Inexpensive camera phones that can replace a camera
“You need to buy technology tomorrow” - this principle is ideal for mobile phones as well. Even the most equipped and expensive model today becomes cheaper and becomes widespread in a few months, and in a year it becomes hopelessly outdated. If you have the desire and financial capabilities, you can try to run a race with progress, but practice shows that the optimal period for purchasing a mobile terminal is 4-5 months since this model went on sale. When it comes to camera phones, devices with a three megapixel camera are the best choice for a mobile photographer. The fact is that the cost of devices with a higher-resolution camera is higher, while when printing in the popular 10 x 15 format, photos taken with a five- and three-megapixel camera will practically not differ. Therefore, we have selected the five most worthy phones and smartphones with three-megapixel matrices that can fully replace a “soap box” camera while walking, and at the same time will not ruin your budget.
SONY ERICSSON K800
Characteristics
Frequency range: 900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS
Dimensions (edit): 106 x 47 x 18mm
Weight: 115 g
Display: TFT, 262144 shades, 240 x 320 dots
Memory: 64 MB, Memory Stick Micro expansion slot
Battery: Li-Pol 900mAh
Call signals: 72-tone polyphony (MIDI)
Connections and data transfer: GPRS class 10, EDGE, Infrared, Bluetooth, USB
Additionally: Java MIDP 2.0 (support for 3D games), MP3 player, FM tuner
Digital camera: 3.2 megapixel, video recording with sound
Luxurious functionality enclosed in a clean, classic design. No wonder James Bond, a lover of all sorts of high-tech stuff, was endowed with this particular phone in the latest film adaptation. A high-class spy not only plays poker skillfully and seduces pretty secret service women, but occasionally assaults. Therefore, agent 007's mobile phone was equipped with a metal frame bordering the front panel of the case. This helps the apparatus to withstand many blows of fate. The large display is great for 3D games, especially since the handset is equipped with 3D Java support. The phone has an excellent 3.2 megapixel camera and has long been considered the best camera phone on the market. Even today, despite the emergence of more powerful competitors, this terminal can be recommended for high-quality photography, both spy and amateur. Xenon flash enhances images taken in the dark, and autofocus ensures sharp images. Sony Ericsson K800 is quite capable of competing in quality with compact digital cameras, and its price is quite adequate today. Actually, this makes the handset very popular - it is a great option for those who want to get a good camera phone, but do not intend to spend a lot of money on it.
NOKIA N73
Characteristics
Frequency range: 900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA 2100
Dimensions (edit): 110 x 49 x 28mm
Weight: 116 g
Display: TFT, 262144 shades, 240 x 320 dots
Memory: 42 MB, rniniSD expansion slot
Battery: Li-Pol 1100 mAh
Posts: SMS, MMS, email client with attachment support
Call signals: 64-tones polyphony (MIDI), MP3, AAC, AMR
Connections and data transfer: GPRS class 10, EDGE, Infrared, Bluetooth, USB
Additionally: Java MIDP 2.0, MP3 player, FM radio
Digital camera: 3.2 megapixels
Those who want to buy a modern smartphone with a good camera do not have to pay for it an amount equal to the cost of a good laptop or a week-long tour of the Mediterranean. The three-megapixel Nokia N73 can be purchased today for a small price, but this is only because the device came off the assembly line in the summer of 2006. Otherwise, this is a completely modern mobile phone running on the 3rd edition Series60 platform.The display has a standard resolution for smartphones - 240 x 320 pixels, but its physical dimensions are much larger than those of many competitors. On the front panel there is a front camera, which is used for video calls. The strong point of the terminal is the camera, which is why it was included in our review. The camera takes pictures that are quite suitable for printing in a 10 x 15 format. The resulting frames can be edited both on a PC and in a phone using a special editor. It is curious that the device shoots video with a resolution of 640 x 480, that is, the same as in the more expensive Nokia N93i videophone. To protect against damage, the camera lens is covered with a special shutter, when opened, it automatically switches the smartphone into shooting mode. Today Nokia N73 is available in different colors, including the Music Edition, which features a black body and a 1 GB memory card included.
