Camera phones aren't generally exciting.  After all, their performance has remained noticeably inferior compared to lower-resolution point-and-shoot devices.  Not that handset manufacturers aren't trying hard enough.

The just-announced Samsung SCH-W880 (Anycall AMOLED 12M in Korea) is the next device looking to bridge that gap, with enough features to get even the most jaded handset user excited.  Why all the fuss?  It's simple, really, as the unit packs the most souped-up camera module ever to hit a mobile phone.

Details of the hefty camera package includes a full 12 megapixels of resolution, 3x optical zoom, variable aperture, dual LED flash, 6x digital zoom, image stabilization, one-touch auto focus, face detection and 720p video recording at 30fps.  Whether this equates to photo quality rivalling those from dedicated compacts is something we'll have to wait and see, though.

The feature set doesn't stop there, of course.  The W880 also boasts a 3.3-inch AMOLED capacitive touch display with WVGA resolution, stereo Bluetooth, 3G connectivity, 4GB of internal storage, microSDHC expansion and an 1100mAh battery unit.  Since it's destined for Korea, the phone will come with a T-DMB TV tuner, which you can expect to be traded off for a GPS or Wi-Fi module for the European and US versions (suffice to say, I'll be surprised if this doesn't hit either of those two markets soon).  Do note that this is a feature phone and not a smartphone.

The Samsung SCH-W880 will be available for South Korean consumers sometime this coming October.  No pricing details has been announced, but expect it to be on the high-end of the scale.

[via GSM Arena]

The Sony Ericsson C905a represents the cream-of-the-crop of the company's Cyber-shot line (at least, until Satio comes around).  With a high-resolution 8.1 megapixel camera, a stylish modern design and the latest features you can expect from higher-end models, it's among the most attractive camera phones available with carrier subsidy in North America.

Like all Cyber-shot phones, there's really no place to start dissecting the C905a other than its souped-up optics module.  Among the camera's offerings include four different picture resolutions, numerous photo settings (five color effects, five white balance choices and two quality types), macro mode, an image stabilizer, an infinite focus mode (for long-distance photos), phototagging and various shutter sound options.  Suffice to say, there's plenty to play around with when using the camera's very good UI.

Photo quality is among the best we've seen in today's range of 8 megapixel camera phones.  It's personally my favorite out of every one I've tried (e.g. LG KC780, Nokia N86), capably producing images with bright colors, rich tones and plenty of detail.  A built-in camcorder is also on-board, although it pales in comparison to the still shooter, only able to come up with very average-quality images.

From the back, the C905a looks more like a camera than a phone, largely because of the sliding lens cover.  It's a bit bulky than most newer phones we're used to, but it's a moderate sacrifice for a very capable camera handset.  It sports a slider form factor with standard T9-style keys.  Overall build, including the sliding mechanism, feels solid.

Sony has always been good with display panels and the 2.4-inch LCD on the C905a is quite stunning to look at.  Interface should be quite familiar to users of many of AT&T's feature phones - it's good, but nothing particular noteworthy.

As a phone, it offers excellent voice performance both on the handset and the speakerphone, with a standard set of call and messaging features.  Users can expect SMS, MMS, IM and mobile e-email (with a good set of supported providers, although no Exchange support).

Most notable of the C905a's other features are the 3G connectivity (which allows for decent web browsing, as well as support for AT&T's wide range of broadband services), an excellent music player (almost as good as some of their Walkman phones), and a slew of built-in apps and games.  One glaring sore thumb, though, is the lack of a 3.5mm headset jack.

The Sony Ericsson C905a is an excellent phone, especially if you're in the market for the best camera handset you can get your hands on.  Available from AT&T for $179.99 with a two-year contract, it's also pretty competitively priced.

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The Samsung M8910 Pixon12 is a high-end feature phone that, along with the Sony Ericsson Satio, is reputed to pack the best camera module among the current crop of handsets in the market.  Of course, high-resolution doesn't necessarily mean the best quality stills - I think we've seen enough badly-done camera phones to prove that.  How does the Pixon12 fare?

