Both implementations are clearly different in the way they're trying to achieve better output.
The 808 can take 38Mpixel photos, but its main purpose is to use pixel oversample to take very good 5 and 8Mpixel photos.
Also, they can resort to pretty decent "zoomed" pictures and videos without having to cram an optical zoom (unlike DSLRs, that's a luxury that smartphines can't afford in their current form factors).
Nokia have had very good noise reduction software in the cameras in the past. I remember taking pictures in Moaning Cavern in California with my N95 in very dark conditions.
Cheers