Low MP camera phone?

[dxin]

<p>Hi, guys.</p>

<p>As a long time photography enthusiastic, I'm very NOT interested in most of those camera phones with tiny pixels.<br>

I'm very satisfied with the 3.2MP camera on the Pantech P8000 that I've been using for two years.<br>

I'm looking for a new phone with similar features: low MP, small in physical size, and QWERTY keyboard would be a plus.<br>

Any inputs?</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

Dehuan</p>

 

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Nobody except you (and other smart people) want low-MP phones. It's not a feature that sells. I wouldn't think many are going to offer this "feature"... if anybody.</p>

[Laurie1]

<p>Hi Dehuan,<br>

I don't have a specific recommendation for you but at <a href="http://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3">this</a> website (based in the UK I believe) you can search by phone feature, including type of keypad and camera resolution.<br>

Laurie</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I may have exactly the type of phone you're looking for. You may still be able to find a new/old stock sample cheaply. It's a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/T-Mobile-Sparq-Prepaid-Phone/dp/B005XE5TLS">T-Mobile Alcatel Sparq version 1</a>. All-physical button interface, slide out QWERTY keyboard, no touch screen. It's very early to mid-2000s BlackBerry knockoff style. You can probably find one for $10-$20.</p>

<p>The camera is a no-megapixel 640x480, bare bones but competent as a primitive camera. Resolution is mediocre but noise in dim lighting is surprisingly low and the camera is remarkably resistant to flare even when shooting into the sun.</p>

<p>The Sparq II lists a better 2mp phone cam, but I haven't seen or tried one.</p>

<p>Here's a recent sunset photo with my Sparq at maximum resolution/quality setting. Too bad the resolution is so low, because the lens is pretty good and the shutter response time is reasonable.</p>

<p>I rarely use a cell phone at all for anything, voice or texting, so I haven't been motivated to get a newer smart phone with better camera. However I'd consider a smart phone with good camera over another teensy sensor digicam, mostly because of the excellent editing apps and better screen. And I'm more likely to use the web access than voice or text.</p><div></div>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>HTC One (model M7, the previous model) has a 4MP camera, which HTC claimed to improve low-light performance. It doesn't have a physical keyboard, and it isn't small either, but it is the only recent phone I know of with more or less the amount of pixels you ask, while still having decent performance.</p>

[dxin]

<p>Hi, Laurie,<br>

I checked the website, very useful, although little luck, but I'll keep on looking for some other options.<br>

<br />Lex,<br>

VGA camera seems to be attractive. But I think I prefer phone with more recent sensor technologies and some basic smart features.</p>

<p>Wouter,<br>

Yes, I saw the ONE, and ONE MINI. Even though there's a MINI version, it's still too big to me.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Dehuan, maybe just to be realistic: whatever phone currently available with low megapixels is not going to have a very good camera. If that HTC One proved one thing: less pixels isn't by definition better. Yes, it has larger individual pixels, the resulting pictures in nearly all tests weren't really as good as the 13MP Samsung, 8MP Nokia and iPhone results. Not in low light, not with loads of light.<br>

Technology marches on: todays smaller pixels can perform better than yesterday larger pixels. I'd drop the requirement for a low megapixel count, but rather focus on the phone that satisfies your needs best, and then next the best possible camera. And that's always going to be a compromise, because the small phones are the "budget" lines, and those have the crappier cameras.<br>

Maybe the old Nokia Pureview 808 could be interesting - it has the exact opposite from what you asked, 41 MP, however by default downsamples to 5MP; it is capable of terrific results.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Personally I'd rather have a touchscreen that's Swype compatible than a QWERTY keypad. Once I tried Swype on a tablet I couldn't go back to the keypad. My T-Mobile phone has the keypad but I only use it for reminders, appointments, etc., not for texting. Swype is so much quicker and easier.</p>

<p>The T-Mobile Alcatel Sparq 1 is also the least intuitive phone I've owned for operating advanced features, and the web interface is slug-slow. But I only use it for occasional voice, appointments and the radio. I haven't tried mp3s yet - I'd need a MicroSD card first - but I do still enjoy radio and the Sparq has a great sounding FM radio. It's small, cheap and it works.</p>

<p>If I could afford it I'd get an Amazon Fire Phone, but I'll admit that I'm a big fan of Amazon. Great customer support, excellent devices for the money, and the Fire Phone interface looks pretty nifty. But for me a cell phone is just a tool for occasional use, and I don't travel or commute from home often enough to need versatile mobile connectivity.</p>