Samsung's Pixon 12: a dozen megapixels of cameraphone nonsense in June

After failing to show at the Mobile World Congress event in February, Samsung's rumored 12 megapixel cameraphone has finally arrived. Meet the Pixon 12 and its 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a Sammy promise of fast shutter speeds and quick browsing. As a camera, the Pixon 12 (M8910) brings a dedicated shutter button, touch auto-focus (wherever you touch becomes the focal point) that locks in to track moving subjects, Smart Auto mode that adjusts to conditions, and a 28-mm wide angle lens. The unit also saves images relatively quickly (for a cameraphone) so that you can fire off the next shot within 2 seconds. Just remember, more megapixels do not make for better photos especially when jammed tightly into a sensor small enough for a cellphone. And 12 megapixels translates to files ranging from 2MB to 18MB and beyond depending on the compression used (Samsung doesn't say). So ask yourself: is it really worth the storage space and the associated delays when uploading images to Samsung's Share Pix service (with Facebook, Picasa, Flickr integration) over the Pixon 12's built-in WiFi and HSUPA data? No rush, you've got time to decide -- Pixon 12 will be hitting Europe in late June, other regions sometime in August. One more pic after the break.

Update: Full specs just came in: 150MB of on-board storage (up to 16GB MicroSD expansion); quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, HSPA 900/2100MHz; Xenon + Power LED flash; 720 x 480 pixel videos at 30fps; internal GPS, and FM radio with RDS.

[woffle @ Jun 1st 2009 2:44AM]

3.1" sounds pretty disappointing and only runs Samsung's dumbphone software which sucks harder.

[Shinigami @ Jun 1st 2009 4:51AM]

No S60? Damn...

[DR House @ Jun 1st 2009 5:39AM]

Yep... not a smartphone = wont even think of it
plus its too small for me 3.1 inch, i love big sizes (shut up you perverts)

[CJ @ Jun 1st 2009 7:35AM]

Dr. House: NEVER!

... Hee hee, big sizes...

[iSmoke,therefore emit death by breathing @ Jun 1st 2009 9:53AM]

@DR House: big sizes...lol,that's too easy

i'll give u a pass on this one

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 1st 2009 2:50AM]

If only it had Android...

[glenskey @ Jun 1st 2009 3:24AM]

woooo! android!!

[SOT09 @ Jun 1st 2009 2:52AM]

fuck the phone...this guy is hot

[Indefinite Implosion @ Jun 1st 2009 4:22AM]

wouldn't that make you wanna fuck the guy, not the phone?

[ChaosEntity17 @ Jun 1st 2009 2:57AM]

I think I'll just wait for the Omnia HD- if I'm going to get a 12MP cameraphone, I might as well get one that can shoot in HD.

[rony @ Jun 1st 2009 3:07AM]

so why dont you go tell it while licking Job's dirty toenails or whatever foreplay you indulge in before getting ibuggered?

and yes, 12 mp is too much for a cameraphone but it sure beats the icrap's measly excuse for a camera.

[Derrick @ Jun 1st 2009 3:33AM]

This whole megapixel tthing irritatesmme. Afteraround 5-7, higher resolution doesn't noticably improve photo quality unless you're planning on blowing you photo's up to wall sized murals. People just latch onto the resolution as it's a number that's easier to grasp. Picture quality is all about the sensor and the lens.

There is no way this phone will be able to really leverage that resolution, given the inherent lens and sensor limiations from being crammed into a phone

[solmar @ Jun 1st 2009 5:33AM]

Actually, more megapixels (on a real digicam) allows for increased flexibility, as in cropping. That is, if the sensor, lens, and processing are any good. More megapixels in a cameraphone just means you get a really bad quality picture *in high detail*.

[Chris @ Jun 1st 2009 9:29AM]

He's HAWT.


I'll let him push my buttons anyday.

[derX @ Jun 1st 2009 4:45PM]

Judging from his choice in phones, I don't think he's that into buttons.

A positive, however, is he seems to be keen of the multitouch.

[r3loaded @ Jun 1st 2009 3:17AM]

12MP is just plain ridiculous. Can we end the cameraphone megapixel war now please?

[darkmax @ Jun 1st 2009 3:26AM]

no.

[jason51873 @ Jun 1st 2009 3:37AM]

Like the article says - 12mp does not mean better photos.

So now you get a photo that's big enough to make a poster out of but it still the same grain and bad color as the pics out of your iPhone LOL

[solmar @ Jun 1st 2009 5:27AM]

It doesn't matter how many times the facts are stated... people will still think that more megapixels=more desirable. It's evident in all the Engadget articles asking "how would you make so and so better?"... there will always be the people chiming in "more megapixels!".

The rest of us know that it's not the megapixel count that matters, it's the sensor, the lens, and the processing, none of which can go beyond "mediocre" in a cameraphone (at least not in the near future). You can cram a billion megapixels in there, it would still suck. For those of us who use DSLRs, it's known that a significant increase in IQ only comes when you get at least ~2x increase in megapixels (and that's if you have a good enough lens). So for the people buying X phone over Y phone because it's got 12 mpx vs 10 mpx, you're wasting your time. Same goes for video capabilities.

When you want a really good knife and you want good results, you don't buy a swiss army knife. You buy a real knife. The swiss army knife is for emergencies, when you don't have your main knife around. You really want good pictures? Buy a digicam. You want a phone? Make your decision on the phone features, not the camera, that's just an afterthought.

[va jj @ Jun 1st 2009 3:19AM]

looks like that douche bag named ryan seaquest.

[digitallysick @ Jun 1st 2009 3:20AM]

I dont think its that bad, sure its not a "smart phone" but its nice to have a really good camera and phone in 1 device.

