HIGH-END MOBILE CAMERA PHONES

Mobile camera phone technology is evolving exponentially. Cellular phones started out as analog devices which only allowed people to make calls and send text messages. These days, we have smart phones which practically function as small computers. Even keypads on cell phones have even begun to disappear as touch screen phones become more prevalent.

Technological convergence is part of the evolution of mobile phones. Cell phones are no longer just simple communication tools. People now use mobile phones to surf the web or receive and send email. Most of today's mobile phones can play music, videos, and even provide directions through GPS. People also use mobile phones to take pictures or videos on a whim because many mobile phones now include a camera.

As mobile camera phones have become the norm, mobile phone makers have started to add high end camera features to handsets, such as flash, zoom, auto focus and the ability to take videos. Mobile phone manufacturers have also started to increase the number of megapixels. Users can now choose from regular phones that offer 2 to 3 megapixel cameras to high-end camera phones that offer 5 megapixel cameras. Extra powerful camera phones that offer up to 8 megapixels of resolution have also joined the competition. In addition, manufacturers have added other advanced features, such as face recognition technology, image stabilization, red eye reduction and the ability to upload photos directly to the web.

Now let’s examine some of the best...

Camera Cell Phones

Camera Phones

Let's begin with the top camera centric handset in Sony Ericsson's line up. The Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot camera phone series is among the most popular group of camera phones on the market. The Sony Ericsson K800 Cyber-shot camera phone packs an integrated 3.2 Megapixel digital camera with Autofocus, Xenon flash . It also offers Sony Ericsson's BestPic, a camera phone feature developed that ensures that users never ‘miss’ an important picture. This is how Sony Ericsson's BestPic basically works. When users press the shutter button once, they will get 9 full quality 3.2 megapixel pictures to choose from in a time sequence. The pictures will then be displayed as icons on the display. Users can the scroll backwards and forwards through the 9 images and save only the best pictures.

Sony Ericsson decided to improve the Sony Ericsson K800 and came up with the K800i, which also offered an integrated 3.2 Megapixel digital camera. The Sony Ericsson K800i camera phone retains most of its predecessor’s camera features such as Autofocus, Xenon flash and BestPic. However it also offered some improvements such as red-eye reduction, video and image stabilizer.

Sony Ericsson followed up on the success of the first Cyber-shot camera phones by releasing the next generation K850i Cybershot. The Sony Ericsson K850i Cybershot camera phone has a powerful 5 megapixel camera with Auto focus, Xenon flash, BestPic, Photo fix and PictBridge.

Recognizing the popularity of high powered camera phones, Sony Ericsson introduced two more 5 megapixel cameras, the G900 and C902. The Sony Ericsson G900 is a touchscreen mobile phone with a 5 megapixel camera featuring auto focus, touch photo album and editor. The Sony Ericsson C902 is a slim Cyber-shot phone with a unique slide-out lens cover. It packs a powerful 5 megapixel camera with Face Detection and Auto Focus. It also offers the usual Cyber-shot camera features such as BestPic, video stabilizer, and image stabilizer.

Most recently Sony Ericsson launched its first Cyber-shot slider, the C905, which is currently the most advanced camera phone in its arsenal. The Sony Ericsson C905 promises to bring a complete digital camera experience with its 8.1 megapixel camera with Xenon flash. It has auto focus, face recognition, Smart Contrast, image stabilization, BestPic, red-eye reduction, and photoflash for both photos and videos. Certainly the Cybershot slider qualifies as a premier camera phone.

Camera Phones

LG has also contributed to the burgeoning high-end camera phone market. LG currently offers a trio of advanced camera phones. The LG KF600 is a solid handset that offers a 3.15 megapixel camera with autofocus, image stabilizer and an LED flash. The LG KF700 also offers a 3.15 megapixel camera with autofocus, image stabilizer and an LED flash. The LG KF510 is known for being one of the thinnest sliders in the market. But it also packs a 3-megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED photo flash.

LG also manufactures the LG Dare a multi-purpose Smartphone, which includes advanced camera features. This device has a 3.2 megapixel camera with face detection and flash. In addition, the LG Dare offers Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens for outstanding image quality and unique photo editing capabilities. It is currently the most advanced camera mobile handset in Verizon's lineup.

Now let's move on to most powerful LG camera phones. Let's begin with the LG KF750. One of the major features of the LG Secret is its powerful 5-megapixel camera. Its camera offers an LED light, image editing, macro mode and a choice of ISO speed. This phone has also been described as the thinnest 5 megapixel camera phone on the market.

The Viewty is LG's premier camera phone. It offers a 5.1 megapixel camera with Schneider Kreuzenach optics and Xenon Flash. The LG Viewty's camera also includes manual/autofocus modes, image stabilizer, SmartLight, face tracking and high speed 120 fps video recording capability.

Camera Phones

Nokia is certainly not a new entrant into the high-end camera phone segment of the market. Nokia offers several excellent camera phones that compete with the best camera phones from other OEMs. For instance, the Nokia N93 offers a 3.2 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lense, autofocus, mechanical shutter, and integrated flash. This camera phone also includes 3x optical zoom and the ability to record MPEG-4 VGA video at 30fps. Nokia also offers the N78 with a camera similar to the one carried by the N93. The Nokia N78 has a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and Carl Zeiss Optics.

Nokia's flagship camera phones are as follows: The Nokia 6220 Classic is a candybar phone offering a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, Carl Zeiss lenses, Xenon flash, a 20x digital zoom. Its video recorder can shoot and play clips at 30 frames per second.

The Nokia N95 is not only a renowned Smartphone, it has a powerful 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, auto focus, flash, and red-eye Reduction. The Nokia N95 also enables users to select seven different shooting modes, ranging from close-up to sports to night portrait, and five quality settings. In addition, it has a self-timer and a sequence mode for multiple shots.

Finally, the Nokia N82 offers a 5-megapixel camera, Xenon flash, Carl Zeiss optics and a focus-assist light. The Nokia N82 delivers vivid photographs, even in low-light conditions.

Camera Phones

Not to be left out of this segment, Samsung also offers a selection of high-end camera phones such as the Ultra U600. This ultra slim camera phone has a 3.2 Megapixel camera with flash and 4x digital zoom. Then there's the Samsung A990 which packs a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, autofocus and video-recording capabilities.

The Samsung Flipshot is also an excellent camera phone. It features a unique a swiveling display that can rotate 180 degrees allowing the user maximum flexibility when taking shots. This Samsung Flipshot includes a 3.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom, spot metering, ISO, an auto-focus, three multishot models, a flash, a self-timer, and a brightness control.

Let's move on to Samsung's most powerful camera phones. The Samsung G800 offers a five-megapixel camera with 3 x optical zoom, Xenon flash, face detection and WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) technology. This camera phone also has the ability to take panoramic shots, multi shots and macro shots.

Samsung also recently launched a powerful 8 megapixel camera phone to rival the Sony Ericsson C905. The Samsung INNOV8's 8 megapixel camera includes smile shot, blink shot and face recognition features.

Camera Phones

While Motorola has been struggling recently, they made their presence felt with their recent introduction of the Motozine ZN5. The Motorola Motozine ZN5 offers a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and a powerful Xenon flash. It's the only mobile phone that uses Kodak Imaging and Perfect Touch Technology.

Motorola also produced other decent mobile camera phones such as the MOTO Z10. It packs a 3.2 megapixel camera with 2048×1536 pixels and autofocus, xenon flash plus video(QVGA 30fps). There are rumors that Motorola is working on an 8 megapixel camera phone, code named Alexander, that will include a touch screen interface.