro telephoto camera 3x samples
Here are some telephoto macro shots with the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro telephoto macro samples
Finally, we have 6x zooms from the telephoto.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro telephoto camera 6x samples
And finally, here is a video sample from the main camera of the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro. Unlike the Phone (3a), the Pro model can also capture 4K videos with its telephoto.
Early verdict
The new Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro don’t stray too much from the established Nothing formula, yet they remain quite uniquely positioned on the market, even based on looks alone. Adding a third telephoto camera in this generation is a nice touch. The Pro is clearly the way to go if the telephoto is a big priority for you, but for many, the 2x on the vanilla will suffice just fine.
As for the rest of the devices, there is pretty much perfect convergence. Both use the same display, which we found to be excellent in person, and both rely on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, which, while not a flagship chip, has plenty of performance to throw around. Though far from industry-leading, the three-year software support promise is also decent enough. The Essential Key and Essential Space seem like a neat idea but could just as easily be classified as a gimmick for many prospective buyers. In any case, they should not be considered a major draw.
Overall, what we found during our time with the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro was a really well-rounded pair of devices with plenty to like. Nothing’s main appeal is arguably still more niche and specific than universal, so if you like what you see, you can shop confidently. Alternatively, you can wait for our full review and a more in-depth assessment.
