Camera phone shootout
You don’t have to be Einstein to understand that the majority of all photographies in the future will be shot by cellphone cameras. The camera phones still have to be significantly better before they can compete seriously, but the gap is shrinking for each year.
We took the two of the best cameraphones that is available on the market to find out how good they are. Today’s two contestants are the Sony Ericsson K800i and the Nokia N93.
Both of the cameras sports a resolution of 3.2 Megapixels but the Nokia N93 also has a 3x optical zoom while the K800i doesn’t have any zoom at all.
We started by taking a landscape shot over Stockholm. When we looked at the photos from both of the camera displays they looked identical, but when we loaded the pictures to a computer we saw that the difference is quite big.
Here’s a 460×345 version of the photograph just to show you what type of photo we’re talking about here.
Here’s a 100% crop of the image above. As you can see the K800i has more vivid colors and more contrast, while the N93 gives a quite pale impression.
Here’s a 300% crop of the sky, and the JPEG compression artifacts from the N93 are really bad.
Here’s anohter 100% crop of a detail. This one comes from the balcony to the left. Check out the difference between the vertical lines between the two photos. You also see a noticeable difference in the noise levels from the two cameras.
Since the Nokia N93 features a 3x optical zoom we decided to show you how much closer you can get using the zoom. The 100% crop to the left is zoomed in to the max, and the right 100% crop is from Sony Ericsson’s available only available zoom level…
…and here’s a zoomed out version of the same photo.
Here’s another 460×345 version of the photograph just to show you what type of photo we’re talking about below.
Here’s another comparison landscape photography. It’s a 100% crop from a park photo taken during quite bad lighting conditions. As you can see the K800i is blurry, and the N93 is very noisy.
This photo was shot during optimal conditions. Both cameras rested on a temporary tripod and this round I would pick the N93 as the winner.
None of the cameras stand out in close-up photography. I prefer the result from the K800i due to it’s more natural colors and less noisy picture.
During bad conditions the Sony Ericsson K800i really stands out. The auto-focus responds swift and correct and the xenon flash lights up the object nicely. The result from the N93 was terrible. The photo was taken in a room that was nearly dark approximately 1.5 metres from the dog.
We tried another setup with a room that was a bit lighter. The N93 managed to get an acceptable photo, but the K800 is way better.
To get going with the K800 you just have to pull down the lens cover.
If you want to take a picture with the N93 you have to do two things: 1.) Take away the lens protection and 2.) Twist up the display.
It takes around 6 seconds from start to finish for both camera phones to take a picture.
The Sony Ericsson K800i has a bright and crisp 2″ screen with a resolution of 320×240. You access all settings using the joystick and the select button. Easy going.
The Nokia N93 features a 2.4″ with the same resolution as the K800i. All settings are easy to use and the quality of the display is excellent.
Both of the cameras are easy to use even though I prefer the handling of the K800i.
Just to examplify the enormous difference in quality with a camera phone that is only 1 year old, here’s two 100% crops of a similar photograph from a 1.2 megapixel Sony Ericsson Z800i and the Sony Ericsson K800i.
…and the introduction of the optical zoom adds another dimension!
The Nokia N93 is bulkier and it isn’t something you want to slip into your front pocket of your jeans – it’s simply too big. It’s also heavier 180 grams vs 115 grams.
Both of the two camera phones take good photograps, but the Sony Ericsson K800i is stronger all-around. I wouldn’t trade the excellent flash photography for the ability to zoom in on objects with the optical zoom of the Nokia N93.
If you’re into shooting video, or if you really, really feel the need for an optical zoom you should go for the Nokia N93 though – the video mode featured in the K800 isn’t something that Sony Ericsson should be proud of.
Optical zoom
WLAN capabilities
Excellent party camera due to the good flash
Slimmer and lighter than the N93
Less noisy photographic results than the N93
Nice Blog-integration
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The comparison of Sony Ericson k800i and Nokia N93 stands as clear as does between the two top level wireless internet service providers. The transition to a cable free internet facility has made possible the availability of wireless internet everywhere. The same fact is one of the factors contributing to the mushroom growth of cheap web hosting providers. Some of them also offer additional services of preparing a web design and domain registration too. This leads to amateur webmasters setting up their own personal websites and making money with pay per click advertising or initiating a home based web marketing business through internet2 affiliates.
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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 17th, 2006 and is filed under Cameras, Cell phones, Gadgets.You can follow any responses to this entry through the Comments Feed. You can Leave A Comment, or A Trackback.
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September 17th, 2006 23:01
[...] Camera phone shootout Tag: Gadgets and Cell phones and Cameras | Posted on 09.17.06 | [...]
September 18th, 2006 05:28
i totally agree.. sony rocks..!!!
September 18th, 2006 11:51
It’s too bad that the video comparison is meissing. N93 is the real camcorder! You can connect the device directly to your TV-set with the chinch cable and enjoy the full screen size. The quality of video is great – it is true DVD resolution with 30fpm. Congratulations Nokia!!!
