cell phone

[Vi]

I was at a show and there was a lot of picture takin going on, but with very few conventional cameras…the majority of the people were using their cell phones. Now I’m curious and have questions about the photo capabilities of cell phones.

Does picture quality differ like conventional cameras?
How many pictures can be taken?
Can night shots be taken clearly without a flash?

I know photos taken with a cell phone could never match the quality of a good digital, but it seems they can come in handy for those times when a camera may be cumbersome or the flash would be a distraction.

[j-kid]

Re: cell phone

I am not yet impressed by the quality of the picture taken by a cell phone. But, ah guess it betta dan nuttun. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Vi]

Re: cell phone

Thanks J kid

Would never replace it with a digital because I know the quality would not be the same. However there are times I want to take a picture, but don't have the camera. I'm upgrading my cell phone and was wondering if it would be worth it to invest in this option.

[Rebycman]

Re: cell phone

The quality isnt great but what I do is shoot on my cell at 1280x1024 then resize to a smaller image. That boosts the resolution up some and makes the images more clear (less grain and what not).

Its not a good replacement for a dedicated digital camera but out on the go it gets the job done. The phone I have has a 1.3mpxl camera which is about the lowest resolution I'd consider for pictures.

I bought a TransFlash card for my phone and expanded the memory to 300mb. I can store more than 1000 pictures or about 100 3 min video clips with sound.

Most the newer camera's have options for flash, night, day, sun, inside, outside (etc) for taking pictures. I havent made up my mind yet if those settings make much of a difference...been busy so I havent played with it much. But there are options for different situations. I can say my phone doesnt take very good pictures at night (but then again I havent tried some of the other settings either).

Before you buy anything make sure to check the reviews of each phone you are considering. Lots and lots of features out there. Best way to find a good one is to read honest user reviews (not what the mfg wants you to read).

Regards,

-Reby

[Vi]

Re: cell phone

Thanks Reby. You answered a lot of my questions.

So I would download the images onto my computer the same way as I do with the camera?

Also, if I were to take the phone out of the country, although I may not be able to make calls, would I be able to take pictures?

You say your phone doesn't take good night pictures, what about settings such as restaurants or concert where they is minimal light, would the image be deceltly clear or on the dark side (with no flash)?

[Rebycman]

Re: cell phone

Not sure how you transfer images from you camera...I assume by a usb cable or by a mini SD memory card. I just pull my memory card from the phone and plug it into a usb reader, from there its like another hard drive. Ya just copy/paste from the memory card to your pc.

I was told by Verizon that I could take my phone to Jamaica and so long as I didnt use any features that used a cell tower it was free. So if you simply store the images on your memory card there wouldnt be a charge. If you uploaded the images to Pic Place (or where ever) then you would be charged for the data just like a regular call.

I cant say much more on the camera at night...I'm an introvert...I dont get out much. All work and no play and all that. I need to tinker with it more to answer your last question.

Regards,

-Reby

[Vi]

Re: cell phone

Reby, thanks again. Excellent point...I didn't think about the charge for uploading the pictures from the phone.

So the images are automatically saved to the memory card like a digital camera? Sorry for picking this to the bone, but I appreciate you taking the time to answer whatever questions you can.

[Rebycman]

Re: cell phone

On mine its not automatically saved to the memory card. I have to tell it where to put it or how to send it.

When I snap a picture the phone prompts me 'what should I do with this pic?'. At this point I have a number of choices. I can store it in memory (free), send to Verizon's PixPlace (fee applies), email it to an address (data - fee applies), or other options like delete etc.

You havent said what provider you use so I would advise you ask before you renew/sign a contract. Not all providers are created equally [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Hope that helps,

-Reby

[Vi]

Re: cell phone

Helps a lot Reby. My provider is Verizon.

I'll be doing some window shopping for a phone this weekend. Your input will help me ask some of the right questions and not look totally clueless.

Thanks again!