How good are the new camera phones?

Jazz Monkey Jr

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I have just got my new camera phone, which has a 3.2 mp camera and a proper flash on it.
I have taken 2 shots, both on auto, which have both been resized and not touched.
The first one is with a Sony Ericsson k800i, the second is with a 350D with the kit lens.

It's just to give you an idea of how good the new camera phones are, for general snaps.

SE k800i
comparek800imb9.jpg

Canon 350D with kit lens.
compare350dab1.jpg
 
Well the Canon picture does look a lot clearer, but that's to be expected with a dedicated piece of equipment. TBH, on the rare occasions I take pictures, although I like them to be clear, I wouldn't be unhappy if all of them were as clear as the one taken with the phone!
 
B*gger me with a marrow..... wow, they are incredibly good for a phone. They'd even be good if they came from a 'normal' camera!
 
Full size versions here (350D version compressed more to get it under 1MB):

k800i full:


350D full:
 
I am also impressed with the pictures, I will find it useful when needing to take a few snaps.
I am going to the races on Saturday, I wouldn't trust myself to take a normal camera but always have my phone with me.
I have the 750i which is also a good 2mp phone, but the k800 is good enough to take more pictures on.

I got the phone free, and with free broadband (Orange), which I was paying £22/month for, with loads of free minutes, I though it was a good buy, and I can sell my old 750i.
 
these are good pics jm, and for a snapshot camera i don't think you could go wrong with a 3megapixel camera phone, this is exactly what i am looking for when i go on holiday, just basically for when you go out for the night and you don't want to take an expensive DSLR, but just want to take a few snaps of things going on, i will have to take a closer look at these cam phones, cheers :smashin:
 
beachy said:
these are good pics jm, and for a snapshot camera i don't think you could go wrong with a 3megapixel camera phone, this is exactly what i am looking for when i go on holiday, just basically for when you go out for the night and you don't want to take an expensive DSLR, but just want to take a few snaps of things going on, i will have to take a closer look at these cam phones, cheers :smashin:

I will get some snaps on Saturday at Haydock and try a few with the flash.
 
I normally use my camera phone [D600] when I can't be bothered to grab my gear or for those shots when you don't have it on you. The quality of them nowadays is superb :)
 
I also have the K800 and find i do use the camera more than on any other phone i have had.
I do think it needs ideal conditions like good light and a steady subject to get good shots but i am impressed with it for what it is.
Here are a couple taken with it. Of course they have had a slight bit ofPP done to them but i would say no way can it rival the 350D and kit lens in 99% of the situations i take shots in
.
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Lets have a Camera Phones pictures thread :clap: :D

I use mine very occasionally (K750i) but have never transferred an image onto my PC. I might have to have a look at how they come out though, some of these are actually quite good :)
 
Yeah, thats drummers for ya. no dress sense.

Ok, good idea Steve. here's my mini flood (for now)
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beachy said:
these are good pics jm, and for a snapshot camera i don't think you could go wrong with a 3megapixel camera phone, this is exactly what i am looking for when i go on holiday, just basically for when you go out for the night and you don't want to take an expensive DSLR, but just want to take a few snaps of things going on, i will have to take a closer look at these cam phones, cheers :smashin:

I would say you will be dissapointed. the camera phones are not great in low light. I find that although the K800 has a zenon flash its hard to control. with these cameras you need to take more time with shooting otherwise you end up with rubbish. also i find most shots look good on the phones screen but once you get them bigger they look horrible. In low light the shutter speed is very slow and i have not had much luck taking shots in my local pubs and clubs.
I guess thats why we spend a fortune on len's and digicams ;)
saying that i agree its handy to have a camera this small with you all the time just incase you see something you want to snap but i would say you would be better off getting a small Canon or casio
 
The camera phone marketing machine is alive!!:
I guess for size, absolute convenience and the ability to make calls text messages, play mp3s and surf the internet they are very clever devices: at a cost
I recently took a pic or 2 and an mp4 video of my daughter during her sports day with the nokia n70 and play it on the PC . Great fun value:
As long as we dont start thinking we can sell of our DLSRs and MiniDV camcorders then Ill just ignore the marketing and enjoy the gadgets!:thumbsup:

the porter said:
be honest i have just bought the panasonic fx9 and wondering as if to sell it on and just use the phone :)
Dont!!:eek: Nice pic but these are ideal conditions... a little less light , a bit more motion. I suspect shutter lag and poor low light performance will rear thier ugly heads (all IMHO of course)
 
Dont!! Nice pic but these are ideal conditions... a little less light , a bit more motion. I suspect shutter lag and poor low light performance will rear thier ugly heads (all IMHO of course)


your probably right i need to use it more first and see how it compares but im impressed up to now:)
 
senu said:
Dont!!:eek: Nice pic but these are ideal conditions... a little less light , a bit more motion. I suspect shutter lag and poor low light performance will rear thier ugly heads (all IMHO of course)

Exactly.
There is a lot of hype over on the Mobile Review and 3G forums about how great the camera's are but anyone with a bit of experience with a good digial can see the difference.
In fact i dont think i have seen any pub or club shots posted taken on a camera phone with anything near good quality.
 
The one thing that gets me about the camera on the K750i, is the fact you have to release the shutter about a second before you want the picture taken :laugh:
 
stevegreen said:
The one thing that gets me about the camera on the K750i, is the fact you have to release the shutter about a second before you want the picture taken :laugh:

Yeah, same with my old D500. i think its the focusing method used.
on the K800 its the same or longer if you have auto focus on but i normally have it set to infinity and so shoots straight away.
 
They're a great backup for travelling...

A lot less likely to get knicked in Rio or suffer damage due to humidity in the Amazon or water damage at Iguassu Falls.
But as has been said, no match for an SLR.
 

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Dont forget to take your charger with you:D

In my books if i was going some where exotic like the places you mention i would feel let down if i only had a camera phone. that sort of trip demands a good camera IMHO but i take your point.
 
I wish I had my 30D when I was there. I just had an EOS 50E at the time. Took about 250 shots with it but there was a lot of wastage with 35mm! I was glad to have the k750i in dodgy areas of Rio and in torrential Amazon downpours.

I think phone cameras are getting better and better these days.
 
The Sony Ericsson K800i is certainly an impressive camera, as was proved to me by the library of photographs taken by a friend of mine on a recent trip to America's west coast. However, as can be expected, they tend to 'wash-out' over long distances and bright conditions and are very prone to camera-shake. So, whilst still some way of negating the need for a separate camera, they are excellent units in their own right. It's brilliant for wanting a quick-and-easy snap of people on a night out, etc.
 
I was at a party yesterday with my Nokia n70 and Canon 350D and stubbornly inisisted of using the phone for a few shots
It wasnt long I gave up as these few other issues came to mind

1) battery life : bearing in mind you do need the phone to actually make calls
2) The "way" in which the phone is held to correctly frame and avoid camera shake during picture taking
3) again... shutter lag
4) non-near shot and low light performance
5) digital zoom :eek: !!

These might all sound like nit picking given how good the occasional well taken images from Camera phones can look but if one is used to simply concentrating on getting the pic right with a "proper" camera, these limitations may prove hard to get used to.

Im afraid for now for me theyll remain convenient "candid camera" gadgets!:thumbsup:
 

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