Samsung's high-end camera handset can take snaps with 4000 x 3000 resolution, along with both Xenon and LED flash.  While the company promised 28mm lens in their marketing material, the camera actually sports 30mm lens, which can be easily verified by the EXIF data recorded on the phone itself.  Way to go, Samsung.

Additionally, the Pixon12 packs dual apertures, though they don't provide any sort of manual control.  That means users can choose to take their photos between the two values, but don't get any sort of leeway with them.  Essentially, it blots out one feature that  photography enthusiasts would have loved to see on their camera phone.

Overall, photos taken with the Pixon12 are better than anything we've seen on a camera phone, handily edging out the best 8 megapixel snappers from Nokia and Sony Ericsson.  While more skilled hands might be able to tune out their lower-resolution devices into taking better scenes on occasion (especially those with wider angles), it's fair to assume that the 12-megapixel hardware will outdo them most of the time.  It also comes with a very impressive shot-to-shot time along with 30fps video.

In this day and age of smartphones, it's a bit disappointing to get a high-end unit that doesn't come with smart features.  Unfortunately, the Pixon12 happens to be that kind of handset.  To make up for it, though, it fits in a wide array of hardware talents that's pretty souped-up to go with the best phone camera module around.

Display is a 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen with 800 x 480 resolution.  Details and brightness are decidedly gorgeous, although quality swiftly degrades under direct sunlight - it remains usable, but isn't very good.  It uses Samsung's TouchWiz UI 2.0, which the handset runs in a pretty speedy manner.

Other details peg it as a truly high-end feature phone, including HTML browsing (on 7.2Mbps HSDPA speeds), full Flash support, aGPS (with preinstalled software), playback capability for a wide variety of media content (including office documents, DivX and Xvid), stereo Bluetooth and an FM tuner.  On the downside, its media talents are limited somewhat with the lack of a 3.5mm headset jack and onboard stereo speakers.

If you want a camera phone with output that can match up to a moderately decent camera, the Samsung M8910 Pixon12 is easily your best bet - at least, until we see what Sony Ericsson's 12 megapixel Satio has to offer.  Coupled with a good feature bundle and a nifty UI, it's a good purchase for those willing to pay the decidedly more expensive price.

As a Cyber-Shot phone, the Sony Ericsson C903 is expected to fit in a considerably good camera module. Surprisingly, though, the onboard optics set is average at best. In actual use, the handset shines most as a do-it-all device, touting a variety of hardware features that put it in a competitive position against other phones in the same range.

While the 5.0 megapixel sensor manages to wrangle up a good amount of resolution, image quality doesn't raise the bar enough in comparison with Sony Ericsson's more high-profile camera phones. Colors are good, but details tend to fizzle out in close-range shots with plenty of clarity issues on images from high-contrast scenes. Overall, photos fall in the average range with other 5.0 megapixel phones.

It uses the same souped-up camera interface as most other Cyber-Shot models, which offers a good deal of options in settings, scenes, focus and controls. There's also video support for up to 320 x 240 resolution at 30 fps with decent quality.

Physically, the phone sports an attractive slider form factor, with the slide-out back panel doubling up as a protective cover for the lens. Overall body construction is made of plastic, though build looks sturdy enough. The glossy finish does make it sort of a magnet for finger marks and dirt, though.

Display is a bright and crisp 2.5-inch panel with a 320 x 240 resolution. It fits in a 12-unit T9 keypad that's about standard fare from regular Sony Ericsson devices. The rest of the control array works well enough.

Despite the Cyber-Shot branding, the C903 comes with a bevy of features that peg it as more than just a camera phone. It supports HSDPA speeds, allowing for fast page loads on the proprietary XMB browser, along with full support for a wide range of broadband services. There's also an onboard GPS (with a few preloaded apps), stereo Bluetooth, an FM radio and full media playback (above-average quality). The lack of Wi-Fi and a 3.5 mm headset jack might prove an issue, however.

