Not a Leica. Not quite. But have a look.

<center><img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?

photo_id=2045321&size=lg" width="240" height="320"><p>Not a Leica (as

if you couldn't guess)<p><img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-

display?photo_id=2045328&size=lg" width="240" height="320"><p>not a

Nikon<p><img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?

photo_id=2045331&size=lg" width="320" height="240"><p>not your

father's Exacta<p><img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-

display?photo_id=2045358&size=lg" width="320" height="240"><p>nor

granfather's pinhole camera<p><img

src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?

photo_id=2045369&size=lg" width="320" height="240"><p>not even

Junior's oatmeal box.</center><p>

 

But pretty good, considering. I noticed somewhere here recently you

guys discussing photography with a cellphone. I noticed this as I

was browsing the site on my new Nokia 3650, which I've also been

using these past couple of weeks for taking pictures.<p>

 

Doing photography with a <i>phone</i> is, as you might imagine if you

haven't tried it, a whole 'nother flavor of experience. Less of a

novelty than you might think (or, than I thought), it's brought back

for me much of the immediacy and excitement that I experienced with

photography as a teen.<p>

 

I've put together a presentation of preliminary results: <a

href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation.tcl?

presentation_id=234454">Shots from a 3650</a>. I'm excited about

this phone. For this and other reasons. And I'd love to hear your

responses.<p>

 

So tell me, as cameras continue to converge with other devices,

making the hobby/art/livelihood more convenient and ever more

ubiquitous, how do you think that will affect photography in general

and Leica in particular?<p>

"how do you think that will affect photography in general and Leica in particular?"

 

"thread deleted by site moderator"

CD Thacker: by all means, do what will please you. Will be interesting to see 8x10 or larger prints from these. a 72dpi showing on a computer screen just won't tell much of a story, really. But if that's what you are after, by all means, enjoy.

That does it...I'm selling my Leica. ;>)

Cameras have been talked to for a long time.

The newest issue of Popular Photography reports that 2MP photo/camera

models are already on their way in Japan. Anyone who thinks that we won't

have phonecams capable of 4-5MP (with a zoom lens) in 2-3 years is hiding

their head in the sand. Expect one to have a Leica and/or Zeiss-badged lens

soon.

 

And yes this sort of technology WILL change the world of photography. When

everyday people (vs. photographers) start carrying a camera everyplace they

go maybe we will finally get that proof of UFO's and big-foot we've been

waiting for.

I can't wait to buy a new phone, electronics by Panasonic, rebadged Japanese made "Leica designed" Summicron lens, retro black paint and vulcanite finish, original M3 style two rivet wrist strap fitting for perhaps $1,800. I can't wait to see what custom made cowhide half cases go for. I really hope they remember threads around the lens. I love buying $125 lens hoods and $80 filters!

I think digicam phones may actually help traditional film photography. With such a glut of digital pictures, I think the demand for "real" photography may rise. Or at least I'm hoping... Or maybe I should just get my head out of my @ss and sell my Leica and get a frikkin' DSLR.

Looks like you are getting in touch with your creativeness....that's good; you'll

live longer and be happier. You sound happier already. Soon you might

develop bigger aspirations for these tiny jpgs., and will move on to other small

cameras that are better at being cameras than phones.....OR....maybe not: I

can see an exhibition in your future: "Small Shots from Small Cameras."

Keep it up!

is there aperture priority?

Ken said: "With such a glut of digital pictures, I think the demand for "real" photography may rise."

 

I see that a vintage (1926) Edward Weston print just sold for $476,000 US. I wonder how much digital photographs will be worth 80 years from now?

Great shots. Does the camera have a CMOS receptor. Many of the first "giveaway"

web cams (I don't know about now) were CMOS-based and produced excellent images.

I don't understand why only Canon has really pursued CMOS as opposed to CCD??

THANKS FOR SHARING ......

Your 3650 photos look better than mine. I got mine almost immediately after it was introduced, maybe there were issues at first.

 

There's a patent for a way to move the lens without any gears or other types of linkages - it uses heat on a membrane to move the lens, allowing for (potentially) autofocus and/or zoom. This will give a lot more capability to the phone cams.

 

Anyone who thinks this will help film cameras has found a good source of medication. Most people take quick snapshots that they want to show other people. My son is in sixth grade, and the kids almost never print anything - they just send photos back and forth on the Internet, and soon, on cellphones. The price of the 3650 (with a service plan) is close to zero, and I'm starting to see kids with them.

