Sony Ericsson K800i
Unless you have been under a stone for at least a year, you already know why I'm writting about this mobile phone. Yes, it has a camera, and no less than 3 megapixels, at that, which is a much more than my first camera, a few years ago. Given previous Sony Ericsson record, huge popularity of their phones, tremendeous demand and their claim ( to fame ) as a first usable photographic device, there are already scores of web sites with "reviews" of K800i, or it's sibling K790i, some written even before phone hit the shelves. What can I say, that wasn't already all out there? Well, as always, it seems to me that there is a lack of a honest, owner's report. Does it matter, now that's almost a year passed? Well, given that its succesor just came out, in a form of a K850i, with additional increase in a pixel count, but aside microSD slot, with no substantial improvements, I'd say, it's still very relevant.
It's too small for a camera, buttons are too small even to properly write SMS, not to mention some sort
of a camera control. Given control buttons on both camera sides, there is simply no room to hold it securely,
not even with both hands. If regular buttons were small, control buttons, except for a shutter trigger, are
even smaller, with natural consequece of being almost totaly useless.
Overoptimistic display of a juice remaining in a battery, I'd say by, at least, two stops ( real photogs know what that means! ). Small(ish) battery capacity. Either that, or energy usage is simply too high.
Sony tends to invent wheel every now and then, in this case it's new(est) memory stick format. M2 memory sticks are rare, worst still, if you manage to find them, they're expensive beyond measure.
Joystick tends to capture all moisture, dust in a not so close proximity. You can't avoid it, except if you carry a phone in a very tight carring bag. It's hard to find, due to irritating sliding camel back, which also causes K800i to act as a larger brick, than it actually is.
LCD is superb, except in a bright daylight.
It's expensive.
Now for a real problems. Phone is capable of acting as a USB hard drive, but this works flawlessly only on Linux, in my case Knoppix DVD 5.1.1. Plug it in a Windows XP machine, and you'll be welcomed with a large dialog demanding *DRIVERS*. There is no way you can tell Windows to forget all that OBEX goodies, and just accept your word for it to be a dummy hard drive. No sir, no way! They didn't do all those nifty drivers for nothing, now did they? Boy, do I hate when corporations makes it more complicated then anyone ever asked for.
That's not all, I'm afraid. Camera is slow, I mean real slow, comparable to my first camera. On top of that, shutter lag is enormous, certainly over half a second. There is also idiotic picture review, useless even on excelent LCD, because you can't judge focus, nor fine detail, there in a field. I said idiotic, because you can't get rid of it, there is no option to turn it off.
For some reason, Sony decided to ship camera with a wrist strap, which by and of itself is a nice touch. But they put "classy" *LEATHER* wrist strap. I'd suggest that all of Sony Ericsson executives wear boiled leather undewear, for at least a year. To let them learn. I got mine new wrist strap from a local PowerBall e-merchant. I suggest you to look at a Canon for a decent fiber wrist strap.
Worse still, menus are extremly stupidly designed. You have to dismiss menu you're currently in, to be able to enter
a new one. It's impossible to enter a menu, and then walk through all of them, without ever exiting. Silly still,
left-right directions on a joystick are unemployed when in a menu, so there is no reason whatsoever why you shouldn't
be able to visit neighbouring menus.
Some buttons have assigned functions, so you don't have to dwell into menus to change a certain options. That's all nice and well, but not all buttons have associated function. As is common with a P&S, and now with most entry-level dSLRs, most useless functions are exposed thru buttons. All creative and usefull photographic controls are still deeply in menus. Zoom buttons are duplicated, on buttons 3 and 6, and control buttons next to a shutter trigger. Sony, what was it with you, couldn't find any more useless functions?
Given so much negative points, is there anything positive about this camera? You bet! It's always with you, because it's primary mobile phone. To capture a moment, your camera has to be with you, there is no use if you have super-duper dSLR, which mostly colects dust at home. It's small(ish), so it's unobtrusive. It's almost absolutely quiet. If you can get over fiddling with options, and left everything on AUTO, it can actually make a decent photos. Images are good in a good light, less so in dim. Of course, they aren't comparable to dSLRs output, not even a P&S, but as a social snapshots, they're good enough. Images are plagued with purple fringing, and even on a smallest ( non-selectable ) sensitivity, with visible amount of noise reduction, causing somewhat artificial, watercolor look. Apropos image quality, images from K800i aren't really ready for some serious cropping, which is a neccesity for more serious photography, especially given its fixed, non-zoom lens.
To be honest, with this device you get not just a phone, and very capable at that, but also a media player, Java ME platform, radio, gaming console, and, of course, a camera. Given such a diversity in functionality, it's inevitable for it to have some compromises.
Why, then I'm being so negative about it, I hear you ask? Well, given such a huge potential, it's really a shame to waste it in a such grandiose way Sony managed to do. While image quality is most important property for any camera, it's not the only thing camera should do properly.
For me, it's nice camera, but not quite there, and certainly not up to its Cyber-Shot hype. Worst problems could be solved with a firmware update, but until that happens, it's too expensive for what it offers. There is a predecessor, that is K750i, for half a price, with similar feature set.
Read specification at Sony Ericsson, reviews at GSM Arena, Mobile Phones UK, esato, Reg Hardware, MoBique, mobile-review, photos at flickr.
