Buyer's Guide: Camera phones

BUYER’S GUIDE: Camera phones

BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK

More than a camera
Voices of experience
Camera Phones
Multifunction devices

Photos to go

Should your next cell phone be a camera phone? If endorsements from peers carry weight with you, the decision is a snap. Early adopters have found camera phones to be practical tools to create visual records of listings and to convey homes’ appeal to interested but absent buyers when immediacy, rather than image quality, is what matters.

Even better, camera phones are a tool you can embrace without burdening yourself with significant costs or cumbersome add-ons: You can start snapping for less than $100 with the right service plan and rebates. To boot, some units weigh as little as three ounces.

Of course, there are limitations. If you want prints, you’ll still want a digital camera. The best camera phones deliver low resolution—in the 1 megapixel (MP) range; several models offer even less image resolution with VGA, or .3 MP, resolution. As for optics, all feature fixed-focus lenses—meaning no zooming or wide-angle options. Many have digital zoom, though, wherein the software can stretch the picture’s size. Some include a built-in flash.

Typically, camera phones capture images as JPEG files no larger than 50K, small enough to e-mail. Even on a monitor, these pictures look best viewed at 3 by 5 inches or less. The phones have internal memory for storing some images. High-end models include slots for flash memory cards, which let you store a lot of pictures and transfer images to other devices.

As cameras these units don’t offer much. But combined with phone features, they offer real service. Right from the phone you can add text and send photos to other camera phone users or send an e-mail with a photo. Some models let you add an audio track to remind yourself or recipients what’s important about the photo.

Since you’ll review images on the phone, the screen’s size and quality are important. A few clamshell handsets include internal and external screens so that you can review photos or check photo caller ID when the unit is closed.

Overseas, cell phone vendors have announced camera phones with image sensors of 3MP or better. Even so, it’s unlikely they’ll ever replace digital cameras since there’s no easy way to improve the optics without adding bulk. Instead, consider yours a visual communicator.

More than a camera

Since a camera phone is two devices in one, there’s more to think about when comparing options than if you were buying a phone only:

It’s a phone first. Before you evaluate imaging features, make sure the provider’s coverage area is sufficient and the phone meets your needs for voice calling, text messaging, and e-mail communications.
Use of images. Camera phones offer a serviceable solution for capturing and sending quick shots. Compare the quality, brightness, and size of the display. You’ll also want an easy way to move images from the phone to your PC, such as via flash memory cards, USB, or Bluetooth.
Real costs. Transmitting images means moving data. Providers charge for this service in a variety of ways, from a fee per picture to a flat monthly rate for unlimited data transmission. Additional fees can apply for archiving images or e-mail service. Know what you’re getting as well as the associated costs and how they’re figured, before you sign that contract.
Support services. Inquire about and sample services for archiving and transmitting images, especially how to share images with clients who don’t have a camera phone.
Check the selection. No service provider stocks all camera phones. If you don’t find something you like with your present carrier, visit manufacturers’ Web sites to learn where models are sold.

Voices of experience

Nan Gordon, salesperson, The Gordon Group, John. L. Scott Real Estate, Sammamish, Wash.

“I always have my phone [an early Sony Ericsson model] with me, and I use it like a sketch pad,” Gordon says. “When I’m touring a home or previewing a listing or I see a [decorating] idea I’d like to share with one of my clients, I just snap a little picture so I have a visual reminder of it.”

Liam Danhof, relocation director, ONESource Real Estate Services Center, Bonita Springs, Fla.

Danhof sends images from his Audiovox CDM-8900 to out-of-town clients who also have camera phones or as an e-mail message. “I’ve used it to show people what a property looks like or to show owners what should be fixed,” he says. “It’s easy. The hardest part is probably entering an e-mail address on the phone keypad.”

Catherine Tallant, buyer specialist, The Casey O’Neal Team, RE/MAX Allegiance, Alexandria, Va.

Tallant turns to her Treo 600 when clients who can’t be on site want to know more about a listing. “I was on the phone with one woman who asked about the view at a condo,” she says. “I took some pictures and e-mailed them on the spot. As soon as she saw the view, she told me to make an offer.” Tallant also captures and sends pictures when buyers express interest in features of a home they’re touring. “When they get home, the pictures are waiting in their e-mail as a reminder of what they liked,” she says.

FACTOID

The percentage of households without a landline phone nearly doubled between 2000 and 2004, rising from 4.2 percent to 8.1 percent.
—Mediamark Research

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Learn about REALTOR VIP® Program partner offers at REALTOR.org/realtorVIP.

