Camera phone: Nokia 6280

InfoSync World reports that the Nokia 6280, which integrates a dual camera system (a 2.0-megapixel camera, back-mounted, and a front-mounted 0.3-megapixel camera), is now shipping in European markets, for an estimated €375 EUR before subsidies or taxes: "Nokia today confirmed to infoSync World that the handset maker has initiated shipments of its highest-end slider to date, the 6280. The 6280 includes an array of features more commonly found in the Finnish maker's smartphones such as a dual camera setup for video calls and a high resolution screen."

Nokia 6280 Reviews

3G reviews the Nokia 6280 and has this to say about the phone's camera: "The 6280 adopts the dual front camera pose famously pioneered by Sony Ericsson, which lets you handle the phone like a standalone digital snapper. The handset’s size and weight lends itself nicely to this operation. The two-megapixel camera can be fired-up by a dedicated side key and shoots photos in a 1600x1200 resolution. In capture mode the 6280 lets you intuitively and easily delve into the settings menu to change modes. It really is one of the simplest camera phones to manage. The photos themselves are of consistent quality, showing good detail and colour, but they can be prone to overblown highlights and a lack of focus around the periphery of the composition."

InfoSync reviews the Nokia 6280, and finds it capable but nothing impressive considering the 3G competition out there. The overall impression: Average, for a 3G phone.

The review also goes on to talk about the phone's camera: "The Nokia 6280 also features a 2 Megapixel camera, snapping stills of good quality in daylight and of adequate quality in darker environments. Aiming to assimilate the functions of a dedicated camera, the phone's display, which acts as a viewfinder, automatically switches to landscape mode when the camera is activated. Its various options are then easily adjusted by means of the action buttons and volume buttons, with the handset also offering video recording at a VGA resolution of 0.3 Megapixel and lower. Both stills and videos can quickly be added to MMS messages from within the camera application."

LordPercy reviews the Nokia 6280 and finds a lot to like about the phone, although the build quality felt a little bit iffy. About the phone's camera: "However having a phone that's good at being a phone just isn't enough, it has to do more. Luckily the 6280 does do more, a fair bit more. Perhaps its main selling point is the 2 mega pixel digital camera producing images up to 1600x1200 resolution and there are a number of pre programmed modes, including a low light night mode and a small flash. The gallery application lets you view images that can then be sent as a message or even printed via Nokia's XpressPrint technology which acts as a pict bridge to compatible printers and photo kiosks."

Pocket-lint reviews the Nokia 6280 and finds the phone has good call quality: "Call quality with the 6280 was first rate, both voice and video, and for a handset that offers so many features and such a bright screen, battery life was good, allowing us to get through a hectic social weekend with no problems at all."

Nokia News Release Extract

Nokia 6280: Bringing video sharing and video calls to life

The compact Nokia 6280 3G slide phone (WCDMA 2100 and GSM 900/1800/1900) comes with a range of features that enable consumers to take full advantage of 3G multimedia opportunities. Equipped with both a 2-megapixel and a VGA camera, the compact Nokia 6280 provides an ideal platform for 3G services such as real time video sharing and two way video calls. Taking personalization a step further, the Nokia 6280 can announce incoming calls with video ring tones. The Nokia 6280 is expected to begin shipping in the fourth quarter of 2005, at an estimated retail price of 375 EUR before subsidies or taxes.

The bright QVGA, 262,144 color display (320x240 pixels) of the Nokia 6280 highlights the phone's excellent photography capabilities. With dedicated camera and zoom buttons, the Nokia 6280 creates a natural, user-friendly conventional camera experience by operating the photography function in a horizontal landscape mode. Photos and videos taken with the Nokia 6280 can be viewed directly on the screen and then shared with others via MMS, email or directly printed to compatible printers. Pictures and videos can be conveniently stored on the Nokia 6280's miniSD memory card. Bluetooth wireless technology provides easy linkage to printers, PCs and enhancements like the Nokia 616 car kit and the Wireless Boom Headset HS-4W, also introduced today.