September 18th, 2006 17:25
[...] Un excelent studiu comparativ a fost recent publicat pe site-ul fosfor gadgets. Testele pun fata in fata calitatea si functionalitatile camerelor foto de pe N93 (pret incepand de la 2392 RON) si K800i (pret incepand de la 1492 RON). [...]
September 18th, 2006 21:35
[...] via fosfor gadgets camera, cameraphone, cell phones, Consumer, Ericsson, K800i, N93, nokia, Sony, Video, Zedomax [...]
September 19th, 2006 07:57
top review thanks! i’ve been a sony man since my T610. the features / syncing with mac / cameras have always been pushing the market to new heights.
i would be interested to see a sample of the N93 video though. somehow i doubt Jim’s assesment that it’s true DVD resolution though.. what, does the N93 have a 5gb flash memory in it?
September 19th, 2006 12:48
[...] But, as Jim points out, the N93’s not a camera phone! It’s a mobile device that excels at capturing and sharing high quality video. What do you think? Click here to read the article. [...]
September 19th, 2006 13:25
[...] Read More… [...]
September 19th, 2006 13:55
Camcorders typically have subpar still photos. I don’t see the n93 being any difference. Anyone who wants the N93 wants it for video, not stills.
September 19th, 2006 23:14
Great shootout, it really shows the quality that Sony is bringing to the table.
September 20th, 2006 09:32
What settings did you have set on the N93’s picture quality settings when the JPEG compression looks so hideous? Don’t say that it was on low…
And, what settings did you have on the SE K80?
September 20th, 2006 10:44
Filip – all quality settings was set on highest possible.
September 20th, 2006 15:03
the camera of the k800 may take good pictures, but in reality, the n93 wins by a long shot. In a k800, after taking that marvelous photo, what else can you do with it? The n93, meanwhile, IS A SMARTPHONE and is inherently more versatile in functions and apps and everything else – including video taking. The k800 video is just the SAME as the video of a k750 – what’s that? 10 to 15 frames per second? While the n93 can take 30 fps with ease – and has optical zoom, not that crappy digital zoom that the k800 has.
September 20th, 2006 15:05
In the first picture – the N93 photo is clearer (sharper) than the K800, why or how is the K800 photo better? When it’s more fuzzy and blurred?
September 20th, 2006 17:32
This comparison is apples to oranges. The N93 is a videophone. 30 fps at 640×480 MP4 DVD like quality. If you wish to compare a camera phone from Nokia pick the N73 instead. Which focuses on photography and has the similar specs to the K800i… Go to http://www.nokia.com/nseries/index.html#studio ande check it out for yourself.
September 20th, 2006 18:13
[...] En este sitio web se han encargado de hacer una completa revisión de las cámaras digitales del Sony Ericsson k800 y del Nokia n93. Y el ganador es… En: Marcas [...]
September 20th, 2006 20:18
Nice summary:
N93 pros:
Shouldn’t the author add:
Excellent video recording
Screen is much bigger than k800 one
Less blurry photographic results than the k800
Excellent gaming platform with 3D accelerator
TV-Out
Smartphone capabilities
Bigger memory cards capacity available for N93
Nicer materials and comfortable keypad
Miles better internet browsing
Edge
………
September 20th, 2006 20:28
Anonymous, no, really this is just a comparison between the photographic end results – not a phone comparison.
September 20th, 2006 20:30
…: I would suggest that you check another part of the picture – for instance the crop with the balcony.
September 20th, 2006 23:19
[...] Fotos do Duelo [...]
September 21st, 2006 00:31
very nice review
September 21st, 2006 01:36
[...] Pics taken from http://gadgets.fosfor.se/camera-phone-shootout [...]
September 21st, 2006 04:30
This review is misplacedI think. The k800 should be compared to the n73. Both are focused more on still shots than the n93, which is more on video and connectivity.
I’ve used both the n73 and k800, and I tell you, the n73 photos wins by a wide margin.
Not to mention that the n73 has carl zeiss optics, smrtphone capabilities, cheaper memory cards, and a bigger brighter screen.
Have a nice day.
September 21st, 2006 11:18
[...] Winner: Sony Ericsson K800i Read more… Share :These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
October 2nd, 2006 12:26
[...] Camera phone shootout Gadgets, review and news about the Camera phone shootout from Europe’s leading gadget site. You don t have to be Einstein to understand that the majority of all photographies in the future [...]
October 6th, 2006 04:39
k800i is good cellphone.It has digital camera with xenon flash.The cybershot also helps us to take a photo.Don’t forget the autofocus.But,the video is not really good,is it?it isn’t really good.But,the camera is very good.
October 8th, 2006 20:14
I bought n73 a couple of days ago and had to return it. Photographs were really crapy. I have seen online samples of sony k800 and they look a lot better. I am going for this phone.
