Cell phone for night photos?

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dman

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#19295 12-Feb-2008 12:26

yeah, I posted about this a while ago....

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=10&topicid=18389

I ended up purchasing the K800i, was rather happy with it (during what short period of time I had it). Plus the price was great, $360!

But then I got rather drunk on saturday night and was doing ***beep-censored-beep*** in albert park, and at some point during all this I lost my phone?!?!

Sooo.... unfortunately looks like once again I'm going to have to find myself a new phone. Basically looking for the same kind of thing, but I thought before I leapt again for the exact same phone I'd stop and double check to see if anything better exists. But I pressume there has been no drastic change to the mobile market in the past month or so on this particular aspect?

There is the LG Viewty, but it is rather expensive and cnet was disappointed by the camera (which is the key feature for me).

http://www.cnet.com.au/mobilephones/phones/0,239025953,339284431,00.htm

https://www.youtube.com/c/SoundSpeeding

Stu

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#111527 19-Feb-2008 08:52

The next step up from the K800i would be the new K850i but as with pretty much anything new, it's not cheap. 5 megapixel camera cybershot though.

dman

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#111539 19-Feb-2008 09:40

yup, but so far as I could tell last time I was comparing them there is no significant difference between the k800i and the k850i other than the megapixels of the camera. And paying all that extra cash to go from 3.2 to 5 just doesn't seem worth it.

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Stu

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#111540 19-Feb-2008 09:51

Then the K800i would still be the best option for camera quality imho. dollar for dollar I don't think anything comes close?

BrentR

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#111620 19-Feb-2008 16:03

Possibly the K810 also, same featureset as the K800i, but in a slightly different housing.

I think with any nighttime shooting a Xenon flash is key.

dman

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#111664 19-Feb-2008 19:42

Jeffthechef: Possibly the K810 also, same featureset as the K800i, but in a slightly different housing.

so once again like the K850i, basically no reason whatsoever to pay more dollars to get next to nothing in return....

Jeffthechef: I think with any nighttime shooting a Xenon flash is key.

I know, which basically restricts it to that
sony ericsson series. just had my fingers crossed another neat phone had hit the phone or had a big price drop recently

The Nokia N82 has been looking tasty, that one just came out. But being so new the price is crazy expensive for me, but perhaps it might be my next phone afterwards in a couple of years time?!

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dman

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#111702 19-Feb-2008 22:02

The SE K800i was called the best camera phone of 2006. 2006! That was ages ago! Yet nothing since then seems to have came across to seriously take away its crown of best camera phone. Marginal improvements at best have came along, that don't justify the increased cost (well, unless you have somewhat more spare money than I do).

When is the next quantum leap going to come along that will knock the K800i off?

My own research suggest:

Sumsung G810? Isn't out yet, but it does have an optical zoom.... something none of the sony ericsson K series phones have (or any other brands have that I can recall, though I think there is one or two phones I've seen with optical zoom?!?!).

Nokia N82 (it has a xeon flash). On a camera to camera based comparison the extra cost of the N82 doesn't make it worth it. But if the other non-camera advantages that the N82 has appeals to you then it could be worth it (perhaps the N82 might be my next phone in another year or two once the price has came down? Who knows, can't see into the future).

The most appealing possibility to me is this one:

http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/overview/c902?cc=&lc=

The Sony Ericsson C902, one of their Cybershot range of phones. 5 mexapixel and a flash (doesn't say if it is a xeon, but as it is Cybershot I'd have to pressume it does have a xeon flash).

However I expect the cost will be significant. But this could be the greatest camera phone of 2008? Might make the cost worth it, and come 2010 it would be the unbeatable bargin camera phone that the K800i is now? Hmmm.... shall I wait a few more months without a replacement phone to see what the cost of it is and what the reviews will say? Fingers crossed.

There is the C702, which will be significantly cheaper than the C902 (or so I would expect) but disappointedly it appears it does not have any flash whatsoever. Otherwise it would have likely had a shot at being the phone for me. Oh well.

http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/specifications/c702?cc=&lc=

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heavenlywild

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#111710 19-Feb-2008 22:24

dman:
Nokia N72 (it has a xeon flash). On a camera to camera based comparison the extra cost of the N72 doesn't make it worth it. But if the other non-camera advantages that the N72 has appeals to you then it could be worth it (perhaps the N72 might be my next phone in another year or two once the price has came down? Who knows, can't see into the future).

Good summary dman:)

Just a note, you mean N82 rather than N72, right?

dman

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#111720 19-Feb-2008 22:48

haha, yes I did too mean that! Got to edit my post now.... yeah, I don't follow the nokia phones quite so closely got it mixed up for a moment, got the second digit right however! lol

Anyway, came across this phone:

http://www.mobilegazette.com/sony-ericsson-g700-g900-08x02x11.htm

This Sony Ericsson G900 looks tempting, if by flash they mean a xeon flash... fingers crossed once again

Seems there has been a fair bit of developments in the past couple of months with new phones coming out. Of course on the flip side, none of these are out yet and even when they do come out they will be brand new releases and will have corresponding price tags to match for a while afterwards.

https://www.youtube.com/c/SoundSpeeding

dman

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#111733 19-Feb-2008 23:17

A very very informative article (but unfortunately all in russian, but for the non-russian speakers here is the google translation):

google translation of mobile-review.com

disappointment, it appears that the C-series does not have xeon (had to leave it out, to make them so slim. A pity, I did love the slimness):

http://www.esato.com/archive/t.php/t-164747,s-150,1.html

though there are claims their new flash is as good or better than a xeon flash, but I'm skeptical.

The Nokia 6220 is looking very tempting, it has xeon flash, 5 megapixels, and Carl Zeiss optics!

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/gallery/item/Nokia_6220_Classic.php

http://www.forum.nokia.com/devices/6220_classic

It is very nice and small. (unlike the K800i)

https://www.youtube.com/c/SoundSpeeding

Stu

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#111770 20-Feb-2008 08:06

Sorry to be pedantic. I'm sure you mean 'Xenon' flash? Unless I'm mistaken and Intel Xeon CPUs are now available in mobile phones?

dman

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#111776 20-Feb-2008 08:22

sleep damn it, sleep! I need more sleep....

yeah, I meant that. (or: yes, really! Xeon chips are now in a mobile phone... cool aye? lol)

Though you would be surprised at how many other people have made this mistake and used xeon in articles. (just google it)

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ninjabear

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#113093 26-Feb-2008 05:37

I've sold a few k850i and I can tell the camera quality isnt that great.It's more like a 3megapixel camera to me and the keypad is what makes it so annoying.Oh and tell me the fake touch screen where 3 buttons are touch which is very annoying.

N82 is great at taking night pictures.I own one too

alasta

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#113100 26-Feb-2008 08:00

ninjabear:
I've sold a few k850i and I can tell the camera quality isnt that great.It's more like a 3megapixel camera to me and the keypad is what makes it so annoying.

Is the quality disappointing relative to other camera phone, or relative to a real camera? Camera phones all have very small sensors so the laws of physics would dictate that they're never going to be brilliant but for some people the better ones are good enough.

dman

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#117568 19-Mar-2008 17:38

I ended up buying yet another new K800i, this time from DSE. they are clearing them out cheap, get them while they last!

https://www.youtube.com/c/SoundSpeeding