FLY SX240
Characteristics
Frequency range: 900/1800/1900 MHz
Dimensions (edit): 95.3 x 51 x 13.5mm
Weight: 88 g
Display: TFT, 2B2144 shades, 240 x 320 dots
Memory: 82 MB, miniSD expansion slot (up to 2 GB)
Battery: Li-Ion 650mAh
Posts: SMS, support for concatenated messages, Russian input, MMS
Connections and data transfer: GPRS class 10, USB, Bluetooth
Additionally: MP3 player, web camera, voice recorder, TV-out, FM-radio
Digital camera: 3.0 megapixel, autofocus, video recording with sound
Until recently, few people could have guessed that such an elegant and thin clamshell could be equipped with a three-megapixel camera. Fly SX240 has been on sale for a long time and still remains one of the most affordable three megapixel cameras. Its built-in camera is equipped with autofocus and a choice of various settings and effects. The large screen with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels acts as a viewfinder. In addition, you can shoot with the phone closed, in which case the external display will be the viewfinder.
Subjectively, the pictures taken by Fly SX240 are slightly inferior to, say, Sony Ericsson K800 in terms of sharpness and indoor shooting (the lack of xenon flash affects), but considering the terminal's price, we can say that this is an optimal offer for a similar price.
The clamshell case has a soft Soft Touch surface, so that the device does not slip out of your hands. It supports various music formats, and the external panel contains MP3 player control keys. By the way, Fly SX240 controls some very specific functions, such as working in the webcam mode and TV-OUT. The handset was originally conceived not as a camera phone, but as a multimedia gadget, so the camera is not a key function here, it should be considered in the context of general functionality.
SAMSUNG Е590
Characteristics
Frequency range: 900/1800/1900 MHz
Dimensions (edit): 94 x 42 x 13.5mm
Display: TFT, 252144 shades, 220 x 220 dots
Memory: rniniSD card slot
Posts: SMS, MMS, mail client
Connections and data transfer: GPRS class 10, EDGE, PC sync, USB, Bluetooth
Additionally: Java MIDP 2.0, MP3 player
Digital camera: 3.0 megapixel, effects, autofocus, video recording with sound
Among Samsung phones, there are many interesting models in terms of design. But the appearance of the monoblock E590 is radically different from the usual style for Samsung phones. This model was handled by the European designer Jasper Morrison, as a result of which it turned out to be restrained in English and even somewhat ascetic. The dimensions of the handset are miniature - it can easily fit into any pocket, but at the same time it does not have such a fashionable thin case. The camera allows you to take pictures with a resolution of 3 megapixels, shooting is carried out by pressing a special key, which is located on the side surface. This brings the camera phone interface closer to real digital cameras. It has autofocus, lacking only a powerful flash that allows you to take high-quality pictures indoors and at dusk. Unlike many other Samsung models, this one has a square shape.The manufacturer used the variant of the desktop design, already familiar from many other pipes, using screensavers with views of the capitals of different states, depending on the country of your stay. If the phone loses the network, the screensaver on the screen is replaced by nature views, and if there are missed calls, fireworks appear on it.
Nokia N 93 i
Characteristics
Frequency range: 900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS
Dimensions (edit): 108 x 58 x 25mm
Weight: 163 g
Display: external - OLED, 65536 shades, 36x128 pixels; internal - TFT, 16 million shades, 240 x 320 pixels
Memory: 50 MB, miniSD card slot
Posts: SMS, MMS, mail client
Connections and data transfer: GPRS class 10, EDGE, PC sync, USB, Bluetooth, Infrared, Push-to-Talk, WLAN, TV-out
Additionally: Java MIDP 2.0 (3D support), MP3 player, FM radio
Digital camera: 3.2 megapixels, effects, flash, autofocus, video in VGA-resolution, Carl Zeiss optics
Continuation of the famous videophone in a more sophisticated mirror-finish body. When creating and promoting this smartphone, the manufacturer focused on the video recording capabilities. The device is capable of recording DVD-quality videos at 30 frames per second and a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. But the photographic capabilities of the device can also be envied. A unique feature of the Nokia N93 / N93i is the optical zoom. It was realized due to the fact that the entire camera module is located in a special oblong block at the junction of the two halves of the clamshell. Moving lenses are also located there (using optics from the manufacturer Carl Zeiss). The smartphone runs on the Series60 3rd edition platform, so in addition to excellent photo and video shooting, the user can experiment with installing various programs that expand the capabilities of the device. In general, due to high-quality optics and a powerful processor, Nokia N93i is considered one of the best three-megapixel camera phones on the market. The only nuance that can get in the way of enthusiastic users is the high price.