October 11th, 2006 18:54
la vdd es que el sony ericcson tien muy buena resolucion ya que posee una camara de 3.2 mp al igual que el n93 pero en video el nokia se lleva de calle a todos ya que captura 30 imagenes por segundo y la calidad de el video es dvd que mas puedes pedir en fotos el se pero en video nokia!!! saludos y ojala puedan poner unos videos pa que vean la diferencia!!!
October 11th, 2006 22:39
I love my k800i for nice quick shots, which some I have taken recently have come out nice. If you play about with the camera modes and settings (such as white balance – nice feature for a camera phone) you can get some quality shots.
I’d love to see the N93 for the video quality. I work with bands, and to have a device that can capture DVD quality footage and is a phone would be excellent, but I’d have to see it work in club conditions first.
Overall, I think your opinion of the k800i is spot on.
October 16th, 2006 09:32
In my opinion, a face-off with the N73 would be more apt in relation to the K800i.
October 16th, 2006 12:19
Hey m really impress wid k800i…m lookin 4a dig camera..but after seeing both n93 n k800i i dropped da plan n concentrating on buyin 1…but i rate k800i more den n93 coz of the price n da flash..cheers sony..
November 3rd, 2006 23:54
“the camera of the k800 may take good pictures, but in reality, the n93 wins by a long shot. In a k800, after taking that marvelous photo, what else can you do with it?”
You can edit it in photoDJ, apply filters, access it with Windows, Mac, Linux and BSD machines through the supplied USB cable or through the excellent sony bluetooth, use FaceWarp to create hilarious images, view it in Sony Ericsson’s photo browser, access it as a digital camera straight from digikam, f-spot or picasa or whatever, mix your image with music, video, captions and transition effects *on the phone* using the included Sony Ericsson multimedia software, view it, and movies and music on your TV/stereo from your phone using the BTMC, and a bunch of other stuff.
ALL of that, except the BTMC which is a paid accessory, is straight out of the box without any extras. Why, does the Nokia offer similar functionality?
November 5th, 2006 12:48
i have the sony ericson k800i it is the bst
November 21st, 2006 10:07
sony’s da man… thanks to cybershot… sound wise also sony has advantage… nokia crap… hahaha… thumbs up sony…
November 21st, 2006 10:09
bye2 nokia the only nokias that attracted me is ngage/…
December 26th, 2006 08:08
It was obvious that The K800 is GREATER than N93
for the cause the K800 is a CYBERSHOT camera from the SONY corpration while the Nokia is a mobile manufacturer . The result was clear.
December 26th, 2006 21:29
to those who keep saying that the k800’s camera is better because its a CYBERSHOT camera the N93 has a Carl Zeiss one(who make the lenses for most cybershot cameras)
January 1st, 2007 20:15
the reviewer was being unfair.. the nokia n93 was fully zoomed with extended zoom which makes everything distorted.,. if he had to focus more on the phones and less on taking sides maybe then it would be fair.. nokia is da best
January 14th, 2007 18:35
i’ve got the k88i myself and i think he’s the best but with the nokia you’ve got much more options:sign in a network fot free.
January 17th, 2007 10:56
[...] Camera phone shootout Gadgets, review and news about the Camera phone shootout from Europe’s leading gadget site. You don t have to be Einstein to understand that the majority of all photographies in the future [...]
January 18th, 2007 21:10
quiero mi k790
January 24th, 2007 16:36
pues yo he devuelto el n93 y retomado mi k800i porque sencillamente,la camara de foto del segundo le da mil vueltas al n93;de acuerdo en que el resto es mucho más completo el nokia pero….de que me vale todo lo demás si mayoritariamente lo quiero,además de para llamar,para tomar instantaneas?
Es una pena porque el n93 lo tiene todo,pero le falta el detalle del flahs
January 27th, 2007 23:23
K800i is THE WINNER
February 10th, 2007 13:05
all u nokia fans ghet a grip u stupid f**kers
February 15th, 2007 16:28
I want Sony Ericsson K800i pros price.
March 6th, 2007 12:20
rtwergterhyh yr5
fr
twe
rt
March 6th, 2007 12:22
Hello , my classmates
we can do it
hahahaha
March 6th, 2007 12:26
hello,my classmate
We can do it .
oshlon tmeshe al ahmsa.
April 6th, 2007 12:07
[...] PS 20060919 Para los interesados en más detalles sobre la calidad de la cámara, una comparativa entre el K800i y el N93 de Nokia. [...]
July 23rd, 2007 02:23
Yeah, the SE k800i is a clear winner, and the k850i will be the next winner.
May 26th, 2008 06:44
NO ONE CAN BEAT NOKIA NSERIES PHONES…………………………..
CHEAP ERRICSON…………….THEY ARE TOYS………
November 28th, 2009 05:19
PS 20060919 Para los interesados en m�s detalles sobre la calidad de la c�mara, una comparativa entre el K800i y el N93 de Nokia.
January 15th, 2010 09:24
Brilliant idea, by comparing two different cameras, with clearly visible results.
http://www.c-phones.com/best-prepaid-cell-phone.htm