Megapixel race hits the mobile realm
By Darren Murph 
posted September 28th 2008 8:27AM
posted September 28th 2008 8:27AM
[Via Cell Phone Feeds]
posted September 28th 2008 8:27AM
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dcoaster, if you're going to put a stupid comment expect less than a positive reply. Also, if that is your idea of a personal attack, you need to get out of your bubble more. You tool.
Hell, I would pay good money for a decent digital camera which could send text messages and make phone calls!
Imagine a Nikon D60 mobile phone?!
What if you want to answer a call in the rain?
I can't see what all the fuss is about. Camera phones aren't, I don't think, meant to take serious pictures. Who in their right mind would attach their phone to a tripod?
one of my requirements for the "ideal" cell phone I want is a camera, but I noticed many of them have two problems still, flash(aka lighting) and video recording, many of them do QVGA at 30fps but not VGA, also many flashes on cameras don't really cut it as well as camera flashes (the xenon's).
Another issue but not as much of a problem is optical zoom, I know one of samsung's G series has it (i think) but a standard 3x would be great, but we probably aren't there yet in this so called "MP Race".
Now if manufactures could only put a bit of focus on media playback.....or just throw VLC on a phone.... :P
I think Engadget and other tech websites need to make a stand against the megapixels scam - stop giving press to this crap, and instead give it to *real* improvements like new lenses and flashes!
Agreed.
If you ripped these companies in every single article regarding mobile phones + more pixels, or regular point and shoot cameras + more pixels, more consumers would be aware of the general stupidity of asking for more megapixels. Judging by some of the responses here, there are lots of geeks out there who still don't realize this, let alone the average person who doesn't really know technology.
With the sensor sizes used in these cameras (what is it.....1/3.2"? 1/3.5"???), there really shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 MP. With a regular point and shoot, 6 MP gets you great images. Beyond 6 MP, the camera with fewer pixels should get you better images (if you compare 2 sensors using the same generation of sensor technology, and designed by the same company).
Agreed.
If you ripped these companies in every single article regarding mobile phones + more pixels, or regular point and shoot cameras + more pixels, more consumers would be aware of the general stupidity of asking for more megapixels. Judging by some of the responses here, there are lots of geeks out there who still don't realize this, let alone the average person who doesn't really know technology.
With the sensor sizes used in these cameras (what is it.....1/3.2"? 1/3.5"???), there really shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 MP. With a regular point and shoot, 6 MP gets you great images. Beyond 6 MP, the camera with fewer pixels should get you better images (if you compare 2 sensors using the same generation of sensor technology, and designed by the same company).
Go and compare picture quality taken with high-end smartphones that are equipped with 5 mgapixel units. They are much much better than anything taken with basic 2/3 megapixel phones. Then check out the comparison done with the new Samsung 8 megapixel phone (which clearly has better quality than N82).
Who says manufacturers only add more megapixels. They have clearly improved optics as well. The megapixel myth has been blown out of proportion mainly because Apple included the crappiest camera ever on it's phone, and the zillion brainless mac-heads need some sort of quasi-believable excuse for defending their jesus-phone.
@Rauha
You twit, what most people are saying here that there isn't any point putting more megapixels on camera phones without improving the optics first. And comparing two different phones using different optics isn't smart either. Think.
Oh, and learn to insult properly. You sound like a 12 year old kid who is just using the same bloody terminology as every other hater out there just to look cool.
For one, stop using cell phone camera sensors and start using real camera sensors.
Actually, that is what Samsung did (see the picture). A few years ago they made 5, 7 and 10 MP camera phones which were basically a point and shoot camera with a phone glued to its back. Same sensor and lens as in real cameras. Sadly they were afaik never released outside South Korea, and there they were ridiculously expensive.
My old Sony 2MP that used freakin 3.5" floppies for storage takes better pictures than my 3MP Tilt. Let's work on some image quality people.
@Rauha: Yes, but with all other things being equal (i.e. lens, JPEG processing, sensor technology, etc), a 3 MP version of the sensor will beat the 5 MP version of the same phone camera.
Too bad that the number megapixels really has nothing to do with image quailty.
Get proper lenses and work with image quality instead of letting the marketing dept run the show.
And as someone said above, the camera in a phone won't be anything but a conviniece for at least the next 8-10 years.
O.K. smile and say cheese. Wait, I need to change the sim card..............................................................................................5 minutes and a dropped battery later. O.K., say cheese. Alright, I am going to MMS this to the family. You guys go ahead I will catch up to you later. I do not want to lose my signal. The pic should be there in a ...., crap to large to send, Line up, lets take another let me change the res to MMS settings.....Options and choices are great for some, but for the majority, they just get in the way of life.
Do you even have a mobile phone?
Willyboy,
You failed... hard
Sony phones have the best camera's (see http://www.sonybrands.com), even their 2mp cams are better than other makes of phone with higher mp. You simply dont need 10 mp on a poor quality camera is my point.
It's more Ericsson than Sony at the mobile phone section.
I just wish that screen and printer resolutions would increase at the same rate as those sensor resolutions...
There are no winners in the megapixel race.
Actually there is one: The camera makers themselves! By introducing a new model with more MP every year, that encourages the ignorant masses to "upgrade" their cameras more frequently.
Am I the only who finds it ironic that the post quotes an LG exec but posts a pic of a Samsung phone?
In Korea:
Anycall = Samsung
Cyon = LG
The more you know.
Wow. 14mbs on a little point in shoot? thats nice. Good for photographs that need one for a back up or just in case.
A 2MP camera phone would make a better backup than this. Shoving all those pixels on an already cramped sensor is just a recipe for disaster.
Ok, to everyone bringing up the iPhone... so you want an iPhone with a huge lens on it? The simple fact is that you start going into the 5MP or higher territory, you need a lens with better resolving power, which usually means a bigger bulkier lens unless you just want a very soft 8 MP image.
Totally stupid. My ancient 2megapixel canon takes vastly better pictures than a 9mp camera phone.
We've long since passed the point where increasing resolution at these sensor sizes is not only failing to improve quality, it's obviously harming it with increased noise and consequent massive smeary denoising. It's the same thing with point and shoots - 14mp in a 1/2.5" sensor. Idiotic (most good DSLRs have less megapixels in a sensor 6x the size, and mobile phones use even smaller than that).