Are cell-phone cameras good enough?

June 28, 2011|By Consumer Reports

If you like taking pictures with your cell phone, no doubt you've wondered whether you still need a regular camera. Consumer Reports decided to get a little snap happy to answer that question.

Snapping shots with your phone is a great option because you almost always have your phone with you. And you can store your favorite ones, like a portable photo album. But can a smart-phone camera take the place of a real camera? To find out, Consumer Reports' photographed a birthday party, since that's a great example of a tricky lighting situation.

Testers used two smart phones that perform well in Consumer Reports tests: the iPhone and a T-Mobile G2x. For comparison, testers also took pictures with two top-performing cameras: an SLR that costs more than $1,000 and a point-and-shoot that costs about $300.

The results? Well, the pricey SLR camera did the best, with vibrant colors and lots of detail in the shadows.

The point-and-shoot photos were also pretty good, with nice color. But the camera couldn't get as many people in the picture because it doesn't have a wide-angle lens.

The smart phones didn't have a wide-angle either, and the zoom and flash were not camera quality.

That said, with both of the smart phones, testers were still able to get some OK shots.

Consumer Reports conclusion: Cell phones are great for when you're on the go. They're easy to use, and they offer a way to share and store photos. But for a special event, you're probably better off with a camera. That way you have a better chance of taking photos that will preserve life's special moments!

Consumer Reports says a good choice for an SLR camera is the Nikon D3100. It costs about $600. It delivers great image quality and is very easy to use. If you want a point-and-shoot camera, Consumer Reports recommends the Canon Powershot SD940 IS Elph for about $200. It takes very good flash photos, and the video quality is also very good.

Consumer Reports has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor appearing on this Web site.

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