Nokia has announced the Nokia 808 PureView smartphone at Mobile World Congress, a device that will come with a 41-megapixel camera. Yes, you read that right, 41-megapixels of camera goodness, allowing you to take pictures the size of billboards. 

This is Nokia saying "we can do this", and is a good example of the sort of bonkers tech that Nokia is so good at delivering. Pocket-lint caught up with the new phone at the company's stand at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. 

To answer the first question in your head; yes, it is bulky. But that's understandable given the sheer capabilities of the phone.

And answering your second question; no, you don't want it. You can still lust after it though.

nokia 808 pureview pictures and hands on image 6 

The reason you don't want it is that, beside the amazing camera tech (more on that in a bit), it runs the company's Symbian operating system, which is basically winding down (not that Nokia would say that, you understand).

What it shows us though is that Nokia can create amazing technology in a device that is small and compact - relatively speaking. We're also told it will come to other handsets in the future. 

Back to the present, and the camera app on the 808 PureView is where it all happens. Users will be able to take pictures at 5, 8 and 38-megapixel resolutions and even at its highest setting pictures are saved instantly. Likewise, start-up time is quick too, and users can opt to zoom in and crop on screen if they don't need a billboard size shot. 

We weren't able to analyse the pictures we snapped using the phone, but when Nokia is displaying one the size of your house on its stand you know they are good.

What do we want that isn't there? An external mic so we can ditch our camcorders completely would have been nice.

In reality though, this is for people to mess around with, rather than have as their main phone. Unless, of course, you think you are as mad as the notion that this phone can take better pictures than your camera.

Expect a full Nokia 808 PureView review, and that camera, when the new phone launches later in the year. 

Snapped: What pictures from the Nokia PureView 808 41 megapixel camera phone look like