[darkmax @ Jun 1st 2009 3:27AM]

no pixon was never branded a smartphone.

[solmar @ Jun 1st 2009 5:29AM]

And it's not a really good camera, digicam-wise. It might be a marginally better camera on a cameraphone, but that doesn't say much.

[john @ Jun 1st 2009 3:36AM]

what OS?

[Spring @ Jun 1st 2009 3:40AM]

Exactly what happens when you get a dozen of drunk businessman and bring up the topic of how to defeat competition - "Lets just overkill all the useless features that people didn't by the intended device mainly for, while leaving the most important features that device was mainly built for, swept under the carpet and will just release a patch 2 months after it has been released to the public, to clear the issues. Yeah, lets count our money now."

[therealmusashi @ Jun 1st 2009 1:13PM]

You just stated the business plan of just about every Japanese & Korean gadget maker! Bravo.

[King Mustard @ Jun 1st 2009 3:45AM]

Finally, a high-end camera-phone with a Xenon flash.

[Quikboy @ Jun 1st 2009 3:50AM]

If only it had WinMo...

[PhotoGuru @ Jun 1st 2009 3:54AM]

I say go for it- all the better since so many capture crappy images on their cells - better to have something decent if your walkin' along the Hudson and see a gaggle of geese hook up with a 747.

But the Photoguru does need to see and test one before giving approval. Engadget, can ya loan a brutha a Pixon?

[eternity0022 @ Jun 1st 2009 4:22AM]

Samsung Omnia is a pretty good phone, design is sexy and screen is nearly perfect. what i personally hate is the HUGE camera at the back..its like a HOT chick having a 32 pounds tumor at the back..ewww.

[LondonConsultant @ Jun 1st 2009 5:08AM]

720 x 480 pixel video is good as it's least it's the right aspect ratio for YouTube's widescreen...

[alcom4x @ Jun 1st 2009 7:54AM]

I don't get it.. Why do half of the people whine about grainy images, sure they might look grainy when you're zoomed in on them at 100%, but do you guys who keep on whining really print all the photos out of your dedicated camera? I don't and I'm sure 90% of other users don't.. If it's scaled down the photo will look perfect, especially on a screen whose resolution is normally less than 1080p..

[Paul @ Jun 1st 2009 5:22AM]

WHY WHY does no one release a Xenon flash touchscreen running on smartphone software (Symbian, Win Mobile, Android) :o( :o(

I want to get rid of my Nokia N82 for a touchscreen but want a Xenon Flash, will I have to wait for Sony Ericson Idou (better name).

[superhobo @ Jun 1st 2009 9:03AM]

It's called the SE Satio now.

I lieked Idou better though.

[plwh888 @ Jun 1st 2009 5:50AM]

Forget about the Megapixels Race, I want 3x Optical Zoom, its that too much to ask ???

[superhobo @ Jun 1st 2009 6:22AM]

The lens is much bigger than most phone cameras. Surely that counts for something?

[Evan @ Jun 1st 2009 8:08AM]

It may be had to tell from the photo above, but it's a regular camera-phone lens inside a fake larger diameter circle, like one of the "keepin' it real fake" camcorders Engadget reviewed a while back.

[superhobo @ Jun 1st 2009 9:01AM]

I can see where the lens really starts. It's still bigger than most.

[Evan @ Jun 1st 2009 7:59AM]

It looks like a pin-hole lens with a bunch of concentric circles to make it look more impressive than it really is. The sad part is, people are gullible enough to fall for it.

[BdgBill @ Jun 1st 2009 11:49AM]

I would be much more excited by a 5 MP camera with a decent glass lens with a cover, the ability to write EXIF data to the photos and the possibility of taking the first photo in under 5 seconds.

[s.tam @ Jun 1st 2009 1:18PM]

don't let the pinhole fool you..that lens is actually pretty big

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/d/24744-4/yashica_ml_28mm_f2_8-05.jpg
thats a 28mm lens for 35mm film cameras. The max aperture is actually pretty small, so relatively you should be fooled by pin hole size ALL the time, given that pin hole is a considerable amount bigger than most cameraphones,Given that I still predict NOISY photos

[iKurt 5D @ Jun 1st 2009 1:49PM]

I agree with everyone here. More megapixels does not equate to better photos. That is why iPhone's camera does not exceed 2MP, because Apple is intelligent enough to optimize the highest image quality in a mobile phone. Besides, that Samsung phone looks kinda like the iPhone, similar design cues can be found. Samsung is more of a "show-off" company than anything else, pumping out these high megapixel phones like no tomorrow.

[superhobo @ Jun 1st 2009 4:12PM]

No, it's because the iPhone runs with near maximum CPU usage at all times, more than 2 megapixels would make it stall.

[m3tric @ Jun 1st 2009 10:38PM]

"That is why iPhone's camera does not exceed 2MP, because Apple is intelligent enough to optimize the highest image quality in a mobile phone."

Right...or it could just be that your hypePhone has a worthless camera and in typically fanboy fashion, it's actually a 'feature' right? Brilliant.

"that Samsung phone looks kinda like the iPhone, similar design cues can be found"

Typo? Surely you meant LG Prada and not hypePhone right? Okay glad we got that squared away.

IDIOT

[Darkforest @ Jun 1st 2009 6:39PM]

Almost perfect, only missing the HD video.

http://darkforestgroup.com/forum/index.php/board,29.0.html

[Matt @ Jun 2nd 2009 12:18PM]

Why is it that Verizon has such a hard time getting phones that people actually want to buy?

[Jackflap @ Jun 8th 2009 8:40AM]

Same here, give me the optical zoom any day.