Call quality is topnotch, with good, natural-sounding voices coming through on both ends of the conversation. Overall, the Sony Ericsson C903 is a high-quality all-in-one phone, with a decent camera module and fast internet connectivity. It's not the Cyber-Shot to go for if you're hoping for the best set of optics possible, but it fits the bill for those in the market for more versatile talents.

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When you sit in total darkness, do you ever wish you can pick up your phone and videoconference with someone?  You probably don't (unless you're allergic to illumination), but some folks in Korea, apparently, might.

Samsung recently announced the first camera phone that boasts support for night-vision video conferencing as its main selling point.  Called the Samsung SCH-W760, it comes equipped with a front-mounted infrared camera module that allows motion capture in low-light environments.

Sporting a traditional slider form factor, the phone includes a rear-facing 3.0 megapixel set of optics, which we assume can also handle night mode, along with a 2.8-inch AMOLED display (240 x 400 resolution), 8GB of onboard storage, Bluetooth and a microSD expansion slot (no flashlight, oddly enough).  None of these, of course, provide any reason why anyone would want to videoconference in the dark, but I digress.

Intended for release in the Korean market, the phone comes with a tuner for S-DMB TV programming and support for up to 7.2Mbps HSDPA on local 3G networks.    The Samsung SCH-W760 is now available in the country and is priced at the equivalent of $445 (KRW580,000) without a contract.  There's no word of (and I don't imagine there being) pricing or release anywhere else.

Via Electronista

Sporting a double-slider form factor similar to the Nokia N85, the N86 brings high-end optics to go with heavy multimedia capabilities.  The camera takes center stage in this release, with the hardware offering the first 8-megapixel variable aperture in a cell phone.

Getting right into the meat of the handset, the camera takes some of the most gorgeous phone-snapped stills you will ever find and is certainly up to par (maybe a tad better) than similar modules currently in the market (e.g. Samsung INNOV8, Omnia HD).  Equipped with wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar optics and fourth generation double LED flash, it manages great exposure, excellent contrast and beautiful colors.  While details generally tend to suffer on camera phones compared to actual point-and-shoots, the Nokia N86 seemed to offer more of it compared to competing devices.

Both indoor shots and night mode, as expected, suffer a bit, though are generally good compared to what your average camera phone delivers.   In fact, I'd go so far as to say its indoor shots are probably the best we've ever seen on any phone, bar none.  It also manages to capture VGA video at 30fps with very, very good quality.

Interface is not very different, however,  than what you can find in the N95, which is a considerably older model.  Hopefully, Nokia updates its camera interface soon because it really is getting stale and is probably the low-point of the handset.

Physically, the N86 is almost as heavy as the Nokia N97, though I actually like it better because of the predominantly metal components (compared to the latter's plastic build).  It sports a gorgeous 2.6-inch AMOLED display that works very well under direct sunlight.

As we said, it comes with a dual-slider design, with a T9 keyboard slipping out from the bottom and dedicated media controls from the top.  There's no QWERTY panel and it isn't a touchscreen, so habitual messaging addicts beware.

The rest of the phone functions capably:

• Calls offer above average quality, with the occasional sharpness.
• Navigation is fast and hitch-free.
• Media playback is very good and is comparable, in many ways, to the manufacturer's flagship N97.
• It comes with all the accoutrements you can expect from a high-end smartphone - GPS, Bluetooth, HSPA and everything else.

All told, the Nokia N86 is a solid smartphone with one of the best camera modules around.  It puts those 8-megapixels to good use, although the variable aperture probably doesn't bring as much benefits as it can if it was on an actual point-and-shoot.  It's an attractive handset, though, and, with the exception of the lack of QWERTY keys, I'd say it's a better purchase than even the N97.

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While Casio has not shied away from the cell phone market, its previous efforts (at least in the US) consisted largely of durable outdoor phones intended for rugged use, with little in terms of multimedia or business features.  All of that changes now as the company rolls out the Casio Exilim C721, a similarly-durable phone with a powerful camera module and a ton of high-end features.

