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Jan. 17, 2006
Last year some folks in the camera industry feared that camera phones might have a negative impact on the sales of real digital cameras. But I think it's more likely that camera phones are a positive feeder mechanism for continued digital camera sales. Why? When you give a camera to someone who's never had one (or might never buy one), and make it just good enough to take decent snapshots, some of its owners might be tempted to purchase a real camera so they can do more. Eventually, a percentage of these new photographers will move their way up the photo-chain to advanced compacts, EVF's, and DSLRs. And along the way become avid Pop Photo readers.
 Next, I think competition is good for any industry. Where would we be on the digital camera front if all the electronics companies like Sony and Panasonic had stayed out of the camera market? Likewise, cell phone designers are looking at cameras from a whole new perspective--perhaps shaking up the photo industry exactly where it needed it. Among the features we're bound to see migrate from cell phones to real cameras in the near future are liquid lenses, longer-life batteries, advanced noise reduction systems, GPS, and built-in MP3 players.
Wait, check that last statement! Actually, the cell phone designers borrowed the integrated MP3-player concept from the camera guys at Fujifilm! Does anyone remember the 2.4MP Fujifilm Finepix 40i, circa 2000? It was a slim compact camera with a Super-CCD that also featured a built-in MP3 player. Unfortunately, the MP3 part was a bit difficult to use by today's standards, requiring you to store MP3 files on a special 32MB SmartMedia ID card (a ridiculously small storage card), and purchase additional software in order to RIP songs for your player. The FinePix 40i was ahead of its time, but the the camera/MP3 marriage didn't last despite two follow-up models.
 I can't say that about camera phones with built-in MP3 players. Case in point? The Nokia N80 (price guess? $500-700.) I saw recently at CES. This quad-band cell phone can be used in nearly every country on earth (in the US it's compatible with Cingular and T-Mobile networks), and can also be used to surf the web via its EDGE and EGPRS network compatibility. On the camera side, the N80 includes an autofocus 3MP camera with 35mm equivalent lens, a sharp LCD monitor, plus stabilized MPEG4 video and sound recording. On top of that, the N80 also features Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11g), a stereo FM radio, a removable 128MB miniSD card, and a high-quality MP3 player that you really have to hear to appreciate. All this in a small, 3.75-inch high slider-phone that only weighs 4.7 ounces.
 Hey, did I mention it has an autofocus 3MP camera that might even pack enough picture punch to become the primary camera for some folks? Still, I'll wager that its lack of zoom lens, real flash, and overall complexity (expect an unusually dense manual for such a multifunction device) will only temporarily appease those who get bitten by the camera bug.
Final Nokia note: If you're tired of wearing a ridiculous, over-sized Bluetooth ear pieces that makes you look like a Cyllborg, check out the Nokia BH-800 (estimated street price $140). About half the size of the smallest ear piece I've seen, it actually fits into most ears without the need for an ear clip, and should work with any Bluetooth-capable phone. Now if I grow my hair a bit longer to hide it, no one will have any clue why I am talking to myself.
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