Top 5 Camera Phones

. Camera phones have come a long way since their inception. What once were devices meant to take candid pictures without much thought given to their quality, have now turned into serious tools for photography. We now have mobile phones with advanced technologies like autofocus, optical zoom, face detection, smile detection and, of late, some camera phones have even had blink detection. Even video recording standards have gone up and we now have mobile phones that can record videos in HD resolution.

Now that summer is here and many of us are planning to take a vacation, we would need something that is small enough to be carried around everywhere without compromising on picture quality. You can buy one of those compact digital cameras but why carry two devices when you can have both in one?

So here's a compilation of the top camera phones that you can buy. These are camera phones we have tested and know that they would provide you with the best picture quality in that price range. So when you come back from your vacation, you can have high quality photos that you could cherish forever.

Sony Ericsson K810i


Easily one of the best camera phones that the Swedish company made; the K810i still rocks even after two years of being in existence. The K810 has wonderful picture quality, which is complemented by the awesome xenon flash that makes it a great tool for photographing in the dark. Colors are natural and exact, which will definitely please the purists. Macros, which have always been a forte of Sony Ericsson phones, are delivered with aplomb.

The 3.2 megapixel resolution might not seem much, but for all practical purposes it is more than enough for a mobile phone. You also get a convenient lens cover, which will start the camera when slid open and protect the lens when closed. Only major flaw that I can point out is the low resolution video recording. But apart from that this phone lives up to the Cyber-shot brand name, and at Rs. 10,000, you cannot get a better camera phone.


Motorola ZINE ZN5


Motorola shied away from camera phones for a long time, conveniently ignoring it and equipping its phones with the same old boring 2 Megapixel camera. But then they finally thought enough was enough and decided to make an entry into the camera phone market. And what a device they chose to make that entry! The picture quality rocked and even taught long time camera phone makers Sony Ericsson and Nokia a thing or two about making camera phones. Motorola partnered with Kodak for the software part but the hardware is their own.

The 5 megapixel sensor captures superb details, but what really impresses are the lush warm colors that bring the images to life. At night the brilliant xenon flash comes to the rescue and the lens cover protects the lens from scratches and dust. Video recording, however, is once again a weak point for the ZN5. Priced at Rs. 15,800 the ZN5 is terrific value for money and a superb camera phone.

Nokia N82


Nokia's best camera phone; the N82 has almost everything that a camera phone should have. A 5 megapixel sensor, renowned Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, xenon flash and a lens cover. All you could have wished for is optical zoom. The N82 produces some fantastic pictures that will at times make you wonder whether it really came out of a mobile phone. Little wonder that it is the most popular camera phone today and the Internet is littered with pictures by N82 photographers.

But what really seals the deal in N82's favor is the superb 640 x 480 (VGA) resolution video recording at 30 FPS. The videos not only look great on the phone but also on the PC screen. What's more, the phone can also use the built-in GPS receiver to Geo-tag the images, so you know exactly where you have taken them. Priced at Rs. 18,800, the N82 is the best camera phone that you can find under Rs. 25,000.

Sony Ericsson C905


We often stress that camera resolution isn't everything when it comes to digital cameras and that the final picture quality depends on a lot more factors other than the megapixels that it has. Having said that, a higher megapixel count also translates into a more detailed image, so it is always better to have as many megapixels as you can afford.

The highest resolution that you can have in a mobile phone camera today is 8 megapixels. Sony Ericsson was the first to bring out an 8 megapixel camera phone; the C905. Along with an 8 MP sensor, they have also armed the phone with autofocus and xenon flash along with a nifty LED flash. This works as focus assist as well as a lamp that constantly stays on for video recording in the dark. A well-designed lens cover mechanism protects the lens from damage.

The quality of the images is really good. The high resolution sensor works its magic in capturing even minute details of the subject. In low-light conditions, the powerful xenon flash can make your images turn out great. The C905 can also Geo-tag its images with the help of the built-in GPS. The only area where you wish its performance was better is video recording, as the C905 still captures videos in QVGA resolution at 30 FPS.

Having said that it would be hard to find a phone with better picture quality, and at Rs. 26,000 the C905 is the pick of the lot.

Samsung INNOV8


Samsung was the first one to actually tease everyone with its absurdly high resolution cameras in mobile phones, long before anyone else did. But those were all prototypes that never saw the light of day, except for the Samsung INNOV8.

In a bid to have everything but the kitchen sink, Samsung included a superb 8 megapixel camera in the INNOV8. The INNOV8 might lose out to the C905 when it comes to having a xenon flash on board, but it more than makes up by having better picture quality during daytime with more details and warmer colors.

What's more, the INNOV8 is also capable of recording videos in VGA resolution at 30 FPS, something the C905 cannot do. It also has a massive 16 GB built-in memory with option to expand it further, so you'll never have to worry about running out of space for your favorite photos and videos. Priced at Rs. 37,000, the INNOV8 is a bit too expensive, but that's more because of the overall package that it offers than just camera performance. Along with the C905, it is one of the best camera phones that you can buy.