CHART

Camera Phones:

LG L1400 $129
LG Electronics, www.lge.com, 800/243-0000. Available from Cingular Wireless with rebates
(www.cingularwireless.com, 866/246-4852). VGA camera with 4X digital zoom, multishot mode, and adjustments for image size, color effects, and white balance. Clamshell design with internal and external LCD screens. Dual-band/tri-mode phone; personal organizer functions for address book, calendar, and alarm; voice recording function; instant messaging; Web browser; and voice-activated dialing. 3.35 oz.

Samsung SCH-a670 $199.99
Samsung Electronics, www.samsungusa.com, 800/726-7864. Available from Verizon Wireless with rebates (www.verizonwireless.com, 800/899-4249). VGA camera with digital zoom, flash, self-timer, video-record capability, and image-quality settings. Dual-band/single-mode phone. Text messaging and voice memo recording. Internal/external LCD screens. Personal organizer: alarm, schedule, and to-do list. 3.9 oz.

Siemens S66 $250
Siemens Mobile, www.siemens-mobile.com/usa, 888/777-0211. Available from Cingular Wireless
(www.cingularwireless.com, 866/246-4852). 1.3MP (megapixel) camera with video recording capability. 5X digital zoom, optional flash, and integrated Bluetooth support for transmitting images to compatible devices. GSM tri-band phone. (GSM is one type of frequency. Check for coverage areas.) Text and multimedia messaging, e-mail, and speakerphone. MMC/SD memory card for storing photos on removable flash media. 3.5 oz.

Sanyo PM-8200 $279.99
Sanyo North America Corp., www.sanyowireless.com, 818/998-7322 ext. 433. Available from Sprint PCS with rebates (www.sprintpcs.com, 888/253-1315). VGA camera with four-mode flash, digital zoom, choice of image resolution, picture enhancement options, and ability to attach 10-second audio to image. Clamshell design with internal and external LCD screens. Dual-band/tri-mode phone with speakerphone. Functions as two-way radio with other Sprint subscribers using compatible phones. Personal organizer functions: contacts, calendars, and scheduling. 3.6 oz.

VIP Partner
Motorola i860 $299
Motorola, www.motorola.com/iden, 866/289-6686. Available from REALTOR VIP® Partner Nextel (www.nextel.com/nar, 877/607-8998, program code 25307). VGA camera with still image and 10-second video-capture capability; 4X digital zoom; LED spotlight for close-ups; self timer; and choice of several picture sizes. Clamshell design with internal and external LCD screens. Speakerphone, voice recording, Web browser, and downloadable software applications for personal organization. Functions as two-way radio with compatible phones on network. 4.77 oz.

Audiovox PM-8920 $299.99
Audiovox Communications Corp., www.audiovox.com, 800/229-1235. Available through Sprint PCS with rebates (www.sprintpcs.com, 888/253-1315). 1.3MP camera with built-in flash, self-timer, and 8X digital zoom. Dual-band/tri-mode phone; speakerphone; color internal/external display; and personal organizer functions for storing contact records, appointment book, and calendar. Stopwatch. 3.88 oz.

Sony Ericsson S710a $399
Sony Ericsson, www.sonyericsson.com. Available from Cingular Wireless
(www.cingularwireless.com, 866/246-4852). 1.3MP digital camera with 8X digital zoom, photo light for shooting in dark settings, and integrated Bluetooth for transmitting images to compatible devices. GSM tri-band phone. Internal and external LCD displays. Text messaging. Personal organizer functions: contacts, calendars, and appointments. 4.83 oz.

Nokia 7610 $400 (estimated)
Nokia, www.nokiausa.com, 866/596-6542. To be available from Cingular Wireless
(www.cingularwireless.com, 866/246-4852). 1MP camera with video recording capability. Supports photo transmission or printing via Bluetooth. GSM tri-band phone. Text and multimedia messaging with templates for transmitting pictures. Voice dialing and recording capabilities. Personal organizer functions: contacts, calendar, and appointments. Web browser. USB port for connecting with PC. 4.13 oz.

Multifunction devices:

VIP Partner
IPAQ h6315 Pocket PC $599
Hewlett Packard, Realtor VIP® Partner, www.hp.com/go/nar, 800/888-8177 (mention NAR). Available from T-Mobile (www.t-mobile.com, 866/464-8662). Windows-compatible PDA with phone, computer, Web browsing, e-mail, and digital camera functions. VGA resolution; 3.5-inch screen. Built-in support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless standards. Snap-on keyboard for composing text. 6.7 oz.

Treo 650 $599
PalmOne Inc., www.palmone.com, 800/881-7256. Available from Sprint PCS with rebates (www.sprintpcs.com, 888/253-1315). Multifunction Palm OS-compatible PDA with cell phone, personal organizer, Web browsing, e-mail, and digital camera functions. VGA resolution with 2X digital zoom. Still image and video capture capability. Integrated Bluetooth capability. Dual-band/tri-mode phone with built-in speakerphone. MMC/SD expansion card slot for removable flash media. 6.3 oz.