The big 5 megapixel test

Before reviewing the pictures let’s just quickly take a look at what features and software do these phones have to offer, as this is almost as important as the image sensor and the quality of the lens. Although some might expect a lot from all eight phones, based on the 5 megapixel label, but there are some rather great differences in a couple of available features. Still, most models have such comfort features that have become widespread in the last couple of years in digital cameras – face recognizing focusing or exposure on smiles are such things (a.k.a. face- and smile recognition). All devices lack manual settings, but we can find such settings in all phones that are not present on very low-end cameras – based on these we could think that 5 megapixel phones are nowadays better than cheap cameras, but this is far from being true in terms of image quality.

Unfortunately we can’t offer exact information about technical stuff, as the type and size of the image sensors are kept as extremely secret information by the manufacturers. We still managed to find out some things about a couple of the handsets, but since these are confidential information, we can only write about them in general. The phones usually have an image sensor of a size between 1/3.2 – 1/4 inches, CMOS is the more wide-spread technology, while the manufacturer of the sensor varies. We unfortunately couldn’t calculate the angular field of the lens to a value equivalent with the miniature camera system in lack of exact data, but we can say for sure based on the pictures, that there are great differences between the phones in this matter too – generally we could say that the value is between 35-400 mm, and we’ll mention this at the different handsets.

Samsung G600

Our first device is a strong candidate of the race, it is the first phone of Samsung to have a 5 megapixel camera and to get to Europe, and at the same time it is cheapest of the tested devices. Its SIM-free edition currently costs about €210 EUR. Many people say that this is the winner in terms of picture quality. We’ll see.

The software is similar to the one on other BlackUI-based devices. It doesn’t have modes, no face recognition and we can’t even increase the dynamics range from the software. Still, sensitivity can be set between ISO 100 and ISO 800, and we can choose all three light metering modes: matrix, center-weighted and spot.

Samsung U900 Soul

Our second subject is Samsung’s current top fashion phone, U900 Soul that has been announced in Barcelona. In this phone, given its category, not the camera is the most important aspect, the 5 megapixels are probably here only because it sounds good and a flagship needs it. Still, since the test we know that in spite of this it performs well.

The handset is also based on the Korean manufacturer’s BlackUI menu system, so the camera’s software is similar to G600’s. It is an essential difference that in the Soul there are eight preset modes: portrait, landscape, sport, sunset, sunrise (haha), night, counter light, text. The image sensor is probably different from the one in the previously mentioned phone, as sensitivity can be set between ISO 50 and ISO 400. There is face recognition and increased dynamics range and there is even a software image stabilizer.

Samsung F480

Our third Samsung model is Widget Jones, or to be more precise it’s F480 with a touchscreen. The camera is again not that emphasized, which is proven for example by the fact that there is no center weighted light metering, but the fashionable tricks – exposure on smiles, high dynamics range – are present. It’s interesting that we can’t enable a separate macro mode, but the phone is still capable of taking such pictures. It knows six different modes (portrait, sport photo, sunrise, sunset, winter landscape, night image) and sensitivity can be set between ISO 100 and ISO 400. Here I would like to mention that it’s a great fun to set sunrise and then sunset mode, as there are perfectly the same from all aspects (identical color temperature, etc.).

Contestants #2: Samsung G810, i900, Nokia N82