The Exilim C721 may well be the first waterproof and shockproof handset to come with the kind of feature set its touting.  Its camera panel alone could be worth the price of purchase, with capabilities that rival some compact point-and-shoots in the market.  Apart from offering 5.1 megapixel resolutions, it comes with 3x optical zoom, 16x digital zoom and very impressive image stabilization.  The results are stunning photos that look like they came from an actual digital camera instead of a mobile phone.  Not content with packing the best snappers I've ever used in a phone, it also shoots low-res videos (max 320 x 240) in a similarly competent fashion.

Even though it boasts durable talents, the C721 doesn't look anything like a bulky rugged handset.  In fact, it's a sexy little phone with a flip and swivel design (which makes it feel like a real camera when you're shooting).  It has a wide but slim orientation that feels very good in the hand.  Screen is a gorgeous 2.3-inch display that offers amazing brightness and colors even under sunlight.

As a phone, call quality is great on the Casio Exilim C721, with all of the standard calling features you expect from high-end handsets.  Messaging is equally good (SMS, MMS, email and IM), although there's no QWERTY panel, so you'll have to make do with a cumbersome T9 layout.  It comes with a rich set of capabilities, including GPS support, Bluetooth and a full HTML browser. Despite the small screen, browsing over 3G was a pleasant experience, mostly because the integrated zooming features worked so well.  It even comes with good multimedia support, although the player nor the onboard speakers are hardly the most desirable we've seen.

Very few phones have come out this year that truly took us by surprise and the Casio Exilim C721 proved to be one of the biggest.  As I've said, it's arguably the best camera phone in the market, outperforming those silly 8 megapixel handsets without breaking a sweat, all while sporting military-grade durability specs and every feature set you can imagine.  At $279.99 (with a 2-year contract), though, it's more expensive than some of the most high-profile smartphones of the year, which can make it a bit of a difficult sell.  If you want the best phone camera (especially for outdoor use), however, you'll be mistaken to turn your attention anywhere else.

Photo Credit:  Obsessable

How often do you use your phone's camera module?  Personally, I don't even bother all that much, unless it's for an impromptu shot and I don't have my point-and-shoot along.  If you do use it frequently, however, you may want to take a look at the LG KC780, currently the cheapest camera phone sporting 8 megapixel optics.

Why so cheap?  Apart from the souped-up camera module, the phone really packs just mid-range features.  It's designed for that specific subset of users who need regular phone features, but are looking for as good a camera with it as they can get.

Sporting a slider form factor, the phone comes with relatively slim 13.8 mm lines.  Unfortunately, this creates a small hunch in the back right where the camera sits, which I find extremely odd.   Build feels sturdy enough, so there's really not much to complain about the handset physically.

Display is a 2.4-inch QVGA with decent picture quality.  It does lose some of the contrast and colors outdoors, although it remains completely usable.  Physical controls work comfortably, with just enough pressure requirements to make navigating and typing messages a breeze.  Calls are great, as well, with loud and clear voices passing through both ends of the conversation.

UI is the same as several of LG's newer releases (like the KC550, for instance).  It's a beautiful interface that's both easy on the eyes and a dandy to use.  The media player module has been paid enough attention to provide considerably good playback, complete with pretty nifty track filtering, an equalizer menu and background play.  According to LG, the KC780 can handle DivX files, although we couldn't get anything in the format to play at all.  Other media (such as H.263 videos) were handled capably.

The camera, being its main selling point, has to be good, right?  For the most part, it is.  Apart from the high resolution, you get a ton of features with the camera module including autofocus, face detection, image stabilizer and a panoramic mode.  Shutter speed, however, is considerably slow, taking around 7 seconds with further image processing requiring another 20 seconds before the shot is finally saved.  Needless to say, it's a pretty big sticking point - but what did you really expect from a phone camera?

