Study says Mobile Phones Driving Image Sensor Market

[Paul Martin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20061213PR201.html' target='_blank'>http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20061213PR201.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Mobile phones have emerged as the single largest market for image sensors, surpassing the entire consumer electronics segment to become the main application for both charge-coupled device (CCD) and CMOS image sensors, according to iSuppli....Although cameras have become standard on most mobile phones, studies suggest that actual usage remains much lower, with less than 10% of consumers actually using the device as their primary image capture device. "</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/iSuppli_camera_phone_penetration_graph.jpg" /><br /><br />The study by iSuppli has some suggestions for why phone camera usage still lags, including lower image quality, ease of operation, and cost of getting the pictures off the phone. If you have a camera on your phone, is it your main photo device? What would make you ditch your digital still camera?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

If you have a camera on your phone, is it your main photo device? What would make you ditch your digital still camera?

I do actually use my phone as my main camera, mainly for convenience (it's a Sony-Ericsson k800i). The pictures are pretty decent, especially compared to the decrepit 1.3MP digital camera that I was originally using. But there's one thing I really, really miss when taking photos with the phone - optical zoom. Without it you have to get really close to a subject, which obviously limits your options - digital zoom just does not cut it. Apart from that, the xenon flash, while much better than the LED flash that most phones have, is a little underpowered. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with using it as my main camera, bearing in mind I'm nowhere close to being much of a photographer.

[Paul Martin]

Wonder if we'll ever have a camera phone with attachable lenses? My prepaid cell is pretty feature anemic and so no camera built-in. Even then, I've not been overwhelmed with the photo quality of most I've seen.

[fone_fanatic]

Wonder if we'll ever have a camera phone with attachable lenses?

The nokia 3650 had attachable lenses which you had to purchase seperately. It was a battery cover replacement which extended over the camera lense and you rotate which lens you want for it. I think the highest it went was 3x optical.

Ever since i switched to using WM devices, i've never relied on the camera. HTC's camera's are horrible, but the camera's on the sony ericsson cybershot phones are quite amazing! I have a Casio Exilim camera which fits really nicely in my pocket (size of a credit card) and it has an extremely fast shutter speed so its always good for those candid shots, as well as action shots. I highly recommend the Exilim over the sony cybershots because of the shutter speed. if i remember correctly its 1/32 of a second..

[Nurhisham Hussein]

The nokia 3650 had attachable lenses which you had to purchase seperately. It was a battery cover replacement which extended over the camera lense and you rotate which lens you want for it. I think the highest it went was 3x optical.

You mean something like these?

link (http://mobile.brando.com.hk/MobilePhoneTelescope.php)

link (http://mobile.brando.com.hk/MobileLensCombo1.php)

link (http://mobile.brando.com.hk/MobileLensCombo2.php)

[Paul Martin]

Very nice and reasonably priced!

[sixftunda]

I totally use my phone (xv6700) as my main camera. Yes as mentioned above HTC cameras are horrible. I tried carrying a Oregon Scientific 2MP with me, but it just got too bothersome. I'm sure something nicer will come along next year.