 

Society changes, and things are much more "disposable" than they used to be. This applies to photos, and quoting prices of famous prints doesn't change that. The high end art collector market has absolutely nothing to do with the market for camera phones.

 

And I still need to figure out why I don't get the same level of quality on mine.

Jeff

 

I tend to agree with what you say, but what I find interesting is the fact that the huge numbers of p/s users are the ones likely to swop to use these camera phones, and as you say never really print anything ,or indeed save much. This may have the effect that 'photographers' work may become even more important and'historic'. This is the real importance(in my opinion) of the inevitable rise in use of these camera phones - let alone digital cameras per se.

 

Regards

 

Bruno

I am optimistic that some day there will exist:

 

1. a 'digital M'

 

2. a cellphone with 'no features'.

Hmmm - CCN just broadcast a story that some employers are banning camera/phones from the workplace - for "security" reasons. I didn't get all the details because I was in the middle of processing some (uhhhh!) film.

 

The problem with camera/phones is that if you run into a place/situation where cameras are banned, they'll take away your cell phone as well. Expect to see long lines forming at some venues while everyone's cell phones are inspected to make sure they don't contain cameras.

 

OTOH, I can see the usefulness - you're visiting the Ciudad Laredo "maquiladora" looking into a broken machine, and need to get a picture of the problem back to the home office in Connecticut (or Ciudad Mexico, or Kyoto, or Solms). Snap a picture with the camera/phone, and you can wireless/web e-mail it to HQ essentially in real time.

 

(Unless the maquiladora is one of the workplaces where camera/phones are banned - D'oh!)

 

Won't kill Leicas - any more than the digital trend in general. Might kill LOMOgraphy as the 'trendies' jump to the newest cool thing. My crystal ball is full of cracks and haze these days.

A Nikon rep told a friend of mine that certain top end Nikkor lenses will be very hard to get hold of due to the worldwide shortage of ED glass.

 

Guess whose chomping up the world's ED glass ? Camera cellphones.

 

Don't seem right to me ...

<i>Guess whose chomping up the world's ED glass ? Camera cellphones. </I><p>

 

Really? I think mine is plastic.

Hopefully a good splash of cold water in the faces of all the puffed-up poseurs on the forum who claim their posted images to photo-net prove that Leica glass is better than Nikon or Canon.

"The problem with camera/phones is that if you run into a place/situation where cameras are banned, they'll take away your cell phone as well."

 

As already happens when going into many courthouses. My brother the lawyer just pitched a fancy PDA/Phone/Camera/Expresso/Cuisenart gadget because he had to leave it behind most of the time.

<p>Interesting photos. I'll upgrade my phone toot sweet!</p>

 

<p>Andy Piper wrote: <em>CCN just broadcast a story that some

employers are banning camera/phones from the workplace - for "security"

reasons. I didn't get all the details because I was in the middle of

processing some (uhhhh!) film.</em></p>

 

<p>I don't watch CNN, but did hear that <a

href="http://www.landfield.com/isn/mail-archive/2003/Jul/0031.html">Samsung

was banning their use</a>. Which is not so very interesting until you

consider that "Samsung is the leading maker of high-end camera phones"

(same source).</p>

Thanks for all the interesting comments. The thing that most strikes me about my experiment with phone photogrphy is that it could be done in the first place. To be able to make pictures, albeit small ones, that are mostly decent in terms of resolution, and to do it with my phone, is to me phenomenal.<p> If not yet wholly practical. In fact the size of the pictures as you see them here is really the maximum acceptible enlargement - any bigger, they woudn't pass muster at all. And as it was I had to spend an inordinate amount of time with each one in PS, just to get them looking good as they do. (With film,photoshop is at best an option, I figure; for digital, it's pretty much a requirement - especially when your camera is one megapixel or less. :-) <p> But of course I agree that this is only the beginning, and that we'll very soon see better cameras in phones, with much higher resolution, ED glass, and so on.<p>The 3650 first appeared in US stores last March, at $400. I got mine in December for free, after rebate. The 6600 is due out this coming March (also at $400), with an even higher resolution screen, more on board memory, and a built-in browser (I had to download mine). I already want one. What I have to decide is whether I will take more pride in saying one that I got it when it first appeared, or in saying that I waited 10 months and got it for free. :-) In any event one thing seems incontestible: converging technologies are changing our lives, including our options for photography. And the changes aren't all bad.<p>I'd better stop here. I'm "typing" this on my phone, just to see if I can, and my thumb is tired :-).

Well done ! This is exactly what we need to convince the world

that phone cameras are supposed to be fun.