Non-work related question for my fellow techs

[punkygoat.livejournal.com]

So I got a digital camera for Xmas, but it's the worst one ever made most likely, so I took it back. I would seriously be much better of buying a disposable digital and hacking it for multi-use. Thought about using the money toward a camera phone since I need a new phone anyway. So I want opinions on different phones and such. I'm quite unread on the subject, and should probably get to know it anyway, seeing as I now support digital cameras.
Of course I've heard the quality sucks, but honestly, when I use them I set the res to 640x480 anyway so my file size is small for when I transfer to my dialup friends. But the color in the returned one was just horid, flash pictures were far too harsh, and the LCD was grainer than a box of Special K.
Speak to me, mine breathren!

Comments

to the fellow techie

[irishmasms.livejournal.com]

have you heard that PCWorld.com and CNet.com have a top 5/10 list for digital cameras? Pick one that is on both lists, near the top & uses the memory cards you need/want/already have.

[jecook]

FWIW, the camera on the Sidekick 2 is ok in daylight, but horrid at night or in low light situations.

the pics are, by default, 640 by 480.

Random pictures I've taken with it:
http://www.sub-ether.net/gallery/SK2

The downside is that the absolute cheapest sidekick plan is around $60 monthly for combined data and talk time, but it included unlimited data useage, which is handy if you use the internet a *LOT*.

It's a GSM/GPRS phone, so coverage may or may not be spotty in your area. In Arizona,. the coverage is acceptable in TUcson and the Metro Phoenix area.

[zig-mover.livejournal.com]

i have the LG VX6000 from Verizon. The pictures look fine on the phone. Nowhere else.

I consider most camera phones a novelty, rather than a convenience.

[geekgrrl-ca.livejournal.com]

camera phones are a trap. they take bleh pics and often you have to pay to retrieve them from the camera.

get a real digicam and save your $ for a phone with good transmission quality.

[dr-atheist.livejournal.com]

The Nokia 7610 has a genuinely good camera on it, check out http://moblog.co.uk/view.php?id=37264 I took that last week with my 7610, then scaled it DOWN using some nifty photo editing software on the phone for uploading to the internet (to keep my GPRS bill down)

pay to retrieve them from the camera

[irishmasms.livejournal.com]

try http://bitpim.sourceforge.net/

[dmsalem00.livejournal.com]

The camera on my wife's Sanyo something or other(little silver flip-phone) is pretty decent, and takes excellent pictures in difficult light.