Digital Cameras & Digital Photography

Matt Sharp asked:

Ever since they first appeared on the scene, camera phones have been one of the biggest success stories ever, for mobile phones! Let’s take a quick look back at how Sony Ericsson have helped shape the world of camera phones, then look forward to their best yet: the Sony Ericsson C905.

Camera phones in history - the world created by Sony Ericsson

It’s fitting, really, that Sony Ericsson should be the ones leading the way in the coming paradigm shift amongst camera-equipped mobile phones. Come on, it was they who started it all, way back in 2002. Let’s not forget that they were the first phone-maker to unleash a mobile phone that had a camera built in, within the British marketplace. That mobile was the Sony Ericsson P800, but it didn’t get the mass market penetration Sony Ericsson wanted, as it was an incredibly (for the time) high-end smartphone. However, their most iconic phone in history was about to be unveiled, and that one WOULD have great market penetration. That was the Sony Ericsson T610, and it really did change the game. There was a device that stood head and shoulders over the other mobile phones it was up against. It was small, it was slim, and the country ADORED it. Plus, let’s not forget that the Sony Ericsson T610 also featured an integrated camera, and that it was actually the first phone to go to that mass market, and make them go, ‘Wait a sec, we actually do want our mobile phones to have cameras in ‘em!’

The battle, now, is between the really high-spec ones, the properly powerful camera phones, and Sony Ericsson’s entry in this fight is the stunning Sony Ericsson C905.

Sony Ericsson C905 - the ultimate camera phone?

There’s no denying power, and one thing is for certain: the Sony Ericsson C905’s got vastly more sheer power than all other mobile phones you can get in the UK. And why is that? Well, this is the first camera phone to be unleashed upon the UK that’s got an 8 megapixel camera. Yes, you read that right. EIGHT. That’s a frighteningly big pixel count, and it means that the Sony Ericsson C905 gives you the power to take the absolute most jaw-dropping pictures you’ve ever experienced, from any camera-equipped mobile phone, in the world. Oh, and of course, remember that Sony Ericsson have amped it up with Cyber-Shot brilliance, and that will make the images it produces even more vibrant. Combine that with a brilliant multimedia player, WiFi, HSDPA and built-in GPS, and you have to come to the conclusion that the Sony Ericsson C905 is, really about as good as it gets!

Or is it? Is there another mobile phone that can outclass it…? The Samsung i8510 INNOV8 perhaps?

Samsung i8510 INNOV - the smart alternative

There’s one big killer fact that separates the Sony Ericsson C905 from the Samsung i8510 INNOV8, and unfortunately for the C905, it’s a doozy. You see, although it is a very powerful mobile phone, the one thing it isn’t is a true smartphone… and the Samsung i8510 INNOV8 most definitely is! Running on Symbian S60, it’s at least as powerful as the top-end Nokia Nseries mobile phones, but the Samsung i8510 INNOV8 has the camera advantage, because of that enormous 8 megapixel camera. And that’s where things get woolly for the Sony Ericsson C905, because the Samsung i8510 INNOV8 can pretty much match it on all of its features, but it’s ALSO a smartphone, meaning it’s inherently more powerful, and you can add on extra software. So, as much as I love the C905, and as much as I love Sony Ericssons in general, I’m afraid that this time, despite them more or less inventing the camera phone, the Samsung i8510 INNOV8 is the winner!

Matt Sharp asked:


As we head towards the end of the year, one phone-maker is set on shaping the world of camera-enabled mobile phones. This manufacturer is Sony Ericsson, and they plan to not only corner the world in high-end camera phones, but bottom-end ones, as well!

Camera phones evolve - the world created by Sony Ericsson

It’s rather apt, when you think about it, that Sony Ericsson should be the ones leading the way in the revolution in camera-equipped mobile phones. After all, it was them who began it all, long ago, in 2002. Let’s not forget that they were the first phone-maker to unleash a mobile phone that had a camera built in, within the British marketplace. That mobile was the Sony Ericsson P800, but it didn’t get the mass market penetration Sony Ericsson wanted, as it was an amazingly (compared to other mobile phones at the time) top-end smartphone. But, their most iconic mobile in history was about to be unveiled, and that one DID get great market penetration. That was the Sony Ericsson T610, and it entirely altered the mobile landscape. Here you had a phone that stood proudly over the rival mobile phones around it. It was compact, it was slim, and the country went MENTAL for it. Plus, let’s not forget that the Sony Ericsson T610 had also got a built-in camera, and that it was actually the first mobile to go to the mass market, and make them think, ‘Wait a sec, we really do want our mobile phones to have cameras in ‘em!’

Nowadays, the camera phone world has split, into entry-level handsets, and top-end camera-equipped mobile phones; and Sony Ericsson really badly want to dominate both!

Sony Ericsson C905 - the ultimate camera phone?

There’s no denying power, and one thing is for certain: the Sony Ericsson C905 has loads and loads more raw power than all other mobile phones you can get in the UK. Why is it so special? Simple, this is the first camera phone to be unleashed upon the UK that’s got an 8 megapixel camera. Yes, you read that right. 8. That’s a disturbingly huge pixel count, and it means that with the Sony Ericsson C905, you have the ability to take the absolute most incredible pictures you’ve ever experienced, from any camera-equipped mobile phone, ever. Oh, and of course, don’t forget that Sony Ericsson have packed it full of Cyber-Shot technology, and that’s going to make the pictures it produces even more sumptuous. Combine that with a stunning multimedia player, WiFi, HSDPA and built-in GPS, and you have to come to the conclusion that the Sony Ericsson C905 is, basically, the number one!

So that’s cameras covered, but what about smartphone? well, say hello the stunning Sony Ericsson X1.

Sony Ericsson X1 - the internet king

I’ve done a few articles on the Sony Ericsson X1, so I’m not going to get too bogged down in the features here. I could do, and I COULD go on about the 3 megapixel camera, or the GPS, or the media player, or the brand new interface, or the fact that the X1 is the first Sony Ericsson mobile phone to use Windows Mobile. But I won’t. Instead, I’m going to focus on what features make it the king of internet-enabled mobile phones. It has to be said, that most of the reasons for it being so good online come from it being based on Windows Mobile, so you get things like MSN Messenger, Internet Explorer and Outlook, built into the Sony Ericsson X1. Combine that with the blisteringly quick HSDPA internet access, and the absolutely marvellous QWERTY keyboard, and you get one heck of an internet device. Between the camera-tastic Sony Ericsson C905 and the high-end X1, I’d say they really do have the chops to dominate the world of mobile phones, this Christmas.