Images shot using the module are pretty detailed, with good colors when taken outdoors.  Indoor photos, however, leave the same noise problem we've seen with almost every camera phone we've tested.  Videos are decent enough at 720 x 480 resolution.  It comes with a "fast motion" mode that lets you see things in slow motion, which is pretty cool.

While the camera hardware is the much-touted portion of the LG KC780, it's sad to note that it also creates the most frustration - a 7-second shutter speed just isn't all that fun to play with.  Other than that and the DivX playback, everything else in the phone works admirably.

Also check out these daily deals available on unlocked LG KC780 phones.

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Photo Credit: Iconocast

Let's face it - it sucks taking photos with a cell phone.  Even with 2.0 and 3.0 megapixel camera phones, the quality often still leaves much to be desired.  Don't even get me started on the iPhone - the thing isn't the easiest to steady, paving the way for tons of blurry shots.

While the ProCamera can't do much to further improve your photo quality, it does make sure you take a properly focused shot.  Instead of recording what's in the camera's periphery right when you tell it to, it waits until the shot is steady before activating the shooting mechanism.

It performs the trick by a clever use of the iPhone's accelerometer, using it to inform the app that the camera is held firm and without movement.  You can adjust the accelerometer's sensitivity, though keeping it at the highest setting does make the most sense.  You want a steady picture after all, so might as well set it to take a shot during the sharpest point.

When preparing to capture a scene, the screen displays a tilt-meter, a circular image that functions like a crosshair of sorts, letting you know when the phone is evenly positioned for a shot.    Of course, if your hand is frequently unsteady, you can look forward to a fair amount of frustration using the ProCamera, since it will absolutely refuse to take a shot until the accelerometer's sensitivity setting is satisfactorily reached.  Can you imagine taking a group picture with everyone holding a pose while your phone waits for you to hold it still?

If the image quality of shots you take on your iPhone is good enough for your needs, the ProCamera should be a nice addition to ensure all your shots are as clear and focused as can be.  It's available now from the App Store for $2.99.

Photo Credit: iPhone Italia

I've never been a big fan of numeric keypad sliders.  If you're going to fit something that slips out, might as well make it a full QWERTY interface, right?  The Samsung Tocco Ultra, however, is new keypad slider with some pretty impressive hardware that should make even a dogged slide-phone hater take notice.

Sporting a brushed metal finish, markedly slim frame and aesthetics that looked cutting edge three years ago (sorry), the phone's centerpiece is a 2.8 inch AMOLED touchscreen display with one of the sharpest and clearest outputs among today's generation of handsets.  It comes with Samsung's TouchWiz interface, which isn't perfect, but works well enough to make navigating through the phone relatively pain-free.  I especially love dropping shortcuts on the home screen, which comes few and far between among non-smartphone releases, and the correct recognition of a few intentionally inaccurate touch motions.

If you took a look at the Tocco Ultra's pic and thought that this has to be a cameraphone, you're right.  In fact, it's very attractive on the optics end, packing an 8 megapixel camera along with an assortment of high-end features, including a surprisingly capable Macro mode for extreme close-up shots and dual LED flash.  It fits a dedicated camera button on the side, while the rest of the features can be controlled via the touch interface.  Video has been especially improved, allowing for frame rates of up to 30 fps at VGA resolution.

As with other high-end feature phones, it comes with HSDPA connectivity, GPS and media playback.  I've always found surfing the web unappealing without a decent QWERTY keyboard and my disdain continues with this phone.  Media playback is pretty good, though, especially for the fact that it supports DivX and Xvid codecs.  Memory is a paltry 80 MB but you can always plop in a microSDHC card.

Overall, if you want a solid camera phone, this is a good unit to look at.    It's undoubtedly Samsung's strongest camera-centric handset to date, with a nice suite of features to round up its overall usability.  Currently, the Samsung Tocco Ultra is only available in Germany but should be rolled out to a wider audience by month's end.

Photo Credit: DealGiant