Send a comment
Unless you have been under a stone for at least a year, you already know why I'm writting about this mobile phone. Yes, it has a camera, and no less than 3 megapixels, at that, which is a much more than my first camera, a few years ago. Given previous Sony Ericsson record, huge popularity of their phones, tremendeous demand and their claim ( to fame ) as a first usable photographic device, there are already scores of web sites with "reviews" of K800i, or it's sibling K790i, some written even before phone hit the shelves. What can I say, that wasn't already all out there? Well, as always, it seems to me that there is a lack of a honest, owner's report. Does it matter, now that's almost a year passed? Well, given that its succesor just came out, in a form of a K850i, with additional increase in a pixel count, but aside microSD slot, with no substantial improvements, I'd say, it's still very relevant.
It's too small for a camera, buttons are too small even to properly write SMS, not to mention some sort
of a camera control. Given control buttons on both camera sides, there is simply no room to hold it securely,
not even with both hands. If regular buttons were small, control buttons, except for a shutter trigger, are
even smaller, with natural consequece of being almost totaly useless. Overoptimistic display of a juice remaining in a battery, I'd say by, at least, two stops ( real photogs know what that means! ). Small(ish) battery capacity. Either that, or energy usage is simply too high.
Sony tends to invent wheel every now and then, in this case it's new(est) memory stick format. M2 memory sticks are rare, worst still, if you manage to find them, they're expensive beyond measure.
Joystick tends to capture all moisture, dust in a not so close proximity. You can't avoid it, except if you carry a phone in a very tight carring bag. It's hard to find, due to irritating sliding camel back, which also causes K800i to act as a larger brick, than it actually is.
LCD is superb, except in a bright daylight.
It's expensive.
Now for a real problems. Phone is capable of acting as a USB hard drive, but this works flawlessly only on Linux, in my case Knoppix DVD 5.1.1. Plug it in a Windows XP machine, and you'll be welcomed with a large dialog demanding *DRIVERS*. There is no way you can tell Windows to forget all that OBEX goodies, and just accept your word for it to be a dummy hard drive. No sir, no way! They didn't do all those nifty drivers for nothing, now did they? Boy, do I hate when corporations makes it more complicated then anyone ever asked for.
That's not all, I'm afraid. Camera is slow, I mean real slow, comparable to my first camera. On top of that, shutter lag is enormous, certainly over half a second. There is also idiotic picture review, useless even on excelent LCD, because you can't judge focus, nor fine detail, there in a field. I said idiotic, because you can't get rid of it, there is no option to turn it off.
For some reason, Sony decided to ship camera with a wrist strap, which by and of itself is a nice touch. But they put "classy" *LEATHER* wrist strap. I'd suggest that all of Sony Ericsson executives wear boiled leather undewear, for at least a year. To let them learn. I got mine new wrist strap from a local PowerBall e-merchant. I suggest you to look at a Canon for a decent fiber wrist strap.
Worse still, menus are extremly stupidly designed. You have to dismiss menu you're currently in, to be able to enter
a new one. It's impossible to enter a menu, and then walk through all of them, without ever exiting. Silly still,
left-right directions on a joystick are unemployed when in a menu, so there is no reason whatsoever why you shouldn't
be able to visit neighbouring menus. Some buttons have assigned functions, so you don't have to dwell into menus to change a certain options. That's all nice and well, but not all buttons have associated function. As is common with a P&S, and now with most entry-level dSLRs, most useless functions are exposed thru buttons. All creative and usefull photographic controls are still deeply in menus. Zoom buttons are duplicated, on buttons 3 and 6, and control buttons next to a shutter trigger. Sony, what was it with you, couldn't find any more useless functions?
Given so much negative points, is there anything positive about this camera? You bet! It's always with you, because it's primary mobile phone. To capture a moment, your camera has to be with you, there is no use if you have super-duper dSLR, which mostly colects dust at home. It's small(ish), so it's unobtrusive. It's almost absolutely quiet. If you can get over fiddling with options, and left everything on AUTO, it can actually make a decent photos. Images are good in a good light, less so in dim. Of course, they aren't comparable to dSLRs output, not even a P&S, but as a social snapshots, they're good enough. Images are plagued with purple fringing, and even on a smallest ( non-selectable ) sensitivity, with visible amount of noise reduction, causing somewhat artificial, watercolor look. Apropos image quality, images from K800i aren't really ready for some serious cropping, which is a neccesity for more serious photography, especially given its fixed, non-zoom lens.
To be honest, with this device you get not just a phone, and very capable at that, but also a media player, Java ME platform, radio, gaming console, and, of course, a camera. Given such a diversity in functionality, it's inevitable for it to have some compromises.
Why, then I'm being so negative about it, I hear you ask? Well, given such a huge potential, it's really a shame to waste it in a such grandiose way Sony managed to do. While image quality is most important property for any camera, it's not the only thing camera should do properly.
For me, it's nice camera, but not quite there, and certainly not up to its Cyber-Shot hype. Worst problems could be solved with a firmware update, but until that happens, it's too expensive for what it offers. There is a predecessor, that is K750i, for half a price, with similar feature set.
Read specification at Sony Ericsson, reviews at GSM Arena, Mobile Phones UK, esato, Reg Hardware, MoBique, mobile-review, photos at flickr.
Send a comment