Tim L. Walker
May 17th, 2004, 01:30 AM
Article: Sharp Camera Phone Adds Zoom: Handset features optical zoom, 2 megapixel resolution, and it even makes calls (http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116090,00.asp)
Summary: Sharp is unveiling a cell phone handset that comes closer than any other phone to duplicating the functions of a standard digital still camera. It's the first time a cellular telephone has featured an optical zoom and combines a 2-megapixel CCD image sensor and optical zoom. Optical zoom requires the position of the lens to move, and that makes it more difficult to fit into small devices such as cellular telephones where space is limited. Sharp installed the camera module behind the hinge on the lower half of the clamshell phone, to make use of the extra space at the thickest part of the case. The display itself is a 2.4-inch TFT LCD with 320 pixels by 240 pixels (QVGA) resolution and the ability to display 260,000 colors. It measures 1.9 inches by 3.9 inches by .9 inches and weighs 4.7 ounces.
Question: I know dozens of people I work with already have camera phones, and with the technology becoming more advanced, it's only a matter of time until camera phones will be able to take pictures in the 5+ megapixel range. Is the evolution of the camera phone going to bring more people to photography? What kind of effect will it have on the industry?
Summary: Sharp is unveiling a cell phone handset that comes closer than any other phone to duplicating the functions of a standard digital still camera. It's the first time a cellular telephone has featured an optical zoom and combines a 2-megapixel CCD image sensor and optical zoom. Optical zoom requires the position of the lens to move, and that makes it more difficult to fit into small devices such as cellular telephones where space is limited. Sharp installed the camera module behind the hinge on the lower half of the clamshell phone, to make use of the extra space at the thickest part of the case. The display itself is a 2.4-inch TFT LCD with 320 pixels by 240 pixels (QVGA) resolution and the ability to display 260,000 colors. It measures 1.9 inches by 3.9 inches by .9 inches and weighs 4.7 ounces.
Question: I know dozens of people I work with already have camera phones, and with the technology becoming more advanced, it's only a matter of time until camera phones will be able to take pictures in the 5+ megapixel range. Is the evolution of the camera phone going to bring more people to photography? What kind of effect will it have on the industry?