T-Mobile G1
You might be wondering how the T-Mobile G1 made it onto this list. After all, the camera interface is basic, with few advanced controls or settings available. The 3-megapixel sensor is barely impressive these days, as co-branded 5-megapixel cams dominate the market. Auto Focus is a nice feature, but there's no smile detection, panorama shooting or even video recording. So why does the T-Mobile G1 make the cut? Simple. It produced some of the best cameraphone images we've seen, with vibrant, accurate colors and sharp details. For us, the bells and whistles are nice, but image quality is the most important thing we look for, and in that area, the T-Mobile G1 is tops.
Full review with image samples »
Motorola Zine ZN5
Here at infoSync, we get a chance to test not only cameraphones, but also standalone compact cameras and prosumer DSLRs, so we can be fairly critical when it comes to camera performance, especially on a phone. That said, when we got around to printing glossy test image samples directly from the Motorola Zine, we quickly realized that this was the first phone we've used capable of producing images that we might actually want to print. They weren't perfect, but the level of detail, the color accuracy and the lack of serious problems in these images quickly put them at the head of the pack. We've seen cameraphones from Nokia and Sony Ericsson that brag about the provenance of their imaging technology, using Carl Zeiss and Schneider-Kreuznach branding, but wouldn't you know it was good ol' Kodak and Motorola who finally delivered a top-notch cameraphone to the U.S. market.
Full review with image samples »
Sony Ericsson W760
Sony Ericsson likes to brag about their imaging technology, so we were pleased to find that pictures taken with the 3.2-megapixel Sony Ericsson W760 were able to keep up with the bravado. We found images from the shooter to be vivid and bright, with great color quality. Details were lacking, but pictures still looked impressive. We also liked the in-camera panorama stitching, which worked very well in our tests, and the other attractive camera features. Users who pick this one up for the music-playing abilities will be pleasantly surprised to find a capable cameraphone as well.
Full review with image samples »
Samsung Behold
We have to give the Samsung Behold proper respect for upping the ante on cameraphones and bringing a 5-megapixel monster shooter to the masses, courtesy of T-Mobile. The phone has some nice camera features, including Auto Focus, scene modes and even in-camera panorama stitching. Results weren't the best. Colors were lifelike and richly saturated, but details were missing in the late fall foliage shots we took while testing this phone. Still, it has a nice, touchable camera interface, and plenty of features to keep casual shooters busy.
Full review with image samples »
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 took nice pictures with its 3.2-megapixel shooter, but it was the interface design that had us truly wowed. The Xperia X1 uses a touch focus system. You frame your shot, then touch the screen where you want the camera to focus, and it sharpens on that area. It's an amazing, intuitive setup, and we're surprised that more point-and-shoot manufacturers haven't incorporated this into their compact camera lineup. Unfortunately, the feature didn't work perfectly, especially when the subject was a bit too close for comfort. Still, pictures were mostly good, as the camera reproduced color well and handled light effectively. With some polish and better performance, this touch focus idea could be a game-changer for casual cameras.
Full review with image samples »
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