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Finally, a Real Phone Camera

Picture-perfect phone closes the shutter on camera phone rivals

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 4, 2008 10:54 AM CST

(Newser) – Adding a camera to a phone isn't exactly a novel concept, but the Motozine ZN5 breaks the mold by making it a proper digital camera instead of a feeble afterthought, David Pogue writes in the New York Times. For quality, he raves, "the ZN5’s photos trump anything offered by any carrier in the United States."

The ZN5 is no slouch as a phone, either, writes Pogue, with voice dialing, smooth Web access, and WiFi—handy for uploading those high-quality photos. The ZN5, built in collaboration with Kodak, has its flaws, Pogue writes, including surprisingly poor video recording. But they're easily forgiven given its success in "melding a real digital camera and a real cellphone with very little compromise in size, photo quality, or complexity."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

Motorola Inc. Senior Vice President Worldwide Sales Bruce Brada, speaks at the launch of the Motozine ZN5, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

The ZN5 isn't lacking in the qualities that make a good phone, David Pogue writes, but where it really shines is as a camera. (Motorola)

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Next to this phone camera, all those billions of camera phones look like a bunch of Fisher-Price My First Digital Cameras. - David Pogue

Why can’t a cellphone be a real digital camera? Now it can. The ZN5 is more of a proper digital camera than almost any phone before it. - David Pogue

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

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Finally, a Real Phone Camera